Paul Bennison, Author at Paul Bennison

Cali’s (pretty much) Irish invasion!!

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal Leave a comment

CALI, COLOMBIA – well, three and a half days until we head for the airport, on the way to what I feel is going to be a very special trip, to wonderful Cali. The biggest team for some time…. please pray for the logistics of getting around – especially when you’re trying to get one taxi to follow another in Cali’s rather ‘unique’ traffic!!

We’d really value your prayers for the whole trip. The enemy’s been having a right go, which isn’t surprising…

I’d value your prayers, too, as my financial condition leaves a bit to be desired – still some (to me, quite bit!) to pray in.

This isn’t an ‘appeal’, I’ve not wanted to do that, as many of you supported the lovely Romanian young lady through her medical traumas recently. For those interested, she’s through the cancer surgery, had the hysterectomy – but while she was in hospital for that, her dad died (the family didn’t tell her while she was hospitalised, as she was stressed and traumatised enough: and you don’t want to know how much funerals cost in Romania!) – and when she left hospital about 2 weeks ago, she’d still got abdominal pain, saw the doctor – and is currently in hospital again having had an appendectomy….. 🙁 – her appendix was on bursting point, so peritonitis was just about the last thing she needed. What should have been 24 hours in hospital has already turned into 5 days, as her body hasn’t recovered well – I guess it’s in shock from recent events…

The last surgery is why I’m a bit ‘short’ (money, not height – though I am that, too!!): I honestly couldn’t ask again for help for her, so I drained my account and attacked a credit card (I hate using credit cards if I’m honest) to pay for it. Thank God for the NHS, as it cost 1700 euros!

So your prayers are coveted!! Thank you and bless you. I will try and blog here every day for those interested in all that God does, this time practically, through Thanney and other team members who want a bit of physical work! – and spiritually. It’s going to be good…..

Fat people are harder to kidnap…..

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Random Thoughts, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

It seems unreal to me to think it’s a year since I’ve been to the country, and the city, closest to my heart: Colombia, and Cali. Due to team ‘personnel’ issues the March and July trips were cancelled late on, and I feel like I’ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms since last November! This Friday, I head back ‘home’ and this trip is GOING to happen! I’ve also got the biggest team that I’ve taken for a long time – normally it’s me and 3 others: there are 5 others this time, and, with the exception of one of my best mates, Lee Collier (he’s been 2 or 3 times before), none have experienced the amazing ‘open heaven’ that is over Colombia, and expecially Cali.

The six of us would really appreciate and value your prayers: I’m believing for God to do what he always does there: but really, I’m asking him to gives us ‘more than I’d ever dare to ask, dream, or imagine’. The six of us going are:

Davy King – from Londonderry, Northern Ireland: a good friend growing in faith and effectiveness for healings: a man quite happy to pray for anyone he sees that God says to pray for, in places like hospital waiting rooms. Davy seems to know almost everyone in Londonderry, and those he doesn’t know seem to know him! He’s 52, I lose count of how many are in his family – he has lots of brothers and sisters! – and three (I think!) children of his own, and a number of grandchildren. Davy is a very practical man, and something of a ‘jack of all trades’!
Davy King
Andrew Seaton – from Bangor, Northern Ireland: a Sales Manager, worship leader, and has been praying for the sick for some years. Married to Orpah, Andrew is 48, two children, Callum and Naomi. Andrew’s been ‘thinking’ about going to Cali for a few years – this year, I – or God! – was obvious more persuasive! Andrew has, very kindly, shuttled me to and from airports for trips – though this time he’s going, so the shuttle won’t work!
Andrew Seaton
Lee Collier (35 I think!) – from Maidstone, Kent: a man who, like just about everybody who’s been with me – fell in love with Cali on his first visit, and is back again. Lee is a Registrar Neonatologist (it’s fantastic to have a doctor on the team who believes in miracles!), married to Katie, also a doctor
Lee Collier (he’s the one on the left!!)

