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A joyfull and blessed New Year to all
0 Comments | Posted by goosvedder in My Ministry Trips
The past weeks have been wonderfull. Christmas with all the children and grandchildren. Today an tomorrow the birthdays of two of the most inportant women in my life, Christ and Abi. I pray that during this coming year all of you will experience more of His Love and Grace as you grow closer to Him.
I feel I have conquered jet a new challenge as I have writen this from my IPhone
The picture is of our garden after heavy snowfall yesterday turned it into a fairytale scene.
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Holland and European Prayer Breakfast in Brussels
2 Comments | Posted by admin in My Ministry Trips
This week I flew over to Holland to be with my mother; she will soon be 85 and I hadn’t seen her since August. We’re praising God for the steady progress she’s been making since her last stroke, so much that the medical staff are now talking about her going back to live in her own home again. I’m sure it was no coincidence that, after I’d booked my ticket for Holland, I was invited to participate in the European Prayer Breakfast in Brussels. Jacek Matlakiewicz drove over to Holland so we could go together. It was an amazing experience! More that ever before I realised that the Lord, in the way only He can, places people who love and follow Him with all their heart in strategic and influential positions. 
The main speaker was Andre Rouvoet, the Dutch Deputy Prime Minister, who shared about the aspirations of so many east European citizens who long for freedom, while here in our comfortable democracies in the west we have taken so much for granted. He then continued to spell out to all of us the responsibilities that come with freedom, quoting many times from Paul: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Gal. 5:13). From every angle and using many practical illustrations he stressed how we are to take our responsibility seriously in politics. It was a privilege to interact with a number of them, personal details were exchanged and only the Lord knows what will come out of this.
One more evening with my mother: We talked today over lunch about the time I left home at 19 to study at the Bible College of Wales in Swansea, Wales – she realised that I might never come back into her life again if I went from there to some far flung place in the world. This made me think about the two amazing women in my life, Mama and Chris, my wife, and how they have been willing to make the sacrifice to let me go. It’s a challenge to reflect if we are willing to release people – sons, daughters, leaders – into the further purposes of God. Are we willing to let go of things we feel we have a right to, such as ministry, churches, positions? It’s the women in my life who probably challenge me most – not forgetting my radically-minded daughter!!.
Tomorrow I will catch the early plane from Amsterdam to go for a long weekend to Szczecin. I will keep you posted.
During the 12 days home we had a busy programme as we had my youngest sister Marianne and her husband Wouter stay with us. We had been looking forward to this for a long time and had a lot of fun together. What made it particularly memorable was that we celebrated our grandson Josh’s 18th birthday at the weekend with a big family party. And now on Sunday my granddaughter, Janneke will become 13 and a teenager. At times like these I realise that I must be getting older!!
It is already two weeks since I returned from an encouraging time in the USA. It was such a joy to be with Chuck and Vi Pals and other friends in Chicago, whom we helped in establishing Living Word fellowship in the early eighties. The church is a vibrant community who have established two new growing congregations in the past few years. It is so encouraging to see the progress and the steady growth with every visit.
During my time there I stayed at the home of David and Sharon van Dyke who have been a great support to the work of Diakonia. Dave and Tim Pals (son of Chuck and Vi) a few years ago rose to the challenge as successful businessmen of travelling to Novosibirsk, Siberia, to teach and encourage an emerging group of entrepreneurs. During my time there I also was able to have a lot of fun riding one of their buggies.
From there I went to the north of Chicago to spend a few days with Jacek and Wendy Wheadon and the Polish Fellowship they lead. Although they have now been given their all-important Green Card, they are experiencing difficult times. They seem to have been affected by the economic downturn, more so than the established American families around them
After a 7 hour drive I arrived in Spooner, Wisconsin where I stayed with my friends Tom and Chris Clements, who together with Michael and Rebecca Macone have become the focal point of a growing group that has gathered around them. It was refreshing to be in a gathering where everyone participated in making valuable contributions.
“A true story…”