Sam Rich

Shadows dispelling with the joy i am telling

2006-04-07T11:52:00.000Z

Apologies for not blogging in a while, caught up so much with the busyness of life havent been in the land of blogdom.

Just thought I'd share some lyrics from worship I've been listening to of late.
If you havent checked out these albums or songs yet... do it.

David Crowder Band- Heaven Came Down- Illuminate
(go to the Illuminate link to listen to tracks from the album)

Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
When at the cross my Savior made me whole
My sins were washed away
And my night turned to day
When heaven came down and glory filled my soul

O, what a wonderful, wonderful day
Day I will never forget
When I was wandering in darkness away
Jesus my Savior I met

O, what a tender compassionate Friend
He met the need of my heart
Shadows dispelling with joy I am telling
He made all the darkness depart

O, what a wonderful, wonderful day,yeah, today
And O, what a glorious, glorious day
The day You came, came to save me
O, what a wonderful, wonderful day
The day You came and You saved me

Other lyrics to check out All this Time- Delirious, Stars- David Crowder Band

Napoleon Dynamite? ( Look Closely)

2005-12-09T12:32:00.000Z

In fact not Napeoleon Dynamite at all but a Mr Liam Byrnes !
www.byrnesy.blogspot.com
Cheers for the Pic Johnny.

Godandscience.org

2005-12-08T00:36:00.000Z

Recently come across this site. Worth a good look especially if you're an atheist or agnostic.
www.godandscience.org

Mike Pilavachi Sings Christmas

2005-10-27T10:40:00.000Z

Check out this site to order Mikes Christmas EP.
( all proceeds go to SS work in South Africa) http://www.soulsurvivor.com/uk/shop/shwMusicDetail.asp?IID=94

New Flickr Gallery

2005-10-27T09:57:00.000Z

I've recently started a new flickr gallery and actually payed money to upgrade the free version to pro ( gives you much more space to upload pictures and basically no limits).
Here are a few extracts from my site www.flickr.com/photos/samrich2003.
I know I'm selling my gallery here, get over it!

Extract from Close Ups Set.

Extract from Landscapes Set.

3 brothers, 3 weeks, 3 new christians!

2005-10-01T09:35:00.000Z

God has moved so powerfully in the lives of my three cousins these past three weeks. As i mentioned in my past blog entry my cousin danny became a christian at Grace Family Bible Week. His brothers Marc and Lee came shortly after!

Living in small, leaking tent with one sleeping bag between them,one set of clothes each, no money for food (being spent mostly on drugs) and on the run from drug dealers they prayed to ask jesus into their lifes and for forgiveness. Being touched and filled powerfully by the holy spirit they joined the Jesus armyhttp://www.jesus.org.uk/ja/index.shtml and have been learning and living with them, going to evangelise in the streets of london.

Also in another twist we couldn't have predicted Danny has moved down with us and is involved with Grace Church, the youth and going to school at Liskead College.

God is good!!

University Life

2005-09-21T18:10:00.000Z

I've Started a new chapter of my life studying Radiography at Exeter Uni.
Already within these first few days of being here I made a lot of new friends and been very fortunate to have some great flatmates and one of the largest flats in the area. (!!!)
Also i've been really blessed with the CU which is very much active, alive & jesus focused.
Going to the main CU meeting for the first time I found there was over 300 people which was encouraging. Already I have made some new friends in the CU and look forward to getting to know these and others better over the next three years.

Its that time again

2005-09-02T23:05:00.000Z

19 today, beginning to feel a bit of a old timer! Had a joint party will Bo, Phil Delbridge and Anna Clarke. Played a few old school party games which were a good laugh( ie. wink murder) and received a few presents.

Bringing the lost to himself

2005-08-28T22:48:00.000Z

I've had a great couple of days working as a helper for a local christian camp held just out of launceston( Slomans Farm, North Petherwin).
The title of the camp was really prophetic with one young boy giving his life over to jesus and the rest of us youth leaders and campers having a real strengthening of our faith by the prayer,worship and evangelism in launceston town centre.
Even though the main theme was directed at asking non-christians where they were going we all came away stirred up by linzis teaching asking ourselves where we were going with our relationships with christ.
It was great to see even though we were few in numbers our prayers of someone giving their heart to Jesus were answered and this alone was reason enough for the camp to have gone ahead!

