And so it begins...

You may or may not know but one of the key plans for my sabbatical has been to build a poustinia, which is a sort of prayer shed. I guess you might be reading more about it in the posts that are to come, but I guess it really got started today.

My original plan had been to build one from scratch, but I have had to scale back a bit because of shortening my sabbatical… so I went looking on ebay and found this shack for sale. Today I went and picked it up on a borrowed trailer.

In many ways it is perfect for my needs. It needs some planks replacing and general tidying up, but I think that I can make it into something new. What had ceased to be any use to the guy selling it will now become a place of prayer, reflection, listening and growth.

Although in some ways I would have preferred to create a purpose-built poustinia from first principles there is something wonderful about making something which is broken and unwanted into a place of reconciliation and hope. It means that, at the heart of the poustinia, is a reflection of the characteristic action of God.

For I am convinced that we give up on others, and even on ourselves, far quicker than God does.