I’ve mentioned before about having an extension built on our house. It was originally a small, elderly cottage-style semi, had three small bedrooms, a downstairs bathroom, a tiny kitchen (ex scullery) and one living room, which was two small rooms knocked into one. There was also a dilapidated, attached “garden room” which was added decades after the original building. It had a huge garden by comparison to our previous house. We could easily have fitted at least six of our old back gardens into the one here, plus it had trees and hedges, and was very private and not overlooked. There was plenty of room for off-road parking at the front too, as it was a corner plot. Interestingly, there were no street lights in the village either, so at night it got properly dark and you could see the stars!

At the time we moved in, 30 years ago this year, the green space and village setting were like heaven to us! We were moving from a very concreted over, ugly housing estate, on the edge of a huge industrial trading estate. It was never dark at night there, never quiet, there was a lot of vandalism and anti-social behaviour, and people “joy riding” round the roads in stolen cars… Our move here, to a much nicer area, was an absolute miracle.

So, briefly, we were brand new Christians, we attended church in our current area here because it was my cousin’s home church and where we had come to faith, but it was a 30+ minute trip each way, over the hill and into the next county. We didn’t have children then. We longed to move! We had originally moved to where we were as it was only about a mile from my mum’s house but, after she died, there was no reason to stay there.

After much prayer about our unhappy housing situation, we accidentally came across this house (both of us, but separately) in the house buying section of the newspaper which was local to our church area. It was rarely seen in the shops where we lived, but John spotted a copy and bought it! When we discovered we’d both noticed the same house, we were both excited and scared! We knew we couldn’t afford to move, and certainly not to a more expensive area! And yet… the pull to investigate further was very strong. We eventually went to view it, though we felt awful, as though we were stringing the owners along since we had no money! As we sat outside in the car, on a hot, summer Sunday after church (since we were in the area), waiting for the agent to show us round, I said to John, “This is our house isn’t it?!” “Yes,” he said,  “I think it is!!” But we had no idea how!

So, straight after viewing, we drove into the main town near our old house, found the ONLY estate agent open on a Sunday afternoon and put our house on the market! It wasn’t ready for sale, we didn’t have any spare money, we had no idea how we would afford the new house… We just knew that we knew that God was in it!

The next day, we put in an offer on the new house, which was accepted. It was £40K more than we hoped to get for our old house AND we had negative equity to pay back. Our estate agent kept telling us there was interest from buyers and arranging viewings for people who never turned up. Let’s face it, we didn’t want to live there, so why would anyone else?!! Eventually, I said to my husband, “Don’t worry about the lack of viewings. On August 4th, we will have lived here seven years, it’s jubilee, our debt will be paid!” In hindsight (I was young and enthusiastic!) I don’t think that was quite right. Jubilee is the 50th year, after the completion of seven sevens, however seven is an important biblical number, marking completion, perfection, so nonetheless I believe the Lord was highlighting the significance of seven years living in that house being completed!

As it happened, on August 4th, I was on a departmental team-building day, clay pigeon shooting out in the middle of nowhere! I had the one “brick phone” that we had for emergencies but never used, as mobile phone calls were so expensive then! Mid afternoon, I got a call. My husband was beside himself! A couple had actually turned up and viewed, and put in an offer for the FULL asking price!! Seven years to the DAY! We’d expected to have to take a much reduced offer due to lack of buyers in the depressed market. I remember literally jumping up and down and praising God in the middle of a field! People probably thought I was mad! Oh, well…!

So, things started moving. It turned out the couple wanting our house were moving away from a much worse area that they were desperate to leave! God bless them!

In the mean time, God was moving the chess pieces round the board…!

My late mother had inherited the entire estate of her best friend of nearly 60 years, who had died the previous year with no living relatives. It included a small bungalow and some savings, several 10s of thousands in all. Remember, this was back in the mid 1990s. My mum, who died just six months after her friend, had a small amount of savings, and her 50% share in the house she had bought with my sister, which was rightly left to her so she didn’t become homeless. Her cash was divided 2/3 to me and 1/3 to my sister, since she was getting the house. My share would have been around £6K. Our negative equity alone was £8K!

There were many complications, since two different solicitors in different parts of the country were now trying to sort all of this out! The bungalow needed to be sold. It was all very stressful! I had no idea how much money would come to me, or when. We were running purely on faith!

