breathe maidenhead.

I've actually lost count of how many we have done - but each time I still feel amazing.

As some of you will have known we had a breathe in Sunday and if I'm honest I really didn't want to do it - or should I say I didn't feel like I was in the best place to lead worship. Everything that could have gone wrong in the build up did go wrong. My normal band couldn't make it apart from the legendary Tom (bass/guitarist aged 15)

But God always shines through - a cheesy catch phrase I know - but it is true.
He provided me with everything we needed to worship him (including a new worship band made up of good friends that I didn't think could help) and now all he had to do was help me get through it. We set up within good time and prepared in the usual way, a laugh a pray and a bit of a practice. We were ready to start and only two people had turned up.

But this didn't matter, so we thought we would crack on and just enjoy it, so we did and more and more people kept arriving. All in all about 45 people came together to praise God. It was a truly beautiful moment. We had lots of really nice silences in between songs that you could feel God was really working - and I apologise for not leaving them for long enough.

Never-the-less God really moved my heart that night and built me up to deal with what ever is thrown at me. I hope that if you did come along that you felt Gods love.

I'm not really sure what else to say - so I guess that's it?

bBlessed and let God love you just as you are.

"you are strong when we feel weak, in our brokenness complete"

Yet again its after a moment of talking to a friend that I feel God has given me something to write about. The line above is bringing me such joy, I'll try and explain or take you further into it or perhaps just into my feelings.

I'm really not a society fan and I use the word society in such a liberal sense. But what I mean is the world tells us we need to be perfect and it also tells us how we can become perfect. The perfect body, the perfect family, the perfect house - but in all honesty perfection is something that God has saved for heaven.

The song lets us cry that we know we are not perfect, in fact we are broken in one sense or another but that is OK. Its by our brokenness that God can reign. Another friend also told me on Sunday (when I told him I was feeling blue) that its alright for us to feel rubbish at times as that is when God can really take us just as we are.

So don't worry about feeling blue, or feeling broken. We are all broken in some way and that is alright. In time God will heal us, it's Ok to be where you are today because that is where is best for you and that is where God is.

"Blessed be the name of the lord"

I feel like I am cheating a little bit by writing about this line as it is so clear what the message is, but it's the song that is resounding in my head so I'm running with it.
This time I'm looking at the whole context of the song, It's written by Matt Redman and it's all praising God no matter what comes along...How tough is that?
The answer is really , really tough - have you ever felt like the whole world is crushing you and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You feel like God has left you, and just when you think you can't handle any more something else is piled on top of you? I know for a fact I have felt like that.

I was watching a little video with Matt Redman and he talked about where the song came from and how the inspiration was from Job (in the bible) That Job was left to hang and felt like he couldn't take any more but yet he still praised God through his misery. For me that is so important, It made me realise I don't have to be feeling really happy to praise God and it's alright to praise him through the tears and through the heart ache. Although at times we might not feel like playing ball - and that's all OK too!

I once heard a sermon about how God doesn't give us things we can't handle - so even though we feel like we can't go on - God knows we can, and not only that it will make us stonger.

A tough message I know, but as always it's important to try and take small steps. I love setting little challenges and I don't know if people ever take them up - but this time...Try and praise God in the hard times. You almost have to force yourself to thank God in the hard time - if your not in a hard time rejoice even more and spare a prayer for those who are feeling blue!

I seem to spend most of my life in a mild state of tiredness, perhaps it’s because I never seem to go to bed…My own fault I know.
But today my fatigue is for a really good reason. Last night was breathe Southampton and it was superb. Steve and his band had spent all day preparing and praying and by the time people started to arrive they were ready to praise God, and it happened straight away – it was almost instant, people were pulled into Jesus’ arms, and the praise raised the roof.

It was a really blessed evening, people coming together to sing of their love for God. The song selection was so good – it just seemed to flow and Steve was clearly being led by the spirit.
For me it was really beautiful to see Gods plan spreading, it was also nice to just turn up and praise with no pressure. All for Gods glory.

I’m sure I haven’t really done this justice. So if you attended breathe Southampton leave a comment or email us some feed back.

May God continue to bless breathe Southampton.

"I have called you by your name"

Yes it's time to pull our another classic!

This line jumped out at me whilst I was strolling to my car from work, I was thinking about who I am and why am I trying to be a lead worshipper, and in pops this song but I thought it was me just thinking of old hymns...

It was only whilst I was worshipping last week that God made me realize he really has called me by my name to be where I am - as he has called all of us to be where we are. Wow, being called by God to be exactly where you are....