Last week at Grace Family Bible week we had one of the most amazing miracles of all. My cousin Danny became a christian and was amazingly changed. Beforehand he was into a lot of satanic bands,drugs,alcohol and had a messed up life full of hurt.After giving his life to Jesus, he burnt all his cds and band memoriblia. (Was worth hundreds of pounds!) Before he had over 100 cds and now hes down to about two which are suitable. He is a completely different person which is so visible and undeniable. God is so great and I was and am so proud.

Soul Survivor and Momentum 05

2005-08-21T21:25:00.000Z

Just come back from the Soul Survivor and Momentum events in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Yet again it was a real moving & learning experience for me,God was able to teach me alot more about prayer and how powerful and important it really is. It was amazing to see someone heaed from a knee injury which has plagued them for years. However being amazing it should not be at all surprising! Being a God of miracles who is the same yesterday, today and forever we should not expect anything less or even think that these events can only happen rarely when in fact they are a daily occurence!!!

I've posted a few photos from the events but you can find the rest of them on my newly created Flickr photo gallery in my Soul Survivor set http://www.flickr.com/photos/samrich2003/sets/992635/

Awesome Shot

2005-08-01T23:31:00.000Z

Came across this shot in an email entitled " Pictures the news never show "

Write Off

2005-06-08T18:45:00.000Z

God really protected me and pete today. We came out of this with a cut to my little finger and a small cut to petes face! Could of been much worse.

Christian Adaptation of Passover Meal

2005-04-29T22:39:00.000Z

2005-04-29T15:41:00.000Z

Preparing for some Jewish Style Worship.

2005-04-29T14:46:00.000Z

Starters

A Good Read

2005-04-28T14:03:00.000Z

In the past few days I've come across a few really good articles I recommend reading.

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/article.php?sid=6266

http://www.soulsurvivor.com/uk/imag/ContentFS.asp?CID=9

http://www.lavieabondante.com/port/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73&Itemid=68

http://www.prophetic-generation.nl/ - Prophecy Articles

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/article.php?sid=6199

Stir it up in our hearts Lord

2005-03-30T23:52:00.000Z

2005-03-30T12:54:00.000Z

Just got back from an amazing eye opening Christian Conference in Holland. Flying out on Good Friday we stayed in a youth hostel with youth from Holland, 40 of us in total. Over the couple of days we were there, God moved mightily and we were all touched in incredible ways finding release in many different forms. It was incredible to see the things God was doing for everyone around me and what he was doing and showing me aswell. My release came in the form of everything that I was tied up inside about was prayed specifically for!
I had had fear about the future, had been deceived that somehow something of the mistakes I made before becoming a christian were some how still with me ( when they werent!) and how although I had a real hunger for god, I had been trying to do things in my own strength ( which is impossible) to try and get closer to him when its not my strength but his!

On thinking back on the weekend I remember one of the lines that sticks in my mind from Consuming Fire "Stir it up in our hearts lord, a passion for your name". I think God really stirred us up that weekend. Something that was really put on my heart through the time we were there is that as a church ( by that I mean all christians everywhere) it really is a time of breakthrough, release and shaking up where we are built up by god as warriors. All with our own assignments and varying abilities,how he so longs for us to come into what he wants us to be and be right in the centre of gods will, "in the flow of the fathers heart".

http://www.prophetic-generation.nl/ The Site set up by Marc one of the Trips Leaders and Speakers.
Click on Media to Download the Video of the Trip
( If you have broadband) and audio if you have a slower connection.
Click on the UK flag to translate the site to english.

Happy Birthday Byrnesy

2005-03-09T09:31:00.000Z

Well today my good friend Liam, author of Byrnesys Blabberings www.liambyrnes.co.uk is at the grand old age of 20. If you haven't already visited it, I recommend you check it out, give him a present of boosting his ratings a bit.

