Family and friends

Mrs P and I decided for various reasons we needed a few days away. So we planned a little trip to Yorkshire during the half-term break. We hitched up our folding camper and set out for a small village called Roecliffe, about 20 miles from York. We left early Sunday and decided to deliver a birthday present for my granddaughter on the way. The present was a slide that took up half the estate car. This meant I could also introduce Mrs P to my new grandson, Harry. I am discovering grandchildren are exhausting. We could only be there for a couple of hours but I don't remember being allowed to sit down for more than a minute. Eloise thought that hide and seek would be a good game to play with granddad. Have you ever tried hiding under a bed at 51? These were the types of games I played with my kids when they were young along with balloon football (proper football was banned indoors after I broke the glass door to the dining room), sardines, and wrestling. I really enjoyed being with Eloise and it was good to see Harry again.

We arrived on site early afternoon. It had rained all the way to Yorkshire but as we started to set up the rain stopped long enough for us to set up dry and put the kettle on. The site was very nice, good clean facilities. Only one problem, it was next to a small industrial estate. Five AM next day and every day of our short stay lorries started their engines and seemed to park by our pitch to check their goods. Mrs P was not amused.

Monday morning we spent time praying and reading the scriptures. We have learned over the past few years the preciousness of our times together with God. We don't make a big fuss about it and we try not to feel condemned if it doesn't happen every day but it is a special privilege for a couple to know God together. We have been amazed at God's goodness to us this past year. We reflected on how He has been leading us and some of the decisions we have taken which He has confirmed in so many ways. We wrote down things that we felt He had led us to do and will be sharing that with our prayer partners sometime soon.

Monday afternoon we went into York. It is one of my favourite places. I love history, it was something I was always good at and it fascinated me. I first went to York when I lived in Yorkshire in the mid-seventies and it has never lost its charm. The rain held off and we were able to window shop and have coffee and toasted tea cakes. Whilst in York we received a call from a couple of dear friends inviting us to a meal in Halifax that evening so we accepted and went back to site to change and relax before meeting them.

Mrs P dozed and I went for a stroll and had an idea. Our son Ben might want feeding up and Leeds is on the way to Halifax. I called him and in true student fashion he accepted. I thought this would be a nice surprise for Mrs P so didn't tell her. I thought she might get suspicious when she saw the route I took but she didn't. As we drove down the Otley road into Headingley she decided she might ring him. I managed to dissuade her. Not even turning into his road on the off chance we might see him gave her a clue. She saw him walking towards us and for her this was a great coincidence. Only when I said 'hop in then' did she realise what we had schemed between us. She really enjoyed the surprise.

We arrived at the Chinese restaurant on time and were soon met by Philip and Ruth. I have known them for thirty-two years. Ruth was a young person in the church I led and Philip was her unsaved boyfriend. It was two years of coaxing and befriending before he made his decision to follow Christ. It was a powerful conversion one Sunday evening in November 1977. He is now a leader in that church and is a great personal witness to many. We had a great evening of food and fellowship and ended up talking to the owner for quite a while at the end. Philip managed to get him to agree to come to the church in return for the 35 person booking he had given him for a few weeks time. We dropped Ben off agreeing to pick up his things on the Wednesday on our way home to Birmingham. Leeds terms seem very short for him!

Tuesday we spent more time with the Lord. This time we looked at where God is leading us. For me it was the USA for two weeks, then Mrs P, Jenny and me are in South Africa. What's after that? We are sure about some things but other things demand more thought and prayer and taking things a step at a time.

Tuesday afternoon we decided to go for a walk before meeting up with a new friend in Thirsk who we first met in Honfleur, France. We were not far from a place we had been to about ten years ago, Sutton Bank. This hill is very steep. You can drive up it but it is so dangerous you are not allowed to tow anything up there. It is a 1 in 4 or 25% gradient and is very meandering. Once you get to the top there is a nature park centre with a café, shop and exhibitions. Several walks leave from the centre and we decided to do the one that goes along the top of the bank and gives you fantastic view towards the Pennines and across the Vale of York. The sun shone, we saw many different species of birds and enjoyed beautiful views of Yorkshire before heading back to the car.

We drove from there to see our friend Gina. Gina is a terrific spiritual warrior with great insight and anointing. Gina is also almost blind. She has some peripheral vision but not much else. She prepared a great tea for us. We enjoyed good conversation that led naturally into a time of prayer and ministry to each other. I am so blessed in times like these. It should be the most natural thing for us Christians to simply pray and bless each other in this way.

Wednesday morning the sun shone and we packed everything away, hitched up the camper and headed for Leeds and Ben to pick up crates and boxes. It didn't take long to fill the car with his things. Good job he wasn't coming back with us, there was no room!

