Chris writes: Port Issac is now a distant memory...we are in North Wales this weekend for a few days break visiting Lorraine's Father. We have had such a fantastic summer and have visited so many of our family, friends/supporters....but not all of them yet!! We have traveled from one side of UK to the other and back again.......to OM Birmingham, Halesowen....or the West Midlands (!!)..so we are now praying and trying to work out how our future is going to look here....of course only God knows the real answer to that one!!
We have now been in Halesowen for 2 weeks and are currently on an induction programme with a number of other singles and families joining at the same time....once again we have amazing provision...a house we can live in rent free....but that is a much longer story we will tell you sometime.
Meanwhile back in Kosova at Lighthouse we are hearing amazing stories of how God is blessing the work their...of kids clubs, movie nights and most excitingly of people becoming Christians!! WOW!!
So what of the future for us??? This is something we are praying about this weekend....can we both continue to work with OM as missionaries and be based in UK??? It seems that this is the path God is pointing us too....but more about that later .....hope you enjoy this from Rend Collective...MY Lighthouse........that is certainly our testimony....thanks for listening and praying....please do keep us up to date with what God is doing in your life
God Bless you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fiE5J_wwmY
Saturday, 14 September 2013
Saturday, 27 July 2013
Holiday in Port Isaac xx
Chris writes: we are just finishing a wonderful 10 days holiday in Port Isaac, Cornwall...we have had such an amazing time and have felt so blessed and de-stressed. Since we arrived back in UK 6 weeks ago we have had so many answers to prayer...spoken and unspoken...so many people have blessed us beyond our dreams with food, finances, friendship, accommodation and much more besides....in addition our hire vehicle was miraculously made available on the exact day we needed it....it all has just overwhelmed us.....our time in Port Isaac has been no exception and we leave here feeling very relaxed and loved and with so many photos recording so many happy memories.......God has used so many of you to pray for and bless us and we are so grateful to Him for the prompting and to you for the generosity and love expressed.
Here is a view from our front window:
We are now heading to London for some more debriefing then to New Wine for the second week.
And the future........we know that God is in control...He has not let us go without or let us down.....so we have to trust Him and let Him deal with the details......more to follow.....
Much love, in Him
Chris xx
Here is a view from our front window:
We are now heading to London for some more debriefing then to New Wine for the second week.
And the future........we know that God is in control...He has not let us go without or let us down.....so we have to trust Him and let Him deal with the details......more to follow.....
Much love, in Him
Chris xx
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Wimbledon!!.....ah...GB summer!!
Chris writes: Hi all......hope you are well and having a good summer....we are keeping as busy as ever....we spent some time in Worthing acclimatizing and catching up with friends and some of my family...then we moved to Bournemouth for the appointment Lorraine has been waiting for for a long time and many of you have been praying for...thanks!...we also got to see the first guy from GB in 77 years winning Wimbledon......interesting to note that GB has still won the title more than any other country...trivia fact for you!......then last week we hired a vehicle and drove north to have some meetings at the OM base near Oswestry and then visited another OM base in Birmingham before returning the vehicle back to Bournemouth.....we have been blessed with meals, money, accommodation, people prayed over us and caught up with so many good friends.....it is hard to believe we have only been back for one month!!
This week we have further blessings and answers to prayer as a vehicle from a Christian hire co has suddenly been made available to us for the same price for a month, as we pay from a regular co for a week!! Praise God!
We then head off to Cornwall on Wednesday for a rest....time to pray and reflect and be still before God as we seek Him over our future.....so really appreciate your prayers.....more later!!
After that we have more debriefs and will be at New Wine for the second week......hope to see as many of you as possible....somewhere over the summer....but do feel free to call or skype...
Have a great summer....
In Him
Chris
This week we have further blessings and answers to prayer as a vehicle from a Christian hire co has suddenly been made available to us for the same price for a month, as we pay from a regular co for a week!! Praise God!
We then head off to Cornwall on Wednesday for a rest....time to pray and reflect and be still before God as we seek Him over our future.....so really appreciate your prayers.....more later!!
After that we have more debriefs and will be at New Wine for the second week......hope to see as many of you as possible....somewhere over the summer....but do feel free to call or skype...
Have a great summer....
In Him
Chris
Monday, 24 June 2013
Back in the UK??
Chris writes: very early on last Monday morning we returned to the UK.....leaving Kosova, the Lighthouse and many friends and happy memories behind us. It is hard to imagine that in a few weeks/months time we have no commitment to return to Kosova, that we will not be getting back onto an aeroplane and returning back to a tiny country, a place in the Balkans that for the last 4 1/2 years we have called home. For the last 4 1/2 years every time we have left Kosova we have always had a return ticket with us...a ticket that has returned us to our home...to Kosova...on Sunday we boarded the plane with just a single ticket each.....to return us back to our home in UK....