partner in a GP surgery, who has also been to Cali, and loves miracles. As well as being a successful doctor, Lee also has a degree in Computer Systems Engineering – he’s been my ‘saviour’ a myriad times with his computer genius, though I’m glad to say he’s never treated me for any of the babies I’ve been pregnant with! He and Katie have a gorgeous daughter, Mary, 2 years old, a miracle herself. Lee is also a worship leader, and a genius with sound and light systems, and electronics generally. Needless to say, I don’t feel in the least inferior to all of Lee’s multple gifts (not!!).
Thanney Pyper, 62, from Bangor, Northern Ireland: a very good builder with his own business, Thanney (Nathaniel – but he doesn’t like being called that!) is married to Colette, and has two daughters, and a son. We met, and got to know each other very well, when he came to do some urgent repairs to my house when I had a leak from my main water tank. Thanney initially wanted to go on this trip to do some building,
Thanney Pyper (hes the bigger one!!)

but as the time has got closer, he’s longing to see people healed and ‘miracled’ when he prays for them. Thanney has raised quite a large amount to buy good quality power tools, to take with him, use them there, and then leave them with someone who’ll make good use of them.
Adrian Curry – Adrian, from Londonderry, has recently become a friend, I don’t know too much about him yet – but he’s recently completed a 3 year Bible college course, and is now ordained. Adrian is married, a man of faith, a good evangelist, and loves praying for the sick. He has a reall lovely spirit, I’m looking forward to getting to know him better! No picture of Adrian yet….
And me…..!!! I won’t bore you with any information!! – just a picture with a Cali pastor who truly is one of the best friends I’ve ever had…..
One of the greatest friends a guy could ever have, Pastor Wilmar Gomez, with some BritGit…

As well as a lot of practical building work, there’ll be many church visits, we’ll spend time at the lovely Ana Beiba’s Home for Abandoned old people, with the wonderful Enrique Leal, at Reconocer, the Christian Drug Rehabilitation centre he’s run for many years, with lovely Ana Bustos, and the street people she blesses immensely, visit hospitals, prisons (I hope!), and whatever else God and the local pastors put in front of us to do. What I do know is that the time we’ll be there will go far too quickly! And it’ll be wonderful to be in 30C temperatures every day, enjoy the glorious fresh fruit juicescoffee, and the occasional wonderful steak!

Some years ago, I found this sticker, bought 4 of them, and stuck one on my luggage for going to Colombia. The immigration soldiers (yes, they were soldiers, then – still are, I think!) thought it was so funny they asked if they could have it…. the first three, I said yes to, but then superglued the fourth one as I didn’t think I’d find another the same to buy! Well, I found a patch, which I’m sure I’ll iron on somewhere, for the arrival in Bogota on Saturday morning…..

As usual, when I’m in Cali, I’ll try and blog every day, perhaps get each othe guys to contribute what they feel about what God’s doing…. that’s if you want to read lots of stories of miracles…..!

Wonderful God!

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Random Thoughts, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

On a recent day spent in Londonderry/Derry, it was just such a blessing to see God at work again. It was a long, and tiring day, and it was a wonderful blessing not only to be with my now very good friend Davy, but to have another very dear friend, Michael Gerner, with me. I’ve got to know Michael well over the past few months, and he really blessed me by offering to drive me to Derry – a lovely respite for my legs, which are taking their time to recover from the fall I had a few weeks ago. It was even more of a blessing, as Michael lives in Carrickfergus, which, compared to Bangor, is well on the way to Londonderry, and 45 minutes’ drive from me.

To have another faith-filled pray-er, was wonderful – Davy’s faith is growing exponentially, and Michael is from a line of faith-filled believers. Sickness didn’t stand a chance! As always, many of the names have disappeared from brain (!), but we prayed with a lovely lady, Irene, who, in recent visits, has been healed of fibromyalgia, osteoparosis, osteoarthritis in many parts of her body, especially hips and knees. Irene was suffering with a trapped sciatic nerve, which was so excruciating that she was falling over. If you’ve ever had one, you’ll know that a trapped sciatic nerve is totally debilitating, and the pain is indescribable. Irene was healed instantly, which began a train of events related to her that was wonderful. Her sister, Yvonne, in her 70s I’d guess, had had three strokes some 8 years ago: the third had left her totally paralysed, and she’d been in an old people’s home since. She had no movement, even in her hands. While we were with her, God began the miracle: she began to grip Davy’s hand, and even th change in her face said that something significant was happening. She had tingling in her body, which she’d had no ability to feel for those 7 years. Davy called me Friday: Irene had called him, she’d been with Yvonne tht afternoon. While looking away to talk to another resident, Yvonne sat up, and was sitting on the side of the bed when Irene turned back to her. Then she stood up, and began to move…. what happens in the next few days will be incredible!

