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About 30 years ago I'd been on a trip to Israel

My Bible: reasons to believe in the power of the Bible

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‘About 30 years ago I'd been on a trip to Israel, which was wonderful, and on the trip back home it was really busy on the train from Reading; our group was split up and seated all over the train. I was very tired because we'd had a very early start and I was dozing, not fully asleep but not fully aware. I distinctly heard a voice saying, “Genesis 22”. I looked to see who said it, thinking it might be the priest who had organised the trip, but it wasn't – and everyone around me was dozing.

‘When I got home, I opened my Bible at Genesis 22 – the story of Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac which begins, “God tested Abraham”. That was prophetic. Over the next few years my marriage broke up, and someone I was very close to committed suicide – I was heartbroken. I dislocated my shoulder, my younger son broke his arm, and I broke my ankle. My older son had a serious head injury, from which, thank God, he made a miraculous recovery, and my son's partner had a stillborn daughter.

‘I'm not in the habit of hearing voices; that’s the only time it’s happened to me. It has been a test of faith and endurance. 

‘Two years ago I fell into depression – it hit me like a bomb. I have never had to go on anti-depressants and I wore that like a badge of courage, but we all have our breaking point. I was really helped by a programme on God TV with Dr John Lockley about Christianity and depression – he said it's not a spiritual problem, and you can no more help it than you can help having appendicitis.

‘My ex-husband and I had a real love match, but he went off with another lady – he wasn't really the marrying type. I have long since forgiven him and there has been real healing there. 

‘I've never lost my faith, but it has been hard. Life is wonderful, but it's not wonderful all the time. Sometimes my prayer life has consisted of screaming at God, but as a very wise priest said to me, “God is the only one who can take it!” So we worship him in the valley as well as on the hilltop.’

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