Being changed....

Today is the anniversary of when my life was changed!

No I wasn't converted on 25/02/11, but that is when my life and beliefs changed. Subsequently that changed my view of God, my way of life and my thoughts on what the good news of Jesus actually entailed. (So in a way I guess I really was converted :D)

I wasn't a Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh or Hindu suddenly catching a glimpse of the God who the Christians worship. But I was a 'Christian' catching a glimpse of the God who the Christians worship. The one who is compassionate and gracious. The one who is altogether lovely. The one who sent his son to die for us. And the one who actually loves me, not in theory but practically :).

The whole journey started with £7-£10 in my bank account, a one way ticket to Oxford, and no ticket for the actual event I was going to (which was sold out). Heidi Baker, my favourite Christian speaker was gonna be @ the Next Generation Conference and I had to be there. However as I said tickets were sold out and there was nothing being sold on the door. This didn't discourage me though. I still was on the train, I still had organised a place to stay at, through a link I had (and I'd be meeting my host for the first time ever when reaching my destination!). The pitfalls however were:

• I didn't know how I was gonna get back. Tickets were £5-£10 on train and bearing in mind my bank balance I was hanging on a prayer.
• I didn't know how I'd pay for the conference. Tickets were £25.
• I didn't know how I'd get in.

No matter the problems, I arrived in Oxford, found my contact and headed to the church where the conference was being held. To cut a long story short I got in to the conference (which was £25 and sold out), got a CD of the church worship band (priced at £9.99), ate more than my belly could take of food that weekend, and got back home to Hayes, Middlesex (which was £5) all for £15, £5 of which I paid. How you ask? I serve a God who moves with grace and by faith.

What happened at that conference? I saw love. Through a group of people who had come for the same reason I had. To experience God, and to hear about his love. But not just through them though. Through the same woman I'd heard about and come to see, a lady who moved by the Spirit of God and who also knew what it was to love God and love people. After all was said and done she asked me a question I'll never forget. 'What can I do for you, my precious son?'. And I said to her, 'I want to know how to love'. Her answer set me on a journey...