I was packing my rucksack to go on a week of Beach Missions and it was starting to get rather full just as I was packing my books. Mum came in just at that point. Chance? She suggested that I take my little Gideon's Bible instead of my hefty hard-back NIV. I followed her advice. During the train journey I took my Bible out of the bag, put it next to my bag on the luggage rack and then for some crazy reason decided to take a walk up the train, leaving the Bible next to my bag. Wierd? On the way back from my little walk I forgot the Bible and went and sat down back in my seat. Kinda random! I'm normally very conscious about remembering things. When I arrived at the next station I happily picked up my bag, minus Bible, and made my way to the platform. My next connection wasn't for a while and I sat on a bench, opposite that same train for at least 10 minutes as it prepared to go back to where it started. Ten whole minutes later the train was ready to go and the door slid shut. At the very second the doors clunked together I remebered I had forgotten my Bible. Split second coincidence? Some might call it a miniature disaster. I call it providence. Someone must have needed a Bible and so God found them one, by losing mine!

I've just been to a houseparty. When it was first started, it was a Christian houseparty for home-educated teenagers. The Christian bit refers to the houseparty itself, in other words you didn't – and still don't – have to be a Christian to come, but a lot of people there are Christians and we have loads of awesome Bible teaching. So really it was a Christianity focused houseparty for home-educated teenagers. Then somewhere along the line some people wanted to come who were too young according to the 'teenager' label and so it became a Christianity focused houseparty for teenagers, or younger people who act like teenagers. Then some people got a bit old and fell off the other end of the scale so it became a Christianity focused houseparty for teens, or younger people who act like them, and twenties. Then it was decided to run a similar event in the South, so it became the Northern houseparty. Seeing as they run one every year its also useful to have a date in there. So being more precise, what I've just been to is a Northern, 2008, teens', or younger people who act like them, and twenties', Christianity focused houseparty. Oh and by the way, it's not in a house and it's not a party.

If you're still confused here's a more understandable explanation: I've just been away for the weekend with a bunch of other homeschoolers, most of whom are Christians, most of whom are teenagers or there abouts, and we've had loads of fun and loads of amazing teaching from the Bible. Here are some things that we learnt, which God has really used to speak to me.

It's all about God

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

All things are from God. Compare this to any other worldview like humanism, everything is from man, like fatalism, everything is from chance, like those who believe in karma, everything is from past actions, like agnosticism which says we can't know. We know that everything is from God, including everything we have (1 Cor 4:7). It's a priviledge not a right. So we must be thankful for everything all the time (Eph 5:20).

All things are through God. The whole world is held together through God (Col 1:12). He is the only reason that the atoms in our body stay together and don't suddenly fragment into millions of pieces. Our very next breath is in his hand (Job 12:10). That same God gives us power to live our lives in the way he wants (2 Peter 1:3). We can do everything through him who gives us strength (Phil 4:13)! But we can do nothing without him. Trying to do it by ourselves is like a four month old baby wanting to leave home. So we must pray, pray, pray.

All things are for God. We were made to live utterly for God. When we try to live our lives for anything else it will never truly work and can never truly bring satisfaction. We need to do everything for God's glory (1 Cor 10:31): drink orange juice for God's glory; surf YouTube for God's glory; clean our teeth for God's glory; read books for God's glory; do everything for God's glory. So we must be set apart for God, be holy.

We need to work out how we can be thankful, prayerful and holy people to live our lives, which come from God, through him and for him.

Life as a sacrifice

Because of God's mercy offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)

God has given us so much that we don't deserve, all we can do is offer him what he does deserve, our lives. Total commitment is what we were made for if we recognise it or not. We should sacrifice our life, dedicate it, surrender it, gladly give it and place it under God's command. It's hard. We have to die to ourselves every day. Just like the sacrifices in the old covenant, to make our life an acceptable sacrifice we must:

• make sure it is clean and non-blemished
• give of our best
• give it all, holding nothing back
• give it willingly
• give as worship for God

It will cost us. Yet it is the only way that makes sense. No reserves, no retreats, no regrets. (Cool alliteration, huh?)

That was just two of the five talks. Phew! The Bible might have been written 2000 years ago but it's never out of date. This is how God has chosen to speak to us and still does. There is sooo much in there. God clearly has a lot to say!