Change comes to us all at sometimes in our life and it is important that we embrace it and face it head on and not try to hide from it or grow resentful that it is happening. Since 10th November 2008...it has been an exciting and roller coaster ride for us in Kosova...well to be honest as you can imagine it actually goes back before that....but if you have not been with us since the beginning of our adventures you can read it all yourself....we started this blog.....this adventure..on 25th October 2008....I think it makes good reading....but not about us.......but is a testimony to the God who took us to Kosova and the God that we believe has now returned us safely back here to the UK.
There are many thoughts and emotions and decisions we need to work through in the coming weeks and months and while we do not plan to rush, but take time to rest and pray, we will try to share some of them with you, but please do feel free to contact us if you have anything to share with us.....eventually we will probably need to close this blog and start a new one but for now during this transition stage, and until we know the title of our new blog we will continue this one.
For those of you that have been here and standing and praying with us since October 2008 and for those that have joined since 2008 thank-you, for believing not in us, but in the God we serve.....for He is the reason why we have been in Kosova for the last 4 1/2 years and to Him must be the glory.
Amen!!
With love and blessings to you all xx
Change comes to us all at sometimes in our life and it is important that we embrace it and face it head on and not try to hide from it or grow resentful that it is happening. Since 10th November 2008...it has been an exciting and roller coaster ride for us in Kosova...well to be honest as you can imagine it actually goes back before that....but if you have not been with us since the beginning of our adventures you can read it all yourself....we started this blog.....this adventure..on 25th October 2008....I think it makes good reading....but not about us.......but is a testimony to the God who took us to Kosova and the God that we believe has now returned us safely back here to the UK.
There are many thoughts and emotions and decisions we need to work through in the coming weeks and months and while we do not plan to rush, but take time to rest and pray, we will try to share some of them with you, but please do feel free to contact us if you have anything to share with us.....eventually we will probably need to close this blog and start a new one but for now during this transition stage, and until we know the title of our new blog we will continue this one.
For those of you that have been here and standing and praying with us since October 2008 and for those that have joined since 2008 thank-you, for believing not in us, but in the God we serve.....for He is the reason why we have been in Kosova for the last 4 1/2 years and to Him must be the glory.
Amen!!
With love and blessings to you all xx
Saturday, 1 June 2013
..........Happy 1st Birthday Lighthouse...!!.....
Chris writes: for those of you still not aware in two weeks time we shall be leaving Kosova and returning to UK to start another chapter in our life...we have not finished here in Kosova...but hope to do our supporting from UK....
......we are currently talking with a number of local people about forming a steering group that will manage and direct the Lighthouse, which we have established in Gjakova, we hope and pray this will enable it to go from strength to strength.....maybe it needs to change (location, name, opening times) and like anything else in the Christian life we must be ready to accept that....please pray for grace for all in this....
Today is the 1st Birthday for Lighthouse as we started renting one year ago today.....we don't know the future for Lighthouse or us when we get back to UK but what we do know is we have blessed many people over the year and impacted many lives around the world..many of you have contributed financially and prayed faithfully so you have contributed to this project as much as we have we are so grateful to each and every one of you.... some have even been able to come and join us and over the last few weeks we have had so many happy faces in the Lighthouse making cakes and other crafts....thanks especially to Jeanette and Shirley for that....
..........was this all just for a season??....only time will tell.....
Thanks so much for all your messages, prayers and words of support and encouragement....but please do keep praying.... especially for this week as we have someone from UK and someone from Holland visiting representing ISAAC...(International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition)....we have several meetings and next Saturday will be holding a drug awareness day in the Lighthouse.
Much love and blessings from us both xx
......we are currently talking with a number of local people about forming a steering group that will manage and direct the Lighthouse, which we have established in Gjakova, we hope and pray this will enable it to go from strength to strength.....maybe it needs to change (location, name, opening times) and like anything else in the Christian life we must be ready to accept that....please pray for grace for all in this....
Today is the 1st Birthday for Lighthouse as we started renting one year ago today.....we don't know the future for Lighthouse or us when we get back to UK but what we do know is we have blessed many people over the year and impacted many lives around the world..many of you have contributed financially and prayed faithfully so you have contributed to this project as much as we have we are so grateful to each and every one of you.... some have even been able to come and join us and over the last few weeks we have had so many happy faces in the Lighthouse making cakes and other crafts....thanks especially to Jeanette and Shirley for that....
..........was this all just for a season??....only time will tell.....
Thanks so much for all your messages, prayers and words of support and encouragement....but please do keep praying.... especially for this week as we have someone from UK and someone from Holland visiting representing ISAAC...(International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition)....we have several meetings and next Saturday will be holding a drug awareness day in the Lighthouse.
Much love and blessings from us both xx
Sunday, 19 May 2013
....."...light and momentary troubles...."
Chris writes: how is your life at the moment? how are things going with you?? We are good. We had a great time in Montenegro up in the mountains...there was snow on the ground and yet we were wearing t-shirts! was a really restful encouraging and great time of fellowship.....in the cafe back in Gjakova they had a great week...the person who stood in for us did a great job...which could bode well for the future.........
.........this week has been pretty quiet......we also had a visit from the immigration police......!!
Feeling a little like Paul....speaking to the Corinthians: "We are hard pressed.....but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair...." 2 Cor 4: 8 NIV ......!!
