Joel Sales

So I’ve been doing some research according to Government Statistics of our prison population we have; 1. 88k in prison today - made up of; 2. 10422 Foreign nationals 3. 600 with no nationality 4. 3100 18-20 yrs old 5. 2000 over the age of 70+ 6. 6160 with server mental health issues 7. 13600 on the sex offenders register 8. 6160 severely disabled Total - 42042 Now take that number away from our prison population and your left with 45000 men and women who are possibly capable of manual work - unfortunately a % of those won’t want to work let’s say 10% then we are left with 40500. That is not an overwhelming figure ( half of Wembley stadium) to get into employment- at Iceland ( one buisness) we have offered over 750 real jobs - A challenge to our Prisons Minister - Sir, we can do this I’m really happy to chat about ideas we have and that we are now doing with the Second Chance Partnership - just a thought!

Love what the Lord does in peoples lives! biblesociety.org.uk/latest/mybible… @patternchurch @biblesociety

Every plank Noah placed was a declaration: “I trust the One who gave me this task.”

To eternity and beyond!

16 years ago Tom and I met at Matthews church (St Johns, Peasedown), so it was wonderful to celebrate the launch of Tom’s new church - the Light Church (a plant from our church) together. Utter joy!

I wasted 10 years of my life. At 15, I got stuck in the military. But I managed to see the world as a luxury travel guide, build a successful business, and create my dream family. See, I come from a tiny village in Romania. There, everyone believes the only path to success is • go to college • get a good job • work your a$$ off • and retire with a good pension I was on that path. I went to a military high school, then attended the Military Academy to become a high-ranked officer and retire at 45. For many, this was the dream. …for me, it was a nightmare. I had to work overtime, sometimes even on the weekends, and be on-call for emergencies. And I couldn't enjoy time with friends and family without worrying about work. I hated that people around me pictured “success” as a cycle of busyness, stress, and absence. I refused to accept this. So I looked for a way out. At 25, after 10 years in the military, I decided to quit. I committed to exploring, experimenting, and not stopping until I find what fills life with purpose and satisfaction. There was no clear plan whatsoever — I just wanted to discover myself and the world. In the first few months, I didn’t seem to make any progress, but I just kept on going. For the next 2 years, I read all the personal development books I could get my hands on, journaled religiously, and applied for all the jobs that promised a more fulfilling life. Then something happened… At 27, I was hired to guide luxury trips for the world's #1 active travel company. I get paid to • travel to 30+ countries on 5 continents • dine at Michelin-starred restaurants • sleep in 5-star hotels But most importantly, I get to rub shoulders with some of the wealthiest, most intelligent, and most accomplished people on the planet. I see this as my chance to learn what it means to live a successful life. So I pay attention and ask every question I can think of. But what I learned blows my mind. These people have everything most of us would ever dream of: • Fancy sports cars • Luxury houses all over the world • More money one can spend in a lifetime But their lives don't sound like a dream to me. Most get only one week of vacation a year. Their families feel disconnected, and they still have to check work emails and calls, even during family time. This was no different than my life back in Romania. I was stuck again. I've been on this quest for so long, …but I still didn’t feel fulfilled. Instead, I was left questioning my decision. Should I have just stayed in the military? Should I have never left my country? Should I just accept I will never be happy? Self-doubt flooded me. What if everyone was right… What if I’m a loser? Regardless, I trusted my intuition, my vision, and myself. I kept on searching, traveling, and exploring. • Connecting with people from all over the world • Throwing myself in all sorts of situations • Journaling every step of the way Then, I finally made a breakthrough… At 28, I volunteer with a family in the Dominican Republic. Their life is simple. Antu spends most of his days in the garden. Orchi, his wife, manages the B&B. Their 2 kids play around freely. But when the family comes together, magic happens. They share their days, sing and dance, and discuss their plans. You can see the sparks in their eyes as they connect. These people are happy. Now I am getting closer to finding real success. But for me, something was still missing. Luckily, not for long. At 31, I received the greatest gift: I became a father. Then, it all clicked… It took me 8+ years, traveling the world, and filling tens of journals, but I finally managed to put it all together. Success is not about making a sh*t ton of money, having everything you could ever wish for, not even fame. Don't get me wrong — I am not against money. Money can give you peace of mind, allow you to travel, or create unique moments and experiences. It can bring a lot of happiness. But money alone won’t make you happy. Living a fulfilled life means • Feeling accomplished in your work • Making a positive impact • Providing for your family while • Keeping the passion alive between you and your partner • Being part of your kids' lives as they grow • And exploring the world together. Now, I am not sharing this with you to make you feel bad or show how great I am. But I want to show what is possible. With a solid work-life balance, healthy routines, and a strong vision, you can build a house full of love. True success is having time for family. This is what I'm here to help you achieve. I invite you to join me on this journey. Follow me for insights on creating a balanced, fulfilling life full of love and connection. Thank you for reading all the way. I hope you enjoyed it. Much love, Mihai

10. Where have I shared Jesus with others? What opportunities to share Jesus with others might I have missed?

7. When have I been close to God? (& when have I felt far away) 8. What/who has helped me to walk in step with the Holy Spirit? 9. What habits or distractions have made it difficult to hear or follow the Holy Spirit’s leading?

How is God guiding you? The end of the year is often a great time to listen to God for this coming year. Here are a few questions to help you… 1. What has the Lord said to me this year? 2. What scriptures or truths has the Lord consistently brought to mind?

If you celebrate with your family but do not include the poor, the single or celibate or friendship bonds, ask yourself if you are really living the Kingdom of God…

Honoured and excited to play our part in this. We know that the Lord will do WONDERFUL things! salisbury.anglican.org/the-light-chur…

@RevWarwick @bristoldiocese @paulfreeland Just wonderful ❤️

One life, one story. No rehearsal time. Don’t squander it. You never know what’s round the corner.

@chrisbeaumont_ @BlandfordCofE Beautiful!

Great to pop in to the first night of Alpha @BlandfordCofE last night and see so may people.

@mattsouthcombe I said maybe

#NewRev for @PatternChurch and @SwinStAug So excited to have you in the team Jo!!

@RevWarwick @bristoldiocese Beautiful ❤️

Proud of my church @PatternChurch promoting political engagement patternchurch.org/ge2024 loads of resources all in one place #HopeEveryoneVotes #faith #politics

Vote! #GeneralElection #GE2024 #Vote #Politics