Colin and Nicki are moving on

Sunday 26th July is a special day for a few reasons. My husband and I will be joining Uptown Church in Charlotte, which is only the second church I have regularly attended in my life. For over thirty years before that I attended, and since the age of eighteen, was a member of, Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh. And speaking of Charlotte Chapel, on Sunday morning, Colin Adams (Nicki's husband) will preach his last sermon there before moving to Northern Ireland to become pastor of Ballymoney Baptist Church.

I was thinking about Colin and Nicki, and how much they will be missed in Edinburgh. Colin is an extremely gifted preacher and I have been challenged many times under his ministry. I was thinking which of Colin's sermons stands out most in my mind and the one that I immediately thought of was a sermon on Psalm 16 which was entitled "Take refuge in God". You can listen to it here - it will be well worth your time.

Nicki has been such a great example of biblical womanhood, and has been a mentor to many women (even setting at least one of them up with their future husband!). She has also been tireless in offering hospitality to other people of all ages. She is a devoted Mum and a inspiration to me as I struggle with the daily reality of life with small children. I certainly miss our weekly coffee dates at the soft play centre!

They will be missed in Edinburgh, but as a new chapter opens for them, I am sure that God will use them in their new church. And life is like that. With each new opportunity God brings, there will be sadness at what we leave behind. Yet God is sovereign and will use our new situation to mould us and conform us to the likeness of Christ. Our surroundings may change, but our God does not.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Not To Us

This next week will bring a measure of sadness as two friends leave Edinburgh to embark on journey's that the Lord has mapped out for each of them. Catriona and Rachel (a.k.a fellow bloggers) are moving on. On Saturday our church will be rejoicing with Rachel as she marries John and then moves down to London. Not only will she be beginning married life with John, but she will become a pastor's wife!

Next Thursday sees my closest friend over the years move over to Charlotte, North Carolina. Catriona also embarks on a new chapter of life as she supports James in his new teaching role at RTS and takes up the privileged opportunity of giving up paid employment to work at home with her two lovely girls.

At times like this it is easy to become wrapped up in ourselves. We dwell on our sadness and become quite selfish as we think about the ways in which we will "lose out". We aren't always mindful of our sovereign God whose ways are altogether good, sanctifying us and bringing glory to his name. I'm therefore reminded, even in these difficult times, the words of Psalm 115;

Not to us, O Lord, not to us
But to your name be the glory,
Because of your love and faithfulness

And it is because of His love and faithfulness that I have had the great joy of partnering with these two amazing women in the work of the Gospel. And so, to God be the glory.