Promises

Well that’s one promise broken already.  I said I would do this on New Year’s Day and here we are on the 3^rd.  Under promise/over achieve, under promise/over achieve ……..

I wanted to put down in writing as early as possible three promises I believe God has impressed on me over the last couple of months.  One came through a blog (thanks Catrina), one during worship one Sunday morning (thanks Amanda) and one through a prayer (thanks Simon).  I appreciate that for some reading this that might sound a bit weird but I shall simply quote that veritable sage of modern thinking, Miranda and ask you to ‘bear with, bear with’. 

For those of you who are going to see us more regularly over the next few months, hold us to these and keep us accountable:

·         God is the Lord our God who takes hold of our right hands and says to us ‘Do not fear, I will help you’.  (Isaiah 41:13)

·         God knows what he is doing even when we are unsure that he does.

·         This is intended for harm but God can use it for good.  He will also provide for us (Genesis 50:20 and 21). Dare we ask as well that it results in the ‘saving of many lives’ ?  How would that work out ?

I was also going to tell you something I heard Janine say during a recent talk but apparently she is going to use it in a forthcoming 10 minute message at church so her editorial rights have been exercised !

What I can tell you is that both of us know that, at the end of the day, our faith in God is more valuable and precious to him than anything else and that whenever we go through a testing period in our lives there is an element of that faith being tested and (we hope) proved genuine.

It’s also time to give thanks for a few things because I know that, in reality, we live very privileged lives :

• Ellie, Ben and Sam, who reacted so brilliantly last time and have done so again.  We could not want for better and we love them.  That’ll embarrass them …

• The NHS.  I know we only have our experience but it has been first class and Janine has been privileged to be treated by people who are right there at the top of their field.

• Chemotherapy.  It might be a harsh and very unpleasant (and its not me who has been through it of course) but isn’t it amazing to think what can be done and how treatment has developed ?  Even now, it looks as though a part of Janine’s treatment will be the use of a regime that was only trialled between 2006 – 2008. 

• Our employers and particularly those who are inevitably going to pick up work we should have been doing.  Janine is taking what could be six months sick leave from Brakenhale and the support there has and will be great.  I work for two exceptional organisations with a true dream team and the same applies.

And then there is you.

Janine has an appointment with her consultant on Thursday.  I’ll let you know if there are any developments from that.  Hopefully we will have a date for the start of the treatment.