SPIN LIKE THE WIND-the blog of Nigel James.

THIRD DAY FAN TRIP TO INDIA.

I'll be heading out to India in July with a team from City Temple, but I'll be staying on for an extra week or so to host a team of Third Day fans. Here are the details if you are interested:

TRAVEL

• The trip will officially begin and end at HYDERABAD RAJIV GHANDI AIRPORT. You will need to book your own flights in and out of here. (Please be aware that there is a Hyderabad airport in Pakistan-don’t book the wrong flights!)
• You will need to arrive in Hyderabad on Thursday 14^th July, ready to catch an internal flight onto Rajahmundry on the morning of Friday 15^th July.
• We shall be spending 6 nights with Pastor Prasad and his family in their home in Rajahmundry.
• Return to Hyderabad will be on Thursday 21^st July ready to catch a flight home either late night Thursday or morning of Friday 22^nd July.
• This means that if you so desire, you can add on to your trip a visit to London, England on the outward or return trip, or a few extra days in India, perhaps in the resort area of Goa.
• Hotel and hostel style accommodation is available overnight at Hyderabad airport.
• I shall meet you on Thursday 14^th and travel back to Hyderabad with you on Thursday 21^st July.
• I shall also book internal flights on your behalf and hotel rooms in Hyderabad airport if needed.

ITINERARY

• Our time in Rajahmundry will be guided by Pastor Prasad and myself; Prasad oversees all the work of Gateway Ministries and Ignite India, he had the original vision for the Come Together Compound and his wife is the head teacher of the Gateway School.
• Using his family home as our base (sharing twin rooms), we shall aim to accomplish the following:
• Spending a full day at the Come Together Compound, experiencing life in the Gateway School and in the newly built children’s homes.
• Taking part in some lessons in the school.
• Visiting a variety of Ignite India churches, including those constructed with funds raised at Third Day UK concerts in recent years.
• Visiting the Ignite India church on a leprosy colony.
• Leading services in some of these churches- sharing testimony, preaching, offering prayer ministry.
• Acting as ambassadors of Christ, and representatives of Third Day wherever we go.
• Looking at creative ways in which Third Day and their fans can continue to support the work of the Gateway School and Ignite India.

COSTS

• You will need to pay for and book your own international flights
• You will need to pay for your own insurance, injections, and visa.
• Internal flight costs will be approx. $200 roundtrip
• Hotel room in Hyderabad will be approx. $110, hostel price considerably cheaper.
• Accommodation, Food, Water, Transport, in Rajahmundry for 6 nights will be $50 per night, total $300 payable to me on arrival in Rajahmundry.
• If you able to bring with you financial gifts from church, family, friends totalling approx. $250 then we will use all this to purchase equipment for the school or gifts of food and clothing to some of the rural pastors or the leprosy colony.
• You will need a small amount of pocket money.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO NOW?

• You will need to email me the following:

1.    A short letter confirming your desire to come on this trip, stating your mission experience, and the reasons for you wanting to come.

2.    A reference from your Pastor/Church leader.

• Begin to explore flight options and whether you will add on an extra stay.
• Begin to explore India visa application requirements- http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1139.html
• We travel as tourists, visiting friends and visiting a school.
• Begin to explore what medical inoculations you will need.
• Continue to pray for God’s blessing on the trip.
• Approach church, family, friends for sponsorship.

WHAT ELSE WILL I NEED TO KNOW?

• Once confirmed on the trip you will receive from me – 
• A packing list.
• A few things to prepare- testimony, presentation for school class.
• A mission covenant to sign and return.
• A personal details/emergency contact/travel sheet to complete and return.
• A ‘preparing for mission’ Bible teaching to study.

 

HE IS RISEN!

After 10 days or so in the USA with Third Day, including the Dove Awards in Atlanta, I've been home for Easter and for services in City Temple on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I'm not here for long, as I head off to the USA again on Tuesday for more dates with Third Day, a visit to Fort Wayne to speak at IPFW College Campus Ministry, and more importantly for the wedding of my son James to Tiffany in Dallas. The rest of my family have already flown to Texas for a few days holiday before the wedding.

Today I'm thankful that we serve a risen Saviour! 

BACK ON THE ROAD.

So after 3 weeks in hospital and 2 weeks recuperating at home, I'm back on the road with Third Day having missed my longest run of tour shows in over 10 years. Last night's concert was in Memphis to a sell out 5,000 crowd at Hope Church. It was the first time in over 18 months that I had seen a full 90 minute set from Third Day, as our previous 2 tours had been with other artists, so this is back to a full-on Third Day tour set.

BACK HOME-THANKS TO THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS.

So after 3 weeks in hospital-2 in Llandough and 1 in the Heath, I am eventually home after having an ERCP procedure yesterday. Basically, the endoscopy-like procedure removed the obstructions from and cleaned out my bile duct and also took a gallstone from the duct. All being well, I'm on the road to full recovery but I will need to have my gall bladder removed at a later stage.

