A long time ago in a town far away I left school aged 16, with a handful of O Levels-a rebellious and angry teenager who disliked school, despised authority and disrespected God. Eleven years later, I found myself in a desperate situation and called on the God of my childhood years. In true prodigal son style He welcomed me back as the loving father I had always craved. He also miraculously healed my baby.

My return to faith was a shock for my husband who had only ever known a non-Christian Debbie and although he didn't understand, he supported me as I started to help out with children's work at my church, St Mary's in Ferndown. Six years ago I felt that God was calling me to youth work and I spent the next year praying He would show me something else- instead He changed my heart. He gave me a passion to reach out to young people, to help them achieve their full potential, to give them a hope for the future and to show them that no matter what they've done; God loves them with an unconditional love.

A verse from Psalm 25 has always been significant to me in dealing with my feelings about the teenager I was, ' Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.'

My first year of youth work was eventful to say the least, dealing with the tears of girls falling out and of boys fighting. Difficult questions about pets going to heaven, angry cleaners because of glitter in the carpets, spontaneous squirty cream fights and even a flasher!! I felt ill equipped for this task and asked my church for some training. At exactly this time Moorlands launched their new Placement- based degree course, so four years ago I was one of the first nervously excited new recruits on this new course.

Being in college one day a week instead of full time, enabled me to continue running my sports massage business, look after my family, and be a volunteer youth worker at my church. Things were going well until my second year when we moved from a comfortable house to a renovation project. It became clear that I could not project manage the house repairs and study, so after much prayer I was advised to take a year off. This was a risky decision as I was worried that I may not want to return college. It proved to be an extremely difficult year. As well as coping with living in a building site, my eldest daughter, Amber went to Mozambique on mission work for six months and contracted malaria. She was seriously ill and thousands of miles away but God was amazingly faithful and brought her safely home to us.

Those of you that know me will realise that patience is something I have to work at but during this year God acknowledged my patience and after seventeen years of praying for my husband, Larry finally gave his life to Christ.

Returning to Moorlands last September was not easy. I had to get in the habit of study again and was with a whole new group of people that I didn't know. I had also started working part time with Bournemouth Council on a Children's Outreach Project, so was back juggling my own business, family, work, study, church...If I really stopped to think about it I probably wouldn't have even attempted to do it at all! But all throughout college I have held on to Paul's words to the Philippians ' I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.'

As I finished my studies this summer and was convalescing after an operation I took the opportunity to ask God what direction my life should now take and because I was laid up I had plenty of time to really listen to His answer. It became clear that it was time for me to step down from church youth work and wait for God to give us, as a couple, a new ministry. I have no idea what that is yet! However, I am very excited to have started a new job as aSocial Work Assistant, working with young offenders and their families which is already proving to be very challenging!

During my time at Moorlands I have laughed and cried, argued and debated, shared worship and life's experiences, gained new friends less than half my age, but most significantly I have been equipped with the tools to match the passion God has given me to work with young people.

For Graduation Photographs, please Follow the link on the News Letter, by kind permission of Ede and Ravenscroft Photography.

Hello everyone,
I'm Kathy, and married with three children. Until a year ago, we lived in Croydon, and I've just finished the first year of the Applied Theology degree with the Family and Community studies.

The other day I was re-reading the verse God used to prompt me to study theology. He spoke to me really powerfully through 1 Timothy 4 verse 7 and 8, where it says:

'Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives tales, rather train yourself to be godly. Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.' I was looking for a course which wasn't just going to educate my mind, but was going to transform my whole being.

Over this past year, as a family, we have faced a major relocation, new schools, new job. a complete renovation of our house, a full-time degree course, redundancy, unemployment and a devastating schism in our home Church of twenty years in Croydon. I have to say, we didn't bargain for all that, but I found that in almost every lecture, through the assignments, and in chapel services, God has given me nuggets of pure gold from His word which have truly sustained and changed me. It has been amazing to me to see how God has taken what I've been learning, made it real and alive inside me, and I've experienced the strength and life that there is in God's word.

No other form of academic learning can change you at the very heart of your being, and I've honestly found that as my verse says, the godliness I've learnt has value and relevance for every area of life. It feels more to me like God himself has been training me, rather than the college, but I believe the combination at Moorlands of challenging truth from God's word and opportunities to exercise what we learn, all taking place in a great spiritual environment. It's been a powerful recipe for growth in God in my life over this past year.

I'm excited to see what God's going to do in the second year, although I hope it will be a calmer year for my family!

Hi, my names Miles and I'm in my third year now, so I've reached the end of my time here at Moorlands. And today I've been asked to share something of my experience of Moorlands this year; some way that God has equipped me for His service. And as I've been thinking about what I should share, one thing has kept coming back to me. I think the biggest way that I've been equipped throughout my whole time here at Moorlands is through chatting about God with other students.

I can remember one night this year, it was about half twelve; maybe one o' clock in the morning, and Ben, Pink, Digga and me were sitting on the floor in the Oaks kitchen. Now the first thing I want to say is that it's best never to sit on the floor in the Oaks kitchen, but I also want to tell you about the conversation we had.

This year we'd all been thinking a lot about what it means to actually follow the radical way of life that Jesus calls us to and particularly that verse in Acts 20, where Paul quotes Jesus, saying ' it's more blessed to give than to receive. ' And as we sat and chatted, it was like we were bringing together the different strands of what each of us had learnt, and experienced, and thought, and read, and seen, and trying to tie them up and get our heads around this completely counter-cultural idea.

Now, in my experience, it's in moments like this that theology is most profound. One idea sparks off another, and then another, and another; and God speaks. He spoke to me that night through Ben and Pink and Digga and through what they talked about. And the best thing is that Theology, which basically means talking about God, isn't just confined to Moorlands. In Deuteronomy, God tells the Israelites to talk about the law ( do theology ) all the time. When they're sitting, when they're standing, when they're out in the street, when they're at home , when they're with their kids; all the time, and we should be doing the same. So, for me one of the biggest things I've learnt at Moorlands is this; whoever you are and wherever you find yourself, never stop talking about God.

Looking for somewhere to stay for your Church weekend, a venue for a children's holiday club or somewhere to use for a group day away?

Situated in 14 acres of beautiful park land on the edge of the New Forest and is within easy travelling distance to Bournemouth, Christchurch, the New Forest, Southampton and Poole. Although the college is situated in a country setting, the famous Bournemouth beaches are just 5 miles away.

The residential & conference centre offers an outstanding range of both residential and day hire facilities, with good food and friendly dedicated staff to look after your every need.

For more details Click here

or Contact Grant Slade Tel: 01425 675000 or email grant@moorlands.ac.uk

We have experienced significant problems with our external e-mails here at Moorlands.

If you have sent an e-mail to us here at Moorlands between Wednesday 21st February and Saturday 24th February 2008 please can I ask you to re-send.

The problem is now resolved, but we do apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.