Tag Archives: Jesus

Holy Week and the Signs in the Moon

Posted in Dreams, Healing, My thoughts, Nature, Prayer by

 

We remember the last few days of Jesus life on earth this week Holy Week.  He was talking to his disciples about the future.  They were very nervous because he was telling them he was going to die.  They asked him about what was going to happen in the future.

He mentioned about his return and said “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.  Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.” (Luke 21:25, 31 NIV)   There will be earthquakes. V 11

When Jesus died on the cross there were signs and wonders in nature.  There was an earthquake and there was darkness for three hours.
“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. (Luke 23:44, 45 NIV)
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split (Matthew 27:51 NIV)

Surely this would have shaken the people and caused them to consider what had just happened to Jesus.  They must have been perplexed.

What is happening in our times?  This very week the moon changed colour.  In some places it appeared red.  It could be seen all over the world!  Surely this will cause all of the peoples of the earth to think?

The prophet Joel foretold many years ago,
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.”  (Joel 2:28-31 KJV)

Jesus promised his disciples before he died that the Father would send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who would lead them into all truth.  God wants to pour his Spirit out again.  People will have dreams.  People will have visions.

It is time to seek The Lord.

There is no need to be afraid.  God promises in Malachi,
“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2 KJV)

Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:17, 36 NIV)

The Moon will Shine as Bright as the Sun

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Last night, the fifteenth of April, at seven thirty my daughter called me into the kitchen.  Outside low in the sky was a full moon.  It had a glow around it like the colour of the sun.  It was the Lunar Eclipse.  This glow lasted as the moon rose higher in the sky.  My neighbour said, “It is like the sun rising!”

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The area we now live in called Bright.  It is well named.  The sun and moon rise in the east behind our house.  The sun shines all day and sets in the west at the front of the house.  If there are no clouds in the sky we have sunshine and warmth all day.  There are no trees, houses or mountains to cast a shadow.   I awoke through the night.  The moon was shining.  It was not dark outside.

I am reminded of the passage from the bible,

The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted. (Isaiah 30:26 NIV). 

Yesterday the sun shone all day.  It was brighter than normal.  I believe these signs are showing me that God is healing and restoring me and our family.  It indeed is the Year of The Lord’s Favour when we are being healed of wounds we don’t even know we have.  

This promise is not only for me but it is for you.  It is the Year of The Lord’s favour for you.  Call upon The Lord and he will hear.  He is near to the broken hearted and those who are downtrodden.  

We remember Jesus death on the Cross this week.  He died and shed his blood to set us free from sin, sickness, curses, oppression of the devil and restore mankind to wholeness.  Believe and receive Jesus and he will make you whole.  

I am healed of cancer.  I made a choice to believe that Jesus could heal me and I received it even against what the doctors said.  I was in a place of hopelessness, brokenness and despair when I had cancer.  He is now healing all my family from all these things and is restoring them.  We do not deserve this, but God wants us to receive his mercy, goodness and blessing so I can tell you about Him.

Have you Blown it and Need A Second Chance?

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God provided a year of favour in the Jubilee or fiftieth year.

God gives a second chance:  he even gives three, four, five and more chances. God cares about mankind and he knew they would get into trouble.   God will make a way when there is no way.  

When the Queen of England was reigning for fifty years she celebrated her Jubilee year.  When a couple are married for fifty years their anniversary is called their Jubilee year.

For the Jews the year of Jubilee was celebrated to give restoration and freedom or the Year of The Lord’s favour.  

When Jesus started his ministry he declared he had come to proclaim the “Year of the Lord’s favour.”  He went about healing all those who were slaves to sickness or poverty, or oppressed mentally.  He forgave sins and gave people new beginnings, a new start in life.  Jesus brought Jubilee.

The year 2000 was a year of Jubilee for me.  I was coming up to my fiftieth birthday.  I really came to understand what Jubilee meant and that God cared for me.  

In the previous years I was praying for a bigger house for my growing family.  I wanted more space.  The house we lived in then was great but I knew as my children turned teenagers it would be too small.

God saw my heart’s desire was to help my family.  We had a limited income.  Certainly not enough to buy a bigger home.  If God gave land according to the size of their tribes of Israel, I thought it would be no problem for him to provide a bigger home.  I was his child and his Word says he is my Father.  Matthew 6 v 9.  Would a Father not give good things to his child?

He knows life throws up its hardships and misfortunes.  Rearing children is hard work!  When the children were young I could put them to bed at night and know where they were.  What would they get up to when they became teenagers?  