Arrived back to Brum in the rain, emptied the car and treated ourselves to fish and chips.

Family and friends - a blessed few days.

Know what I mean 'Arry

I promised some photos of my new grandson, Harry Taylor. He was born on April 10th in the early hours after a bit of a scare. Alison, my daughter went into the details but I will save you the gore. Dad Darren was brilliant and all are well.



Today I enjoyed a great time sitting out in the garden with my daughter, son-in-law and two lovely grandchildren. I can't wait to watch them grow.



Thank you Jesus

It always happens when I am in France

After a great few days in St Etienne Mrs P and I travelled to Honfleur in Normandy. We stayed with friends who run a guest house. The main reason for going was to meet up with Prophet Barbara Smith from Scotland.

On the Tuesday I was told a message had just been left on my mobile. It was my son-in-law telling me to call him. I rang to find out that my daughter had given birth to her second child and my second grandchild, a boy they called Harry.It was a complicated birth and Harry was born three weeks early after an emergency caesarian but mother and baby are well.

My first grandchild, Eloise was also born when I was in France! I am now not allowed to travel abroad within the last month of any of my children's pregnancies, just in case. Do you think there is a reason my grandchildren choose to be born when I am out of the country?

Off to see them tomorrow so hope to post some pictures soon.

Past times

I spent yesterday in West Yorkshire with some friends who I have known for thirty plus years. Ruth and Philip were young people in the church I pastored as a young man. He was the first person brought to Christ in my ministry there and as a couple they were the first couple I married. They are very special people with a lovely serving spirit.

I lost contact with them for a long time. I left the ministry with a lot of pain and so the contact with them was not kept up. Three years ago at the wedding of my eldest daughter I met them again and the friendship was reborn.

We spent most of the day chewing the fat over church issues and spoke of many happy memories of times when despite us rather than because of us God showed up and did some special things. We were young and some of the things we did I would think twice about now but there was something about raw faith and a daring attitude that seemed to bring about things.

We spoke of people I had baptised who I never remember baptising, healings and changed lives. It was good to remember.

We can't have those times again but 'now is the day of salvation'. It reminded me that thirty years have gone by and what have I done that counts. My wife sent me an Anniversary card recently to celebrate out twentieth wedding anniversary. On the card she put, 'Here's to the next 20'. As I thought about that I felt as if I had been allowed to pause and take stock, catch my breath, and I am now at the point of taking my journey on. I enjoyed the nostalgia and looking back but with Paul I realise I now need to 'press on'. There's a race to finish and a prize at the end with I hope a 'well done' as a reward.

Second Home

I took Mrs P to France last week for a lovely restful time in a beautiful Normandy B and B owned by a couple of Christians I met last year. It is in the middle of beautiful countryside not far from the port of Honfleur.

France is fast becoming a second home to me. I visited France for the first time in September 1974, just before the start of my second year at Bible College. I went with my best mate with a view to sightseeing and also to give out tracts and other christian literature. We spent most of the time in Paris, camping in a two man tent in the Bois de Boulogne, literally next to the river Seine. It was at this time that I fell in love with the country. Paris is a magical city and is one of my favourite places. Spiritually, however, France is one of the darkest countries. Secularism rules.

The weeks holiday was a half-term treat for us. We had not been away together since the summer. We visited several friends, one of who was getting engaged. (See photo)



We spent the day with her and her family, a farming family, and were amazed at the different foods that seemed to just appear as we sat around and chatted.

I also got into conversation with her dad who decided to spend half an hour chatting with me in French! My brain was fried by the end but I did manage to get quite a bit out of him about farming in France and what he actually did as a farmer. He was good with his hand gestures which helped.

We also spent quite a bit of time praying with individuals. They know me as the visiting prophet from the UK so people will ask for ministry. It is such a privilege to see the hunger in many of them. There are not many churches in France that are lively and many Christians will travel over an hour to a service. They are desperate for God and their faith is simple and effective. We learn a great deal from just being with them.

Mrs P and I had a great time, we visited a museum, had great meals and great conversations and know that for us France is a special place. In April we are leading three teams to St Etienne on prayer mission and I know that those who go will never be the same again. It may be a dark place but it is a hungry place and has people of faith who are passionate in their love for God.

A walk with my grandaughter

Yesterday I spent a great time with my eldest daughter and my beautiful granddaughter Eloise (I am biased and don't apologise for that). I try and go once a month but with all of my other recent commitments haven't been for a while.

Like with your own children when they are little, I am discovering a lot of firsts with Eloise. She has learned new things every time I go and speaks a lot more, but I still find for some things I need mum as an interpreter. Her squeezes and blown kisses just melt my heart and I already am excited at the prospect of grandchild number two in later April early May this year.

