“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Psalm 95
Dear Friends,
On this beautiful summer day, on the first day of our July break, we are indeed thankful. We have put behind us another term of hospitality, teaching, tutoring, tree felling, gardening, laughing, crying, wrestling and listening. We are tired and thankful for the ways God has again provided and sustained us. Many times, as Jock and I walk this property, we are drawn to see all the things which need doing and fixing, and we find ourselves somewhat tired just thinking about it all. But yesterday, during a day of prayer and fasting, I chose to consciously focus on the things that are good, and that we have to be thankful for. Psalm 95 was the focus of my prayers; ‘let us come before him with thanksgiving’. Instead of seeing weeds to pull, I was thankful that they had such pretty flowers all around them. And what a view from the point, even though the ground around the firepit needs lots of woodchip. Yes, we have lost many trees, but we still have so many healthy beautiful ones. We do have many things on our mind, including concerns for the future, yet focusing on thanks and the God whom we serve is always the right place to start our prayers, and keeps our feet in the here and now.
We did see a good number of students coming through, two for the whole term and many others coming and going. Our finances were sufficient for our needs, and we had great help from our helper Cherie and from our colleagues the Lowes, who stepped up as Debbie, who was coming to work with us had to postpone. James has been invaluable taking down so many dead trees as we have had so many tree losses, first the elms, then the ash and now we are losing a number of oaks. Thankfully, we also had an arborist come as a student and he will be back to treat the oaks by the house that can be saved. We are so thankful for the beauty of this place, as it helps create a sense of shelter for those that come. We have had visits from pastors on sabbatical, women dealing with trauma, young people looking for direction and older, retired folk also figuring out what’s next. And so, we try to create a place for them all, with peace, beauty, rest and work - and discussion flows through it all (along with many cups of tea). Adding to the mix are four lively and affectionate kids, a big friendly dog and a cuddly kitten. A bundle of life that God uses to bring about comfort and healing. One lady even wept, simply sitting at a dining table for lunch, as she had been living in a less than ideal situation, and that simple act of hospitality at a table was something that even she didn’t know she was longing for. We never know what God will use, but as we perform these simple everyday acts, God in His mercy orchestrates healing by His presence.
There are many things that occupy our minds with regard to the future, and we are hardly alone in this. Lately I have been reflecting on how I often worry about the things over which I have no control, while neglecting the daily requirement to focus on and do the everyday simple acts of faithfulness. I find little appeal in doing dishes, another load of laundry and writing emails, but these are the things I have some control over. Humbly putting one foot in front of the other in the everyday things is where the faithfulness required of us often lies. Kindness and helpfulness to our family and neighbors, setting the table and helping with housework may feel mundane and unimportant, but so often this is where we find God. Self-control and discipline are not glamorous but in God’s eyes they are beautiful. Oh, to see as He sees! I remember one day I was frustrated and angry with having to clean the toilet yet again. My attitude matched the job I was doing, Jock was away, and I was tired and grumpy. Then the doorbell rang, and I had to remove the rubber gloves and go to the door, WHAT NOW! It was a box being delivered and I couldn’t resist opening it right away. Lo and behold - I was reminded that my loving God has a perfect sense of timing. In the box was a gift that was richly fragrant - a Hawaiian Lei of fresh pulmonaria flowers from a friend in Hawaii! I finished the toilet laughing with my neck adorned in fragrant flowers. Never before or since has that happened, but it is a reminder of the kind of God we serve.
We do feel great encouragement as a branch. We have seen God’s faithfulness in so many ways, including the provision of the carriage house. The building’s benefactor has promised another good amount to get it near completion, and we are just now waiting on the contractors, who have been absent for the past few months. Please pray for the timely completion of this lovely new home. Looking to God’s faithfulness, we have been praying in particular about the future provision of staffing for this branch - and the financial means to cover that. With additional accommodation, we now have the space to grow, so we would appreciate your prayers for God to provide the right families and resources to build the work for the future. This is in His hands, and we entrust it to Him.
In the wider world, we see the old order of things becoming increasingly destabilized and it is hard not to be concerned for the Western world. Whether it is the culture, politics, or war, there is much to be concerned about. We do pray for those who are at the coalface in these grave matters and are so thankful that we can bring even these very large things to God. He is Lord and He is Mighty, so we can turn to Him in prayers that rightly end with “Come Lord, come!”. We are a people whose hope for a future home is secure and so can seek to simply be faithful in this part of our journey. Let’s lean into this world, in its glory and its ruin, seeking to be faithful in the place God has us for now.
In Christ,
Alison