Heralds of the Good News

When you bang on the jungle drums in The Salvation Army, you'll be suprised who'll come out of the woods and into the clearing!

Last night was our official welcome into the Training College at Wellington City and as well as officers from my home division and my beloved pastors, there were people who remembered me from my childhood hiding around the hall as well.

We did the usual cadet thing - marched in as our photos appeared on the big screen and saluted our Territorial Commander, turned and saluted the congregation and then took our place up on the platform at the front of the church. The salute I kind of like as it's actual meaning is to give all the glory back to God. When you see it, it might seem a little odd (just your pointer finger in the air in salute) but when you know what it signifies it takes on a whole new meaning.

The night went pretty quickly - our session was called everything from prunes (by our Training Principal who tried his best to relate us to the 'best ever tasted' from the Sunkist add on tv!!), to the best looking session ever... no argument there!... and finally our official name Heralds of the Good News.

To lighten the seriousness of the moment, I was dying to announce at the beginning of the Bible reading (my little contribution for the evening) that: "This Herald would like you to turn in the Good News to Mark chapter 1!"... but I chickened out at the last second - my nerves won out over my sometimes ill-timed sense of humour!!

Other than feeling like I was sitting in a fish bowl for the evening (kinda goes with the territory really!) it was a great time to come together and if anything, to reaffirm our calling - firstly, we're called by God to serve Him, secondly we feel called to ministry within the Salvation Army. One of the things that struck me was that we had an amazing amount of support and that continues beyond Sunday night - it's not just the 'little old ladies' praying in different parts of the country!! - mind you, if there is a little old lady praying for you, you haven't got a show! It was so good to have people come from near and far just to encourage us.

To my friends and family who couldn't make it, thank you so much for your prayers, cards, letters and overall support. I still miss you all hugely - some days more than others. Thank you Lord for opening Wellington airport long enough for my pastors to be there - just to hear their voices amongst the crowd and to see their faces made my night! To those that wanted to be there and couldn't - the fact that you tried means the world to me!

Let me leave you with what I've been reading of late:

From Psalm 121 (thanks Vicks!):

I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
He won't let you stumble, your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
God's your Guardian, right at your side to protect you ...
God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.