Onward and upward we go.

After a few months of uncertainty as to our future plans we are at last beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are many heartaches involved in  the decisions that I have made in recent weeks but we feel secure in where we find ourselves.

Things at the Old Rusty have not worked out as we expected and so we felt it right to give the trustees the opportunity to employ somebody who is a more experienced coffee shop manager, they have taken on a very capable young lady who I am sure will do a great job.

I have to say that the experience of managing the Rusty Bucket has been profitable for my development and I also believe for the charity itself. The coffee shop has become very successful and needs full time management. I am a pastor at heart and have been missing helping people in  their Christian walk and so here I am unemployed at the grand old age of 62. We are very nervous, we do not have great resources and so by faith  we are living day by day.

I do not know who Brianna Kloutse is but her quote certainly helps me much at this moment. God's truth at times forces us to make difficult decisions that not only affect us personally but also our dependents. We have spent many sleepless nights, waking in the early hours in a cold sweat worrying about bills to pay.

It is amazing how faith eludes us at 3:00am and how black everything seems. I am so glad that I do not have a theology that can only see judgement from God upon us when things are difficult. 

It seems that when things are apparently at their worst it is quite possible for them to get even worse. They often do! Who would think that my lovely SAAB 9-3 Convertible would possibly blow the turbo and end up in Coventry and us in Looe. 

Where do we go from here??

 Well we come home to experience God's goodness beyond measure, there is a cheque in the post, a cheque in my wallet and the promise of support for gospel work on the telephone. All in all another car is paid for and we are now the proud owners of a 2005 Citroen C4 in fantastic condition. A line it seems is now drawn underneath what has gone before and we look forward to a new beginning.

God is no man's debtor and we are amazed at just what He does. He never ceases to surprise us and the amazing thing is that He uses His people to supply our every need.  It is right and proper at this moment to wholeheartedly thank those who have given so generously, words cannot tell what you have done to restore our confidence!!!!

Since we have been in Looe we have been so busy doing our duty and also trying to catch up with friends and family that we have not been able to visit for many years that we have neglected somewhat our regular attendance at the local church. Today we have started to put that right by becoming members.

We now belong to Grace Community Church Cornwall, the church has 3 branches. 

• Bodmin where Richard is the Pastor.
• Anthony where Archie is the Pastor.
• Morval where son-in-law Jim Pastors. I am proud to say that I believe him to be the best preacher that I know.

Grace are willing to take on our pastoral care and we are so grateful for that. We are also starting to find real fellowship within the church and also a purpose for our belonging. Please pray for us in uncertain days that we will be faithful to our God who will never leave us nor forsake us. He even knows the rapidly falling numbers on my balding head and if he cares enough to know when yet another falls from my scalp surely I can trust Him in the wee small hours.

The way ahead might be uncertain to us but to God it is already mapped out, He is not surprised at the events that cause us to make difficult decisions and just because things are not as we would like does not mean that we are under judgement. Somebody hinted today that the car was a wrong purchase but I have never enjoyed owning a car so much and am happy to have done so. But the time is right for change and so we look forward to the next chapter of our rapidly decreasing lifespan. When we have had our fun with the C4 who know that maybe another boring old SAAB convertible might come into our possession. I can always dream and as far as I am concerned there is nothing wrong with that.

May we finish the race well! 

(This is a link to a sermon of the same title that I preached a few years ago in the church at Ogmore-by-Sea. You may find it of interest concerning the issues discussed in this posting:

http://obsec.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/onward-and-upward-we-go.html)