My 'first' for this visit was a walk to the play ground, maybe for me a five minute walk one way, but together maybe fifteen. As we walked I began to think of how this walk reminded me of my spiritual walk with my heavenly Father.

First of all He sees a lot more that I do. I could look over the walls and through the gardens to the swings and play equipment when all Eloise could see was plants and fences. She insisted on walking and not being carried so that was the view she had. I could describe all of the things I could see and try and get excited about it but she didn't get any sense of joy until she saw the swings. That's often like my walk with God, He is trying to excite me but if I take a 'unless I see it I won't get excited' I will miss out on all of the joy I could have. I need to capture by faith the promises He makes and learn to really enter into the joy of them. That's what He wants.

My daughter Alison told me before I left the house, 'she will wait if you tell her to'. She had been trained to respond to that word because with the best will in the world Alison can't always hold her hand in times that could be dangerous. Sure enough that proved true. If only I could learn to respond to the 'Waits' of God. As I have grown older I have learned to do that more but I could relate a lot of times when that caution wasn't heeded and I walked headlong into disaster.

Then there is the joy of making her squeal and laugh and seeing her face as she went on the swing. I admit to being a bit reckless with swings and kids, mind you my eldest daughter has learnt well and is far more adventurous with Eloise that I was with her. I think the mum with the kid on the swing next to me didn't know where to put herself as I pushed Eloise and ran and hid behind her then ran quickly in front of her to howls of laughter. I realise that I have missed a lot of the times when God was doing that with me, enjoying me, gaining great joy from being with me, loving my joy and laughter moments. A number of years ago I had a special moment when I realised this, it broke me just to think God loved me this way. Cath Horne spoke on the same passage not long after it had been given to me. Its from Zephaniah 3 and it tells us that He delights over us with singing. Imagine that, He sings a song over me in heaven.

Then came the moment to leave, to leave the swings and slides and all the things that for Eloise had brought joy. She didn't cry just hung her head down and stood still, unmovable. She couldn't see that there may be other times. Eventually with a little coaxing she moved on - a bit. Then another bit. The only way I could get her back home was to pick her up and take her where she didn't want to go. When I placed her on my shoulders the sulking stopped and the joy returned. How often God must have had to use His strategies to get me to move on. I'm sure I have had those times when I didn't want to move on and I am sure that once or twice He has given me a spiritual kick up the backside to get me to move. His motive was because He knows there are things that only I can do for Him and there are so many more things He wants to give me that with bring joy and blessing to Him, myself and others.

It was a great day. I wish I lived nearer and could go more often. It is so special to love and be loved. These times are never lost because of distance. I have so many memories of moments such as these and they sustain and give me the encouragement that is is worth it all. I pray that my Father in heaven will feel the same about my life as I live it for Him.

In a different culture or is it me?

I am trying to type this message without typos. I am in a different country, on a computer set to a different language with keys all in the wrong place. Or is it me that is different and everything around me in normal?

Dilema?

Answers please but not too harsh due to my delicate state being so disorientated.

One of those days

Yesterday was 'one of those days'. You know what I mean. It begins with problems and goes on either downhill or on the same level.

First of all my morning routine was disrupted. We eat as a family together most days and breakfast is sacrosanct, prompt at 7. That way we know what each other is doing. That went well. Seeing as my my day is more flexible I usually let the others sort themselves out and leave the house then I get ready. Not yesterday, I was sitting in my PJ's watching the news when Mrs P came and said her car wouldn't start. Avoiding the usual humour (she didn't look amused) I quickly dressed and decided I would have to take her to work in my car and sort the issue out later. After getting back I got ready to go out to help an OAP out and then to a lunchtime business meeting.

The errand for the oldie was easy enough. His tumble dryer had broken, he had ordered one on the Internet and asked me to pick it up. Simple, apart from the fact that when he had said 'Tesco' and 'Beggars Bush' I had assumed that it was this store I was getting it from. So I duly arrived at Tesco's with enough time to pick it up, drop it off and get to my business meeting in Erdington on time. I went to the customer service desk and was directed with a puzzled look to the electrical desk. After explaining to the girl on the electrical desk she got her manager. After explaining to the manager she got the store manager. I assured them that this was the right place and even saw a couple of tumble dryers with the same make waiting to be picked up. They rang extension numbers I had and told me the extensions didn't exist. Things were made worst by the fact that my mobile phone had no signal so I couldn't ring the guy to ask him. After half an hour I decided to go and use the store's public telephone and sort out the issue. I spoke to my friend and told him where I was and could I have the reference number he had given me again. "Why are you in Tesco's, its Curry's you need to go to" Now I am sure no such word was used the previous day. I left the store quietly. So off it was to Curry's who produced the tumble dryer in five minutes and wished me a 'nice day'. Not sure I can ever be seen in Tesco's again!

