I was brought up in suburban Nottingham in a happy, contented home and lived there for the first 25 years of my life. The local parish church was part of my Mum and Dad's life and so I went to Sunday School and later to youth club. At 14 I was confirmed into the Church of England where singing in the choir and serving at the altar were part of my duties, but these soon stopped as I got further into my teenage years!
My marriage in 1969 to Kathy was in the same church but I had long since stopped regular church attendance. Our lives became unhappier over the years despite our son Luke, born in 1978. We stayed in the same house but the marriage lacked any respect or love and eventually we were divorced in 1989.
You could say that this was a low point in my life. Then, living by myself, I began a search of the surrounding villages for a church to attend. My search for a welcoming church led me to St. Mary's, Sileby where Rev. Alan Turner and his wife Sheila ministered. He, of course, was curate at St.Thomas's in the 1980's! Over a very few months, suddenly I had a new family - one that embraced me, cared for me and invited me to their homes. How wonderful to experience such hospitality. One couple even lent their caravan so Luke and I could go to a summer Christian crusade camp.
During this time I was working with a Christian colleague called Rob at the bank in Loughborough. What he had was a lively, infectious faith. Not only was he full of fun and vitality, he wasn't ashamed to share his love of Jesus. I went to one of his housegroups in Nottingham. The evening progressed to an invitation for me to ask Jesus into my life. On 19th April 1990 I made a commitment. All I can say is that I opened the door to His knocking - oh what joy to know that He loved me! He accepted me as I was - a 45 year old divorced man, someone who had walked away from Him. I was given the scripture from John 8 v. 32 'Then you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.' Being born again into a new life was an amazing experience of being nurtured by a group of mature Christians, praying aloud with other baby Christians and seeing the answers to prayer, testifying to what Jesus had done in your life, sharing and confessing. No, the days weren't long enough and I wanted to tell others about Jesus.
After an unhappy marriage you can imagine that I wasn't seeking any further relationships. But I confess that one of my first prayers had a condition -'Lord, if I meet a woman to love please could she be a Christian?'!!! By now I was a regular housegroup member, on the PCC and a regular correspondent to many people.
Our God is so wonderful that He can make impossible things happen. Another friend at the bank was Linda Cunningham (yes, someone else from St Thomas's!) and in November 1991 she told me about her friend in Bradley called Sue Thornton. It was a week before Sue's 40th birthday and I wrote a long letter introducing myself. Have you ever written a letter to a complete stranger? For 8 months Sue and I wrote to each other regularly. I asked her to become my prayer partner and believe me you can share the most intimate things in prayer with God, can't you? Bear in mind that Sue and I never spoke on the phone nor met and possibly wouldn't have done if Linda had not suggested that Sue and the children came down to visit her - and meet me at the same time! One lovely June morning Sue, along with Simon, Marie and Adam came to morning service at St. Mary's. I was one of the church greeters and it so happened that I welcomed Sue's children but must say I was completely tongue-tied when I saw the vision of loveliness that was Sue. Those who know me wouldn't call me shy but I was on this occasion!
It wasn't chance or coincidence, it was a God incidence that the next holiday I had arranged was youth hostelling in the Dales around Grassington way. Perhaps I could see Sue on my way back home? So our first date was at the Walkley's clog factory, Hebden Bridge, followed by a walk up the hill to Heptonstall. Such laughter we had that day. Here was someone to share my faith with, someone that loved Jesus. Oh the joy! Our courtship was blessed by me getting to know Adam, Marie and Simon gradually and being accepted into their family.
One of our first shared 'family' experiences was at a summer Crusade camp where we learned about the 3-stranded rope. The strongest partnership of all was God joining man and wife. The penny hadn't yet dropped that here, in front of my eyes, was God's answer to my prayers for a Christian woman. My old self-doubt and cynicism crept in -.after all hadn't my honeymoon with Kathy in Aysgarth been a complete disaster? Not only were Yorkshire people unfriendly but even the famous falls had dried up! So how could I ever move to Yorkshire to live?
Our God makes the impossible happen. On Holy Island in Oct.1983 I asked Sue to marry me. And she said yes! Our joy was complete that Christmas when our minister David Ward agreed to marry us in St Thomas's.
Thankyou Lord for so many blessings. For giving me 3 lovely children, a beautiful wife, a new church family and a lovely home. In fact blessings that I cannot begin to count. Let's give all the glory to God for all that He has done for us.
In closing I'd like to tell you about the quiet times with God that Sue and I have enjoyed these past few weeks. In our relationship with God we've sometimes felt that we have ignored Him or neglected to talk to Him. Well, this Christmas we began a shared prayer time with Adam. And do you know this was one of the closest times with God we've experienced. Don't get me wrong, to pray with my wife is wonderful, but now to be praying with my son as well! Thank you God.
Since his return to university we're happy to say that so far we've managed to keep up with our daily prayers and devotional time together.
Try praying with someone sometimes. It will encourage you to talk to Jesus on a regular basis. May God's grace be always with you.