When I was 3yrs old, I was sent to Sunday School at Jubilee Chapel, Liverpool City Mission. My first experience of public speaking was when my grandmother offered me a shilling (5p today but worth much more in 1949) to memorise and recite the 23^rd Psalm – easy money I thought. I then became a Sunday School teacher, got baptised and my social life revolved around church folk and church activities.

 

I left school at 17yrs and went to work as a telephone engineers. One day, I was contemplating if I would be ready for the event of the return of our Lord Jesus to this earth. Despite my church background, I knew that I was not ready for such an event as I was not a ‘born again’ believer. I went to see my Pastor and put my life right with God.

 

This was during the 1960’s and I was a ‘mod’, complete with scooter festooned with mirrors and I wore a full length maroon suede coat! (My dad said I looked like the doorman from the Odeon cinema).

 

My walk with God was ‘up and down’. I really wanted to be dedicated to God but I also wanted a good time as well. During this time, I was baptised with the Holy Spirit, an event that is recorded in the Bible in Acts chapter 2. I didn’t speak ‘in tongues’ but I had a very deep and real peace, an abiding joy and love such as I’d never know before! I realised from my reading of eminent spiritual writers that Christians need to embrace a cross of suffering and dying – just like their master, the Lord Jesus. In his writings recorded in the Bible, St Paul called this ‘dying daily’ so that Christ’s life could flow through us.

 

When I was 28yrs old, I began working with adults with learning disabilities. I’d never enjoyed working as telephone engineer but I enjoyed my new work immensely I fitted into this like a round peg in a round hole! Now I am 63yrs and have had many adventures and ‘ups and downs’. My life is still very much ‘under construction’ and whatever time I have left, I want to live for Jesus and die daily for Him!