Reflection & Prayer

Hello Everyone,

I am writing this latest Prayer Letter; having just returned from my weekly visit into Woking Police Station as their Chaplain. It is by no means a full building. Many of your Colleagues; possibly like yourself, working from home.

There was one thing everyone had in common as I chatted and that included their Chaplain. All of us were weary. Today was certainly one of my “Grot” days. Thankfully a rare occurrence for me. But perhaps the result of the news of those things we are having to face for the next 6 months and of course the change in the weather.

For Prayer this week – and here I am suggesting you put yourself first. That you Pray for yourself in all the areas that you need support. The list would be endless if I made one, but to me the most important item would be, our personal walk with The Lord, so that we would be a Blessing to our family and those around us at work. But it starts with us as individuals and God.

I sent an email to one of our Leaders in Surrey’s CPA a few weeks ago. I was not complaining, just saying, that infrequently our CPA Prayer times on Zoom in Sussex and Phone Conferences in Surrey; result in my sitting on my own; as everyone else is tied up with their work and that is fine with me. It truly is.

This was his reply –

                                  I’m sorry you are often on your own!

When I read his response, I “heard” myself saying out loud –

                                             “It’s OK, God turned up!”

As it says in His Word – Hebrews 13.5.

                                “I will never leave you or abandon you”.

Returning to my earlier comment, “My personal walk with The Lord”. You and I need Him so much in our lives, so that in turn, we are able to be available to those who are precious around us.

Many Blessings

Alice

Hello everyone,

Thank you for the response to last week’s Prayer Letter.

Requests for Prayer:

• A recipient of this PL has asked for Prayer for her Husband who is ill and her Son-in Law who is critically ill. He is the Father of her two very young Grandchildren.
• A former Colleague having retired; left to live abroad. Due to family concerns; now needs to move back to England. Normally difficult, but due to Covid-19, added problems of course.

I trained many years ago at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Besides playing music, I also enjoyed composing. In recent years have proof read music, for friends. It is so easy to incorrectly write Music. In exams – checking and rechecking; I still managed to lose marks.

Then email addresses and Web Sites. So easy to type mistakes and again, a failure.  

Moving up to Zoom/Phone Conferencing; just one wrong number for the Meeting and try as you might; with time running out you cannot enter that Meeting Room. That happened to a Sussex colleague who recently trying to join the Prayer Group for Sussex Police. She eventually arrived on our Zoom screens; very apologetic, “It was just one number I had wrong”.

As this person said that, I realised that that is not a problem where God is concerned. There is no way I have; or will live a perfect life, but I am accepted by God. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, I have immediate access to His Throne Room.

When you next type a mistake, which gives you aggravation, remind yourself of the following –  

Through Jesus Christ I have access direct to The Father. Ep 2.15

I am so grateful during these difficult times in which we live, He is always there, waiting to welcome us.

You are “In His Grip”. Alice.

Hello Everyone,

Today as I write, it is Emergency Services Day. Earlier I wrote the following on Twitter, I would like to share it with you; as I truly mean what I have written:

We are so Blest to have our wonderful Emergency Services. And the families who allow their loved ones; to leave home to care for others; above and beyond the call of duty on numerous occasions. Thank you to all involved. Truly appreciated.

I trust that you are continuing to survive the tough times we find ourselves in.

Earlier this week the radio was on in the background as I was cooking cakes for the various Police Teams I visit as a Chaplain. I heard the following statement:

We are all in this Covid-19 Storm, but each one of us is in our own boat.

That really spoke to me. Every one of us is sailing our own boat but this “Storm” has now hit us.

I believe it is true to say that I sensed we would be in this for about a month when Lockdown started and then it would all go away and we would get back to normal.

With what is now “Normal” and what becomes eventually to be “Normal”, one verse keeps popping into my thinking.

It is a verse that was relatively easy to hold on to pre-March of this year, but now; somehow, I need even more Faith it would seem, as I ponder on it. But – He is still the same God, then, now and in the future:

“He is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to His Power at work within us” Eph 3.20.

May you know your security in these coming days, no matter where your boat takes you in the rough seas that are all around you.

Travel Safely In His Grip.

Alice.

Hello Everyone,

During this last week, I heard the following phrases during two Zoom Meetings organised by our Church.

                       “Don’t worry about me, God has got it covered”.

                                      “Only God can make this work”.

The First phrase was said by a friend of mine who has just been told she has an incurable, aggressive and inoperable Brain Tumour.

The second one, also a friend, who regularly travels to spend time in one of the most troubled countries in Africa; supporting children in Schools and Orphanages. With the Pandemic, no travelling for her to these very needy little ones.

In both cases these lovely friends of mine spoke volumes to me of their trust in Our Heavenly Father.

Then the following email arrived from one of our Officers – 

“I just had to tell you Alice,

I had a really horrid week last week with one thing and another and I was at the end of my tether. I turned on the television and there was the Hymn “Be still for the presence of the Lord, The Holy One is here”. What appropriate timing and such a beautiful hymn. What a powerful message.

God bless you”.

              In all the battles you face daily in your work, may you know

                               “The Presence of the Holy One”

With His Love.

Alice.

Hello Everyone,

I sense from a number of people I have spoken to; we are going through a “Yearning” that has gone through us before from time to time “Please Lord, we have had enough of this now; can it all stop……. Please?”.

I continue to admire you all and am pleased when I am able to speak to you: over the phone, via email, Zoom Prayer Meetings, Phone Conference Prayer Meetings, Chaplaincy Visits, to express my gratitude to you.

Last week I chose to send the Prayer Letter to one of your Colleagues who does not receive it; being in another Force. He has not attended work for some time due to depression and anxiety and then this week faced a skin cancer operation.  As I thought about him – a family man with young Children and a strong Faith, I just wondered if the word “Besieged”, which had spoken to me, may also register with him. It did and I received an email from him, part of which is below:

Alice,

Thank You. 

Last night I was doing some reading around rest & being besieged.

I found comfort in 2 Corinthians 12 :9

“My Grace is sufficient for you, for My Power is made perfect in weakness”. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the Power of Christ may rest upon me.

May your Colleague’s choice of this verse be a Blessing to you as you battle on in these coming days.

May you know His Rest.

Alice.