Maybe to some of you it might not come as a surprise then if you have heard our news that we are leaving Kosova and returning to UK.......but look further down the same chapter.....Paul talks about...."...light and momentary troubles...." 4:17
.......four weeks from today after almost five years in Kosova we shall be returning to England...our plan is to spend three months travelling, sharing with some of you and also resting while we wait on God and prepare for the next step.....the journey is not over and the adventure continues......
............your prayers and support have not been in vain....we have cast seeds and built relationships and we hope and pray that what we have begun can be continued....but we have to trust God that His will is best...but this is hard and easier said than done..
.......we still believe in vision of Lighthouse and maybe even would like to see more Lighthouses opening around Kosova in the future.........we are hoping and praying that someone...maybe a local person or persons can continue the work we have birthed and established in Gjakova.......if it is God's will........ we believe Kosova needs to hear and understand the message about drugs....we also must prepare for the future and be ready for some of the youth of today who sadly will become drug dependent in the future....these people must be provided for and is still part of our vision and it is so exciting now to have the support of ISAAC in this....
http://www.isaac-international.org/home/case-studies/kosovofromtraumatorestoration
...........more on this later
.........thanks so much for your support and prayers so far and we hope and pray you will stay with us.....our vision is not completed ..this is just the end of one and the start of another new and exciting chapter....
God Bless...we would genuinely value your feedback and happy to answer your questions/concerns
In Him
Chris & Lorraine
.........this week has been pretty quiet......we also had a visit from the immigration police......!!
Feeling a little like Paul....speaking to the Corinthians: "We are hard pressed.....but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair...." 2 Cor 4: 8 NIV ......!!
Maybe to some of you it might not come as a surprise then if you have heard our news that we are leaving Kosova and returning to UK.......but look further down the same chapter.....Paul talks about...."...light and momentary troubles...." 4:17
.......four weeks from today after almost five years in Kosova we shall be returning to England...our plan is to spend three months travelling, sharing with some of you and also resting while we wait on God and prepare for the next step.....the journey is not over and the adventure continues......
............your prayers and support have not been in vain....we have cast seeds and built relationships and we hope and pray that what we have begun can be continued....but we have to trust God that His will is best...but this is hard and easier said than done..
.......we still believe in vision of Lighthouse and maybe even would like to see more Lighthouses opening around Kosova in the future.........we are hoping and praying that someone...maybe a local person or persons can continue the work we have birthed and established in Gjakova.......if it is God's will........ we believe Kosova needs to hear and understand the message about drugs....we also must prepare for the future and be ready for some of the youth of today who sadly will become drug dependent in the future....these people must be provided for and is still part of our vision and it is so exciting now to have the support of ISAAC in this....
http://www.isaac-international.org/home/case-studies/kosovofromtraumatorestoration
.........thanks so much for your support and prayers so far and we hope and pray you will stay with us.....our vision is not completed ..this is just the end of one and the start of another new and exciting chapter....
God Bless...we would genuinely value your feedback and happy to answer your questions/concerns
In Him
Chris & Lorraine
Friday, 26 April 2013
What happened!!
Chris writes: how was your week? Do you ever feel like you have turned a corner and then realize there is another corner in front of you? Or climb a peak only to realize there is another peak taller than the one you just climbed and the first one was only preparing you for the next one? We know some ladies who experienced something of this lately!!
Has been a difficult week.
Had a great weekend with friends :) which was maybe preparing us for the week ahead.
It was great to see so many children at the movie night but I was badly prepared and most of the children ended up leaving early as they were bored and could not understand.
The cafe seems to have gone very quiet again : ( and very few children/customers are visiting...why??
It also seems that some Christians are not visiting us because of feeling intimidated.
Clearly we need to make some difficult decisions over the future of the Lighthouse.
.......but........we did have a wonderful opportunity to bless a friend this week :) and he was totally bowled over!!
I also had the joy of giving a cup of water to two boys this morning...the words '...whatever you did for the least of these....' were ringing in my ears.....wow what a joy!!
Next week we are away in Montenegro with the other OM teams from the Balkans on retreat.
Would appreciate your prayers for us and our friends
Thanks and God Bless YOU!!
2 Chron 20 !!
Has been a difficult week.
Had a great weekend with friends :) which was maybe preparing us for the week ahead.
It was great to see so many children at the movie night but I was badly prepared and most of the children ended up leaving early as they were bored and could not understand.
The cafe seems to have gone very quiet again : ( and very few children/customers are visiting...why??
It also seems that some Christians are not visiting us because of feeling intimidated.
Clearly we need to make some difficult decisions over the future of the Lighthouse.
.......but........we did have a wonderful opportunity to bless a friend this week :) and he was totally bowled over!!
I also had the joy of giving a cup of water to two boys this morning...the words '...whatever you did for the least of these....' were ringing in my ears.....wow what a joy!!
Next week we are away in Montenegro with the other OM teams from the Balkans on retreat.
Would appreciate your prayers for us and our friends
Thanks and God Bless YOU!!
2 Chron 20 !!
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