Anyhow, one day we were feeling especially frustrated with the slow progress and I said  “Lord, did we hear you wrong?” I picked up my bible, but accidentally dropped it. When I picked it up again, it fell open at Jeremiah 32. “Jeremiah buys a field. ” As I read through, I got to verse 14…

Jeremiah 32:14-15 NIV
‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. [15] For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’

As I read on,  it said…

Jeremiah 32:26-27 NIV
Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: [27] “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

“NOPE!” I said, and shut my bible! It still took several weeks to complete on the purchase, but the money came through at just the right time, so we paid our debts and had the deposit for the difference between the house prices, with a bit left over. What was also amazing, was that with the value of my mum’s share in the house and my sister’s one third of the cash versus my two thirds of the cash, our split was almost exactly 50/50! The Lord is so fair, so kind, so trustworthy! He has everything planned to perfection. How great is our God!!!

So, we moved here on a dull, damp November’s day 1995. I cried as I left the old house, I was so relieved to see it all getting smaller in my rear view mirror! I cried even more when we arrived here! It was very dark by the time they finished unloading the lorry. We had no curtains and there was stuff everywhere! We sat amongst a mass of stacked boxes, eating takeaway pizza in a kind of daze. We were exhausted, but we were here in the house the Lord had chosen for us!

We eventually staggered up to bed. I turned the lamp out and nearly fell out of bed! It was SO dark! Not a glimmer of light from anywhere, and I just wasn’t used to it. I was completely disorientated! We slept very well though! The next day, the electricity company came to inspect the electrics… The cooker circuit was immediately condemned as it had never been renewed and was dangerous, with so much current running through old rubber coated wire! The whole house needed rewiring. Thank goodness we had a bit of money left over! It was all done by Christmas (by which time I had also succumbed to chicken pox! That was fun…!) And so we celebrated our first Christmas in the little house that God bought!

This beautiful and scripturally sound song has been on my mind a lot lately. The World Day of Prayer on 7th March 2025 is titled “I made you wonderful”.

I used this song at my husband’s funeral, as we took our seats and his coffin was brought in. The whole theme of his funeral was that God KNEW him! I wrote the eulogy, which my son read out. I wrote the committal because I didn’t like the bulk standard one and wanted something more meaningful. It gave me something to focus on, something that I could do, and I wanted his funeral to be an outreach to those who knew John but didn’t know the Lord. As I’ve said before, in God’s economy nothing is wasted.

The funeral was held during covid restrictions, and we were only allowed 30 people at the chapel, masked and spread out, although many of his colleagues lined our road and gave him a round of applause as we left the house, which was very moving.

I’ve written before about my husband’s sudden death from a heart attack at the end of 2020, and the knock on emotional effects of that, which still overwhelm me at times.

My strong, robust and utterly dependable husband was suddenly unconscious and helpless. It was me who had to call the ambulance, drag him onto the floor and perform CPR until the paramedics arrived. Me who had to call my sons and tell them, “Dad’s on the floor, the paramedics are here. You need to come home!” Me who had to tell the medics it was OK to stop, an hour later, when they’d tried everything, and thank them for their efforts. It was me who became a widow that night…

And yet… throughout that trial, I KNEW, with 100% certainty, that God is good, SO, so good. I knew my beloved husband had gone to be with Jesus, and I was glad, inasmuch as all the alternatives would have been disastrous. He could have been revived but severely brain damaged. He could have needed 24hr care for the rest of his life, or he could have recovered but been unable to work or still do the things he loved… As it was, he was healed and whole and with Jesus, in an instant. Clear cut. Promoted to glory, just like that. 

To be honest, I’m glad it wasn’t me who died and left him behind! It would have been difficult for him as he was the practical one, whereas I was the organiser. He would have struggled to manage the admin, finances, and future planning on his own. He was a wonderful husband and father, a strong character with a soft heart, always willing to help people. We were two halves of the whole and complimented each other well, each bringing our own strengths and gifts to the marriage. I’m glad he made his final journey without pain and suffering. That’s surely what we all desire for those we love?

Anyhow, I’m not quite sure how I ended up here, but I would just say, if you’ve lost your spouse or life partner, it’s a very winding road to recovery… never quite knowing what’s round the next bend. I guess it’s a bit like being a recovering addict, you just take one day at time. Always moving forward, because going back is not an option.

God is good, so very, very good. I want everyone to know that! He loves us with a never-ending, sacrificial love.

