Creoso -- Welcome!  Reflections
By: Gwen Hopkins
 (January 9, 1999) - updated May, 2002

Author's Note: Hi there to everyone. I started my own newsletter called
"Gwen's Place"about eight weeks ago, with items included each week about
my part of Wales in the United Kingdom. I didn't realize at the time that it
would lead to Jon asking me to write for Saturday Ramblins. I hope that I
am up to the task in hand. I leave my writings to what I feel God wants me
to say and pray that it will be the right thing said at the right time. I know
I can trust in him.

I bet a lot of you are like me and sometimes wonder why things happen in
our lives, sometimes good, sometimes not so good. Have you ever wondered
that it is God at work in your life. I know from personal experience and now
lay all my trust in him.

Wales was a country of coal mines and chapels, also of mountains and valleys.
It is very small in comparison to the United States. Now the coal mines are all
shut down and many of the chapels as well. But God is coming back to Wales, I
can assure you of that - not that he ever really left. For many years now, he has
spoken to me of one of his greatest gifts to us: love.

As we go into the millennium, let's go there in love - love for all peoples and
nations; in peace - for 1 John 4:21 tells us, "… he has given us his command:
Whoever loves God must also love his brother." Some of you will say this is
easy with family but hard to those who hurt us. I will tell you a true story that
happened to us a few years back. God showed me love and forgiveness, and
to this day I know the life I have now is of God's leading.
 

I had for many years wanted to run my own business and with a friend an
opportunity came along to do this. I sold my home and we moved to West
Wales to set this business up. My family and I ended up in Cardigan and I
started attending the local church there.

Within six weeks I had lost everything. The friend went off with all of our
savings, as I hadn't banked them, but kept them with us in cash. We went
through a really rough time. The person concerned also stole our car. When
I finally realized what had happened and the police were called in, he was
found at the side of the road after attempting suicide. All the money was
gone.  We were left penniless. My daughter, Tammika, was ten at the time.
My husband suffered greatly and has since suffered three strokes (he is
now 75 years old and still with us). I had to carry the burden of this for the
whole family and went to my pastor's wife. The pastor was abroad taking a
convoy of food and clothing to where it was needed.

As I explained to her what had happened, I realized that although we had lost
everything including our home, that I only felt love and forgiveness for this
person. He had accrued gambling debts, which we didn't know about, and
used our money to try to get himself out of trouble. His thought was to
gamble more to replace what he had taken.

He did go to jail for this, but God was with me and led me through it all. God
showed me instead why he wanted me in that part of Wales: to carry on his
work. I was able to go out and evangelize about the love of God, which, I
learned by experience, can over come everything. Today, we are still a poor
family in financial terms but I know that we are rich in God's love, and to love
and forgive those who do us an injustice is God's leading.

I pray for God's blessing on you all and that you will live in God's love.

A Blessed New Year to you all.
 

Update May 2002
 

Since the above was written, we have moved back to South Wales, after
my husband had a stroke - that was in1996.  We still live in the valleys
and God led me to his work here on the internet, as in 2001, with two
friends I met on-line, I started "Daily Reflections" - a site God led me
to build. I idn't think I was capable of this but since it's first days has
grown and those who visit the site and it's many pages, often write of
the Lord's blessing they have recieved from their visit. Unfortuantly,
Sandy has had to give up through ill health but Lynn - who is a blessing
in herself, still writes Bitz And Pieces, which is included on this site and
we were recently joined by Wilna from South Africa, who the Lord led
to us and write The Lighthouse section.

In my own life - I have been through many trials since 1992, including
the threat of abuse and living a daily mental abuse, which nearly broke
our family apart and which accumulated in my husband being placed in
a home.

During the following two years we learn't that the conditions of my life
were caused through my husbands illness and bit by bit we regained
the man I married nearly twenty five years ago and Tammika started
to regain the father she had loved.

In February of this year, my husband died and we were not there for
the last goodbye as it was so sudden - but we know that the Lords
Angels were with him and that he is now sitting at the Lords feet and I
thank God for the years together that he gave us - no matter how hard
they were - for those years cannot be replaced and the Love of God was
always with us - and got us through.........
"I shall never give you more than you can handle"
Each day the Lord Blesses me with His Love and keeps me going.  I
don't sleep much these days and continue to worry as us parents do
about Tammika, as she is suffering so badly over the loss of her father,
but I carry on - knowing that the Lord is with us and will take care.

The Lord gave Tammika the wonderful gift of singing and she uses
this gift as her job when she isn't in Unniversity studying for a degree
in Criminology - not only as her living but also to help others - as she
helps raise funds through her singing to help others.
A certain Gift From God

No matter where you are in your life - no matter what troubles you have -
the Lord is always at your side.  If you can remember that - even though
at times he may seem not to be with you - you will be okay - for He is
always with you through everything - leading and guiding you - for His
purpose.

I pray that you will all be Loved in your lives and know the Love of God
that passes all understanding - for without that Love, I would not be here
writting this to you today.

God Bless You All
Gwen