Well Hope you have a great day Liam. Take care, and see you soon.

Passed my driving test

2005-03-02T18:54:00.000Z

Was quite nervous about my driving test today. I didnt expect at all to pass first time so it was such a shock seeing the pass wrote on my form. Feels strange not having anyone in the passenger seat.

I'm in

2005-02-24T23:37:00.000Z

I made it in! Thankyou God, the one university I had my heart set on aswell. Received the letter tonight, need a B and two C's which shouldn't be much of a problem.

Click on the picture to enlarge and see more.

This goes out to Bo

2005-02-23T22:04:00.000Z

Well Bo hope you get this. Just want to say what a friend you've been to me in the past and I've missed you, we've all missed you . I'm looking forward to when you get back. Hope your well and your hips made a full recovery.

Forget the Hype

2005-02-21T09:29:00.000Z

Looking at the Soul Survivor Online Magazine I came across this article.
It's so true.

Hype Free

By Mike Pilavachi

Taken from http://www.soulsurvivor.com/uk/IMAG/index.asp?CID=9

We really like being normal here at Soul Survivor. It's really important to me that we don't make things weird, don't hype things up and don't make out we're more spiritual than we really are.

John Wimber used to call it being 'naturally supernatural.' Having the power of God but using it in a normal way. John was the guy that set up a group of churches called the Vineyard. In the early 1980s, they hosted a number of conferences in the UK that were very influential for me. There were simply amazing things that God did that I will never forget.

But I will always remember the time when there was a whole bunch of people crowding round John wondering how he did it; what was the secret of his preparation? They were all expecting a spiritual answer, like he'd fasted for 40 days, or prayed for 6 hours a day to get so holy and anointed. His reply was amazing. In answer to how did he prepare for these events he said, 'I drink a Diet Coke.'

The Diet Coke of Holy

It was so not religious. In that reply he was saying that God uses us, just ordinary people and we don't have to be amazing spiritual giants, men in white suits on the stage or touched by an angel to do these things. And we want to be about that at Soul Survivor. We don't want to be formal, because everyone gets to take part in God's kingdom.

I really find it hard when you go to conferences and there are people who talk about how much they pray, how much they fast, how holy they are. That's what we don't want to do: it burdens young people with expectations they can't reach.

If you're a 13 year old boy going through puberty, you're trying your hardest not to be thinking about boobs every 25 seconds. You don't need to go to a meeting where the person at the front is asking you to make a holy shout of victory to affirm your commitment to sexual purity. All that does it set you up for failure. How is shouting at the air going to help the rush of hormones going through your body?

After a while, people feel they have to pretend that they're doing OK, or just start doing things to look good, and what's that about? That's horrible, it's burdensome and Jesus didn't come to do that.

Kill Religion

What we want to do is kill religion, kill the super-spiritual stereotype. We want to lower the hurdle. We're not talking about lowering the hurdle of holiness. Were not allowed to do that. We're not saying, 'its OK to be thinking about these things every 25 seconds, dont worry.' But we're saying that those things happen, and that they are real and God can help you out with it. You're not a pervert, and God doesn't reject you for it. We don't pretend there is no sin; we face it. Likewise, we don't pretend there's victory when there isn't. It's lowering the hurdles of where people need to be at to meet with Jesus. The whole point of Jesus life, death on the cross and resurrection was so that people like you and me, who couldn't make the grade, could come in and be a part of what he is doing!

Hype-free

That also means that we're not into hype. When we're at the festivals, there is an unavoidable amount of hype that goes with having thousands of young people in one place. But we're talking about if God doesn't move then we don't want to make something up. We'd rather go home early than manufacture something.I was recently at an event where one ministry time nothing was really happening. At this event, one person after another was coming up to the microphone getting people to do this, then that, in an attempt to hype things up. But we don't hype the Holy Spirit up; he comes down. And if he's not doing anything, then lets go and chill out; there's nothing more fruitless than pretending.