Anyhow, dropped the thing off and managed to get to the meeting with seconds to spare. Turned out to be one of those meetings where they want all of your knowledge for the cost of a free lunch. Still it was a nice sandwich.

So now to sort the car out. I sussed out that the problem might be the battery. Mrs P had made one of those useful comments, 'It has been starting sluggishly the last few days'. So after a word with my mate Bob the mechanic it was off to Halfords for a replacement battery. Why do these places never make it clear what goes with what? Another wasted half an hour trying to work out which one to buy. (I was never very good at asking) Finally sussed out the coding and bought one.

Now the debate in my own mind about fitting it. Do I attempt this or not? Then I get a flashback to the last time I did this and the way I eventually rounded off the head of the nut trying to get the retaining clamp off. So off to my mate's garage in Tamworth (via a petrol station, how come when ever I get into my wife's car it has no fuel). This is always an interesting time. He is a Penty if you know the terminology, and the worst kind, a converted Baptist Penty. The job takes two minutes but is interspersed with him telling me everything about everything that is happening in his church and closes with an invitation to go one Sunday.

By the time I get away I have a mad dash to Wylde Green to pick up the Mrs via a crowded rush hour Sutton. To cap it all it is my turn to cook!!!!

I often look back on days like yesterday and wonder what I managed to accomplish and was it worth it all. I can be guilty of feeling that if I haven't prayed for an hour or been 'spiritual' in some other way then I haven't done much. Then I realise that what to me was a dull day had done a lot for an Old Guy who can't get out of the house and had blessed my lovely wife in sorting out an issue that if I had not been around to do would have ruined her day. Maybe it is in these type of 'serving' moments that the real blessing lies. In fact I am sure of it.

So its into another day. Not sure what it will bring but we have prayed this morning that we will walk into God's opportunities so here I go.......

Looking Back

I am not someone who normally looks back much, there's too much happening to dwell on the past, but for me 2006 was a special year that I will remember for all kind of reasons.

It began with getting to know two very special people, Matt and Heidi. January was our first get together for a meal. It was an evening of great fun with lots of banter. It ended with us praying together as God spoke into lives. It was from this that I started to meet Matt regularly and we developed a very special relationship. It was two-way, he often spoke into me and in turn I passed on the new things God was showing me. For a period when work was being done on his home that affected him working there we shared my office. Not sure how much work got done but many meaningful conversations took place that cemented the friendship. He soon became part of our family with 'fridge raiding' being one of his favourite pastimes. He even had his own key for a time. Matt introduced me to many things: lunches out, blogging, cricket and many more. My last memory of him is watching God use him at one of our Friday evenings. It was meant to be a worship session but the musician couldn't come so we just waited on God. The Spirit began to stir us using the prophetic which ended up in ministry. I sensed Matt had somethings to pass on so when he looked at me I released him. He spoke into many lives that night and some are different because of it. It ended up with him and Alan rolling around on the floor laughing in the Spirit. We finally parted with a big hug, a hug that I have clung on to during some of the darker times. Two days later Matt went to be with the Lord who he loved and I lost a son. It was a short friendship but one of the most lasting in its effect on my life.

2007 was also special because in it God began to link me with people who would be used to open doors for me in my role as Prophet. In April I travelled to France to meet up with Wayne and Wendy Hadley in St Etienne. The trip started with my flight being cancelled which meant I arrived a day late. Wayne and I spent a day in prayer and out of that time it was agreed that teams from the UK should visit there in Easter 2007. I also reunited with Apostle Andre Pelser from Cape Town. I had met him the previous year when he prophesied over me in a leaders meeting in St Etienne. This encounter was during a weekend of meetings at which he was the main speaker. Out of this time he invited me to South Africa which led to me going there to celebrate his 25 years in the ministry. I had an amazing time and saw many new and exciting things God was doing in the earth. That one trip opened many doors for me. From South Africa doors were opened in France, Scotland and the USA (from where I am writing this posting). God is amazing and His ways are so much higher than ours.

It was a year of letting go, not only of Matt but of my son Ben. Not for good but into a new era in his life at Leeds University. This reminds me that me baby, Jenny, will also be on her way before long. That is difficult to adjust to but as a parent you want the best for your children and their progress is reward enough. To see God in both of them is the main thing and that gives us so much joy that the letting go is made easier.

