Beginning…
4 years ago
It seems I have been a bit remiss - hard to believe, isn't it?
First of all it's been a couple of months since I last updated you all and secondly, it appears I failed to ever mention that I had been made redundant mid-December!
So first, update on the last couple of months:
The prayer group have continued to grow with another couple being called into Looe meeting two of our existing members by "accident". It appeared that they both moved into the same street within a few weeks of each other. Praise God for His divine "accidents".
We're also continuing to grow spiritually. The last few months we've really been aware of several lessons that God has been and is teaching us:
- It's all about Him (and it doesn't work if it's about us)
- We need to Love (God, each other, our community and ourselves)
- To be patient and learn to wait on God
We're still very much learning, but it's been wonderful to learn together and grow ever closer. God's turned us from a "group" into a family!
The Rusty Bucket (a Christian Coffee Shop & Community project) which was dreamed up by a couple in our group 4 years ago and is now fast approaching opening day. It should be open at the end of the month and, thanks to a little prayer and patience, is so much more than any of us could've imagined it would be a year ago.
Now an update on us and the work situation:
Firstly, Lucy is pregnant. I never mentioned that, either, did I? We found out on Christmas Day and she's now 15 weeks, a mere 25 weeks to go!
My search for work has been largely fruitless. Since finding out I was going to be made redundant I have had 3 interviews, despite apply for countless roles. 2 of those were based in Wales and would involve me travelling up a couple days a week and were before I finished working. Then it all went quiet.
Eventually a job came up in St. Ives. It was a bit far away but I figured I need to keep my options open, so I applied. Lucy and I prayed about it and asked the Lord to be in complete control - should He want us to move I would get the job, should He want us to stay He should intervene and close the door to me.
As time went by I also felt the Lord put Self-Employment before me as an option, so we again prayed and felt that the options were now two: St. Ives (and moving) or Self-Employment (and staying). Both seemed to feel right, but selfishly I wanted Self-Employment. I wanted to stay here, but we had put it before God so we had to wait on Him.
Today I attended a second interview, was offered and joyfully accepted the role in St. Ives. I'll be starting in April and commuting until the probationary period is up, at which point we'll be moving.
Prayer points:
- Street Pastors:
- need more people - both Prayer Pastors and the Street Pastors. At least another 25 people.
- need to move into Looe (see above)
- Rusty Bucket:
- still has tight deadlines to get them open in time for the Easter holidays
- needs to do well over the holiday season to sustain it through it's first year
- Prayer Group needs a new host
- Looe and God's work here
- My new Job
- For us to find a suitable and affordable home