Sabbatical 2016: Drawing to a close and preparing for action

As we return from our whistlestop Celtic tour we have a few days left of our sabbatical to catch up and get ready for action stations again next week.

Reflecting back on the past three months we both feel that we have been given an amazing gift and have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. The things we have learned and experienced, the people we have met, the books we have read and the places we have visited will no doubt provide food for a fair few talks in the coming months!

It has been wonderful to come aside for this time and reflect on all the water that has passed under the bridge since Mark's last sabbatical in 2008. As with anyone's life there have been good times and happy memories to look back on as well as some dark and troubled days which I would rather forget, but through it all, God has kept us and sustained us, individually and as a couple, and continually given us the strength to get through to the next step in the journey.

As I look forward and prepare now for an exciting new season in my life with my new role officially starting in August I commit myself once again to God's plan and purpose for my life and trust that he will equip me for whatever lies ahead.

I pray that for each of you who have followed our travels via the blog, you will each know God's guiding hand in your lives and that you will put your trust in Jesus to sustain you through whatever lies ahead in your own life during the coming days and years.

This is my final blog on Sabbatical Reflections but I'm toying with the idea of writing an occasional blog during my time as World Federation Area Officer! If you would like to be kept up to date with what I get up to in the next five years or would be happy to be included in prayer/news updates please do email me on markcarolyn1983@gmail.com and I'll happily add you to my list.

I close with a prayer of St.Aidan of Lindisfarne:

Leave me alone with God
As much as may be.
As the tide draws the waters
Close in upon the shore
Make me an island, set apart
Alone with you, God, holy to you.

Then with the turning of the tide
Prepare me to carry your presence
To the busy world beyond
The world that rushes in on me
Till the waters come again
And fold me back to you.

Happy Bank Holiday everyone! Hopefully it won't rain too much!

A gorgeous little robin on Holy Island...I read that there is a legend that the robin got his red breast as when Jesus was on the cross a robin tried to remove the thorns from his brow to ease his suffering and got splashed with blood. A sweet story!