Sunday 16 May 2010

News Update

This past fortnight we've had our oldest guest with us. Having had her birthday in 1918 Hilda is doing extremely well and has led an active holiday with the help of her wheel chair and a devoted daughter and husband! By way of contrast, at the end of the month we have a family week with about 10 youngsters coming with either parents or grandparents. There will be a children's programme each evening led by Dave and Liz McCann.

May has so far been a disappointing month weather-wise with coolish temperatures. We are hoping for better things soon!

We are pleased to have arranged for guests speakers to lead devotions and evening ministry later in the season. Steve Morley, who was a Counties worker in Essex has agreed to be with us for the week August 21st to 28th when we, Phyl and Len, are having a little break. He will also lead a short children's programme in the evenings. Then during 11th - 23rd October Geoff Carr, also a Counties worker, will be with us to share devotions and bring ministry. Please make these dates know to folk you think may be interested.

Sunday 2 May 2010

News Update

The Lord has wonderful ways of encouraging His children but I wonder whether we sometimes fail to appreciate these signs because our minds are too taken up with our practical activities. Something happened this week and it was only after the event that I realised that God was speaking to us through it. Two Christian friends, previous guests with us, called by unexpectedly during a motor caravan tour of Europe. The timing of their visit was not particularly convenient as we had had a busy morning and although well past midday we had not yet had lunch! However it was good to see them and we gave them tea and talked for an hour or so and after prayer together they continued their planned tour leaving us for Bavaria. After they had gone I suddenly noticed that the bunches of tulips they had kindly brought us were the same colour as those on our Daily Manna cover for May - see the picture. Surely not a coincidence? God was saying that their visit was of Him and had significance? Then I realised that the generous sum of money they had slipped into my hand on leaving adaquately covered the amount I had spent that very morning on DIY material for the staff bedroom I was hurredly trying to complete in our roof space before we needed it at the end of May. Surely a remarkable sign that our thoughts and plans were of God and He could supply all we need for the work to go on. Then finally, they had left a book with us that they had been reading during their trip. It was a testimony of a Christian couple doing a similar work to us, namely providing an open house where Christians came to find encourgement and unbelievers came and experienced God's grace and blessing and the opening of their hearts to Him. We can only say - 'Thank you Lord for sending Your servants to us and for the confirmation that You are with us and I quite believe have new thoughts for us from the book Your servants quite casually passed on to us!