An Adventure in Ministry

The English novelist Iris Murdoch once said “Prayer” is the most essential of all human activities” and I must say that this is so true. In the past few months I have really tried to focus on creating a regular rhythm of prayer in my life and I have seen just how essential prayer is to every moment of my day. Around 9 months ago I attended a spiritual day for Salvation Army officers and envoys in the North West, led by Majors Mel and Kath Jones. In the afternoon we had the opportunity to pray and reflect. One of the prayer stations was on the Stone Pillar of Jacob. It talked about Genesis 28 when Jacob sees the ladder to heaven. When he awakes he says: ‘Surely the Lord is in this place’ and calls is Bethel which means ‘The house of God.’ We were encouraged to consider where our own Bethel is. In our booklet there was also a quote from Henry Nouwen about finding a place of prayer which has been on my mind ever since it says: “As Jesus invites us, we need to find that private pl...

It has been an incredibly busy three months as Paul and I have stepped into full time ministry with the Salvation Army. It has been full of excitement and adventure along with trepidation and some fear. In coming months I plan to share some of the exciting things God has been talking to us about, but the past week I have been thinking about peace. Last week Paul and I went on Holiday to the borders of Scotland. On our way home we stopped in one of our favorite towns, Grasmere, and visited a beautiful place called Allan Bank. Whilst I was there God gave me these words: "Drop thy still dews of quietness,  till all our strivings cease, Take from our lives the strain and stress, And let our ordered lives confess  the beauty of thy peace " Today, peace looks like a battered old leather chair with plumped up cushions and a whippet curled up beside me, my husband reading a book and a steaming cup of early grey tea.  Peace looks like looking out of th...