Fullness of Joy – Songs & Devo

Song: Your Love is Greater than Words could ever say

I met my husband, Nick in a Salvation Army men’s shelter for homeless alcoholics. I was with a team that was going in, ministers. A team of musicians that was going in to minister to them.

And as Nick always says… I must have ministered very well because we have been happily married for 37 years. We served for two years in the Salvation Army, the first two years of our marriage. Then after two years we left the Salvation Army.

We believed that God had other plans for us. I remember at the time thinking of Noah in the Bible when God called Noah to build an ark or boat. Everybody laughed at him because there was no rain, there was a drought. Why was he building this ark? But Noah acted in obedience to God and he stepped out.

We know in the Bible the floods came and the world was destroyed and All those in the ark was safe. So kind of felt a little bit like that. It Seemed like a crazy move but we were just obeying god. We moved to Aberston in Lancaster in England We lived with my granny until we got a house to live in..

And while we were there, when we moved I was pregnant with my first child. While we were there, Kirsti was born. On 17 th August 1988. 8 lbs. 3oz. I Remember holding this baby in my arms and thinking. Wow this is our baby. I felt so much joy.. she was our pride and joy. And she still is our pride and joy..we have unconditional love for Kirsti and we always will.

I didn’t. I. got pregnant more or less straight away with my second child because before Kirsti, I had had a miscarriage. It had taken a long time to conceive with Kirsti so the second child was coming very quickly and soon on in the pregnancy the scans were showing that something was wrong. And the Dr were saying there were Problems with the baby They actually described the baby. As having a small head. It probably just meant the baby was small but for me A young pregnant motherI was alarmed and I thought, what am I carrying. You knowI imagine this baby with a tiny head. There was worry andAnxiety Even during the pregnancy, She wasn’t growing. She wasn’t developing. I only put on a half of stone during the whole pregnancy anyway on the 20th of August 1989. One year and3 days after Kirsti was born and 3 weeks before my baby was due I went into the hospital. They were bringing me in for 10 days for observation where they could keep an eye on me..

So Nick dropped me off. He went to pick up my mum from the airport. She was flying In from northern Ireland to look. After Kirsti and I went into the ward and the nurse basically …. Gave me food. I asked for a lovely tea. I can t remember all the details. Then the nurse came she was listening to the baby’s heartbeat. As I listened I could hear ……. Vavoom. Vavoom. Like really, really slow and I thought. That doesn’t sound right. . So i asked the nurse, is everything ok? Yes, I think it is just a problem with the machine ad She disappeared. The next thing the room filled with all these doctors. They came in and said, your baby is dying in the womb. We are going have to operate right away. We are going to take you for an emergency cesarian . Now you haven’t eaten anything, have you?

I said, well yeah. I just had my tea. So then they made me describe everything that had eaten right down to every detail. Then he said to me, I just have to let you know that you may not survive this. You may choke because you have eaten. And you may not come through this. And then I was taken off to a little room to get prepared for this surgery.

So you Un imagine how I felt. I was actually trembling. I was alone. There was no mobile phones in those days. Nick wasn’t there and I was just shaking with absolute fear in this room. They were putting my clothes into a bag

And I thinking, “Sigh. if I don’t make it they are just going to hand him the bag rings and all had gone in. And say, Sorry she didn’t make it so. Oh I was very fearful!

I felt very fearful and I felt very very alone. So you see you may not always Be full of faith. Sometimes life’s circumstances caused us to be full of fear

…

Anyway, I went for the surgery and The next thing I opened my eyes and I just heard a voice say, you have a little baby girl. Our Daughter Grace was born. She was only 2 lbs. 15 oz. Even though she was so close to full term. They took her straight away into special care. I never got to see her at all. She went into the Special care unit and was placed in an incubator. Eventually After a few days and my recovery I was able to go and see her.

We put gloves and gowns on and we could reach through and be able to touch her through the incubator I really was in a state of shock. The shock even what I just had been through myself. But one thing ii. Knew that in spite of all my fears and uncertainties, that God had brought me through.

And we had a new baby

The next song I’m going to sing reminds us that there are treasures that money can’t buy.

Peace of mind joy and it is called “in your presence there is fullness of joy”

Song: “In your Presence there is Fullness of joy