So its into 2007. For Mrs Prophet and me it is a time of change. I am sure there will be more adventures and more heartache. That's life. How we react to these things is what is important. So far I have more trips to France planned, a possible trip to the Faroe Isles and maybe a summer tour in South Africa. All of that seems exciting but with it will come challenge. I have been stretched last year and I don't see 2007 as any different in that regard. Travelling may seem an adventure and it is but being away from the ones you love is not easy. One thing I am sure of, God has gone before. If I simply desire His path, His way and His destiny, then whatever comes, good or bad, easy or challenging, will come with enough grace to see me through.

Blogger friends, have a God filled 2007. I pray that you will rise to meet the challenges and don't forget that its all about HIM, King Jesus.

Have a nice day!!

Bunsworth and I arrived in the US yesterday on our way to a 'Prophetic Gathering' that I am speaking at. Had a bit of an adventure with baggage. We flew from Birmingham via Frankfurt to Denver. Landed two hours before our internal flight to Portland, Oregon. We thought that we would be in plenty of time and so weren't bothered. All the instructions for what to do in Denver Airport were clear and we were even shown an animated video of the procedure which was Immigration - Baggage reclaim - Customs.

Immigration was okay, just a long queue. Still we cleared in plenty of time and even got a few jokes out of the Immigration officer.

So on to baggage reclaim. My bag came up after a wait but no bag for Bunsworth! We managed to find someone who vaguely looked in charge who looked on her list and confirmed that it was not on the plane. What to do? 'Make a claim when you are in Portland or the bag will come here and take ages to get to Portland..Have a nice day'

So we set off for Frontier Airlines which was as far away from where we landed as you could get and found another enormous queue. Time by now was becoming a premium. Managed to get to the front check-in desk. We'd gone to separate ones to speed things up. Bunsworth was checked in but I was told I was too late! After some pitiful pleas they managed to get me on but said run or miss it. The parting words were.. ' Your bag may not get on the flight sir and you'll have to pick it up at the airport when it does because it is your fault... have a nice day!'

Now the dash began, back in the same direction we'd come from when we landed to a gate almost next to the one we arrived at. All went well then we hit security!! Off with the shoes, out with the laptop, Bunsworth had to lose the belt as well so more delays.
We just made it but true to form my baggage didn't.

We were met in Portland by Pastor Richard Sharpe who helped us sort out what to do about the bags. This meant a trip back to the airport for me today and hopefully Bunsworth's bag will be there. Retrieved my bag but not Bunsworth's. Then we are told it may take up to a week because it didn't clear customs!!! 'Have a nice day!!'

So had lunch and then went to Walmart's and bought Bunsworth a whole new wardrobe. So for him at least it turned out to be a nice day.

Just to prove we are in America take a look at the mag on sale..

Go to Portland

I am off to Portland, Oregon soon with my beloved, longsuffering son, AKA Bunsworth in blogging circles. I was told to 'Go to Portland' by an Apostle which may seem strange to some but I am learning to listen to these kind of guys.

We leave on 27th December and given that Portland is 8 hours behind us that means the journey door to door will be 21 hours. It would have been shorter but I couldn't get a decent flight. (Maybe now that Robbie and Rudolph are not busy I could cadge a lift from them)

We will be there for a week and so will experience the delights of a US New Year. Hope it's good. Being a Northerner New Year celebrations have always been special. I used to love it as a kid: getting to stay up until the early hours eating Lancashire hot pot and having a large piece of coal in the grate that was lit just before midnight that burned into the New Year. Then there was first footing when people would go house to house to let in the New Year and get a drink at each home.

I've been told that Times Square, New York celebrations are the official New Year for the US but that many states west of New York also celebrate a second time when their time zone reaches midnight. Maybe this means I can have three New Years, one at 4PM (UK), one at 8PM (New York) then one at Portland Midnight. If you have alcohol to welcome in the New Year that will be interesting.

We don't get back until the 4th so hopefully we get a day at least shopping. The meetings I take part in are from 28th to 30th December then we will be in the church for New Year's Eve meetings and I assume New Years Day will be a holiday. Mrs P is staying at home so I need to think of a good present to bring back. Any good shopping tips will be most welcome.

On a different note and as a proud Dad I thought you might like a photo of my beautiful daughter with a couple of her friends at last nights 'Ignite' Christmas meal.

Jenny is the one in the middle! Oh to be sweet 16 again (no thanks)

Finally a photo of our good friends John and Joyce who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last weekend..


Here's to the next 50......

Blue Christmas Without Him

My number one Christmas choice to help Santa with his sleigh is my snorting friend Elvis the Porker!!!




Or alternatively... another possible 'Santa's little helper' ....



You have a wonderful choice to make. Either the cuddly furry one or the other cuddly furry one!!

Sometimes being there is enough

I've had a nice couple of days spending time with Heidi. I have really enjoyed it. I 'felt' I should text her Wednesday and invite her to lunch. It so happened that she wanted to contact me to see if I would help her and English Blogger move a wardrobe. So we planned to meet in Essen for lunch.

