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The
reality of happiness
Colin
Bond takes
a trip down memory lane, where he finds plenty of roses - and
a few thorns...
 've
spent a life searching for 'reality' and underlying reality I
think is happiness. To find purpose, direction and fulfilment
in life has been my goal, my search. I'd been born before
the Second World War - Father went away to the war, Mother also
moved away, so I lived as an 'evacuee'. That was what we were
called then, perhaps today termed a 'foster-child'. The media
may portray war as glorious, and old men talk of the Good Old
Days but for me war was destructive of family life, brought fear,
loneliness and a deep sense of rejection. I am told that by twenty-one
years old I had lived in twenty-one homes. At age nine or ten
I heard an old country preacher proclaiming that Jesus loved me,
wanted to accept me, had a plan for my life and would I respond
and ask Him into my heart. I was a psychological mess so no way
was I going to do anything in public but as a lad I went home
and cried into my pillow to think anyone loved me and wanted me.
"Jesus, if you want me, You can have me," was my boyish
prayer.
Something
real yet mysterious happened. Jesus really was my 'Everlasting
Father', I really was 'Dad's boy'. I belonged! A new life was
opening up. And what a life it has proved to be! I soon rejected
religious traditions. Bells, smells, religious clothes and traditions
were not attractive. I liked the story I heard about the little
boy asking Grandma what all the pictures around the church wall
were about. "Hush," she said but he persisted. She explained,
"The plaques were in memory of all the people who died in
the services." "Which ones?" he asked. "Morning
or evening?" My father had returned from the war, married
again, collected my older sister, set up family and sent us to
church three times every Sunday. That would have finished me except
Jesus found me!
was so grateful that I wanted to serve Jesus with my life. I thought
being a doctor was it but didn't have enough money or enough brains
so I opted for teaching. (Not enough brains for that either!)
School gave an opportunity to share with others this wonderful
father, Jesus, I had found. Many young people received Him into
their lives. Many of you readers will remember those days. Many
of you are in the town's churches today, many around the world.
One turned up in a mall in New York. Surprise! Surprise! Memory
lane is rosy with recollections of camps on Dartmoor and Woolacombe,
hotel parties at Torbay, caravan weekends at Mother Ivy's Bay,
youth clubs, barbecues etc. Challenging but fulfilling and fun.
A real time of happiness. Were you there? Like to write in your
version? Send it in!
The
youth work at Tavistock College met religious opposition, prayer
was answered in an unexpected way when Bill Ames, County Youth
Officer offered rooms for the children to meet, churches were
suspicious of us and my own church wouldn't accept us. We were
on our own! I forgot! On our own with Father! I had been thrust
out and the buck stopped with me! No, with Father! More problems,
more challenges but Father was training me, disciplining me, preparing
me for other things of which I had no idea! Children's lives were
changed as they let Jesus influence them. Parents approved. They
wanted a meeting. They became involved. They came to Jesus as
Lord. I was becoming an unwilling pastor! I was out of my depth!
Father wasn't! This has become a way of life now. But it's real.
Exciting, frightening, challenging but joyous and happy.
've
found happiness comes from knowing God in the heat of hectivity,
challenge and being stretched to a place where only faith holds
on. Now as you may know, God has dropped my wife and me and
the church into a huge work in Central Africa. Three times I know
of attempts to kill us and each time God has brought favour and
blessing out of the troubles. Life has become 'hairy' yet living
on the edge has brought us nearer to God and his miraculous provisions.
Life serving Jesus is exciting and a joy bubbles away deep inside
giving a sense of happiness through all the trials and good times
too. Maybe you'll see the next exciting saga in Kings News 28!
Colin
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