Hi Lovely friends,

As we sit it out yet another week in lockdown, I’m feeling thankful for this break. It feels a little like a sabbatical from running around and being busy. It’s good to think that we are not just filling in time until it all starts up again. It’s a precious time that we can use, as our loving Saviour is using it to gather us up into His safe arms and show us another perspective, another way to live.

It’s been a time for just focussing on creation, more time for His Word, and more time to pray. We are thankful for zoom and other social media, but I must admit we do need to be choosy as to what we see. Just keeping ourselves focussed and looking to Jesus and what He is saying right now.

In many ways, I am hoping nothing goes back to being ‘normal’ whatever that was for us. My prayer for myself and all of us is that we would have shed some of the useless stuff that has kept us weighed down to the things of earth, both physically and emotionally.
For myself and Chris, praise and prayer and worship have become prioritised in our lives. May we never retreat backwards again.

We have four very dear friends that have been through this awful virus. We are so thankful that God has brought them through and are convalescing right now. 

As we move out of the wilderness and start preparing for the future after COVID19, it brings me to thoughts of the Israelites’ Exodus. Moses leads them out through the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, to wander into the wilderness of Shur. They moved into the glorious victory of escaping the Egyptians only to find that everything was far from rosy on the other side. There was a water shortage! I wonder if we also think that once we get out of this that everything will be just amazing again. But sometimes, our victories are sandwiched between lessons that we learn through the difficult times. However, as Christians, we stand on the promise that God will turn everything into good for those that love Christ and are called according to His purposes.

I have been privileged to be involved in praying for a lady in Scotland called Sheila. Sheila is in the very last stages of cancer. I have never met this dear wife and mother of six. But last night I got to pray with her at her bedside with my friend through her video camera. We have boldly prayed for miraculous healing and are pressing in even now at this very moment for a breakthrough. Would you join with me and speak to this cancer that has no authority to be there, to shrivel up and disappear.

At the time of writing this, Sheila was still holding on for the miracle, but sadly, at 7:11 pm last evening, she passed into heaven at the age of 46. I was going to send this yesterday but never got around to it. I comfort myself with the fact that death has lost its grip, and we live with the mystery. There are no easy answers, but we trust God even when things turn out differently than what we expected and prayed. God is still good!

Throughout this time, it’s so great to see that the creation is blooming and blossoming all around us. Psalm 96 is being played out before our very eyes. Can you hear the oceans roaring, or the trees clapping their hands? Creation is rejoicing! The imagery of Psalms 96 and 98 are so accurate of what is going on right now. We are not using cars, aeroplanes, trains, and buses the way we usually do. China, New York and Italy are experiencing a 50% drop in carbon monoxide levels, people in Venice have reported the water quality in their canals to the point that they can even see fish swimming in them. And the fantastic report that the Himalayas can be seen for the first time in decades. Wow!

Please remember Sheila’s husband DJ, and their six children aged between 18 and 8 in your prayers friends.

Thank you so much. With love, Linda and Chris