In the next room to her was a lady in her 90’s, who’d had no movement in her legs for a very long time. By the time we left her, she was ‘high-kicking’ her legs – and that’s increased since. She’ll be walking this week….. Opposite her, in another room, was a lovely lady who’d had to have both legs amputated. She’d had no feeling in the stumps, though she had experience ‘phantom’ pain in the lower halves of her legs that weren’t there. This day, she felt heat and tingling in her legs: her astonishment was evident! 20+ years ago, God grew a brand leg for a lady in a mountain village in India, she only had a small stump at the base of her butt, she’d been born with muscular dystrophy, and her leg had totally withered and gone 30-35 years earlier. To hold the stump, and see and feel a new leg grow, is a feeling I’ll never, ever forget – watching a calf, knee, shin, ankle, and foot grow as my right arm moved with the growth, was just indescribable – all in about 1 minute. I’m believing the same thing is going to happen for that dear lady…. it was a medical error that had caused her legs to be amputated in the first place. God’s going to bless her….

It was yet another day when everyone prayed was either healed, or the healing process began. We must have visited about 6 homes, plus the old people’s home, and prayed for a dozen to 15 people at least….

God, you blow me away…. I posted this on Facebook the other day, and it’s so true:

I believe in God.
Not because my parent s told me to.
Not because a church told me to.
But because I’ve experienced how awesome he is.

And I haven’t even scratched the surface of his awesomeness yet….

Live long in the land….

Posted on October 1, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Random Thoughts, Testimony Leave a comment

To add to the post that I wrote yesterday about my dad (I’ve put it below if you don’t see Facebook), and really making the most of, and honouring, your parents, it’s been my privilege over the years to pray with countless people who – humanly – have every good reason NOT to honour, or forgive, their parents. Yet, when Jesus becomes involved in that situation, forgiveness and restoration bring amazing healing. I know countless situations where families have been restored through the willingness to forgive, and the power of that forgiveness. Children of abusers, murderers, theives – find that there is redemption.

When dad died. for some years I had major emotional and psychological issues, understandably.. Mum struggled to be a single parent, especially with a ‘troubled’ teenage son: we certainly had our battles and confrontations. When I got ‘properly’ saved (as opposed to being a ‘christian’ because I’d gone to church all my life), everything with mum changed. It was a lovely relationship. When mum was hit with vascular dementia 11 years ago, it meant her mind ‘went’ overnight. I wanted to visit her as often as I could in the care home, even though she lived in West Cornwall. I committed to seeing her for at least a couple of days every six weeks, even though from the first visit she had no idea who I was (that remained until she joined dad – without doubt much to her joy – in March 2010). For four of those 5 years in care, I was based quite a lot of the time in the USA, so it was a long trip to see her, but I’m so glad that I did, as she’d really sacrificed her life to bring me up through those tough years, when she was in desperate grief herself. It was the least I could for her after her life of serving other people, especially me.

Often, it’s pride that keeps us from restoration: often, the lies of others, that we’ve believed, that makes us determined not to forgive. ‘Forgives us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us’. Luke 11:4.

Isn’t that something? Jesus teaches that as we ask our Heavenly Father for forgiveness, we should also confirm our practice of forgiving others. Of course, this assumes that we are in the practice of forgiving others, an assumption that may or may not be true for us. How could we pray in the way Jesus teaches us if we are unwilling to forgive? How could we ask God to forgive us if we hold grudges or become mired in the quicksand of resentment? There are a few verses in the Bible that scare me: Luke 11:4 is one of them. Forgiveness is such a powerful thing. If we don’t forgive, the end product is too scary to contemplate. I guess many of us know – I certainly do – that unforgiveness destroys US more than it damages the person we haven’t forgiven. And when it’s our parents, it taks on an even greater significance, because of what God said in the ten commandments.

