Failure is...

My life has been marked by many failures and a few successes.

I remember with fondness pastoring a small chaplaincy in Ballymena. Door to door evangelism in the estate had been somewhat of a failure. But success is sometimes found in the most bizzare of circumstances. 

I believe my greatest ever "sermon" was an act rather than any words of eloquence spoken. 

It was a sad morning when I visited the little terrace house in the large estate. I'd called to offer my condolences to the grieving family. The father of the house had tragically died. He was only 32.

I couldn't help but notice how many neighbours were bringing sandwiches and cakes for the wake following the burial.

Due to the influx of the whole neighbourhood wishing to support the grieving family, I realised the house would be way too small. I assessed the situation and realised they needed a much larger venue for the wake. I held the keys to our large church halls which were literally just a few hundred yards from the house. It was a no brainer. 

The family accepted my offer of the church halls. 

It was then that two kind ladies from the church stepped up with me to make lots of hot teas and coffees at the wake. We even provided a sandbucket at the door so people could stubb out their cigarettes.

Sometimes we just need to be the answer to our own prayers.

"Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours." (Teresa of Avila) 

Remember, "Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. "