Good morning from London!
How exciting to be here after 13 years and how much life has changed!
23 year old Michael came here for an important job interview 13 years ago. He was young, he was smart and the world was his oyster!
He did that interview and it went so well that he cried in the toilet afterwards as he changed out of his suit and into his jeans. He knew he’d get the job as he told them what they wanted to hear and his technical expertise could not be faulted!
So why did he cry?
Because even then he was lost, he had no idea that nervous breakdown after nervous breakdown after nervous breakdown was to follow or that God had any plan for his life…..but what he did know is that he wasn’t happy!
And so today at 36 as I sit in this coffee shop I have some tears. The last 13 years of my life are still integrating into the past and it’s mindblowing how much life has changed!
As I see Toni here this morning I smile. The little guy I met 7 months ago in the coffee shop has made it to London! Nearly everybody went against us including his own people and yet here he is!
Was it the Holy Spirit that organised that when we got off the train we immediately bumped into one of our Croatian friends who was actually going to come to London with us before fear and people-pleasing got the better of her!
Sadly we clashed with the charismatic community over there who were not open to LGBT issues. Darka, their leader was a closed door and looking back perhaps her name was prophetic as this sort of attitude does indeed come from the “dark” side!
And so here is little Toni, 22, without a penny, no family and he has given up all to follow Jesus.
How much Jesus must smile on him this morning as he looks at London and feels scared and overwhelmed and yet full of courage to continue!
And as I write this I too am overwhelmed with gratitude to be the instrument of Jesus used to help Toni!
I’ve been beaten down at every twist and turn and yet here I am 13 years later back in London to be a witness of God’s love and hope to the world!
London is very expensive so please double your prayers for us, pass on this blog to anybody who may be interested in helping us financially and if you have any fund-raising ideas for us please share!!
In the meantime, may God bless you all, never give up on your dreams or lose hope in God for God has a plan for us all!
Special prayers for little Toni who starts his new life today! What a brave little soldier!
Bless all
Mike