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I’ve been reading a book named Brilliant Networking – to look at it from the outside, I’d have probably dismissed it – It is a bright flouresent orange with text on it – Not nice for the eyes however this is the worst part.

I’m starting to understand that networking not as in IT but in relationship with people is a lot bigger than first thought. I thought it was about basically trying to sell your business to others, and partially that is still true but its a very small part of the whole idea.

Its more a “help one another get the help needed” and build friendships, and through the friendships a way to talk openly on what your wanting, and what you can do. Sometimes its not what you can do directly but maybe introduce someone else to one another. An example, in the book was a dating site where the matchmaker gets the info from two people and then introduces them to one another and stepping back.

In my sense of it all, it is not necessarily something that you get from it, but people usually do remember those that helped them and refer others to them… another saying “Give lots, Get lots” but sometimes nothing comes from it.

Many ideas which I think I should have realised such as replying in forums, or newsletters or making better use of my blog and twitter. All things I knew, yet have let pass me by before now.

Anyhow, I’m working through the book and enjoying it. Took it to my trip to london, its been suprising how easy it is to find time to read, especially in tranport areas – waiting for things or travelling on them – sitting or standing back and reading. I thought it would be difficult to read with all the moving but seems easy enough and really does pass the time.

I went to message 2000, Just as my other friends have and saw so much. I expected a few meetings together, talk to a few people and have fun. I was wrong and was told I was going to “Evangelise” – Well thatscared me, I thought “Me? Why me?, someone else can do that, anyways I can’t do that”

Have you ever really thought about it “Can I evangelise>” Let me put it another way… “Can I help? and tell someone about God?” In basic terms:

• God loves you and Cares
• God wants you to be free

Jesus came to earth, from heaven, grew up and worked, then for 3 to 3.5 years he set out on foot, and spoke to thousands of people about God his Father.

During this time he did miricles and healed many people. To top off everything, He set us free from Sin. Sin is the wrong stuff we do… From pinching something to hurting each other. Jesus died on a cross and othe the third day He rose from the dead and appeared to many people.

He then rose into the sky, and the Holy Spirit was sent to be with us and Jesus gave the commandment to tell everyone that they can be saved and all they need to do is believe.

Believe that Jesus died for their sins and invite Jesus to live within them.

The message is still the same after 2000+ years.

Well I realised all the gospel was, is Jesus’ Life and I knew about that, how else was I a Christian if I hadn’t heard the gospel before.

Anyway, at message 2000 which was based in Manchester, we were split into teams, all about 10 Thousand and send out to work on projects in and around manchester.

Talking with others

Myself, and another from our church group were on a Childrens Project which was basically playing games and listening to them. We also went out and spoke to people on the streets. It was actually fun which I seemed strange but cool. Some ignored us but most people were interested. I was suprised.

We went out in pairs to talk to people about God, the first day I went I was really nervous. I’d seen others seem to do it and really didn’t like the idea that I was to talk but wanted to have a go anyhow. It didn’t quite go to plan, my partner lead the initial speech and passed to me… I had words but no voice came out – I totally froze – my partner took over and the chat continued.

The next day, we went out again – I was determined to try and get past it and yet again, my partner started the talk and them passed over to me, this time it was different – words came out and the other person didn’t just shoot me down – it was a conversation and it was good… I continued the rest of the day fine.. a lot easier than I first thought.

The night events were great: An Arena full of youth about 12 to 14 thousand people all praising and learning more about God together.

I now feel I have a heard to see God work in Childrens lives after working with them. Friends from church has said they’ve seen a change in me, which is for a posative.

Harvest 2000

One night at harvest was particularly awesome
- a night of true passion.

We were on the last night, praising in the large tent like most other nights of harvest – singing worship to God where everything seemed to change.

Worship was everything, I could feel the presence of God in the large tent. We started at 7pm, and the event was still going at 11pm and felt a peace that was amazing. You had to praise – nothing else felt right or approproate.

I can not expl;ain what happened & don’t think I want too… but was pleased that I was a part of it. The band “Soul Survivor” could not lead but the crowd leaded about 7 to 9 hundred young people, mainly teens.

Can you imagine it?

It was a good God Filled summer, now to continue with life and hopefully not loose that passion that feels like a fire bubbling trying to get out.

• Harvest Event
• The Message

I’ve been finding a lot of my old diary notes of many years ago – Some from school times, others from uni and realise a lot has changed in Life, although I look back and see that I never really had any particular target in life, I expected that You grow, you get a job, then a wife, and then a family and the circle is complete.

