Life stories
This developing section of the website is dedicated to
true stories of people's journeys with God.
See also:
- Licensed
Lay Ministers: their
stories!
- Blogs from around
the Diocese
-
'Encounters' - stories from the rejesus
website
- Prayer resources
Debbie Frazer
Dropdown: Read
Debbie's story (click here)
In 1989 I was living in South Africa and joined a local Anglican Church. On my first visit there I was struck by two things – the cringe making modern Christian Music which reminded me of the worst sort of pop music and would have made me switch radio stations – but secondly a spirit of joy and welcome that exuded from members of the congregation. So I endured the music (even began to enjoy it) and began to become involved in the life of the church. One of first things I started to do was to go with a church group to visit people in one of the so-called ‘African Homelands’ nearby. As one writer put it – these artificially created counties were ‘wastelands that were no ones home’. I had spent a large part of my life living in developing countries (Thailand and Pakistan) and had been aware of poverty but I must confess I was never deeply touched by it. In South Africa I found that the scales fell off my eyes and I was deeply moved and troubled by the poverty and despair of the people we visited. I was also struck by their hospitality, strength and dignity. A few weeks later, during a church service, the priest spoke the words, “Debbie this is the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ shed for you.” I knew at that moment, in the depths of my being, that this was completely true. God loved me so much that he would suffer and die to set me free from the fearful, selfish and ultimately pointless materialistic life that I had been living. He loved me despite that fact that I had done nothing to deserve it and he was willing and able to forgive all I had ever done. After the initial joy I must admit I also felt some anger – I had rather enjoyed my privileged lifestyle as a Diplomat’s wife and I hadn’t asked God to make such sacrifices on my behalf. However, the truth of God’s love stayed with me and I knew I had two choices – either I could say “Well thanks Lord for what you have done but I think I’m going to ignore it and keep on as I was”, or “Thank you Lord for your amazing love for me – how can I serve you with the time remaining to me on earth”.
I chose to try and serve God and although I have often wavered and stumbled and taken wrong turnings God has remained true and faithful. This is what I meant when I said that the decision to become a Christian is just the beginning of a relationship. That moment in church when God revealed his love for humankind (including me personally!) was the moment I could say I became a Christian but it was the beginning of an amazing journey. Being a Christian is not always easy and I have to try and bring myself before God for forgiveness, healing and renewing on a daily basis. I still struggle with selfishness and materialism especially when it comes to beautiful shoes and good wine but I feel that my life has a deeper purpose and meaning that brings untold joy. I also know that whatever life may bring I have within me the spirit of the living God who, despite knowing all my shortcomings, will never stop loving me and will always give me what I need to survive at the time when I need it.
The Revd Debbie Frazer; Area Dean for Bristol City.
Joshua Ssali
Joshua Ssali from the Ugandan Diocese 'Mukono' (linked with our Chippenham Deanery) tells of his faith and culture in Uganda. Joshua talks about his experience praying for Malaria and witnessing healing for both himself and his friends.
The Rt Revd Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol
To save this audio recording, right-click the download link to the left, and choose "Save target as". Alternatively, to read about it click the dropdown tab below. Photography by Walter Dirks, FRPS.
 |
Download
Podcast >> Size: 1.37mb |
Dropdown: Read
Bishop Mike's story (click here)
"I can’t ever remember going into a church, apart from when I was baptised as a baby, until after I became a Christian. I wasn’t brought up in a Christian home, as were none of those around me.
"A friend of mine conned me into going to Yorkshire for a weekend by suggesting that there were some great pubs there. In fact, we ended up staying in a Christian conference centre where, for the first time in my life, I met Christians. I can remember that they had an impact on me, and thinking to myself that these people had something that I didn’t have. So much so, that I purposed to go back there, which I did, and these people started to talk to me about the reality of Jesus in their lives in a way that I had never heard anyone speak before.
"At the end of the weekend, I ended up at one of their worship services and the preacher preached a message. I can remember that the message basically said that ‘in Christ all of us can have a new start in life’. Having wasted 17 years of my life – and I guess not really understanding what I was doing – when he asked for a response to his message, I responded and gave my life to Christ.
"I think that that is the best decision I have ever made in my life, but it has not always been the easiest decision, but that is where it all started for me."
+Mike
Paul Rush
The Revd Paul Rush; Diocesan Adviser in Evangelism
I was brought up as a Christian and I've little doubt that, if I had been brought up in a Hindu country, I would probably be Hindu. So why do I believe what I believe? When the doubts crowd in (and I'm sure I'm not the only one for whom that's true) what keeps me believing?
Apart from being a priest (and not wanting to lose my job!) there are a few things that keep me locked in when it all gets on top of me and I wonder if it's worth it. First is that sense of somehow having actually met with God through Jesus. It's almost impossible to explain, but it's very hard to doubt someone you've actually met! But that's not all - I am amazed that people are able to get through life without knowing God's love for them, or being part of his great plan to bring his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. I just don't know how people do that. I couldn't - I can't. And then of course there's the resurrection of Jesus. I cannot get around that. I'm convinced it happened and I'm convinced it changes everything. If God answers a person's life and death with resurrection, then you have to sit up and take notice of what that person said and did and consider what was going on in his death!
Finally though, when I look at it, it doesn't seem that I'm hanging on to God - it's more like he's hanging on to me. Why am I still a Christian? Because God won't let go.
