A View from the Sidelines

 

 

This was a word that God spoke for and to me in June 2010. 18 months later I finally realised that He had a point! Delayed or partial obedience is actually disobedience.

 

18 months later the Kingdom in Ipswich has moved forward in remarkable ways, and it was such a joy and a privilege to be at ‘Crown Him with Many Crowns’ on Saturday and realise how much more has been achieved and how many more people are coming forward and ‘taking up the challenge’. 

 

I acknowledge and am sorry for those 18 months it took me to come to the point which at the end of 2011 I had no choice but to accept. The time has come for me to (temporarily???) ‘hang up my boots’. God has, as always, been faithful, forgiving and full of grace, but it is time to hand on the baton and step into a different place.

 

So, this year I am on sabbatical. On December 31^st, staying in Malvern with my son-in-law and daughter over New Year, we read from the Celtic Daily Prayer book:

 

‘The poustinia is a state of constantly being in the presence of God because one desires Him with a great desire, because in Him one alone can rest. The poustinia is walking in this inner solitude, immersed in the silence of God. My life of service and love to my fellowman is simply the echo if this silence and solitude’.

 

‘Poustinia’ comes from a Russian word meaning ‘desert’ and the Posutiniak used to retire to a small, sparsely furnished room for a period, where He would seek God, fast and pray and be available to respond as God prompted Him.

 

I knew straight away at that point that this is where God is calling me to be for a year. So I will be around (on occasion) but the decision to lay down commitment and responsibility is, I believe, for this period a right one (and medical advice seems to agree).

 

My personal and ‘part of the body in Ipswich’ journey over the last twelve years has been amazing – I have so much to thank God for; not least for the many wonderful people who have been walking journeys that have, on a long term or short term basis, touched mine. But now I’m off the pitch, roaring the Kingdom on from the sidelines!!! If you have been challenged, called, or feel there is a seed of passion being sown in you – GO FOR IT!!!

 

One plea – please respect this, help me to be obedient (because I don’t always find it easy to say no) and ask someone else ……………….. thanks for all your prayers, encouragement and support – I still value that ongoingly (is this a word?) and enormously.