InTouch Christmas 2013 | Page 5

eventually brought into my life the most precious gift of all, the knowledge that Jesus could be my very own personal saviour. They were the only people I had ever met who did not just go to church but lived out their Christian lives on a daily basis. Caring and loving people not just now and then but always. I cannot explain how much I loved them both and how because of them my life was changed forever. I started to go to a local Brethren Church with them and Michael went to Sunday School for the first time. He loved it so much and eventually Jack was making two trips each Sunday because Michael recruited so many of his friends the car was not big enough. One day I went to Waterlooville to hear Dorine Ervine speak, she had written a book called “From Witchcraft to Christ” and I had read this. I knew that I was really seeking the Lord and I asked Him into my life that day. From that moment on I was never lonely again, although nothing changed in a practical way, Colin still had to go to sea a lot, but now I just knew that I had the Lord with me and whatever came my way, He would and still is the first person I go to for help or just to say thank you for the joys he has brought into my life. Eventually Joyce and Jack started, along with another Christian couple, a house church which I went to for all of the first few years of my Christian journey. The teaching at this church was second to none and I will always be grateful for the fellowship and love God’s people showed to each other in that church. This small church is now a thriving community church in a large comprehensive school and has gone from strength to strength, much like our own small chapel has done. I look back and realise that throughout all my life, even before I knew the Lord Jesus for myself, God’s love had always been with me guiding me into a happy marriage, giving me two lovely boys, and even though Colin was away when Michael was born and I was quite ill during the birth, the Lord even then had his hand on me and gave me the strength to cope with all that lay ahead. He gave me the joy of Colin seeing his son for the first time when he was 10 months old. Unless you have experienced this kind of thing in your life, it may be hard to comprehend but in those days Navy life was like this and the Lord was my strength and stay in all of this. I have spent many Christmas times without being together as a family but I have always had the knowledge of what Christmas really is and for me it will always be the day that the world received its greatest gift our Lord Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever. Why not give Him a chance this year to be your Saviour too, you do not have to earn it, buy it or work for it, it is His free gift to you and all you have to do is take it and ask Him into your life. Do it because I can guarantee you will never be sorry you did. “I look back and realise that throughout all my life God’s love had always been with me guiding me”