Not forgiving parents (or anyone, come to that) is not given to us an option in the Bible, is it? Exodus 20:12 says “”Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” It was a long time into my Christian life before I really took in the second half of the verse: it’s hugely significant, and I know of people personally who are, or will be, on the ‘wrong end’ of that verse, because of unforgiveness. While forgiveness is often far from easy, it certainly isn’t impossible. And I know myself, that I can’t hold on to unforgiveness, and maintain doing what God has called me to do. Those of you who know me well, will know some of the ‘areas’ of my life that I’m referring to. I can’t imagine getting to the end of my life still holding on to unforgiveness from decades back….

There’s a great song from some years back, ‘The Living Years’, by Mike & the Mechanics, which is very sad: maybe something some Christians can learn from it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUdiQWxps5E

Don’t waste your life holding on to unforgiveness: I pray with many people whose illnesses stubbornly won’t go when prayed for, then to discover that they haven’t / won’t / can’t forgive someone…. and I don’t know about you, but I really do want to live long in the land the Lord my God is giving me…..

Facebook post 30 September 2016

Being very aware that there are some situations where this might not be possible, for various reasons, I’d love to encourage the majority of who can do it, to really make the most of your parents….

I know I’ve talked about my dad often, he was a wonderfully special, Spirit-filled man, loved by everyone. It was 51 years ago today that he died, aged 41, when I was 12, I’d just got home from school…. the impact dad’s death had on me was immense.

With dad, May 1965, in Friston Forest, East Sussex, just 5 months before his his untimely relocation from East Dean to Heaven.... — With dad, May 1965, in Friston Forest, East Sussex, just 5 months before his his untimely relocation from East Dean to Heaven….

And today, Friday 30th, I’m aware how much I still miss him: how much I’d love to sit and talk to him, listen to his wisdom, learn from his wonderful relationship with Jesus – and I’ve always wished that I could have talked to him about his experiences in the Second World War, he was a bomber pilot.

I know that he’d have been my best friend if he’d lived: I look forward to seeing him again when it’s my turn to go to where he’s enjoyed living for the last 51 years!

Wonder of wonders – a blog!

Posted on September 24, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Testimony, Travel Leave a comment

Don’t faint, this really is a blog post, after a long delay! There is a genuine reason – my laptop ‘died’, and, depending on what you pay for when you buy one, it can take weeks to get a computer repaired. And in repairing it, it was completely re-formatted, which meant I lost everything on it…. 🙁 . For someone as un-technical and un-geeky as me, that’s a bit of a nightmare! So it’s taken me a long time to get it up and running again….

I won’t even attempt to ‘blog’ the last few weeks (or months!), as it’d be so long…. I haven’t been inactive – I’ve been regularly in Londonderry, as I have been since April/May, and there have been some amazing miracles that God has done – including countless arthritic/osteoarthric/rheumatoid arthritic healings, including a lobrly older lady, Peggy (I think her name was) who hadn’t really been able to walk without excruciating pain in her knees, back, and neck, for over 30 years. She just jumped up from sitting on her couch – which she’d sat down on with extreme caution – and she began to stride up and down her living room, and around her house…. another one where I could genuinely say ‘thank you, Lord, that’s an incredible miracle’ while thinking ‘I’d like to be able to do that!’

So many healings, until about 3-4 weeks ago…. I was due to go to Romania near the end of August, everything booked and even checked in on the flight: I took some boxes down my back garden (that’s a grand word for it!), it’s paved, and with my hands full, I tripped over…. of course, the first point of contact my body had with the ground was my knees! I’ve lost some weight, which helped, but it’s still a considerable weight that my knees had on them falling flat on concrete… I ended up flat out, and then couldn’t get up. It took me 15 minutes to get up: I’d grazed my right knee badly – the first time I’ve done that since I was about 8! – and Id forgotten how painful grazes are! It seemed, at first, quite marvellously I thought, that the real issue with my knees hadn’t been to badly affected by the fall.