If you remember Wednesday it was sloshing it down. The walk from the car to Essen was not far but my glasses were totally covered in rain and by the time I got near I couldn't see. I duly walked into Essen, (I'd never been before) and thought to myself, 'this is a bit posh for Heidi'. I approached the bar and asked for a coffee whilst I waited for my friend. I then sat at a table near the door (good job really) and it slowly dawned on me that everything on the table had 'Angelo's' on it. Oops, I was in the restaurant next door! Managed to make my excuses and leave. Felt like a right idiot. Still it all adds to the flavour of life.

Had a lovely lunch with Heidi, enjoyed her conversation and was really blessed to see for myself some of the ways God is putting things together for her. Life won't be the same and the shape of it will be different from now on but God is putting things together for her good.

Met up with English Blogger back at Heidi's and moved the wardrobe (and bed and dressing table...) and agreed to come around to spend time with her Thursday whilst she waited for some furniture and a mobile to be delivered.

Arrived Thursday as promised. Tried to get on to the wireless network and found that I could actually use next doors without security but the Sellers wireless wasn't accessible. Reset the router and ended up trying to sort out for most of the morning the PC which is poorly. Eventually gave in and agreed with Heidi I would rebuild it sometime soon.

Mrs Teapot and Tardis turned up with sandwiches lunchtime. Had a good old natter about Lancashire pasttimes. We are all from 'up North' and I have many similar memories to Mrs Teapot and Tardis. Mrs T reminded me of old Lancashire words I had forgotten in my wanderings which made me smile. They were on route to a hotel in the Cotswolds complete with bidet for feet washing and the like.

After lunch Heidi decided, after a morning spent dusting, that she was tired and lay down on the settee whilst I tried to write a report I need to do for some consultancy work I'm doing. It felt very peaceful and relaxing so I didn't really get much work done. I realised that if you are friends there are times when just being there is enough. You don't need conversation or clever words, just being together is blessing.

This didn't last long as Heidi got a new burst of energy (must have been the hot Vimto) and started sorting out boxes of wedding cards, invitations, birthday cards, anniversary cards and even notes of Matt's speech.

Eventually the mobile arrived and after a bit more tidying we left and went on our separate ways. It was a good couple of days that I really enjoyed. Heidi is good company and easy to talk to and listen to. Hope there are many more times like these.

Bless you Heidi, she gave me a lot from just being with you.

Final Night In Honfleur

God saves the best until last many times and my last evening in the Evangelique Protestante Baptist D'Honfleur was no exception.

I spoke on the need to be intimate with the Father so we can then agree with what he wnats in our lives in prayer and then we will see it happen.

I felt so free to speak and the translator did a brilliant job allowing me to flow freely. It is always a little awkward when you speak through a translator and I haven't done it too much but it can be fun. She was a new person to the Church and is Apostle Freddy's personal assistant and speaks Spanish and English as well as French. It was funny at times beacue I don't have the purest English accent!

My real burden is that people who are coming to Christ or already in Christ should be 'free'. I get angry with the devil when I see some of the ways God's people are screwed up. After speaking for about an hour or more I began to minister in a more prophetic way. This can take many forms but this time God opened up the people for ministry by showing me by the word of knowledge what people needed to have release from.

I had a sense of someone who at 13 years old was abused. I sensed also that they had been locked up in a dark room or cupboard many times as punishment. There were other things said but this was the main area. I asked for those who wanted me to agree with them in prayer to come forward and about 10 to 15 people responded. As I prayed many people showed signs of deliverance and release. Some people manifest some sort of fight to be free and others don't but that is irrelevent. If God is at work He does it as He wants it done.

Another thing God asked me to do was to release a greater anointing on those who were intercessors. The Prophet gift is linked to intercession. Both a Prophet and an Intercessor have a 'seer' spirit. They see what God wants to have done. So I called those who wanted to be anointed with greater power or to be used in this gift for the first time to come forward. Many people did, maybe twenty or more. What happened next was incredible. The Spirit of God fell and many were mightily impacted with His power. It was a special moment when God just poured out from heaven a special act of His grace. One young man who had confessed some sexual sin to me was delivered of a demonic spirit as we enjoyed this heavenly outpouring. Another woman began to travail in intercession, it was loud but the amusing bit was she was eight months pregnant and sounded as she was giving birth.

As they prayed for me at the end I too was floored by the Holy Spirit and was really blessed by the words of promise spoken over me.

Honfleur was special. I was tretaed with great respect and honour and loved the people there. They are truly the people of God.

