Of Course!

Next week marks the end of another term.

For the first time since leaving university I've been measuring my life in terms. From September til December last year it was an Alpha Course for Rach and a Lifeshapes Course for me, since Jan its been Lifeshapes for Rach and The Marriage Course for both of us.

All these things have been great for us. Useful in guiding us along the new path we walk. We've learned about what Jesus did; about how we should follow Him and be like Him; about how we can develop our marital relationship, we've learned a lot. I'm grateful to our church for providing these learning opportunities and for those who've led and facilitated them - thanks for your servanthood.

What I take away from all this is a new look at myself and the way I want to live. I've learned to self-examine and bite my tongue, to focus my passion and be active in it, rather than just be passionate. The challenge and the discipline will be this: To use what I've been taught and put it into practice in my everyday life.

I'll miss the courses - I've enjoyed being a student and doing homework again, but everything has been about application and so any benefit I'm going to gain will come from making the paperwork real.

The Alpha Course
In short - a step by step introduction to Christianity. So good I did it twice! Useful in understanding Christians, even it you're not one.

Lifeshapes
Uses shapes as 'mnemonics' to detail and explain tenets of Jesus' teaching and ministry and how we can be disciples of His today.

The Marriage Course
We have to be taught to drive, cook, speak a foreign language, why not a relationship? The Marriage Course has really opened my eyes again as to how to communicate with Rach and understand and respond to her needs, whilst doing the same for me. We've been together for 10 years and it showed us two fundamental things - 1) We've done well so far on our own, naturally understanding and working at our reationship, and - 2) That if we'd had this knowlede before - we'd have probably done a lot better.

The Point Church - where if you live locally, you can sign up and try them out for yourself