God promises to give a way of escape.  I needed a new beginning.  

In the year 2000 God provided a new home in a smaller town.  Not only that but God brought me back to near where I was born.  He brought me back to my father’s land like the children of Israel whom God promised to restore them to their father’s land.  Jer  27 v 22. 
I was nearer extended family.  My children were able to get to know them.
It was like moving back in time ten years.   Restoration.  

Football provided activity for my growing boys.  There were no night clubs.  There was less drink and drugs available.  My children made new friends and their parents welcomed them to visit after school.  They were being supervised.  God gave me new friends as well.  I celebrated my fiftieth birthday in my new home.  What a birthday present from The Lord.

Do you feel you are coming to a dead end?  Look up to The Lord.  He will raise you up to a higher plateau and give you a new start. 

Weekly Writing Challenge: Fifty: Jubilee

Posted in Healing, My thoughts by

 

God cares about mankind.

He told Moses to set prisoners and slaves free, cancel debts, and restore land and houses every fiftieth year or Jubilee.

It was a year of favour.

Jesus came and proclaimed Jubilee to everyone not just every fifty years but now today.

He gives freedom.

Believe.

 

 

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/writing-challenge-fifty/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cancer Healed

 

I have experienced malignant cancer healed completely.  The effect of cancer was reversed and the tumour disappeared.  I am cured through the power of Jesus.

Today is the fourth anniversary of me going to the doctor with symptoms of colon cancer.  It was confirmed weeks later after I had a colonoscopy.  The Oncologist Nurse told me I had malignant cancer.

The definition of malignant according to the Marriam-Webster dictionary is

medical : very serious and dangerous : tending or likely to grow and spread in a rapid and uncontrolled way that can cause death

I was stunned.  Everyone thought the inevitable.

I had an MRI scan and a CT scan taken later. All the results of these procedures were considered by the Oncologist team in the City Hospital in Northern Ireland.  This hospital is well known for the care of cancer patients.

I looked at the photos taken of the cancer.  I saw the reddish growth.  The scans showed I had a 9cm tumor in the lower part of my bowel.  I had fourth stage cancer.  The doctors treat the patient hoping to extend life but they do not offer a cure.

The head doctor told me his team had discussed my case.  They decided the best way to treat me was to have five weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.  This was just to reduce the tumor.  I would have an operation to remove the tumor and the part of my bowel which was affected.  I would have an ileostomy fitted.

I was very sad and depressed.  My family and others began to pray for me.
In the past I had prayed for people to be healed.  I believed in Jesus who when he was on earth cured those who were ill, Luke 9 v 11 NIV.  He is the only one who offers a cure. I was too weak to pray for myself.

I went through radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment.  I did not have any side effects of burning, nausea or hair loss.   The doctor called me to have an operation six weeks later.  I believed I the cancer healed completely.  The doctors were annoyed with me.  They said treatment does not cure cancer.  You need an operation!  The head doctor examined me and confirmed there was no tumor.  He gave me a letter saying so.

Four years on I remain healed of cancer and I am restored to health and strength, more than before.  I believe cancer will not come back.

It is by faith in Jesus I am healed and remain healed.

Nahum 1 v 9 “Trouble will not come a second time.”

I give glory to God for his tender mercies to me.

My book Staying Alive is the story of the cancer healed.

 

 

Honoring Mothers as we Celebrate Mother’s Day.

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Happy Mother’s Day

 
Today in a store nearby there was room made for beautiful bouquets of flowers.  Another shelve had boxes of cream cakes, chocolate and cards.  All in preparation for Mother’s Day this weekend.

There was a sense of well being in the store, as women in various array enjoyed the colours as they gazed on the display.  This shop is in the middle of a built up area.  Pensioners can come out to get lunch from the buffet or mothers in pyjamas can pop out for bread and milk.  Would anyone think of them and give them a present?
Getting cut flowers and chocolate is a language unspoken that woman understand.  Someone loves them.

Sadly honoring motherhood is being eroded in society here in the west and in other nations.  The covenant of marriage where the woman and children are protected by the husband and father has lost its meaning.  

When Jesus lived among his people he set woman free.  He had compassion on them.   He did not ignore them.  He raised the widow’s only son from the dead.  He healed the woman with the issue of blood.  She should not have been out in public.  An immoral woman wiped his feet with expensive perfume.  He rescued the woman who was going to be stoned.

