Back in fellowship

It is a real blessing to be back in local fellowship again. This morning I felt up to attending church with Roarke and the boys.

The fellowship is a large, thriving town church. They have an impressive youth church: the children go out separately to the adults for the whole of the service, having their own worship as well as teaching. The 0-4 year olds have their own play area, and their session also incorporates a Bible based story.

We were introduced to another homeschooling family, and swapped numbers so that we can arrange to meet up. They have two boys aged 10 and 12 at home, which could be companions for my two.

After the service the preacher called forward anyone needing healing, and Roarke went forward (very unusually for him). He received prayer for his sarcoid, gout and candida, and was mightily blessed. For the first time in 9 years, he felt free of pain in his shoulders.

I enjoyed the service, and especially the worship, but I did find it very painful. My emotions are getting in the way of my faith, and I found it hard to sing about a merciful God, powerful healer, when my prayers for my Dad’s health had gone “unanswered”. Fortunately, God is big enough to deal with my pain and even in the depths of it, my faith is unshaken and I know that this stage will pass.

This is one of the many, many times in my life when I wonder how non-believers cope with the storms of life, without the anchor of faith to hold them steady.

This evening my Brother, sister-in-law and baby Thomas came over, which was lovely. We’ve not done any homeschool today, as we’ve definitely taken a Sabbath day.

In the week ahead we will be moving the bedrooms around. Mum will be moving from her double room, that was my parent’s room for over 20 years, into one of the single bedrooms. We will move into her old room. For all of us, it will be a final, “in your face” reminder of our loss, and the changes that it has wrought, and I fear it will be another emotionally draining week. Your prayers, as always, are welcome.