It's easy in a big crowd to do things that will get a response, or whip people into a frenzy. You can use soothing music, or be slightly hypnotic or suggestive over the microphone. We hate that sort of thing. It's totally wrong and tramples over the dignity of the individual. Our western culture is full of hype and gimmicks and so it is crucial that in the church we don't manipulate peoples emotions or minds.We can hype by making ourselves something we're not, bragging about spiritual disciplines and the like. If you have a rigorous prayer and bible reading life, don't comment on it. The bible says shut your door and do those things and don't let anyone but the father know. Talk about it from stage and people will get bummed out who feel that they can't do the same.

Super models or authentic recipes?

When we're on the stage at a Soul Survivor event we want to be honest about our own shortcomings. I look at Matt Redman; I've known him since he was a kid. I think it's totally odd that he's got the reputation he has. All he does it go up to a microphone, open his mouth, strum some chords, then sits down. He's a totally ordinary bloke and yet his names known all over the place. We could stick with that, and generate a super human myth, but it's all nonsense. Matt will often talk about his own story from the stage, about the damage caused to him by his step-dad, about his need for grace. It dispels the myth and brings our attention back on what God can do in real situations.

Likewise, I'm very open about the fact that I have a problem with food. Goodness knows I've got my fair share of hang-ups. I often tell about my own upbringing at conferences, painful though it is. I'm not sorted on it; its not a rag to riches story of 'I am now completely healed.'

But God has been very kind to me. There are still times I feel the immense loneliness of my childhood years, or feel tempted to revisit those places of depression, isolation or insecurity. I want to be honest about that, and from the front too. Because this is about how amazing God is, and not how amazing we are. He has been good to us.

We want to let young people know that whatever they're going through God can bring them to spiritual fulfilment from their places of weakness and brokenness. Not despite their weakness, but in it. This is about God's grace and in a hype-free, non-religious environment where we can be real, authentic and normal, that's where we see the real work of God in our lives. *

Greenday

2005-02-03T23:19:00.000Z

Today we went to see Greenday play at Plymouth Pavilions with New Found Glory supporting. I must admit I'd never been a massive fan of Greenday but liked a couple of their songs. However the concert turned out to be amazing, they really knew how to put on a show, we managed to get just about to the barrier at the front and got an ideal view.

Acts 1:7

2004-12-06T23:35:00.000Z

Acts 1:7 " The father is the only one who has the authority to decide dates and times"

A verse that stood out to me while applying for uni.

For all you John Mayer fans out there.

2004-12-06T18:39:00.000Z

On searching the internet the other day I came across a book wrote by John Mayer himself, check it out.
http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=BOOK&title=188654

UCAS Mess UP

2004-12-03T23:56:00.000Z

Im just starting to get back my replies from my uni applications only to find out that UCAS has informed them that my name is Gam Rich. Now every uni thinks I am called Gam.

Soul Survivor Seminars Available to Download

2004-11-29T23:41:00.000Z

http://ecommerce.soulsurvivor.com/

If you go to to this link it will take you directly to the soul survivor website e commerce section where you can download seminars for £1.00 each, Big Top, Soul In the City, Momentum, Passion For Your Name seminars etc or order them on CD for £3.00 or tape.

Faith not Feelings

2004-11-26T01:26:00.001Z

Something that Ive heard alot recently is how a lot of people are saying they pray and its like praying to air; going to meetings and when others are saying " god was really there" or "god touched me" that they felt nothing themselves, feeling like god has abandoned them or even that there isnt a god and that they're not getting anywhere. Well I think all of us at some point or other have felt something similar.
I like to remember that god hears all of our prayers anyway, even if you think hes not listening. We should have faith that god hears us even when we think he wasnt listening or didnt respond. Prayers dont always have a response or get answered straight away, sometimes it takes time. God always answers, yes, no or wait, although these are sometimes not always the answers we want. Also about being touched by god, different people are affected in different ways, if most people are getting something out of it and you're not doesnt mean that will always be the case, there will be times when something will touch you and nobody else.
If you're feeling like your getting nowhere dont give up, keep going, else you might be giving up right before the time of your breakthrough. The problem is never with god but with you doing something which means you have gone away from him and not him from you. In the end just keep going at it.

