Praying in Pickering

The rain started just as I stepped into St. Peter and Paul church in Pickering, a small market town in North Yorkshire yesterday. Not wanting to be soaked, and needing a few quiet moments, I sat and prayed, and read from the book of common prayer.

One of the readings came from Psalm 27:



The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? . . .

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.



The past 18 months have been hard times with my wife Kathy's illness, and then working night and day to make ends meet. For a long time, I felt like a weight on my shoulders, afraid that if I stopped for a minute, we'd lose everything.

The book I'm working on has helped alleviate some of that. So did yesterday's prayers, which consisted mostly of "Thank You" and "Help."

God is good. All the time.