A New Chapter begins

Some time ago I received a Kindle as a present.  I was a little sceptical at first, and wondered whether I would take to reading electronic versions of books.  Over the months I've come to really appreciate my Kindle in several ways.  For example, I was able to download a particular book onto my Kindle which wasn't available in the UK as a physical book.  I've just downloaded another book in a few seconds which would probably have taken several days to get hold of in the 'old-fashioned' way!  A Kindle is also extremely handy when going on holiday - it weighs much less than the several books I might normally have taken with me! And yet, although I love my Kindle, I have to say that it isn't quite the same as holding an actual book in one's hand.  I especially enjoy the look and feel of old books, something which the Kindle just can't replicate.

I like to read books which inspire; I find biographies particularly interesting, giving as they do an insight into the lives of both famous and not-so-famous people.  Although most of my reading is non-fiction, I do sometimes read fiction.  I like to discover a book which I find hard to put down - the kind of book which, when you come to the end of a chapter, you can't wait to get started on the next one!

Tomorrow is officially the first day of a new phase of my life and ministry in Leicester; in effect, a new chapter begins.   The previous 12-year-long chapter of my life and ministry in Doncaster has come to an end, a brand new chapter is about to be written.  I can look back now on the last chapter and remember some of the highs and lows, the blessings and the struggles, and rejoice that although that period is ended, many memories remain.  As I look forward to the new chapter which is about to unfold, I can see very little!  I don't know in what way the future will be revealed.  And yet, even though there is so much uncertainty about the way ahead, I am filled with excitement and anticipation, mostly due to the fact that I know that God is in it.

Sue and I both felt that God was saying to us quite a while ago that the time had come to bring to a conclusion one chapter of our lives, our time in Doncaster.  As we sought his guidance for the next chapter, again we both felt that he was leading us to Leicester.  Now we are here and the work begins (in at the deep end, as I am conducting a wedding on my first day!)

On reflection, it seems to me that all of us face a big question: who do we want to be the 'author' of our lives?  Frank Sinatra's famous song, 'My Way' has become increasingly popular in recent years as a song to be played at funerals.  Whilst I quite like Sinatra, I find it rather sad when that particular song is chosen for a funeral.  When one looks at the world around us, it is so obvious that the vast majority of the word's problems exist because human beings have chosen their own way of doing things rather than God's way (choosing our own way instead of God's way is what the Bible calls sin).

As I begin a new chapter of my life, my heart's desire is to allow God to be the scriptwriter, and to seek to follow his directions.  I am sure that there will be times when I mess up, when I get things wrong, and when I foolishly choose my own script rather than God's.  The good news is that God is brilliant at weaving even our mistakes and wrongdoings in a way which gets the script back on course!  I am excited to discover what God has in store; and as I ponder the future, into my mind has come some words from a song:

My tongue will be the pen of a ready writer
And what the Father gives to me I'll sing
I only want to be His breath
I only want to glorify the King.

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