No,
not a wedding anniversary, but very special nevertheless. The first of
our Ladies Weekends was held at
Bryntirion Bible College, Bridgend, but of later years we have been meeting at
Hebron Hall, Dinas Powys and are now
named our ‘Well-being conference.’ It is
thirty years since it began and we thought it worthy of a special celebration.
I am privileged to have been one of the
‘old originals’, but sadly missed a few through the years. Bryntirion was on
our doorstep, so Joel could bring me, then pick me up in time for us to make
the evening service. He was not keen to take me all the way to Dinas Powys, and
yes, I confess, I thought I was getting too old.
Then they booked an additional weekend for
Eunice to lead a prayer seminar. Asked to pray for good attendance, I became
part of the answer. Promised a lift, yes, and a room to myself, it was a
mountain top experience, and I knew now that I must be share in this special
ministry among the ladies.
This weekend it was wonderful to be reminded of those
beginnings; especially for me to hear
Mair recount how God’s hand had been heavy upon her, and how she and Miriam had
stepped out in faith to launch this ministry. As she shared of Pastor Ian
MacPherson’s reaction when she dared to ask him to be our speaker, I realised
how indebted I am to his ministry, for he had carried this message for women in
his heart for over twenty years before being given this opportunity to share
it, and it is a word I have treasured and seen outworked in my life; to know
that, as Mary carried the Word of God in her womb, so to us it is given to
carry within us the living Word, and we too can know a quickening and nurturing
until the right time comes for it to be brought forth. I often say to people, I
may not have given birth to children, but God does give me books and poems, as
well as other ministries.
There must be so many more testimonies of
how God has spoken to us through the years.
Usually we’ve had women bringing the word to us through the
years, but for this special anniversary, we were back to a man, our dear Pastor
Warren Jones, with his wife Anne. His theme was Treasure Seekers, and the
treasure, of course, the Pearl of great price, our Wonderful Saviour..
We are always sent home with a gift. Last
year we had a little box but - no portion of cake inside. It was empty! We were
sent home to fill it with prayers of thanksgiving. Mine soon became full. I am
a writer after all. So now I have a book
in which I write these special prayers
of thanksgiving. But this year, can you guess? We had already had a piece of
our Pearl anniversary cake at our surprise Saturday afternoon party, with jelly
and ice cream, games and all. But now we each had a pearl in a little
presentation box to bring home to remind us, not just of a very special
weekend, but of Jesus, our Pearl of greatest price.
We had special times of praise and
worship; special testimonies, and special times of fun and games, and
fellowship, but for me the most special time was when we gathered around the
Lord’s table for communion. It was the
beginning of the day, before breakfast. I felt overcome with emotion. What is
this? I asked. Then the Lord told us, it was a very special time, but it is
because we are all so special to him that he wants us to be able to experience
this communion with him at any and every time.
So, to all those wonderful
ladies who work so hard to make this weekend so very special, and who let us
know we are never too old to come and bless as well as be blessed, and to our
wonderful Heavenly Father, who gave his precious Son to be our Treasure, and
who meets with us year by year at our Well-Being conference at Hebron Hall, a
big big thank you
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