I have lost a lof of weight due to being in so much pain after eating, and needing a low-fat diet whilst the bile duct was blocked. About a month ago I was 95KG (14 stone 13, or 209 pounds) now I am 83KG (13 stone 1, or 183 pounds). I'm actually now about the correct weight for my height and build but it hasn't been a good way to get there, and my energy levels are very low.

I'm convinced that the prayer support I've received over the last weeks has been crucial, and I am overwhelmed and humbled by the folk who have lifted me to the Lord in prayer. There have been a few times when I was in so much discomfort and so mentally drained that I wasn't really able to pray much myself, so to have the assurance that others were interceding on my behalf was tremendously comforting.

As far as I can tell, and this might not be an exhaustive list, the following were praying:

*My family, here in Wales, in parts of England, and in the USA.

*My church, City Temple- pastors visited me regularly to pray, and the congregation prayed on several occasions. Many members called, texted, sent cards, visited, to assure me of their prayers.

*The guys on the Third Day MAKE YOUR MOVE TOUR- I had regular emails from either Lott the tour manager or some of the guys in the band themselves, to remind me that they were praying.

*The Ignite office here in Dinas Powys, Wales, joined in a day of prayer and fasting for me, initiated by my friend Emmanuel Jonah and Ignite Liberia as they mobilised the whole of our Liberian network to pray.

*The Ignite India network, Gateway Pastors, Pastor Prasad's family, spent several days in fasting and prayer for me.

*Third Day fans from all over America, gradually realising I wasn't on the road with the guys, let me know they were praying.

*Missionaries in the Philippines, in conversation with Queenie Chen ( a doctor who is a member at City Temple) realised that I was her pastor and mentioned that many young people in their church read my youth ministry books. They arranged for the young people to pray!

*Several other churches lifted me up on the prayer network, in their home groups, or in their services.

2Cor. 1:11 You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don’t want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part.  The Message,

 

Medical Update

I was admitted to Llandough Hospital last Friday with jaundice and it has turned out that the pain which was thought to be from a hiatus hernia is actually from gall stones. I do have the hernia but the bigger concern was a disintegrated gall stone blocking the bile duct and another one in the gall bladder.
Basically I'm on a saline drip, taking anti-biotics and painkillers and waiting for a bed in the Heath hospital in order to have a procedure to have the stone in the gall bladder removed.
Today is the first time I've had the energy to blog, and sadly have missed the first week of the Third Day tour and the Elim emerging leaders conference.

A PAIN IN ....THE STOMACH.

Been at home resting up after a bad bout of stomach pain which has variously been diagnosed as severe acid reflux, peptic ulcer,hiatus hernia, or a combination of all three. The National Health Service can't give me a gastroscopy (camera down the throat into the oesophagus and stomach) until June, so I'm having to go private on Wednesday to try and get to the bottom (or stomach to be more precise) of this. Hopefully sorted out before I fly out to join Third Day on tour, but I'm not counting on it.

LESSONS LEARNT IN HAITI.

In a number of ways the trip to Haiti was quite disappointing. My background check with World Vision UK didn't come through in time which meant I couldn't visit any projects with children on- so the meaningful part of my time there really only lasted one morning; not much for 7 days and 8 flights! I either caught a bad cold on the trip, or one I already had got a lot worse-so I was coughing and spluttering and have only just begun to get over it. Security conditions were such that we couldn't see any of the capital Port au Prince- so no view of the earthquake damage, the tented city housing displaced people, or the destroyed presidential palace- this was a disappointment to all of us. In retrospect, it might have been better for me not to have gone on the trip, and for the last week I have been feeling pretty confused about it-especially as I received a couple of significant prophesies before I travelled out.

However, sitting in church yesterday morning, I allowed the Lord to minister to me and reveal that indeed there were valuable lessons learned on the trip:

1. It's not about me!  I need constantly reminding of this central truth about the Christian faith. In the great scheme of things so what If I have what on the face of it appears to be a wasted trip to Haiti?

2. There is great need in the country of Haiti. Despite the efforts of many, there appears to be little change since the earthquake- there has been much talk of low cost, earthquake proof housing, but none has been constructed yet. The capital remains a scene of ruin and unrest.

3. Many young, educated, Christian people in Haiti are committed to rebuilding their country-rather than emigrate to the USA or Canada as many upwardly aspiring Haitians do, there are a significant number of Christians in their 20's and 30's who are working for Christian charities and aid agencies and are determined to rebuild spiritually, physically and politically -as with the World Vision staff in this picture with Third Day:

4. Missionaries from all over the world are responding to the plight of Haiti-especially from the USA. One of the hallmarks for me of the American church is that it understands the imperative to get involved in the Great Commission. The work of World Vision, in particular its partnership with USAID to deliver nutritious food to those Haitians that desperately need it, was impressive. Churches in the USA are so good at resourcing the mission field with people and with money.

