Julie

Julie

Julie has lived with her husband in Leighton Buzzard for 40 years. Being a real people person, she is very involved with her large family. She loves walking and thinks there are few things better than talking about life over a cup of tea.

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God if you are there, I really need to find you.

As a young Mum with three small children in the early 80s, I was rushed into hospital with a suspected brain tumour. Thankfully it was not that, but while in hospital I remember saying “God if you are there, I really need to find you”.

A ‘born again’ Christian lived near us. This brave lady invited me to a Mums’ and Toddlers’ group at her church. The children were entertained, and the mums listened to members of the congregation give their testimonies.

I was amazed that they seemed to know God – Jesus personally. This sweet Christian lady continued to take me to these meetings. I started to attend their Sunday services. This church was alive and different: the people were joyful, happy and had a peace about them. This is what I had been looking for, and literally one night the scales fell off my eyes and I realised that Jesus had died for my sin personally, that I was a child of God, who was loved. Until that point, I never thought I really had sinned, so I did not need a Saviour.

I too had found joy and peace and a very certain hope. It came to me that God wanted to be involved in my life and have a close relationship not only with me but with everyone. But I realised people did not all understand that. I wanted everyone to know.

After we moved to Leighton Buzzard, my faith and relationship with Jesus grew. I had a hunger for the word of God, and the Bible became alive. I was reading it knowing the author is a just God, full of compassion and love.

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I remember crying out to the Lord “I can’t cope with this pain”, and he said, “I can take it for you”.”

There have been many trials and tests of my faith, particularly when my third child died aged 20. It took me a long time to work through this very dark period, and my faith was challenged. Sometimes it is only when looking back that you can see how God was with you and how He sent people into your life at certain times to help you. I remember crying out to the Lord “I can’t cope with this pain”, and He said, “But I can take it for you.” God used my husband and many other people to help me through this devastating time. Sometimes, people I hardly knew seemed to cross my path and helped me. One friend walked with me every day for five years, allowing me to talk and cry – another person God used.

All I can say is that I have found He never leaves us or forsakes us. He meets our needs, and works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.