It reminds me of when I was young (and I'm sure we can all relate to this) your Mum is spending what seems like hours in one boring shop with no toys - so you begin to explore what is underneath the gondolas and clothes racks, the odd sweet, a bit of a an old coat hanger that looks exactly like a gun - and away we go. Only to pop back out to see if the coast is clear and you realize you're now alone - Mum has moved onto the next boring shop and you don't have a clue how to find her...panick strikes...I'm going to die or be eaten by bears and by home made gun is going to do nothing.

And then you hear it, that lovely voice, someone is calling my name - "they want me to come to them"...Its Mum!!!

This is the same as how God works - he calls us when we are lost, he calls into doing things even though we are not sure if we can. And even when we are feeling like the bears are going to eat us its then we hear his voice calling out...."Come to me"

Life can be so busy, so take time out today and listen to what God wants of you - where is he calling you today? If you don't hear - try again tomorrow...IN peace and silence and let God talk to you.

I am like a bundle of energy that doesn't know quite how to release it, "Why?" I hear some of you ask...Well sit back and enjoy the read as I am going to tell you about a day like no other.

A few weeks ago a friend sent me a link about something that was being put on by the HTB (Holy Trinity Brompton) it was a day on worship and leading worship being run by Tim Hughes. So a crew of us decided we would go down (Yesterday)and see what it was all about.
The day started at 11:00 with a quick intro by Tim Hughes and Al Gordon and then staight into some Worship and some ministry it was amazing - so many people all craving Gods presence - superb. It then went onto a talk by Tim on what is worship then a break for lunch. After lunch there was a choice of three seminars; Vocal coaching with Mark Beswick (Formally the take that vocal coach) The sound of worship with Al Gordon and one by Tim hughes. I went to the vocal coaching and Tims, both were amazing and I learnt so much (fear not readers - I have the notes to type up and put somewhere on the website so you can learn too!) I wont go into the teachings now....So all in all a good day - but it gets better....much better.

The evening session started at 6:30 with more praise and then it was a talk from Mike Pilavachi from Soul survivor, he was the guy who found and manages Tim. So the praise started and it was amazing....the church was packed to the roof with people crying out for God and giving him glory....And the spirit was moving round actually not just moving flying round and touching our hearts. Then the moment that I will never forget...we started to sing "our God reign, forever your kingdom reigns" its from a passion album amongst other places....But the band built it up and everyone was really in Gods presence - crying out for God, for Jesus for mercy. At one point I thought I was going to burst the love I felt was overwhelming, the noise, the glory, I was honestly nearly bolded over by the feleings. God was right with us - it was a glimpse of heaven, the band got quieter and we got louder it now wasn't just a glimpse we were joining in with the angels. Everwhere you lloked people were praising, in whatever way they could - no-one else mattered apart from them and God. People had become undignified in their praise and it felt right, it was real and it was out of love. God was throwing his glory and love down into our hearts. The praise continued - Mike decided it wasn't right for him to give his talk - God was moving with such power he had to let him carry on. So we did...praised and praised and praised. I'm not sure if I am really doing it justice but it was the best moment, for me, in praise I have ever had.

I said to a friend afterwards I dont ever want this feeling to go away, and it doesn't have to, we have a choice to stay with God in his presence and to worship him or we can walk away. Yes it is tough,there will be times when life will challenge us - but we were made to love God and to worship him so lets do it. Lets live our lives in his glory and knowing we are loved!!

I am listening to "our God reigns, forever your kingdom reigns" and the feelings are back - it is pulling me into that same place and I like it, in fact I love it.

Give God the glory, give God what he deserves Glory and praise!!!!

"Our God reigns"

How short is this, but it is so, so true. When I think about the word reigns it feels like it should really inspire me and yes God does reign over all the earth. He controls everything on this planet from weather to plants - but he rarely uses his control. He leaves most things as they are, especially when it comes to us.
But why as people do we think that we can reign over what is actually Gods? I often think I can reign over my friends pain, or my current finances or sometimes even the news. In all honesty God gives us the ability to help and deal with things, perhaps to counsel and certainly to love - but never as far as to reign over something. God has the power, the control and the love to reign over our lives.

So go on - I dares yah...Let God reign for one day and see how it feels to never have to worry about anything....It feels good!!!!

Exciting times!!

It has been confirmed, the next breathe that will be taking place will be in Southampton on Sunday 21st May (details to follow)

Its being run by Steve (lead guitarist for cross beam) – I’m sure we will hear more about this event in the next few weeks but for now keep praying that God will bless breathe Southampton and that God will fill the hearts of all who cry out to him…How exciting!!!

Go God Go!!!