Woman helped support Jesus.  He often stayed with his friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

He took his twelve disciples and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (Luke 8:2, 3 NLT)

These woman were at the feet of the cross along with Jesus Mother when he died.  They came to the tomb with spices to embalm his body.  Jesus appeared to women first when he arose from the dead.  So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. (Luke 24:9-11 NLT)

But one scripture stands out for me is what Jesus said to the women.  

A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. (Luke 23:27, 28 NLT)

Why did he say this?”  Perhaps he sees they are vulnerable.

When a mother gives birth to her child she welcomes this small helpless one.  She is forever changed.  Her nature is to care, to comfort and nourish.  She cannot be selfish.  She will watch this baby grow into a tall young man or woman.  How will she guide her young through life?  She is the first to influence her baby.  She has many years to train, pray, and lead by example.

Jesus knew it would not be easy for women.  If they put their trust in him he is faithful to care, guide and comfort.  He understands their every distress and wants to heal.  We may weep many tears because of pain or disappointment.  We may weep over our children.  God will wipe away every tear and hear every prayer we cry to him.  He is the only one who promises to help in time of trouble.  

Jesus gives both men and women dignity and purpose in live.  He brings unity.  There need not be any competition.  

There is no other god who is merciful.  

So well done mothers for having your children,  for nurturing them and then letting them go to walk their own journey.

How I am adjusting to The New Technology

 

I do like using my i Pad.  What a great invention!  Initially I didn’t think I needed one, and said so when Brendan wanted to buy one for my birthday.  Many years ago when my children got their first mobile phones, they enjoyed texting their friends.  I thought I will never be using one of those.  I had to eat my words when I got my first mobile phone.  I find texting invaluable to be in touch with family and friends.

My children are now up graded to i Phones .  They are texting, taking photos, listening to music, playing games, talking and recording all on this little machine in their hands.

Again I thought to myself I do not need one of them.  Then came the day I could not get hold of a plain mobile that texts for free and phone calls are cheap. I had to give in and go for an upgrade. I can even take photos.  Now I have to pay a monthly bill and I don’t know what for?

I took some interesting photos of scenery recently.  I asked a friend to help me transfer them to my I pad.  It was not quite as simple as I thought.  They told me I needed a Dropbox.  What on earth is a Dropbox.   Maybe it is not on this earth.  It is probably up in the sky somewhere!

Another friend had some beautiful photographs of my garden.  I asked if he would send them to my e mail, so I could store them.   I have advanced to use the e mail and store photos.  He told  me to install What’s App on my phone.  I was only asking for a simple doable request.  I am not a whizz kid on information management.  I just wanted some one to help me.

I must admit I am guilty of avoiding explaining something to a child.  I was just too tired to answer and told him to “Google it”.

Why does the mobile phone sales assistant want to get extra commission by selling a pensioner a phone that runs up a big bill?  Why are the younger generation impatient to help someone who is older?  Were they not helped by us when they were young to learn their A B Cs and cross their Ts and dot their Is.

One cannot survive on one’s own.  Let’s not be independant.  Let’s share skills and help one another with doable requests.

Much knowledge separates the generations and the genders.  The more we are independant, we do not need others and do not receive help from others.  I am willing to see the situation from another’s perspective.  Maybe the person I asked to help me was under pressure to get to work or had other pressing things on his mind.   Maybe he will change his mind.

I think many of us get illnesses because we internalise our frustrations.  Perhaps we think others are too busy to listen or they may not understand one any way, so why bother.  People go to the doctor looking for help.  Very often they are offered a prescription of pills to numb the pain.   A wise doctor may be able to look beyond and offer a comforting word of encouragement.

A wise person said “A good night’s  sleep solves many problems.”  It is like balm to one’s soul.

Let us communicate, stop, listen and help one another.  That develops love and understanding.  We will be all the more healthy.  Then we will be obeying one of the commands Jesus gave us “Love one another.”

 

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We are Moving House. Do it Again, Lord.

Posted in Dreams, Family Friday, My thoughts, Prayer, Provision by

 

 

“Be very careful never to forget what you have seen The Lord do for you.  Do not let these things escape from your mind as long as you live!  And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.”  Deuteronomy 25 v 9

After rearing our children in the big house God provided for us, Brendan and I realised over the past few years that it is taking a lot of our energy to maintain it.  Lighting the fires in the morning to keep warm, cleaning and doing household chores made me weary.

Our children advised us to downsize to a more modern house that would be easy to keep warm.  It is not easy to be released from the home we reared our children for the last fifteen years.  Our children have memories of  growing up here.  There is space for us to have family get togethers, and the grandchildren come to visit.  There is room for them to stay over.