I had a special time with a couple who accommodated me in their beautiful home. It is a typical Normandy cottage with thatch roof and oak beams. Their baby cat took a special interest in me even coming and sleeping on my shoulder for about an hour. So if ever you are in Normandy this is one place the try. They run a bed and breakfast business so let me know and I'll put you in touch.



For all those who prayed, your prayers were answered.

Norman Invasion - In Reverse

I realise that my last three entries have been French in flavour one way or another but I do not apologise. I love France and unusual for some Englishmen I also love the French.

What am I doing in France?

Well it actually started in St Etienne, then via Cape Town, South Africa and finally Honfleur in Normandy.

As explained in an earlier entry I am friends with two missionaries in St Etienne. I visited them first in May 2004 then got to know them a bit via e-mail and visited a second time in May 2005. At that meeting I met an Apostle from Cape Town called André Pelser. He invited me to South Africa to be part of a celebration there and that is where I met Freddy De Coster. Who is Freddy? He is also an Apostle who has a church in Honfleur and he invited me to come and see him during this summer holiday in France.

I gave a testimony and prophetic word to his church when we visited and he asked me to come back and speak. So I am in Honfleur.

What has been happening? It has been a powerful time of God using me and also I witnessed some of His power in the services. One woman who came on Sunday with a crippled foot was healed! This was after five unsuccesful operations. She confirmed the next day that her doctor was totally amazed and that she was no longer a cripple.

I was privileged to speak and God used me to bring a word to the church. At the end many responded to ministry. There was a real sense of God being there.

Monday I spoke into the leadership and gave many personal words. It was incredible that these words were accurate and confirmed many things to them.

Tonight I am speaking again before travelling home.

I regard this as a reconnaisance trip. I am going to sound out the land before taking an army (of maybe four to six)in the new year. So any takers? The pay isn't much (you pay your own fare) but the food is brilliant.

So much to be done

Just back from France and taking stock of it all I realise that there are too many important things to be done to stand still.

It is always hard to come back from a place where you feel effective and that what you do has had an impact. It is necessary though to come back, to tell the story to those who are supporting you and are eager to hear what God has been doing.

The team I took were brilliant. No pretentions to be anything but servants. They were used in wonderful ways to bring the love of God to different people who needed to be assured, comforted or challenged to believe. They rose to every challenge and were honest and obedient in their response. We also had the biggest laughs! Some of the things that happened were hilarious.

We tried to compare last year's venture to this and there are some things that you can do that with but there were so many new things we did that it is difficult. The service we took at the same church was very different. A greater sense of acceptance meant we all felt freer to do what we felt we should. It was great to see that one guy prayed for last year who stood in dismal silence as he was ministered to for 45 minutes is now the worship leader. Certainly we were at another level. We must have prayed for dozens of people and the joy that resulted was on their faces.

The visit to the 'squats' was also different. Last year some of the team visited dark and dismal buildings with gipsy families on edge not knowing when they would be harassed to move on. This year the building was a palace in comparison with heat, light and washing facilities. They were squatting in the former offices of the local electricity board. Several of the families were christians and included a pastor and his wife and children. He gave us a salutation to bring back to our own church which was very moving. We prayed for most of the people there and shared the gospel of Jesus with them.

We did lots of other things that stretched us but we were vey aware of the prayers of others sustaining and protecting us. We truly became the aroma of Christ. We pushed many doors open and realised that it was the French leaders who are now propping them open to keep opportunities available to us for future trips.

One word spoken to us by an Apostle when there was that Annie and I would lead many teams to France and even into Europe and they would be very effective in the plan of God. Pray for us as we weigh and work this out.

So it is two weeks of rest before.... I go back to France. Actually it seems like it will be nearly two weeks of being busy. I am off to Honfleur (in November!!!) to speak at a Sunday service there then to input into their eldership the following evening. I know God is in this so I just need to obey His voice and He will do His thing. Again I hope that this will open effective doors for the work of the ministry.

So we move on, we stand firm but don't stand still. I am excited by all God is doing.

French Connection

The Hadleys, missionaries in St Etienne...


In May 2004 I went to 'minister' to a couple of missionaries in St Etienne. How it came about was I felt God told me to e-mail them in January that year and tell them He wanted me to come over and bring some words He had given me. Needless to say they thought I was crazy and didn't reply. I e-mailed them again in April 2004 and this time told them to check me out with our minister. Not sure what he said but a couple of days later I got a phone call inviting me over.

That trip was very special and helped to begin a friendship that has become very precious to us.

In October 2005 Mrs Prophet and I led a team to St Etienne and ministered in places. We took services, went to see Romanian squatters, prayed on windy hillsides and had lots of exciting things happen. It changed some people forever.