Well, thats not really happened in life. I’ve got the Job part down, but thats been there for around 8 years now and no other to call wife, or partner even so no chance of family.

I look back and have found that I’ve not had an ambition more than to one day run my own business – This year that started. Then, when I thought of this, I didn’t know what I wanted to do a business in – just to run one and hopefully help people in a way that could help me keep doing it.

I found my old “Year book for 1995 school leavers” and read through it. I found my entry for “Fantastic Fact” – I put down I was a Christian, and still when I look back I wonder how I was so bold to put it down. Initially when I put it down I was told I couldn’t have that as its embarassing and the people that took them to be made up scribbled it out. I got around it as was helping to type them up into the computer and added and saved it then. I’m still pleased that I chose too – it felt right then and still 15+ years on it still feels right as it is a part of whom I am.

In life, I seemed to take an approach of What can I do well, I’ll keep doing that. In Education, I could use a computer well at school whereas most other subjects I didn’t do well at so I went into computers – how to build, how to make programs for them, and fix issues people had in them. I’ve always just stuck to it. Finished school, did a BTEC in IT at college, and a degree in IT at Uni and now work in it… but I’m not sure its what I always want to do.

I’ve spoken to a lot of people recently and discovered that many of them, have followed much the same plan as me but in different subjects. Now they work in something totally unrelated but love the work they do. It got me thinking – why have I limited myself to one job category when I could work anywhere.

I can recall a time where I wanted to “Save the environment” or “save animals” with projects working with GreenPeace or RSPCA… Nowadays its more, send a little of my money to them or promoting recycling through work and home. I don’t seem to have the same passion that helped me along before and I am in search to refind it.

I do enjoy work most of the time, but think there is change due… be that in my business taking off and allowing me to work just the one job or moving somewhere else and starting afresh. There are lots of things I could apply my knowledge too that I have from my educations and the friendships I’ve made over the time.

I am starting to realise through work that “no” doesn’t always mean “No” but often means “I don’t understand what your asking, can you ask me another way?” – This I think is to do with the networking things I’ve been researching to do with my business.

When I was a lot younger (in school) I was told I had an active imagination – this helped me through a lot of things, be it problem solving by seeing the multiple posabilities or just dreaming into another place to get through time. I use my imagination a lot now, and can often have lucid dreaming which can allow you to do whatever your imagination allows you too.

I am seeing that I have many opertunities in life now, since my trip away to london. Strange that it took me being somewhere totally different to see that where I am I can do so much. I’ve been afraid to try some things, a lack of confidence of “what if” rejections but if I never try it then I am just rejecting myself automatically so I will try and see how it goes – Only better can it be, as if not done I was rejected anyhow.

Saturday has been a generally nice day, didn’t feel too well in the morning but thankfully it was gone by around 2pm.

I headed over to the Museum of Science, I liked it but think I enjoyed the History one yesterday more. It was busy, but that is expected on a weekend and in school holiday, but wasn’t so busy that you couldn’t see anything.

I liked looking through the past of computers and time, one item that was a slanted ball and table to count seconds caught my eye – it was said to be quite unreliable but still I liked it.

After the museum, I wandered around for a while and looked for something to eat. I was tempted to try sushi as never done before but couldn’t find anywhere that did a sample seleciton at a price I would pay… I looked for under £15 and the only places that had anything on offer close were empty while other restaurants were full – I didn’t see it as a good sign so ate somewhere else.

Eating alone isn’t much fun if out and about, althou did give me more time to read between service. I noticed while alone, that people serving give off a feeling of disaproval… maybe its always there but I’m destracted from other people to notice it or as being alone, I was just more observent – either way it didn’t feel right

On the way back, a guy decided that the busy underground train was a good place to try some busking, and he had a large portable speaker and microphone of which he sang several songs very badly, and his actions – well… The less said the better to be honest. But he made myself and several laugh – probably not the intended reaction but it was a reaction.

I wasn’t out late on saturday night, back in by 10pm which around London is still quite early. I plan to be at church in the morning – assuming I can find it, then its getting ready to head back up north to Teesside again.

Its been a good break from the norm, don’t know if I could live in the City and Work, but overall its a nice place in my opinion… then again everything unless stated here is my opinion… just to make that seen.

Anyhow bed time now, its 2:49am and really I should be asleep by now but instead almost going to sleep on laptop.