Monday 28 June 2010

VERY ENGLISH

I feel embarressed to be English this week having wasted a lot of time following a shambolic performance. all i will say is come on Harry redknapp now is your time, lets have an English manager again.

I also felt very english this week i went to a fiesta called San Juan, where all the Spanish go to the beach and at midnight they all run into the sea for good luck. During the night they make fires on the beach where the young men run through the fire apparently to impress the young ladies. the reason i felt English was because that would never happen with our health and safety pc brigade. So i was wincing at the possible danger, but then reminded myself they have been doing this for hundreds of years.

i also felt very english at a friends wedding, for a few reasons 1. the language barrier although my friends are good at keeping me informed (thanks ismael) 2 i did not know any of the songs and the traditional "dexys midnight come eileen" song was not even played once.
and finally our English weddings end early compared to Spanish ones, we arrived back home at 6 in the morning. i felt all of my 34 years that morning.

The catholic ceromony (which i am told can be quite tedious) was very good the deacon spoke about giving up on your pre-concieved ideas of church and that the most important thing is to know God. quite refreshing and i certainly was not expecting such an informal and warm service.

thats what its all about for me and Naomi, to make people know that it is possible to have a relationship with God.

May you have a great week in your relationship with God. He wants to know us to know him personally this week.

Love Dave and Naomi

Monday 21 June 2010

ही friends

Hi friends and supporters.

To all those who follow this blog on Facebook you might be wondering where the video is. Well i have been told that my face is more suited to radio and i´m scareing little children (only joking)
i thought i would go back to typing for this week. It was great to see so many friends at conference and to find out that so many were following all that i am doing via facebook and twitter etc. a special hello to David and Pia Woodfield whom i respect so much thanks for reading these updates.

God really blessed me at conference i really enjoyed the dary northrop sessions and keith was great not to mention sy. it was a great conference. I also spent some time with family in Derby and preaching in Coventry. It was great to see all my friends and sharing a chalet with Iain and Rachel Hesketh along with Sean Charlesworth and Mrs C. thanks for that.

As you look to the future it can be quite fearful sometimes. No longer guaranteed a stable salary and pension and i always find it hard weighing up the balance of living by faith with your finances and also being a good steward of them. I realise i am completely dependant on the generosity of my friends and family, that too can bring feelings of guilt like am i acheiving enough for the Lord in order that their giving is justified.

However when i look back over this year i can truly say i have seen God do some amazing things and in spite of me sometimes, he is great. we have more people attending the church, more publicty and better relations with the town hall.

Faith and fear have the same definition "seeing those things that are not as if they are already" its what you choose to believe, radical faith or irational fear.

this i find hard to do, i find it really difficult to ask for support financially. prayer is fine, talk about money thats harder.
the truth is i need to be bolder in this. so here goes...

i need more sponsors. those who have caught just a wiff of the vision to see this nation changed. if you can support me with a one off gift that will be great if you can support on monthly basis even just 5 pounds a month then fantastic. there is security for me and Naomi when we know a certain amount will be there it helps us to budget better. if you would like to support than either message me back or contact Elim Missions
www.elimmissions.co.uk for contact information. you can remain private in your giving if you wish.
thanks to those including my sending church coventry who are already faithfully supporting me.

if finance is not an option i dearly value your prayers again this is the most powerful way of supporting me.

thanks for taling time to read this longer usual update.
lots of Love from the Hodgsons

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Well all set for my trip back to blighty and i am preaching at coventry Elim this sunday and then off to conference for a week. This will hopefully be a time where i can catch up with friends and family back home and publicise all that is happening here in Benalmádena, España. see you soon