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Well,
from the top, I was born quite early on in my life and was born
in the metropolis of Kettering - you know where that is right? I
have a sister who is older than me and a Dad. My Mum died of cancer
when I was 4, so I never really knew her. She was a Sunday School
teacher, so I think I went along to Sunday School with her. When
she died, my Dad kept sending me and my sister to Sunday School
although he's not a Christian. (It was probably the only peace and
quiet he got in the week). I don't really remember much about it
really. In fact, my life up until the age of about 15 is all a bit
of a blur really other than reading The Beano and drinking Slush
Puppies!!! Mmmmmm, Slush Puppies.
Anyhoo,
when I was 15, I joined the BB (that's the Boys Brigade). It was
great. It was linked in to a Methodist Church and we were encouraged
to attend. Not wanting to offend anyone, I did. It was OK and I
kept going to the church long after leaving the BB. In fact, I went
there until I was about 27. I think when I was about 16, I 'became
a Christian'. Basically, I decided that God was real and that if
that was the case, then I had to have Him in my life. I didn't really
get it and there were no other Christians around my age so I felt
pretty much on my own. Not having any Christian peers, I ended up
just living a life that probably wasn't that pleasing to God. I
just did what my mates did and they were up to all sorts of stuff.
I carried on like this for a number of years until I kind of realised
that this probably wasn't the best way to be living if God was real
and I wanted Him in my life.
I
did tons of jobs after leaving school including working in warehouses
and shops, glass cutting, printing, office work, van driving and
running my own business. But when I was in my printing job, I got
made redundant and decided that rather than get another job straight
away, I'd go and visit a friend in Australia for a couple of months.
I was about 27 now. I didn't do a great deal there (which was the
plan) but it did give me an opportunity to spend a lot of time on
my own and do a lot of thinking. (You don't have to go to Australia
to do this!!). I decided that enough was enough and that if I was
serious about God - which I was - I was going to change the way
that I lived so that I was living more in line with what He wanted.
After all, the stuff that He wants for us is the stuff that's best
for us anyway. It made sense.
When
I got back to Blighty, I decided to move to a different church.
There weren't many young people at the church I was at and wanted
some Christian peers. To start with, I hated the new church I had
gone to. But I soon realised that I hated it because it challenged
me. So that was actually a good thing. To cut a long story short,
I stayed there a long time and it was there that I met my wife Julia.
I said 'What are you doing here?' (Not really. That was a joke.
She wasn't my wife then - I met her and then she became my wife
in the future!!)!!
I
had done a bit of youth work as an officer in the BB years ago,
but on a church weekend away, God seemed to speak quite clearly
to me about youth work and I thought He was telling me to apply
for the vacant youth workers job at my church. I did. I didn't get
it. I was confused. Ah well, I must of got it wrong and so I carried
on with what I was doing. But a few months later, a series of events
happened which led me to believe that maybe God WAS wanting me to
do youth work. Rather than just start applying for random jobs,
I decided to apply to do a degree in Youth & Community Work
and Applied Theology with CYM. I didn't expect to get on as I didn't
meet the requirements for the course - including academically. I
left school with 1 o'level. (That's like a GCSE). But, if God really
did want me on this course, He would have to pull out a few stops
to get me on it. Guess what? He did. I got on. So I left the best
job I've probably ever had and spent the next 3 years doing a full
time youth work degree in Cambridge while doing a part time youth
work job in Kettering. It was tough.
Well,
I got through that and then it was a case of 'what now?'. I applied
for a handfull of jobs and got offered a couple. Interestingly,
we were praying about whether we should accept one of the jobs,
and felt that God was saying 'You can have it if you want, but I've
got something better for you'. (There are some big discussions in
there!). So I didn't take it. But when we came to All Saints for
the interview, we felt straight away that this was the place. Obviously
they offered it to me (because I'm here) and I took it. (Again,
obviously). It was a good move and I do feel it's where God wants
me to be right now.
I
love it here. I love my job, the people I work with, the church
and especially the young people I work with. (I have to say that
don't I?). But seriously, I do. If it's one of you reading this,
I think you're great. There's not a single young person that I work
with that I don't love or who does my head in!!! It's a real privilege
working with the young people here, but also a huge responsibility.
I
don't know what the future holds for me or the youth work at All
Saints, but all I will do is keep using my God given gifts and keep
asking God what He wants me to do while trying to stay humble at
the same time.
Clive
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