Tomorrow Mrs Prophet and I take another team. Some of the original team are coming with a couple of new members. We also would have had Mrs Teapot but she for obvious reasons will pray at home, we will miss her, she was such an important part of the last team.

This time we are going into churches, a catholic school to join their choir (should be interesting) and we'll be praying with leaders again. I have found it really hard this year, I have not really felt any enthusiasm to go which has been difficult at team preparation meetings. Last night I was getting ready to speak on Sunday and I listened to English and French worship songs. I sensed God came and sat down beside me and told me that it all would work out. English Blogger reminded me of the 'Footprints' poem (see comment on last post, Moving On). I realise that God loves to carry us when we need it. He is the reason we are going so it would be selfish of me not to allow Him to carry me and receive His great love for me.

So onward we go, marching into France to take and receive. Pray that we will be used to glorify this great King whom we serve so inadequately.

Moving On

Some of you who know me will be aware that God has been opening up many doors for me to minister as a Prophet in recent years. First France, then South Africa, next the US...

It has been an adventurous journey, sometimes hazardous, many times alone, but with a lot of fun along the way.

In recent weeks God has been telling Mrs Prophet and me that we need to move out from the safety of where we are and move on to a new phase of the journey. This was not an easy thing to do but as a result we will be moving on from our local church at the end of December. It seems that once we were willing God began to remind us of pictures and words we have received over the time since I gave up full-time employment that confirm this step is His will.

Where next? We don't know. This was one of the questions asked by our Team Leader and it was not easy to answer. Some who know have seen it coming and been great, we are aware that many others won't understand and maybe will even feel we are being disloyal but we have to follow God's lead. We will be around for the next three months so hopefully that gives us time to make sure we leave with as much support as possible.

Having said all of this we aren't leaving friends, it just means we need to work harder at the friendships.

If you pray, pray for us. We need to know constantly God's love and will.

Making sense of it all

In the loss of Matt and Chris many people have struggled with the 'why' question including myself. I think eventually we all realise that we can't really ever know. I do believe though that even if 'why?' doesn't get answered in the unfolding of time God makes more sense of things we don't understand.

God speaks to me often in pictures. I have seen one picture a few times and used it in ministering to others who are wanting God to show them what will happen. I saw a painting but it was covered up. Gradually part of it was revealed, then a bit more and so on. God seemed to be showing me that we can only see part of the picture of what we need to do or where we need to go. He can't trust us with the whole. So things do make sense but over time.

At the age of 12 my brother died in a freak hanging accident. I wasn't born then but lived with the pain my mum felt for most of my young life. My earliest memories include trips to the cemetery to put flowers down. He was often spoken of. It all could have seemed so senseless. Yet it was this incident that took my mother to church, this led to both her and me coming to Christ on the same day. Once Christ came in the graveyard visits ended. My father eventually came to Christ just before he died. I would never have been born if this tragedy hadn't happened. That single grain of wheat produced so much fruit. Could God have done it any other way? Apparently not.

I still don't have the why answer to my brothers death. I would have loved to have had a brother. All I know is out of it so much came that otherwise would not have happened.

Visiting my pension investment

This weekend was spent in Leeds visiting one half of my pension investment. There isn't much of an asset yet but I have high hopes of a good return.

Of course I am speaking about my darling son Ben. Seriously he is a gem and seems to be settling down to life without my jibes, teasing and humour very well. He still hasn't mastered the art of tact and did manage to put his foot in it a time or two! (Usually with his sister)

Part of the reason for the visit was to try to encourage him to find a new church so off we trotted to what we felt would be a good choice. I cannot name the denomination or actual church for legal reasons. It all started rather well. We had a good welcome and found the required number of seats towards the back of the church (as you do on a first visit). Only problem was we had placed ourselves in front of the church critic. Most have at least one and we were in front of him. His comments on the service content varied from, 'that's wrong' to 'I can't hear'. This hightened our senses and we began searching for other evidence of miscontents. These surfaced in different ways. On the left of the church was the worship band who sang and played only choruses and modern songs. On the right of the church was the pipe organ and organist who only played traditional hymns. Most of the elderly congregation only joined in the hymns and refused to sing the modern stuff. After these observations we, to our shame, began to find all manner of things amusing and as families do, made jokes about and found humour in a lot of what went on. The crowing moment came when a woman with religious terets started to make inappropriate contributions to the children's story (well only one really but I was assuming writers license). Needless to say Ben probably won't be returning.

On a serious note it never stops amazing me that even after 2000 years we still try to make sense of what we feel church ought to be instead of just trusting God's Spirit to do His work in empowering us to be Christ's body. Bless us Lord.

A note to Ben, enjoy the adventure and remember we sent you to Leeds you didn't just go. Shine for Him. We are proud of you son.