The Journey Begins...
"My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14
The Move
In our previous post we wrote of our spiritual journey of discerning our call to Northern Ireland. On the 29th July our physical journey began - the removal company arrived to start packing our possessions into what seemed like endless boxes. After a couple of days the boxes were full, the furniture was dismantled and the 4 small vans were packed. We were ready to say goodbye, when one of the vans wouldn’t start… We left the predicament in the hands of the company, not sure whether all our goods would make it across the water. However, thank you Lord, two days later, after we had made the journey across the Irish Sea, one big van arrived in Ballymena in glorious sunshine. We had all made it!
Since then our life has consisted of hours spent emptying boxes, driving to the tip and charity shop (with lots of items that were Alison’s mum’s that we had not had the time to sort before we arrived), arranging the kids new ventures, enjoying our new context and beginning to explore what this call to Prayer and Mission in Northern Ireland looks like.
A Welcome Change
After a couple of weeks of unpacking we had planned a week in a cottage in Co. Fermanagh, which was a welcome change. While we were there, we visited Devenish Island on Lough Erne, where we saw one of the best preserved round towers in Ireland.
These round towers rise majestically, as a beacon of faith pointing towards heaven. This one on Devenish was built in the 12th century. It was a bell house, a watch tower and a place of refuge. Its presence indicates the prestige of the monastery that was located on the island of Devenish.
Through the peace, beauty and historic significance of this place, (and the Lord showing off His handiwork in a rainbow as we were there) Alison and I had a deeply spiritual moment as we were reminded of why we were called here: to help un-dig the wells of prayer and mission that were pioneered in so many places around the island of Ireland.1
As we looked around Devenish we were reminded of the words,
“My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14
Another ‘well’, this time an actual well, just down the road from our holiday cottage was St. Ninnidh's Well. St. Ninnidh, (pronounced “Ninny”) was a sixth century Priest who is regarded as one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.
After St. Patrick’s time, the Celtic Church was divided into many territories and ruled by Abbots of Monasteries. St. Ninnidh built a monastery on Inishmacsaint Isle (near Devenish) around 530A.D. He journeyed up and down the southern portion of Lower Lough Erne in a hollowed-out boat, making his way ashore and traveling inland to meet the people and spread the gospel.
St Ninnidh was said to be blind in one eye and many have come to this well praying for clear sight. Our prayer as we begin this journey is that we may have clear sight to see what God is already doing and how He wants us to join in.
A New Routine
We are now getting into some sort of routine with Samuel having started at Northern College, Coleraine, doing a BTEC in Music and Erin starting at Cambridge House Grammar School. We are still waiting for a school place to become available for Eliza and so we have decided to home school for now, praying that the Lord opens the door for a place at the same school as Erin.
Prayer and Mission
As we begin to explore what the Lord has put in our hearts and the call to un-dig the wells of prayer and mission on the island of Ireland we are looking to build:
A House of Prayer - As we begin to settle Alison and I continue to have a rhythm of personal prayer. What I am realising is that the call to be a House of Prayer is first and for mostly, a call to us personally to become a house of prayer.2 The space created in our new life is giving far more opportunity to pray, for which I am very thankful.
We have begun to see the Lord go before us in opening the way for the kids to connect with similar aged kids from local churches. We have begun to connect with church leaders & other disciples through Ballymena House of Prayer meetings (formal & informal), attending local churches (seeking to connect and also find a spiritual home for the family) and other conversations the Lord seems to be opening to us.
We have definitely sensed the Lord go before us in all of this.
A 24/7 Prayer Community - before we moved, the vision I was thinking about was to invite disciples from across the churches and organisations in and around the Ballymena area into a 24/7 Prayer Watch. There is clearly an appetite for prayer amongst some, with 9 churches taking a day a month to pray for the wider area, but the work of connecting churches and believers is a work in progress.
Connection with Tobar Network & Nua Festival - we have been invited again to the Tobar Leaders Day and Conference on 27-28th Sept. Remembering our time there last year, we are expectant of what the Lord will say and do this time. The Nua Festival dates were announced last week and so we look forward to 20-22nd June to gather with others to seek God for a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit on the island of Ireland.
And finally, if you haven’t already, would you consider joining us as we step out in faith seeking to follow the Lord’s call knowing that, He goes before us...?
Prayer – Would you be willing to pray for us – we would love for you to join us in prayer for this new adventure.
People – Would you be willing to become part of our team of supporters – we would love to keep in touch through our posts and/or for you to join us in meeting on a video call up to 3 times a year to pray together and share our journey.
Pounds – Would you be willing to give to support us financially? This journey is a journey of faith and we do not have any regular source of income, apart from the gifts of those who have already given. We would love to invite you to consider if you can support us in this way - whether a one-off gift, for a few months or over a longer period...? You can give in a tax efficient way through our Stewardship Individual Partner Account.
Please use this button below which will take you directly to our Stewardship Account.
We are so grateful to those who have read our story, been in contact, prayed and given to enable us to begin this journey.
Thank you so much for reading.
With thanks and love,
N,A,S,E & E
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Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham… and discovered a well of fresh water there.’ Genesis 26: 18-19
The death of a visionary can soon lead to the source of the original inspiration and anointing being ‘filled in’. In Genesis 26 Isaac desired to reopen the wells his father dug. We are praying that God may use us along with others to reopen the wells of prayer and mission pioneered across the island and Ireland, that there might be wells of living water.
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:38
Jill Weber explores the idea of us becoming houses of prayer in Even The Sparrow https://muddypearl.com/product/books/biography-and-spiritual-memoir/even-the-sparrow/