Theory Test

2004-11-18T23:39:00.000Z

Well had my Theory Test today and surprisingly passed after only a small amount of revision. I got three wrong for the multiple choice section and managed to scrape by with 45 for hazard perception with 44 being needed for a pass. So only the final practical between me and driving.

Deep Purple

2004-11-18T01:00:00.000Z

Well just come back from Deep Purple live at Plymouth Pavilions, one of the most amazing concerts I've been to. Worth every penny of the £37 pound ticket, they played Smoke on the Water, Highway Star and Black Night among other classics, keyboard/synth solos, bass solos and guitar solos courtesy of Steve Morse one of the top 10 fastest players in the world.
The Support Bands for once were actually very good, with Pete Frampton and Thunder.

Living to the Max

2004-11-17T15:18:00.000Z

Went to the IKON youth event on Sunday Night. The Preacher Linzi ( he was actually a man) was talking about how we should not just be christians but christian fanatics giving it our full. How when running a race, you don't just jog along but give it your all, sprinting flat out. If the youth is the next generation we should be living as flat out christians and not jogging, taking it easy.

Update

2004-11-11T13:00:00.000Z

Havent been able to update this in a while because of our phone lines being down for the past couple of days. Mums even told BT its an emergency being an on call midwife but still manages to be six days before BT can have a look at it, so Im writing from college at the moment.

Got a letter from Tescos yesterday to say I've got the job and have an induction day on Saturday. I 'll be working on the checkouts from 3pm to 10 on friday and 12 to 5 on a saturday and bringing in £60 quid per week.

Went to see Kato play on Sunday in Truro Cathedral, before they played I went along to a workshop their drummer was taking and learnt some new double bass drum techniques aswell as general improvement of the basics, grip etc.
`Red Redemption`, Launcestons Youth Band had been ask to support which was a big deal, probably the biggest audience they'd ever played to, eveything went well and with the acoustics of the cathedral they sounded the best they ever have.
Been thinking more and more we should be getting a youth band together at grace. Im going to try and talk to a few people and get together a practice every week.

I've got my theory test next week on thursday the 18th,around 6-6.30pm so some prayer that I would pass and remember everything would be cool.

A Job

2004-11-04T17:32:00.000Z

Well had my Interview for Tescos today, everything went well. Used lots of references to `Soul in the City ` to make the interviewer think I was an angel and worthy of the job. Think I've basically got it, will be working the checkouts on friday afternoons and saturdays. Pleased to find starting pay is £5.10 now and will go up to £5.40 after 6 months.

2004-11-03T21:00:00.000Z

Well check it out, I am actually getting better at driving. Hopefully not too long before my test, then out on the open roads.

Busy

2004-10-31T23:46:00.000Z

Finally finished my Personal Statement. If all goes to plan next year I should be studying Medical Imaging ( Diagnostic Radiography) at Exeter University.
Even though I am doing Media, Film and Photography A-levels I really thought about it for some time now, talked it through and it feels right. Been really looking into it on the net and the other day, managed to arrange with someone from church a introduction to it all at Derriford Hospital where i got to see the Gamma, C.T Scanners and X-Ray machines and learnt a bit about how they work.
Also if i get this course they pay my tuition fees and I get payed an NHS Bursary, which is being payed to train. The campus and accomodation is good. Pray I get the course. Also got a new car the other day a Ford Fiesta 1.8, had a brief drive today and I'm loving it. Can't wait to pass my test. I'm off to bed.

Soul Survivor Roadshow

2004-10-29T22:19:00.000Z

Went to the Soul Survivor Roadtrip tonight at Plymouth Christian Centre. Mike Pilavachis talk on David was great. He talked about David being annointed by Samuel to be future king, who then went back to being a shepherd and during that time he killed a bear and a lion defending the flock; from this he was able to use those skills to defeat Goliath. The main message was about how we only realise in heinsight looking back how god can be teaching us important things during the desert times which can be useful in the future.

