As well as the main bulk of my testimony as described below, it would be a shame not to mention other ways in which God has helped me. Some are here, but there are more!
- the Word of God
When I was at university I went through a period of not knowing the 'status' of the Bible's words. I believed they were from God, but how much could I take them as they were? I met Christians from different traditions with different views, as well as evangelical Christians who were firm in the word of God being infalliable. I talked about this to one of our CU helpers, Beth Riden, who gave me a book on the topic from the evangelical viewpoint. Reading that book convinced me of the importance of the question, and also released me to more fully be excited about God's Bible as being proof of Himself! I then used the Bible in evangelism in a small study group with two friends and one other Christian. Both were good things to experience!
- Intercessary prayer
While in Zimbabwe on summer mission, 2008, God pressed home to me the importance of prayer, and interceding for others. That was through Don and Lorraine Odendaal, plus just Him working. Lorraine prophesied that I was to be 'Hannah' who prayed in the Bible. I loved interceding, after that!
- My baptism
I became rooted in Oxford Community Church from 2001, and decided to be baptised there. I studied about this: how in the Bible times, Christian adults went under the water in the river, symbolising Jesus death, and coming back to life (as they came up out of the water again). Jesus himself went through this event, as an example. My own baptism as an adult took place while I was in Neil and D Townsend's community group, and had the superb backing of many good friends. Even Clare Holinshead from uni days came, and Nissa and others witnessed it. Those that baptised me were then little known to me, but now I thank God for those specific ones: Keith Elmitt (the mission elder), and Dave Titmas, brother of my good friends Jeff and Amanda Titmas.
- Mission training
This wasn't anything too formal, but it was done through an evening class once a week for two terms, run by folk from our church, and called the Perspectives Course. It was wonderful to hear of God's unravelling story right through the Bible, of bringing the gospel to both Jew and Gentile, and developing a house of prayer for ALL nations. We looked at mission theory, before moving onto how people do it today, with an emphasis on working in teams and building churches. Hearing from experienced personell was exciting. I loved it all!
- International Students
Andy Buchanen from our CU was excellent at roping others into befriending and running events for international students, as he had grown up abroad and seen how his parents did it. And yet it was only really after I left Swansea that I developed a passion for this. In Cardiff, there was a Chinese student who I was permitted to meet with once a week to study the Bible in my Relay work time. From that time on, I was always interested to follow up on such friendships. I had seen hospitality modelled by the Owens in Cardiff, and Dennis and Freda Hawkes. NOOC in Oxford provided a great place to build further friendships, over the table tennis table, as did Friends International welcome meals.
- PrayOxfordJapan!
While on the Perspectives course, I met Chris Dunn, who was also interested in Japan. Him and his wife Vicki were so supportive of me, and God led us to start up a prayer initiative for people from our church, to develop prayer for Japan! As it happened, no-one (hardly) from our chrch came, but a few others from other churches did, so it was good for that! One time Chris shared a powerful word from God for me, which carried me forward. As the church members learnt about this interest from the church newsletters, Lulu Taylor shared a powerful word for me over the phone, through a dream she'd had, which was also significant.
- Personal growth
One of the main areas I needed to grow in before the time was right for me to come abroad was in anxiety management. Since my final year at university, I had become something of an anxious person. This started through exam stress and through incorporating into my life the deathes of some friends and friends of friends. As a result, I knew for the first time how timid people felt. I suddenly felt scared to be in public, to present anything in front of others, to fear hearing bad news again. It took me about three years to come through. I hoped that I would come through, and I knew that I couldn't come to Japan until it had as I wouldn't be a stable person abroad.
At first it was a matter of 'management' of those emotions and reactions, through the Bible verses:
'Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.' Philippians 4.8
Christians shouldn't fear but have 'love, joy and a sound mind' (reference needs adapting/adding)
and/or through breathing exercises and talking to friends.
But while in Oxford, God healed it through time, through prayer over emotion handling patterns learnt in childhood, and through people such as Debi and Naomi to advise, and even Koki Suzuki (unwittingly!) who I met with once a week for language exchange.
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