 Happy Christmas everyone –
I hope you are feeling ready for this mad time of year! I am sitting writing this Prayer Shield in Oslo Airport getting ready to return home so that I can begin to think about Christmas shopping, wrapping gifts, cooking and home! I have been travelling so much that I am longing to be home again and have the joy of just doing the normal things of life like washing, ironing and cleaning!! You must think I am mad!! God has been so good to me and I really feel overwhelmed at the goodness of God. I am so aware that HE has blessed me with so much grace over these last months and so I thank you for all your prayer and love. I have travelled so much but always been safe, rarely delayed even by ten minutes, and I have even made flights that I thought I had missed but God has found a way to get to the plane in time. God is so good! I am so thrilled as I look back at the end of this year that I have been able to serve Him. I have seen so many people touched by the presence of God. I have heard testimonies of healing, received the pictures of the miracle babies born and watched God provide in supernatural ways for our every need. What a privilege to serve God, His bonus and reward brings such joy. I have watched my daughter get married and seen God miraculously pay all the bills. We had a perfect holiday in France and came home so refreshed and Gordon and I had such good time together that we have coped with the busy autumn schedule. What a precious year 2004 has been.
At the same time it has also been a year of tension. We have felt that God has had us on the starter line of a new season of our lives. We have felt held in a time of transition and know that God has wanted us to move up a level to a new place of authority and ministry. We have felt so ready to respond to the call of God, even to move geographically if God made it clear but we have not had any clear direction. We have had offers and senses but no definite path. But we are ready to GO. We do know definitely that even if we move geographically it will NOT be out of Britain. God has called us to be connected to London, based in the UK and minister into Europe. I feel the cry for Europe. I will still visit the USA regularly but not live there permanently. But we do feel that we will still live close to London but that we may move in the next 9 months to a different geographical base. We are not yet sure where we are going but we will tell you where when we are clear about the way ahead! So, pray for us – we want to move in the purposes of God. We have a longing to be really involved in local church again and so we are watching for open doors. We also know we are to be involved with the nest generation and train them for their destiny. With Nicola now married and David about to leave school to start university, we know this year of 2005 is a year of change for us as parents – this is a new day and so we are watching to see what will open for us.
November was a special month when God blessed me in ministry. Although I have travelled so much, I have been so aware of His blessing and Godly connections. I started the month in Wales and preached on the Sunday the Welsh revival started 100 years ago in Wales. This was a moving meeting for me and I so sensed His presence and anointing in the morning service. Wales get ready - your King is COMING! We also had opportunity to meet with several friends for meals and coffee and just share about our dreams, or help with their marriages and different God connections. Each of these appointments was special and I just know that God is renewing friendships for us in this season. I have spent 2 weekends in Norway this last month. One conference was just outside Stavanger with the Women and another in Oslo with the Prayer Watchman. Both times in Norway I sensed such a call for the nation. I feel like a mother brooding over her chicks waiting for them to grow up and fly. There is such a hunger and love for God burning in the heart of this nation and I know that God will hear their cry. The middle of the month I was in America. I arrived just after the election and was fascinated to read the story of these elections. The Christians got radical and so changed the expected voting pattern. The silent majority spoke out on moral issues and it was fascinating to read the shock of the media who could not understand the result. The time in California was wonderful and America has become such a place of relationship for me. I love the precious people and their generosity. On two of my flights God did a miracle. Firstly, I arrived at the terminal only 5 minutes before take off for my flight as my connection was late and they held it for me, boarding had finished long before, and then secondly I was being driven to the airport when the car broke down but some one came and picked me up and still got me to the airport and the flight on time! God is good!
Also this month I had the joy of welcoming my new nephew into the world – little Benedict Daniel Huw arrived safely on the 4th November. He is the son of my youngest brother David. So now it is time for home and Christmas. So, here is the outline for the next month events – this is a month of connecting with UK based friends – committee meetings and final business for 2004 and then family!
DECEMBER 2004
1 PRAYER FOR THE NATIONS - LONDON – CHRISTMAS EVE – 7.30PM – R/G
2 ROEHAMPTON ESTATE PRAYER – Prayer for London estates – eve- R/G
3 BIRMINGHAM PRAYER – City prayer night in BCC – R
4 FAMILY DAY
5 Equipping Forest Community Church – Morning Service – R
6 Peterborough Leader Days – R/G
7 Administration Day – Office
8 Charismatic Leaders Conference – Highleigh – R/G
9 Charismatic Leaders Conference – Highleigh – R/G
10 Ministers Mentor Appt – Vanessa Richardson – am – R
10 David END OF TERM
11 Home
12 Home
13 Home and Office Day
14 Meet Alan Jane Penry – eve R/G
15 Meet Anthony Cordell – am – R/G – London
16 Meet Sandra and Gareth Duffty – Coventry – R/G
17 London Workers – Shaftsbury House – London – R
18 HOME
19 Peterborough Christmas Celebration
20 Hillsong Christmas Service
21-31 HOME FOR CHRISTMAS WITH FAMILY
So please continue to pray for us this next month. I really pray that we will have time to just be family this month. I feel that I need time with my children and friends. So please pray that Christmas will be special. Just after Christmas I go to India for a busy schedule but December is mainly a time to re-establish relationships that we have in the London area. We are also praying that we hear God and are ready to respond when He speaks.
Please also pray for us as we transition our web sites. Both the Heartcry and the M25 London Bulletin are to move their servers and are starting with a new website in the next few weeks. Pray for all the technical support.
Thanks so much for all your prayer - Have a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS
All our love,
Rachel and Gordon | 