I concluded my husband’s eulogy as follows:

God knew John, and he knows YOU. He sees YOUR going out, and your coming in. He knew YOU before you were formed in your mother’s womb. (Ps139).

Do you know him?

When darkness comes and clouds obscure,
And rain pours from the sky;
In the howling wind the branches flail,
And bits of debris fly.

It all feels hopeless, wild and lost,
A hostile, stormy night.
But in the midst of that swirling gale
The Lord says, “Don’t take fright!

“For I see from the other side,
Those clouds are moving on.
And when they’re gone you’ll see
That there is blue sky just beyond.

“It’s always there, just like my love,
But every storm will pass. 
Stay safe within my presence child;
I’ll keep you till the last.

“For nothing I created
can surpass my love for you.
Through Jesus’ blood you’re sanctified.
Believe my word! It’s true!

“The storms of life are transient,
But my Son’s blood covers all!
So turn to me dear child, I’m here!
I’ll always hear your call.

“Do not be anxious, neither fear,
For I am your shalom.
My grace and mercy never fail,
I AM your eternal home.”

“Many fell at the first hurdle, when it wasn’t even that big, but it was there, in the way…“

~~~~~~

Life is full of hurdles, some large, some small… but when we run the course with our eyes and ears shut, we have a tendency to hit every single one of them; sometimes with disastrous, future altering consequences! Open your eyes! Be aware!

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The only reason you should be on your face is in submission to God, not because you let the devil trip you up!

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1 Peter 5:8 GNT
Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 4:7 NKJV
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

1 Corinthians 9:24 NKJV
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

Let me tell you a story. I will probably ramble a bit… sorry!

When I was a child, my older sister (by six and a half years) had a small, illustrated KJV bible (not a children’s one) that I think our grandmother had given her, possibly as a christening gift. It was ironic really, since none of the family (including my nan!) were church goers or actively Christian, it was just tradition. These were the days where, when there was a “religion” question on an official form, most people would put either CofE or RC. Most British people in the 1950s would have identified as culturally Christian, and may have gone to church at high holidays. Many were not, however, born-again, practicing Christians. My family didn’t even do the high holidays! My dad had been a choir boy in his young days, but mainly because of his love of music, rather than any religious reason.

So, my sister was christened, which was a bit of a travesty really, since she was an atheist for many decades, though thankfully saved now! I think it was just the done thing in those days. By the time I came along (there was a miscarriage between us, so I have a brother or sister I shall meet in heaven one day!) my mum and dad decided not to bother with another christening since they weren’t religious.

Anyway, this bible… For some reason it attracted me! I loved reading anyway, and I loved looking at the colour illustrations and maps in this unusual little book. I knew it was something special. The pages were very thin, like crinkly tissue, almost transparent, and the typeface very small. The language was quite difficult to understand. I wasn’t really au fait with thees and thous as a primary school aged child! For some reason, I have a very, very strong recollection of one verse. I can see me, in my mind’s eye, opening the book on this particular page, seeing this verse and being intrigued. I didn’t understand what it meant. It was Proverbs  25:11…

Proverbs 25:11 KJV
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

It made such a lasting impression on me that when I started this blog, I wanted to use part of the verse for my name, but all the versions I tried were in use, so I ended up with “pictures of gold” instead!

So, I remember that from the age of five at least, when I was in the reception class at school, I believed in God. It was still usual to have hymns and prayers in school assemblies in the 1960s and 70s, and RE lessons taught almost exclusively about Christianity. I wanted to go to Sunday school, but no one would take me. I KNEW there was a God. I knew he was real and he listened to our prayers. I knew Jesus was his son, and was the baby born at Christmas time, though not a lot more than that! I didn’t properly understand the “Jesus connection” until I was 33, as no-one had ever really explained it to me! The illustration of Jesus as the bridge between man and God was what filled in the blanks in my understanding and enabled me to step from wanting him, to having him! A marvellous experience of having a fountain of joy turned on within me (the Holy Spirit!) and having the biggest of smiles on my face for days! And everything I looked at was suddenly “in colour”! The whole of God’s creation was completely amazing!

Anyway,  I digress…

So, what does it mean..? “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

I’ve read various interpretations about judges’ rulings, artistic carvings and all sorts.

This particular explanation, taken from the “gotquestions.org” website really spoke to me…