2004-10-29T21:32:00.000Z

Us on Ferry to Orkney

2004-10-29T21:31:00.000Z

Map of Our Journey

2004-10-29T21:30:00.000Z

Ring of Brodgar

Orkney Island Trip.

2004-10-27T23:08:00.000Z

Well just got back from a long and tiring journey from Orkney
( if you dont know where Orkney is check out the map of our journey below).
I've set it out in a kind of day by day road journal so you can see what we got up to.

Thursday 21st Day 1 : Set off with the youth group on a long minibus journey to Preston where we would stay the night in Preston with Morgana and her bassist Jon.

Friday 22nd Day 2: After a fairly good sleep we left Preston early on the long journey to Aberdeen. After many hours of travel through the highlands of scotland we arrived at Aberdeen, where we met Liam a friend from our youth group now studying in Aberdeen, University. We had a good relaxed evening with a tasty Chili Meal for all cooked by Liam. I was impressed, well done Mr Byrnes. Afterwards we settled down to watch the Little Britain DVD before going to bed.

Saturday 23rd Day 3: Started off the day with Liam showing us around his campus and then the city. Was interesting to find out that Aberdeen was the birthplace of `Free Masonry` and we saw many Freemasonry symbols encraved into the walls of the old buildings of Aberdeen. After a good day of looking around the shops and seeing the sights we went to the port to catch the ferry to Orkney. The ferry trip to Orkney took around 7 hours, it was a fairly smooth crossing and we arrived on time with Miriam Hartley waiting to take us to where we were staying. She took us to a house a friend of hers had kindly let us use while they were away.

Sunday 24th Day 4:Today we got up early and went to a lively Baptist church in Kirkwall. The message and worship were great and all songs we knew so we could join in easily. Later on we met Andrew Jones and his family who had recently moved from New Zealand to Orkney. (Andrew is one of the leading christian bloggers in the world ( web logging) with thousands of people visiting is site all the time.) Later on some of us went on a refreshing walk in the wind and rain around a lake before coming back and going to sleep.

Monday 25th Day 5: Today we went to Kirkwall, Orknies only City and the most northerly city in the United Kingdom. We looked around the shops there and then got some supplies for the journey back. We visited Miriams Home and then went to the *Ring of Brodgar* a stonehenge like site which has frequent occultic activity. After praying there, we packed our belongings and then travelled to Orkneys Bowling Alley for a game. The journey was quite eventful with bags flying off the roofrack and us having to search for them on the road. After a good game of Bowling, we travelled to the port to catch the overnight ferry back to Aberdeen. On the ferry we couldnt afford cabins but had a choice of reclining chairs we could sleep in. Before we went to sleep some of us went up on deck, it was a full moon and we could see for miles.
In the end most of us slept in the Childrens Soft Toy area which was quite comfortable.

Tuesday 26th Day 6: After only a few hours of sleep we arrived in Aberdeen and set off straight away to Manchester where we would be staying the night. We slept most of the journey and late in the evening we arrived at Manchester where we stayed with Anna Clarke a friend of ours working in the Pais Project.

Wednesday 27th Day 7: After a great night sleep, we set off again on the final part of our journey home. On the way home we stopped in Newcastle to see the Angel Statue of the North which has been recently erected. Later on we stopped in Bristol where everybody did some shopping at Ikea. After a couple more hours of driving we were home.

Delirious at Exeter

2004-10-20T18:03:00.000Z

Well seeing Liams blog, I decided to give it a go. Starting with the Delirious concert last Saturday, was amazing all the best songs from World Service and some of the classics like "My Glorious" and "History Makers" which got every one going. Midway they had an acoustic jam which was so good.
Spent alot of money on tickets lately, going to see Deep Purple and A Hundred Reasons next month and booked to see Greenday. In a minute got to get packed up for the youth trip to scotland and the orkney isles, Ill write about our adventures when i get back.