Another stone

I have another stone. It sits on a shelf near my bed. At first it was a reminder for prayer. Now it is a reminder to thank God.

The stone was taken from a muddy site on the edge of Parnwell in Peterborough. Today that site houses a building with an auditorium for 1800 people and numerous additional rooms.

When I took the stone, it was in prayer that the building would be built, that there would be enough finance for it. Now, whenever I look at it, it is with thanks to God for a miracle.

The building is KingsGate, belonging to Peterborough Community Church. You can see the pictures on

www.pcc-uk.org

Stones and mountains

We've just had the patio done at the back of the house. Before the guys came to lay the new paving, I took out four stones that I'd placed near the back door, so they wouldn't be lost. Each of them hold a story.

One is a stone from the top of Cadair Idris in Wales. I climbed it with our twins and my brother in law. What an achievement it was, and what an amazing view from the top!

The second looks just like a broken heart. It was taken from a beach in Wales where I was having a bit of a chat with God, after quite a hard time. I felt the stone summed up how I was feeling and I left the broken heart with God that day. The other two stones are from South Africa and Australia, from business visits to those countries. Each represents a stone 'placed' before God. A physical reminder of prayers prayed, issues fought for.

Samuel does something similar when Israel beat the Philistines in a battle described in the Bible:

"Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it 'Ebenezer' (Rock of Help), saying, 'This marks the place where God helped us.' "

Each of my stones marks a special moment, a moment where God helped me. A physical reminder of a battle fought in prayer, of a mountain climbed.

Different worlds

I've been out to India about 8 times now over the last 10 years or so. Despite getting used to the different culture to an extent, it is still a struggle to come to terms with such a different world.

I remember the first time I went, one of my work colleagues commented that I was no use back at work for a month or so! It really is that different. I take a team with me each time I go, knowing it will affect each one greatly. They really will not be the same again, such is the culture shock.

So even after all these years, I come back to a well paid job in the business world and wonder whether I should even be doing this sort of work when there is such need elsewhere.

I'm grateful for my job, my family, the relative affluence of the country I live in. But I can't forget the needs I see in India. And while I may not be able to change the whole world, I aim to keep changing India one life at a time.