~~~~~~

The meaning of the term translated “apples of gold” is uncertain. It could refer to a number of other fruits including citrons, quinces, oranges, or apricots. All of these have a yellow-to-orange color, which could be thought of, in a poetic sense, as “golden.” So the verse might be talking about golden-colored fruit served in a silver bowl. This would certainly be quite appetizing and pleasant to the eye. https://www.gotquestions.org/apples-gold-settings-silver.html

~~~~~~

The reason it resonated so strongly was because in 1998, I was given this word by an older lady at our church who was well known for her prophetic gifting.

As I prayed the Lord showed me a bowl of fruit – different varieties – but one piece, an apple, took my attention because it was by far the best and most attractive piece of fruit in the bowl, the skin taut and shiny; the colour clear and attractive; very enticing. My taste buds began to work and I could imagine biting into the apple, enjoying the crisp, sweet juice giving an enjoyable and pleasing sense of pleasure and satisfaction.

I sense that God is saying that though He has given you many gifts, there is one particular one that is ready, that needs to be used for Him. If it remains in the bowl it will dry out, shrivel up and, like an apple left too long, will be of no use and unpalatable. I sense that the gift could be that of teaching and maybe among children, but I sense too that there’s something to do with healing here, whether for yourself, or to bring healing and wholeness to others, I’m not sure.

I sense that God is saying that yes, you are one among many, but you do have a special gift to offer to Him; you are very special to Him and you are “the apple of His eye”. Among a variety of gifts, that special one can be used to bring healing and wholeness, to yourself and others and it will bring glory to God, so seek it out and use it and ‘taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

The similarity struck me as soon as I read the “got answers” paragraph!
I’m still trying to work it all out (or perhaps I should say, I’m awaiting further revelation!!) but I feel the Lord is about to open my eyes to something; part of his plan coming to fruition. I think it also reveals that he has had his plan in place, and his hand on me, for my whole life! It’s incredibly exciting and also very humbling that this insignificant speck of life (me!) figures in his masterpiece! Wow!

I’ve written on this blog previously about how, in later life, I unexpectedly became a 1:1 special needs teaching assistant when the Lord opened a door for me. https://the-finished-work.com/2019/09/22/part-two-than-we-can-ask-or-imagine/
I discovered it was the job I’d waited my whole life for! It was only when I looked up that 1998 prophetic word again, that I realised it was also another part of my life that tied in!

Personally, I think the whole verse in Proverbs is something to do with my writing and how it has been, and will be, used both within the church and by others who have read things that I’ve written. I’ve never pushed for lots of views and likes, but just said, “Lord, let someone who needs to read this, see it and be encouraged.”

So, Lord, let someone who has maybe felt you were far away, that you were not on their case, that they were too insignificant, not good enough for you to even look at, let alone bother with… let them be encouraged by my writing, and by my journey, because I’ve had those exact same feelings myself…

Yet, as I look back, I can SEE that he’s always been there, even before I knew him. He’s been telling me to look back for weeks! Everything is falling into place…

A very clear representation of the gospel from Robert Breaker. No frills! Just truth.

I confess I find the Christmas season quite difficult and have a tendency to just batten down the hatches and hide until the new year arrives. I’m reminded of painful losses and all the fears and insecurities, that I know I should reject in Jesus’ name, just seem to become overpowering at this darkest time of the year. Thankfully, Jesus is the light in the darkness, and I hang on to that small flame of hope! Gradually, it gets brighter, until I can come out of my winter hibernation and resume normal service again! Well, I’m a work in progress…!

Anyhow, I was just thinking about things today and a little ditty came into my mind, so here it is!

Happy Christmas one and all!
I haven’t exactly decked the hall;
My Christmas tree’s a little wonky
And no sign of a crib or donkey!

But Jesus is always in my heart;
He is the most important part!
Gifts and decos are just a whim…
If I had nothing, I’d still have him! 🩷

Feeling the heaviness of the atmosphere today, both physically and spiritually… How long, O Lord…?!!

~~~~~~~

I hope we’ll be on the sunny side,
On the sunny side next year;
Where the streets are gold
And we don’t get old,
And pure joy replaces fear.

I know we’ll be on the winning side,
On the winning side of time!
In the perfect place
We’ll behold HIS face,
In eternity sublime!

~~~~~~~

Merriam Webster Dictionary

Sublime:
a. : lofty, grand, or exalted in thought, expression, or manner.

b. : of outstanding spiritual, intellectual, or moral worth.

c. : tending to inspire awe usually because of elevated quality (as of beauty, nobility, or grandeur) or transcendent excellence.