 I was able to deliver a suitcase to Jackie Griffiths, a missionary from Elim in the UK- the church movement I'm part of- who arrived in Haiti the day after I did. She'll be there for 3 years, and I willingly carried out an extra suitcase as she was only able to take 2 cases with her.

5. I still find it hard to fight off fleshly attack- illness, tiredness, difficulty and disappointment, all now and again set me back and reduce my effectiveness in  ministry. I think I'm getting better at dealing with this issue, but it's a struggle!

I have posted some photos in a new album entitled Haiti-Third Day.

GOING TO HAITI WITH THIRD DAY.

As the Outpouring meetings continue at City Temple I will be travelling to Haiti with Tai, Mark, Mac and David from Third Day. I'll use Tai's blog to Third Day fans to explain:

Next week, all of Third Day, our manager, and Nigel, our tour pastor, will head to Haiti for a several day scouting trip with World Vision.

 Like you, we were incredibly impacted by the complete devastation and tragic loss of life from the earthquakes a little over a year ago. We felt immediately compelled to make a donation from our Come Together Fund to World Vision's immediate response efforts, and issued a challenge to our fan community to do the same.

Within a matter of weeks, your donations far exceeded ours and our community of fans were able to be a part of life-saving emergency response for Haiti.

Over the last year, Haiti has gone in and out of the news with reports of cholera outbreaks and a lack of substantial progress. We see our trip as a bit of a scouting mission to see the situation for ourselves. We want to be able to give an account of how World Vision has stewarded the money that we already donated, and see the best ways that our community can be a part of real progress for the future of Haiti.

Here is our request to you: Firstly, will you pray for our trip? We have learned through the years that there is a difference in going and being sent. Will you send us? Will you pray for our safety and health? Will you pray for our families while we are gone? Secondly, will you find some time, even now, in the coming week to pray for the people of Haiti? If you're stumped at where to start, try looking up a news article and pray for that particular situation or person in the story. Lastly, will you join us in humbly asking God if he has a part for you to play in what He is doing and going to do in Haiti in the coming months and years?

I posted a blog to fans giving them some prayer hints:

Would you pray for us in the same way Paul and his companions prayed for the church in Thessalonica?:

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 

We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1.11-12

Would you pray these words of protection over us?

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. 

 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5.11-12

Would you  pray this Psalm over the country of Haiti and all who work there to rebuild the country in the name of Jesus?:

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 

 

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. 

Psalm 58.6-12

 

 

 

OUTPOURING.

4 nights of meetings at City Temple with Roy Fields have turned into at least 12 nights of worship, encounter with the Holy Spirit, refreshing, refining, and renewing. Roy was the worship leader at the Lakeland revival in Florida a couple of years back, and travels all over the world with his wife Melanie. Their passion is to ignite the fire of revival, and they have been overwhelmed by the hunger for the Lord and the desire for revival that they have seen here in Wales. Most meeting haven't finished until gone 1am from a 7.30pm start, and we've seen conversions, healings, repentance, going on well after midnight!

I've spent a fair bit of time with Roy and his musicians ( once a band pastor, always a band pastor!) and have got to know him as a genuine man of God and a very funny one at that! If you want to watch the live streaming or see some video highlights then go to the Run with Fire website.

RESOLUTION.

Like many churches, we spent some time in our new year services focusing on new starts/new things/new year's resolutions. Leading two communion services I was reminded that we worship a God who vows to make all things new, to do a new thing, to create in us a new heart, and to make us new creations. January is a month devoted to prayer at City Temple, and Pastor Steve suggested we all write one prayer on a post-it note and add it to a board at the front of the church- I was holding that board and felt a tremendous move of the Holy Spirit as people flowed forward with their prayers.

I'm going to let you know the 3 point prayer what I wrote (little grammatical tribute there to Eric and Ernie, which will be totally meaningless to people who aren't fans). My three-fold prayer focus was as follows:

HOLINESS- I sense a desperate need to re-consecrate my life and be set apart for the call of God on my life. That will mean being willing to submit to the purifying fire of the Holy Sprit in some areas of my character.

HARMONY- to know what it means to truly live in tune with the prompting of the Spirit, and in true community and fellowship with others-especially an increased sense of partnership, appreciation and dedication towards my wife!

HEALTH-I've been battling diverticular disease, acid reflux, and now possibly a stomach ulcer for some time, so I desperately need to receive healing from all these irritations. I recognise that this may go hand in hand with lifestyle change but I want to be fit for the purpose God has planted in me!

Paul, writing to the Corinthian church talked about his own resolution-simply put... it was JESUS.