BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS...

...do not be afraid;  do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

There couldn't have been a better text for this morning, with an excellent sermon from our preacher, Richard Williams, especially for a lovely family who have added so much to our Church family life, but who are now moving on.

It would be quite something to be just moving away but as well as moving, this family have a daughter who is 6, so they obviously have to find a new school for her, and they had a new baby son, born at the end of December - so they will need to be strong and courageous as they step out into the unknown.   However, they are Christians, who have a very strong faith, and believe that the Lord their God will be with them wherever they go, so I have no doubt, they will cope with this very well and we have promised to keep in touch.

Today, their baby was dedicated, as is the tradition in the Baptist Church, so we thanked God for a new life, made promises, and prayed for them all - including an aunt who had also been living with them, and  and who is also moving, but in the opposite direction to the family and Grandma, who has been staying since the baby was born, but is going back home next weekend, after they have moved.

Mr. HCB and I will miss them a lot because they always sat in front of us in Church - so we often chatted and several times I took photographs of their hair, because it always looked so beautiful - so I must admit that I had a tear in my eye when we were praying.

We met their baby son for the first time today, although I have kept in touch with Mum since well before he was born, but I was determined to have my cuddle before they left.

I have permission to use the photographs and you will see what a lovely family they are and you can see how much the baby has grown from the photograph at the top sent to me when he was 2 weeks old.  We are so blessed in our fellowship to have so many different nationalities and in many ways, they are so much more exuberant than we British, who can be quite reserved.  

We will especially miss their daughter, who always cheered us up with her dancing and today, with her singing too, as you can see.  I willingly gave her my microphone and she did so well, singing her little heart out.  It's great that the service is recorded, so her parents and other family will be able to look back on this special day and see how good God has been to them and how loved they are by all of us and know that they go with our blessing.

We truly believe that children are a blessing and gift from the Lord and thank God that He brought you into our lives and know that He will go before you to smooth the way.  We pray for strength and courage as you make a new life in a new town, a new school and a new Church.  

The other photograph in my collage shows the children whom our children at Church support week by week by their donations in Bob, the cow!  These children in Costa Rica are able to go to school in their uniforms and with their school bags, things we take so much for granted, because our children have been generous in their giving.  I didn’t ask our Church Secretary, Mark, for his permission to be in my collage, and I could have cropped him out, but decided not to - but I’m sure he won’t mind!  

Hope you all have a great week - be blessed and be strong and courageous!  M xx