The Blessing of Christian Friends

One aspect of the Sermon this Sunday was about spending time with other believers. It is something I have really missed since we moved to this house. It was something it took a long while to establish where we lived before, then I found a Church where the Pastor and his wife had a daughter a similar age to Joshua, they went on to have a son 6 months younger than Christina...and they went on to move away and once again I felt spirtually isolated. I later discovered one of the teachers at the children's school was a Christian, I spent time helping out in his class for almost three years, it was a fantastic time where we were able to minister to those children together and share God's love with them, giving them a grounding in the basics of Jesus love! What a privelidge!
During the year from when our pastors family moved away until we adopted Eve I managed to make friends within the new Church. I had found a Church family in the local Baptist Church and was again amidst people who cared. Unfortunately many of the members led busy lives and their was not much friendship offered outside of the Church building. That is not an accusation but a fact of modern life! One lady who lived locally took a kind interest in David and often they were to be seen chatting as David was working in the front of the garden. We lived on the maion road and the bus stop to town was just oppostie our house, making it an ideal opportunity for her to catch David as she returned home. Ivy had a great knack of getting him talking and never made him feel threatened.
Then in Spetember 2006 a new pastor and his wife joined the Church, we were immediately good friends and it was with some sadness we left that area, the decision to move having been made in July, many and varied were our reasons to move. These reasons were firmly grounded in a conviction it was God's leading, however having David attending Church regularly for almost 6 months and knowing that things were really looking up in the fellowship of other Christians it was a wrench to finally move away.
There has followed a difficult 14 months. The Church we had found before we moved had seemed right! I believe it was the right place for us to arrive at! For some reason during my searches and prayers and looking for Guidance that was where God took us. For a few more weeks David too felt at home and attended regularly. Then things turned and David stopped coming and there were occasional times when for me things did not feel right! I had begun once again to make friends, However these were again only within the walls of the Church friendships. Although one person followed up with a phone call occasionally and I would ring with concerns too.
I have to say at this point the Pastor and his wife were always loving and kind and supportive. I often resort to email to ask a favour, put out a prayer request or offload a problem. Always I felt loved and cared for when I had done that. Even to the point of requesting a Hymn on Luke's birthday which happened to fall on Easter Sunday.
When He Cometh, When He cometh,
To make up His jewels.

My Mum sang that to me over the phone when we rang from the hospital ward to say that Luke had died. It is a Hymn full of tremendous meaning to me! We sang it at Eve's dedication which was also around the anniversary of Luke's borthday and death the year before!

Over the end of summer beginning of Autumn I felt unhappy, uncomfortable and not at peace in Church. Then came one Sunday that made my decision for me. I was so astonished and dismayed I felt unable to stay! Then began a search for a new Church home. An amazing series of events that could only be attributed to God's leading, took us to a tiny Baptist Church in a village just 10 miles from home. Deffintely the Lords leading but not, it transpired, to stay! On ouir third Sunday there knowing that there was no Sunday School for Joshua and Christina the visiting minister suggested another Baptist Church again not too far from home where there was a Children's ministry. We visited the following week and were adopted there the next! It really was that straight forward. By our second visit we belonged! I hope everyone else feels that...it deffinitely feels so.

From that Church we have found a morning Carer! I wake each weekday morning now assured of a cheery face and a hug and a love for my children! Rosie is wakened each day to the cheery voice shouting merrily "come on gorgeous!" and I know it is sincere, not just a blaze phrase from someone who doesn't know her!

Today I had a visit from the pastors wife! Why had she come? To offer a time of prayer? To offer some spiritual wisdom? On a pastoral visit?
Nah! Sue came today to help clear the rooms out ready for our flooring to be laid. We spent a wonderful few hours folding clothes and laughing over the inability of girls to kepp anything tidy or know when something should be in the wash basket!
We nattered away about everything and anything and then sat with a coffee after collecting Eve from preschool. Spent another hourish continuing with the clear up and then arranged to hopefully hit the supermarket next week!
What a blessing in Christian friendship! Oh how I have missed it!

I do not know what the future holds, but I am glad I know who holds the future!