Andrew Evans
The Revd
Canon Andrew
Evans; Area Dean for North
Wiltshire and Bishop’s Adviser for Rural Ministries.
I have ministered in rural parishes, a big change from the ‘inner city’ and ‘suburban’ situations when I was teaching, but I have a deep love of the countryside and country people. The rhythms and rhymes of the countryside are joyous and although dealing with small congregations across many churches is challenging and time consuming the benefits of a drive through the beautiful lanes and by ways of north Wiltshire is more than compensation.
The nature of rural ministry is very different from other forms. There are many challenges facing rural society and the church is often at the heart of the community in a way that is not possible in bigger settlements. It is those challenges and the fact that no two days are never ever the same, that makes the work of being a country vicar so satisfying. And oh, the fresh baked scones, home made jam and cream is pretty good, too.
Nick Crawley
 |
Nick
Crawley, The Priest who leads
Crossnet Church in Bristol gives a few examples of answers to prayer
he's witnessed. From Sheffield to Zimbabwe, God seems to be working! To save an audio recording, right-click the links below and choose 'Save target as'. Podcasts: answers to prayer - Prayer bringing resolution to criminal damage - Development of Bethany School, Sheffield - God's provision; finding money to pay for a curate's accommodation Relevant links: Bethany School, Netherthorpe >> St Stephens Church, Sheffield >> Crossnet Church >> (Links to external sites open in new windows) |
Gwyn Owen
The Revd Gwyn Owen; Area Dean for South Bristol.
It is only in Him that I, the bungled and the botched, am made new. When I heard the challenge to forget self, pick up my burden and follow Him did I find my true self, that my burden was my blessing and that following Him is the greatest adventure.
He told us to love him and each other. He gave us the church to practice. It is in and from these communities that we can practice a thousand small acts of faith, hope and love. In so doing I have found that I can be part of a solution instead of part of a problem. He is calling me, He is calling you. Where we will end up God only knows. It is only when we surrender to His will that we find out. I can make a difference, if we join we can make more of a difference. This broken world needs Him, He chooses you and me to show His love. What an adventure.
Julian James
Gospel promoter
DJ Julian James moved into Barton Hill recently and talks about his
experience of becoming a Christian and beginning to work in his area.
Dropdown: Read
Julian's story (click here)
"I work with young people and members of the community to raise their talents, in particular in singing, dancing, rapping, poetry and spoken word."
Julian was part of the Urban Showcase at the Dings Festival in August, and says people were curious to see a Christian DJ playing the range and styles of music from holy hip hop to gospel rap. He says: "The mainstream doesn't play it - no guns, crime and disrespecting women. It is about integration. The message is in the music. I was living the life of what the music promoted, living up to the image and reputation to do with the music... I knew about God but I did not need him - I was too busy with my selfish life that was killing me... crime, drugs, money making. My health was suffering. I knew it was not my destiny to end up dead or in jail.
"There was definitely another way, that I knew from flashbacks when I'd been younger going to church." He sees his promotional DJ work as something he has been 'called to do' after experiencing a powerful spiritual revelation while at a Christian Rehabilitation Centre in Wales. Julian says: "I remember physically just falling down...God laid me out on the floor and told me I was healed. It broke me - something just switched on inside of me and I knew it was the start of something big in my life..."
Since becoming a Christian he says his focus in life has
changed
because he has put
God at the heart of his work in music. He now heads up an initiative
called STREETWISE, in
the Barton Hill area of Bristol working with the
youth in his community through music.
Douglas Holt
Canon Douglas Holt; Director of the Parish Development Team
Having grown up thinking vaguely there might be a ‘god’, but if there were I had nothing much to do with him, I was suddenly ‘attacked’ by the apparent truth that God was the creator of everything, and that Jesus Christ, his son (whatever that meant, there was a close link between the two) had ‘died for me’. I was invited to think that not only did the Saviour of the world come at Christmas to be with and in His world, but that He came to be with and in me. It was stunning, overwhelming, and total.
As the Dutch philosopher and Prime Minister, Kuyper, said: When Jesus Christ looks upon his world there is not a single square inch over which He does not say: ‘It is mine.’ And I was in one of those square inches!!
I thought that I was ‘losing it’ completely, that I had been infected by a dangerous spiritual and intellectual bug which would render me incapable of normal life in the future. It was scary. The tranquilisers helped. Some think I have never recovered!
Mark Pilgrim
The Revd Mark Pilgrim; Area Dean for West Bristol.
Between school and college I travelled round France a bit and went to Taizé, a modern monastery to which thousands of young people flock from all over the world every year. Here I argued against the existence of God for a week in a discussion group with some very understanding Scots. At the same time I fell for a girl from Alsace Lorraine and wanted to spend more time in her company. So the Brothers of the community said I could stay if I worked in the welcome tent - an atheist welcoming searchers to this Christian community! I wanted to stay some more - so the Brothers said 'Come and spend some days in silence'. So I spent days in silence, hoping to catch sight of my girl from Alsace Lorraine from time to time. Each morning I had a conversation with an English Brother. He asked me 'What is the most important thing in your life?' I found myself answering 'To find my fulfilment by making other people happy' and simultaneously experiencing a sense of Christ taking the place of human logic as the embodiment of truth - and human logic being valuable, but not of ultimate significance.
That was my gradual conversion experience: and I have continued to experience God in a myriad of ways - occasionally pretty directly, but mostly through glimpses and mystery-filled encounters - in excitingly unpredictable ways ever since!
Top of page