Linda

When I was 14, I went on a holiday to a Christian adventure centre in Wales. In the evenings there were talks about what a Christian was. It wasn’t about being good. It was about believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died to save us from the consequences of the things that we do wrong which have separated us from God. It was as if the person was speaking just to me and that a light had been switched on in my head.

Since then, being a Christian is the most important thing in life. I try to live my life according to Jesus’ teachings. I have experienced Jesus directing me through an inner voice and I’ve seen answers to prayer that have been supernatural. For example, I was severely anaemic after having our first child. Within two days of being prayed for, my blood was normal. Being a Christian doesn’t mean life has always been easy, I’ve been through the loss of a father, financial struggles and health worries; but my faith has given me the strength to carry on and a deep sense of peace despite what is happening around me.

When I look at the intricacies of how the environment all fits together in a tight eco-system, I cannot believe that it is just random. In the same way, I believe that everyone has a purpose, nobody is an accident and is loved deeply by God, just as they are.

With all that has been going on in the world recently: the pandemic, cost of living crisis and wars and threats of war, my faith helps me to cope when things seem out of control. The Bible tells me that God is good and trustworthy and is concerned for me and the world He has made. As I get older, I am more aware of what happens when we die and I know that death is not the end.

There is a verse in the Bible that says the Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love; and that is certainly what I have found.