A new thing

Until 2 years ago, I blogged at "Held" (inmyfathersarms.wordpress.com) where I wrote about my early recovery from alcohol addiction and the loss of my daughter when she was adopted at the age of 6 as a consequence of this.  I want, and need, to start writing again - but my focus has changed. My previous blog is linked to a Child Protection Resources website for those going through care proceedings and I think it's important it stays as it is - maybe I will write there again, some time.  For now, I am starting off with a new blog, with a more varied focus.

The name is taken from Psalm 23:4 (King James translation) -

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 There are so many ways I could apply this to where I am in my life just now - personally, I have had a number of major health issues, professionally I work with many patients with incurable diseases, and the shadow of my addiction and it's consequences are ever with me.  But my testimony, my story and my song, is that God is very close with me, and his direction is comforting, and at the times I feel almost overshadowed by death - or pain, destruction, uncertainty - He is in fact closest, and if I trust that I can know his staff comforting me and directing my steps.

Somebody wise said to me recently that there are many people with remarkable stories of how god has used them and transformed their lives, and many of these write books, blog, do interviews, and speak in churches.  A few of these are able to go beyond their own stories and reveal something of God and his great story in Jesus.  I don't know how this happens - I imagine part of it is active and deliberate and part is God's specific call for those individuals.  It's a challenge to us all - do we talk about our testimony of God in our lives to tell our friends, family and the people of God about us or about Him.  There's very little to admire of me in my story, that's certainly true.  Where there have been flickers of courage, faith, patience and love - those have been the Holy Spirit working in me.  This is where I would like this new start and new blog to go.  I have somewhat resembled Jonah about it - I was called to do it 6 months back, and then health and general running away and hiding in a whale mean it is now April.  We got to the city of Nineveh eventually, that's the main thing!