It is not easy to start looking again.  Back in September I read from God’s Word I will provide a home for the poor.  Brendan and I were going to trust God, as before, to provide a home for us.  “Lord you did it before, do it again,” I prayed.  “You will not forsake me now when I have gray hair,” according to Psalm 71.

Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. (Psalms 71:18 NLT)

I did not want to move away from the area where we now live.  I would be happy to move to the country nearby.  We began to look at possibilities.  I did not have the energy to look at potential houses and then be disappointed if we were rejected.  We did try once, found a lovely house to rent, but the owner was not willing to rent to us.  I didn’t try any more.

Brendan and I visited Jerusalem earlier in the year.  I believe God’s Word that says he will bless us in Jerusalem.
Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek The Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing. (Zechariah 8:22 NLT)
I went to the ancient site of the Wailing Wall and prayed there about many things.

When we arrived back home I got a call from my hairdresser.  She said I had a dream about you last night and I need to tell you about it.  The dream indicated we would be leaving this house.  She did not know our situation about wanting to move from here. This dream helped Brendan and I decide to move from here.  We were in agreement.  Before I was undecided.

We looked at Property Pal, an Internet site for house rentals.  I searched for houses in our local area.  There were a few houses to let in the country nearby.  I called the agent of one I liked.  He arranged a viewing that evening.

It turned out to be a house next door to our friend who had the dream.  Her brother owned the house.  It proved ideal for our needs and applied to rent it.  The owner agreed and we move there next week.

The house is called “Bright House.”  In case we had any doubts about our move God has showed us signs three times.   I was reading in the scriptures,

“It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. (Colossians 1:9-12 MSG)”

Tea bags and cologne.

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A song on the radio called “Bright Eyes”.

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We are in the middle of our house move.  Energy is low but morale high because of the Bright future God has promised for us.

God speaks today.  Listen for His still small voice if you are needing to make a Big move.

How we got a Big House for our Big Tribe, our Promised Land

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Then The Lord  said to Moses, “Divide the land among the tribes, and distribute the land in proportion to the tribes’ populations, as indicated by the number of names on the list. Give the larger tribes more land and the smaller tribes less land, each group’s inheritance reflecting the size of ite population.  (Numbers 26:52-54 NLT)
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When our tribe became sixteen, we were outgrowing the house in which we lived.  Five  of our older children had left home.  Our home then was suitable enough for my children who were toddlers or under ten.  But I knew as my boys got bigger they were going to need more space.
I began to pray and ask God to for a bigger home.  His word promises “The Lord will supply all you needs.”  I needed a bigger house for my tribe.
 I was encouraged by the scripture I have mentioned above.  I was believing God would provide a big house for my big family.  He blessed me with my children so I believed God would help me rear them and provide a home for them.
 Many people believe one is crazy for having a big family.  In these times getting married is not popular and having children is even less popular.  “Where will you get the money for a big house.”  “It must be very expensive to feed and clothe your children.”  “How will you pay for their education.”  I had faith for each day and not worry about tomorrow.
Jesus said “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:31, 33, 34 NLT)
Having Faith in God takes off all the pressure.  God is not a liar.  When he promises to do something he will bring it about.  Our part is to believe, be patient and not doubt or give up hope.  The danger can be when one has to wait a long time for the fulfilment of a promise, the temptation is to give up hope.  Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”Proverbs 13 v 12.
 I tried to move to the country.  There is space in the country, my children could roam over fields, like I did as a child. I saw a large Presbyterian Manse for sale.  We showed our interest in buying it but were refused.  I found another big house to let in the country,  but again was rejected.  I kept looking.  We tried to move down to Kerry.  That did not work out and I was bitterly disappointed.  I had been hoping for five years for a bigger home.  I gave up.  My husband said he would do an extension in the house in which we lived.  I did not want to hear.  I fell out with God and stopped praying.  But he didn’t fall out with me.  He had his plans.
 A friend of mine, a single mum with four children was praying for a new home.  Her children got sick during the winter because of the cold house in which she lived.   She found this beautiful house to rent.  I thought “God has helped my friend.  He will help me.”  My faith was restored and I began to believe again that God would help us.
 A few months later my husband had a picture of a man he knew from the past.  He would see this picture every morning for three weeks.  At last he called this man up and talked to him about our interest in finding a bigger home.  He is an estate agent.  He lived in another part of the country, in County Down.  That is where I lived when I was young.  Would God bring me back to live there? Another scripture came to mind.
At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.. (Zephaniah 3:20 NIV)
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We waited another five months.  Our house sale completed.  We had to move in October.  We called up the man Brendan connected with many months earlier.  We went down to meet him and his wife and they welcomed us and were willing to help us. No more rejection.  We prayed together and asked God to guide us.  We need other members of the body of Christ.
Our new friend was able to find a house suitable for us.  It was owned by the nuns from the convent where I went to school when I was young.  We got favour because they remembered me and our family.   We lived there for a year.  It gave us time to settle in this new area and for our children to adapt to their new schools.
We met regularly with other people who prayed.  They were praying for us to have a permanent home.  We did find a house suitable for our needs.  We were welcomed in our new community.
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God gave us land according to the size of our tribe.  Thank you Lord.  He is faithful.  Our children grew tall and flourished in their new home and big garden.  They made new friends.  They could walk to school.  No stress.

