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