The year was 1981 and now, more than thirty years later I am recalling the sweet words of my husband to be, for it was the date of our wedding. Just turned fifty, I had thought marriage had passed me by. How thankful I was that I had not had to wait to be married to find contentment. But now, after a good and fruitful first marriage with his Betty while I fulfilled my calling as ‘the Little Children’s Mother’ first in the highlands of New Guinea and then in Ghana, after
Betty’s sudden and totally unexpected death, Joel and I had
been led very clearly to this very different D Day.
‘D for Delight.’ It was. For eight years I was privileged to
minister with Joel as a pastor’s wife, then after we settled into retirement in
Porthcawl gradually opportunities opened for me in the schools. It was then
that God called me to write and Joel and I worked together to organise the annual South Wales Christian Writers Days.
Joel was great at suggestions and happy for me to do the organising. But now I was learning that special gift of delegating. ‘Godliness with contentment’ was no problem, for I had learned that lesson after a broken heart When Joel did not recover from the viral infection which had attacked us both it left me bereft but with a full diary of commitments.
The day he died I had taken an early assembly and happily
booked in for another in a month’s time. I knew this was a commitment I must
keep. Then wonderfully a door opened for
me to train to teach ‘Walk through the Bible.’ While God never told me
not to cry, as tears are all part of the healing but now, all too soon it
seemed, I was coming up to ninety. By
I could no longer drive but God was not speaking to me about retiring. Then
very gently, for me, came LOCK DOWN. The decision was made for me
Long, quiet days shut in my Eagle’s Nest for uninterrupted
writing. Yes, of course I missed my wonderful husband but it was when I was
living above the clouds in the mountains of New Guinea that my heart was broken
by my Prince Charming that I had been challenged to speak out the promises of
God. I dared to speak out – ‘I am delighting myself in the Lord and he is
giving me the desires of my heart.’
God cannot deny his
own word. How I needed to speak this out now – and yes, I still do, and still
he is giving me the desires of my heart.
A totally unexpected heart attack and cardiac arrest had
prepared me, so I thought for heaven, and I was happy to move from my
independent living in my ‘Eagle’s Nest,’ and I was welcomed into Pinehurst,
where Joel and I used to go in to take a service many years before and then the
Ladies of ‘Grace’ had carried on to visit regularly.
I no longer have the privilege of being an invited visitor
and have to earn the right to speak into situations. I find now God is giving
me the privilege to write someone a special birthday blessing, and though it is
sometimes a struggle to tackle the computer again and it would be easier to
join the ‘nodders’ who sit in the lounge and doze, I am so very thankful for
those who refuse to let me rust away and who are always available, making sure
that I have a lift to church or the help I need to sort out my problems on the
computer.
Well, we may not have special dates to help us remember or
may even waiting for those longed for dates to recall, but we have the same
wonderful God who loves us and is planning for us in love. Let’s say with King
David, ‘This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in
it.’(Psalm 118:24)