 

Happy St Patrick’s Day.

 HAPPY ST PATRICK’S DAY
 Did you know that St Patrick’s Day, is the second biggest festival celebrated in the world after Christmas?  Why?  Ireland, this small island on the edge of Europe has many diaspora all over the world.  And where ever the Irish are they remember the Irish Patron Saint, Patrick.  It is a day for the wearing of the green.
St Patrick’s Centre lit up with green lights.  St Patrick’s grave is situated in the graveyard of the Church behind this centre.
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Wherever you live in the world I am sure you have heard of St Patrick.  Maybe you have Irish ancestors.  We travel to Canada and we meet people there who love Ireland even though they have never been here.  Some of our friends there have some relative in their  family line that came from Ireland.
Many people come to visit Ireland wanting to see where their ancestors come from.  Even some presidents of America claim to have Irish ancestors.  Information on the Internet has helped people with their searches.  We have had American students visit Ireland and they break into tears when they see the homeland where their forebears lived.
The Irish are in different parts of the world for various reasons.  In the 1800s there was a terrible famine in Ireland.  The population dropped to 4 million, because of death and exile.  In the 1600s some Irish were sent into Europe and the East Indies as slaves by Cromwell.
Down through the years the young people left Ireland for work in England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and America.
Patrick came and lived among the Irish and through his love, and example he brought the love of God to the people.  It is said he used the Shamrock a small plant with three small leaves to explain the Trinity, three persons in the Godhead.  The Irish wear the Shamrock on St Patrick’s day.
Early Christians travelled to Scotland and down into Europe as far as Slovakia.  Brendan was in  Switzerland in 2012 to celebrate six hundred years since St Gallian went there from Ireland.
With living on an Island the Irish became sea faring people.  They built small wooden curraghs. The Irish monks travelled by small curraghs up the rivers of Europe.  St Brendan travelled with others to the land we now know as Canada on a boat made of wood and sealskins.
At one time in the nineteenth century there were eight million people living here.  Many lived in small holdings but were able to grow oats and potatoes, kept a few chickens.  A cow would have been kept for milk. They were able to live off their produce.  Porridge was made from the oats and the women made their own bread.  Soda bread and potato bread can only be bought in Ireland.
I grew up on a farm.  My mother baked bread, we had chickens, we had milk from the cows.  We did not go hungry.  Only on a Sunday did we have a chicken, a stew or soup. We lived well and dad and mum reared ten children.  We did not go hungry.  We were content.
We have a Christian heritage that has come down the generations from the days of St Patrick.  In the twentieth century many missionarys went from Ireland again to the nations, especially into India and Africa and set up schools and hospitals.   My mother’s sister worked in Nigeria around the 1960s.
Ireland had become infamous in the 1970s because of the war in Northern Ireland.  Injustice, bitterness, hatred, division and poverty erupted into war between people from Catholic and Protestant backgrounds.  What a shame it has brought to the name of Jesus.  Nations have looked at us and said God is love.  How come Christians are fighting one another.   In Russia and India people heard of the bombs and bullets.
In Chronicles the Word of God says “If my people will humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways I will heal their land.”  People began to pray.  I attended a woman’s prayer group.  We represented the different denominations in our country.  As we prayed we found the only One who brings forgiveness and reconciliation, Jesus.  Before he died on the cross he said about those who crucified him,  “Forgive them because they know not what they do”.  After thirty years the war ceased.  Thanks God for his mercy.
Ex President Clinton visited Derry recently and encouraged us that he is travelling all over the world to negotiate peace between warring groups.  He uses the example of the Northern Ireland as a place that lives in peace after thirty years of war.
May we travel again as missionaries of the Gospel, like St Patrick and bring the love of God, forgiveness  and reconciliation to the nations.