Scotland October 19
Walking towards me, linked arm in arm were four men , their faces radiantly happy. They appeared focused on a person behind me and were determined to greet him. Each man carried a flag representing their own nation. A Welsh flag, a Cornish flag , a Scottish flag . Love and kindness shone in their eyes towards the person behind me. I turned to see who was the object of their love. The man behind me was carrying the flag of England!
This was the vision l was given back in July this year while carrying the cross through Pembrokeshire, Wales with my Welsh friend Emyr.
“Well, you’ve carried the cross through Ireland , Wales and Cornwall, so we’re off to Scotland next are we?”, chirped Emyr with a glint in his eyes.
I mulled over this vision. Could it be that Celtic Christians, united in love for their Saviour and for each other could be used to reach out in love towards England? Could nations that historically, have resented ,if not hated England be used to walk in unity, forgiveness and love towards their English brothers.
Reconciliation, forgiveness and unity often precedes a move of the spirit. Some may say that incredible disunity is being felt on the Political front in the U.K. Has God plans for the opposite to occur on the spiritual front.
“Get that cross out of Princess Street!”
I guess l have got used to the atmosphere in the central commercial areas of big cities but Emyr was so upset by the fear and rejection that came towards us as we carried our crosses down Edinburgh’s famous Princess Street. “Get that cross out of Princess Street!” , shouted a guy on a bus as he saw the crosses. Apart from a few Christians who were thrilled to see us there was for most part , either hard anger towards us or mocking arrogance.
However, at the end of the street a young homeless guy (see photo below) welcomed us with openness and respect. He told us that he had recently decided to be a Christian after a Godly man had prayed over him and he’d felt the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Princess Street might have been too busy or too antagonistic to welcome the cross but as we walked on towards Queensferry we talked with many. Students , tourists and locals , what an evangelist’s paradise! What a great , beautiful city!
Queensferry
The next day, wow , what a difference! We’d only walked a few steps when the Sardinian coffee seller at the Forth Road Bridge car park ended up praying with us to commit his life to following the Lord. What a beautiful spirit he had! What joy to start off the walk over the bridge towards Dunfermline!
At the end of the bridge we had another welcome surprise.The maintenance guys who work all year on the bridge loved us! They were giants! They looked like the Scottish warriors in the Braveheart film (See above). Although full of laughter one of them, an ex soldier, listened carefully as l sought to explain the gospel using the bridge as an illustration of what Jesus became when he died on the cross.
It is interesting that Jesus was often accepted and welcomed more by the humble working people. I imagine Peter the fishermen to be like one of those rough, tough Forth Road Bridge workers.
“My brother in law just died!”
My lungs weren’t working! I felt so ill with a chest infection that l considered throwing in the towel for the day. I usually keep pushing myself but had truly got to the end of my resources physically and just wanted to sleep for a week !I decided to press on , partly because l didn’t want to let my mate down.
Am glad l did because , as has been the story of my life, “God took Over!” once again . Puffing my way up a slip road a car stopped . A man jumped out and ran towards me blurting out that his brother in law had just died last night and he’d seen the crosses and ………his eyes filled up with tears! “Don’t talk mate “, l said as we embraced. “Let us pray for you!”. Jesus was there on that slip road, he organised it all!
When l picked up the cross again there was a new joy and strength to keep going. Further down the road we talked with a young guy who’d tried to commit suicide in the past. We spent a long time with him.
“How do l actually get Jesus in my heart?”
I could see in her eyes that she’d probably suffered abuse . She was there with an Alsatian dog and a child in a pushchair. I started to explain why we were carrying the crosses and she interrupted me with the question, how do l actually get Jesus in my heart. She was sincere, in earnest……..l wanted to reach out with God’s love so much to this hurting woman. I explained a simple prayer of commitment and we bowed our heads for her to repeat that prayer with me. As sometimes happens there was a distraction just as we were about to pray. Another dog walker went by , their dog barked at her dog causing the Alsatian to rear up aggressively………then the little child started crying.
“The devil hates these moments and will try all sorts of tricks to distract you from praying this prayer “, l said firmly. “Come on let’s pray now!”. She prayed with that beautiful sincerity that appears in the voice of those who truly want Jesus. The child was getting fractious and we had to cut things short.
“Learn to talk to God like a loving father. Get a bible , start with the bit about Jesus, Matthew, Mark, John, doesn’t matter. Find a church that loves you! Google it up and if the church looks like it’s full of happy people, try it. Tell the pastor that you want to attend a group for new Christians “.
I often worry that the church will let down these new followers. She didn’t have a mobile number and can only trust that she’ll find the help she needs to grow in Jesus. As we arrived in Dunfermline we met a local believer who was overjoyed to meet us. “I just want everyone in Dunfermline to know my Jesus!” ,he said as we prayed with him.
