To say the least this has been an interesting start to the year where I have made decisions and have the push back in the spiritual arena.

Firstly, in October I had gone back to North Mid for a period and it only took a few weeks to realise that you don't need to go back to certain places to know the reason why you left in the first place. But I suppose the good thing is that when people found out I’m back they wanted to talk, and I let them. There was a colleague that when I was here, I spoke about my faith and how important it was to me. He was hot and cold and non-committed. Saw him not too long ago, he has accepted Christ, got baptised and is living for God. He said “I don’t know why it took me so long”. This is where revelation comes into play.

In the beginning of the year, I decided to make some very important decisions and one of them was to reignite my prayer sessions/life. It hadn’t been as robust as I think it should be. One of them was to walk the path that God had instructed me to walk and not be distracted by what was going on with other people issues. Another was to seek God’s will for my life, it’s amazing that after 24 years salvation and 54 in age I sometimes struggle with what God wants me to do but I asked God to show me what he wants and to submit to it.

Well, with that the mind battles came along! It did come to the point where it was overwhelming, and I felt myself shutting down. But I would tell myself “My God is a good God, and he will speak to you somehow. The sermons that you and the staff are preaching are confirmation (to me!) that I’m doing right, the Prescott conference had amazing, timely words and so will continue on this path.”

In this present time I do have a burden for the single ladies in our church around the ages of late 20’s and 30’s who feel that life has passed them by and being single is a demonic thing to be especially in the Kingdom.

Pastor, I know what it is like to be in a setting where sometimes you’re overlooked or made to feel that you can’t do anything for God unless you are married, but the burden was strong to have an open forum where words could be spoken. So, I prayed about it and in November, Liz and I did a fellowship where we invited the ladies and spoke to them about being single in the church and how important their role is and what they can do whilst they are.

For some it is a temporary position, for some a longer life but it doesn’t mean you can’t get on with your life and achieve while still serving your church. It will be something that Liz and I will continue to do, we’re nosy aunties who ask about what’s going on and it’s also a path whereby they can speak to a mature women. It’s been good, I like it. Also, my partner in crime and I have restarted opening our homes to couples to sit, have a meal and talk (without children, they get them looked after). We do hope to have invited the whole church to one in this century!

Still praying for that job where I love and get paid well. There are times when all I want to do is draw my pension, downsize to a cottage in the Scottish wilderness and live like a hermit and no one knows that I am there or until the country decides to appoint someone with a braincell to run the government for the citizens and not for themselves. This I will still contend for.

Health is very good, last year I was told I’m no longer diabetic and came off 1 set of meds. The other is nothing to worry about.

Thank you and Carol for your continued service to the church and to me.

Audrey