Good ol’ SallyArmy
Staying with my friends Karen and Steve who are now Salvation Army workers in the small ex mining town of Cowdenbeath we witnessed the great work that local Christians are doing there. Not only is the Salvation Army reaching out to the marginalised but the local Street Pastors have opened “The Clearing”, an outreach shop on the high street that is more than a charity shop , it is a centre for all sorts of outreach work, the council use it , the police, “Christians Against Poverty”, it seems that everyone who wants to help the people of Cowdenbeath use it Not only that, it is a church and the people of the street can instantly find acceptance and be discipled immediately.
We met “Burt” (see below), pastor at The Clearing, a man of God who has preached the gospel on the streets in every town in Scotland over a period of fifty days culminating in a Jesus March and rally in Princess Street, Edinburgh. I loved Burt immediately and saw the strength of God’s spirit and passion flashing in his eyes. Oh for more men and woman with the same spirit!
Alloa and Stirling
I was so happy talking with a group of young people outside the vape shop. Young men full of Scottish humour and yet knowing the sadness associated with broken homes, alcohol and drugs. I wished l could stayed longer. I loved these likeable rogues.
On the way out of town a young man coming out of the job centre prayed with me to ask Jesus into his heart. His girl friend was opposed to what l had to say and urged him to leave. She appeared to wear the trousers and l thought he’d meekly obey her. He didn’t, he was interested and prayed sincerely with me.
A lot of time was spent walking , worshipping and praying on the open road, the mountains of the highlands rising to our North. Our goal was Stirling and as we neared the Wallace memorial we could see Stirling Castle in the distance. Trudging through a downpour we still found people to witness and pray with. The crosses being carried is a witness in itself. One woman freaked me out when she stopped her car on a sharp bend to enquire as to why we were carrying the crosses. I thought that l better tell her the gospel quickly as there was every likelihood of her soon being dispatched up to meet the Lord by the next Lorry coming round the corner!!
The centre of Stirling saw the return of the pride and rejection that we’d experienced in Edinburgh. However, amongst the pride and rejection there were those who would listen .
What a great walk . Emyr and his wife Diane and l loved Scotland and want to return! Will the vision become a reality? I pray so!
Wales July 19
Starting by the cross at FFald-y-Brenin Christian Retreat Centre, Emyr and l carried the crosses through Pembrokeshire and although it is very rural almost every day we’d meet some one ready to receive Jesus.
Near St David’s there was a young nightclub security guy who prayed with me to give his heart to Jesus. In Pembroke a lorry driver also prayed. We met Andrew (see below), the Gym manger and his wife who we’d met in “The Valleys “ last year and who has, since then , given his life to the Lord and moved to Fishguard.
God oversees these walks. While talking to them a local Christian saw the crosses and invited them to attend his church. This Christians knew the nightclub guy who’d just accepted Jesus and told me he’d follow him up. Am always aware that there is a power, a mind bigger than us, that arranges everything.
On returning to Cornwall l got a phone call from a girl that l was at college with some 50 years ago. She’d heard my name mentioned by friends. I had apparently walked by her house in Milford Haven. What a wonderful phone call. I had tried to share Jesus with my fellow students back in the early ‘70s but none seemed interested. However, the girl was telling me that she’d recently attended an Alpha course and although she’d not had experienced the touch of the Holy Spirit it seemed clear to me that He was at work in her.
It might seem to many that all this walking and short encounters with people is what some have referred to as “hit and run evangelism “. I guess it is , but l’d rather hit and run evangelism than no evangelism at all. Our experience is that meeting Jesus can be likened to a slap in the face………a slap doesn’t last long but you certainly remember it. “Just one touch “ from the Lord can be something that will set you on the road for an eternity with Him!
What a year !!
Throughout the year have carried on carrying the cross in local towns, sometimes accompanied by other wonderful Christians who have operated in the Spirit using the particular gifts that God has given them, maybe words of knowledge, healing or a personal story of their own life that has been changed by meeting Jesus.
My friend Emyr often gets used in healing. He is naturally more shy of nature but , on one of our trips recently he parked his cross next to a barbers shop full of 20 working men waiting for a hair cut. “Anyone need healing today? Haven’t got much time but God’s power is here to heal now.” A builder asked for prayer for a bad back and was instantly healed causing his mates to also want prayer as well. When he gave his testimony they listened with respect.
While l still have breath l will carry the cross and reach out to all who will listen. God keeps me at a point of dependence on Him. He always takes over as He leaves the 99 to seek and to save the one that is lost!
Got married !
Got married this April to dear Catherine, a wonderful Godly woman. Am so very happy! We went to Australia and New Zealand for our honeymoon, seeing Seth and Layla who live out there! Ishmael is training as a paramedic in Cornwall and pops into see us. Dear Natalia is doing great bringing up her two boys down in Penzance.
Have found great contentment! Thank you Jesus for all my beautiful family and for you my wonderful friends who are living for and working with our Jesus. I send you all my love to you this Christmas as we press on to serve Him. Lindsay and Catherine.