By bedtime, I couldn’t move 🙁 – the story for the next three days! Cancelled flights to Romania – and as I’d checked in, it was nigh on impossible to get any money back (you only get a percentage of the tax back anyway)… Stairs presented an even greater challenge, but within a week or so, there was sufficient improvement to attempt Romania again…

Apart from meetings in Romania, the daughter of long-time friends was due to go into hospital, and I’d promised the parent s that I’d keep an eye on her, visit her, while she was in hospital. Many of you will have heard about her: 23 years old, diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, th first oncologist brutally told her – without too much consideration for treatment or alternative surgery – that she’d have to have a mastectomy. At 23, that horrified her. She saw a second Oncologist, who gave her a much less ‘deforming’ alternative prognosis, which helped. Her family live the other side of Romania, are very poor, and couldn’t get to Bucharest to be with her: I’ve known the family since 1992, so I offered to help her in whatever way I could.

Well…the best laid plans of mice and men…. I was going on the first Friday in September: two things happened. I didn’t hear from Ionela, couldn’t get hold of her….AND, on Thursday, lifting my luggage (those who have ever travelled with me will know I don’t travel light!) and bringing it downstairs, it slipped, and crashed into …..my knees…. 🙁 . Another cancelled ticket…. but, far worse, Ionela was already in hospital because she’d had a massive haemorrhage, and was found unconscious in her flat by her concerned landlady. She’d had monthly problems for a number of years: and in hospital, she was told she had to have a hysterectomy (at 23 years old….) before the cancer surgery, because of the risk of further major bleeds.

I’m now going Wednesday next week: she’s out of hospital, both procedures completed successfully, but she needs to rest extensively after them, so I can still do her shopping and stuff for her. The knees aren’t so bad the last day or so, so I’m praying that they improve even more over the next few days, and then during the time in Romania!

I’m back from Romania 11 days before taking a team of five plus me to Cali, Colombia, for 17 days. Lee from Maidstone, has been with me twice or three times before: the others have never been. Two are from here in Bangor – Thanney Pyper, who as well as wanting to go and pray for healing and see God do miracles, also wants to do any building work that people like Ana Beiba or Enrique Leal need doing, and Andrew Seaton: two from Londonderry, Davy King, and Adrian Curry. It’s the biggest team I’ve taken for some years, and we’ll be staying in a different place this time, so a lot of changes! I know it’ll be a great trip. There’s been so much ‘enemy assault’ over the last few months, as well as wonderful Godly blessings, I know that God’s going to do wonders there….

Back from Colombia on 8 November, a week later, I head to France to go and preach for a couple of weeks, which I’m looking forward to immensely. Just my luck to get to spend time on the Vendee – in November!!! May to September would be perfect…. !!

Derry to Bucharest?

Posted on August 6, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Travel 2 Comments

This will be the first week that I haven’t been to Londonderry/Derry (!) for ages… I’m heading off to Romania this week to do a number of meetings, probably some stuff with students, even though they’re still on vacation from University, and to keep an eye on Ionela, the young lady most of you will know about – the 23 year old (soon to be) 6th year trainee doctor, who was diagnosed some months ago with breast cancer. She’s from right up in the north of Romania – Moldova – a family I’ve known for 26 years, they’re very poor, and it’s not possible for her parents to get down to Bucharest to visit when she’s in hospital, and do a bit of looking after her when she’s out of hospital, from the surgery to remove the tumour.

I’d love to think that God will multiply the anointing that’s been on Londonderry, in Romania! It’s one of my favourite countries, I love it dearly (I’ve been there over 130 times – though I still speak hardly any of the language!), and to see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like in the past months in Derry, would be astonishing. It’ll be a busy time there, popping backwards and forwards to the hospital, and then Ionela’s home, to do shopping and the like for her, as well as the meetings I’ve mentioned. There are always lots of people to see in Romania, too: I expect once its known I’m there, I might get inundated! To make sure Ionela’s ok, I haven’t booked my flight home yet, though it’s likely to be around the 21-22 August.

Please pray for this lovely young woman: as a student doctor, she’s aware of what’s going on in her body, and humanly knows all the potential outcomes of having a stage 3 tumour. I’m going to be praying that she heals very fast…and that it never returns.

Some lovely ongoing stories from Derry: Jason, who had the amazing of his testicle, following major infection and surgery, is doing fantastically. The doctors had told him he’d be off work about 12 weeks, and that the nurses would be in every day for 8 weeks. They came in the day after Jason was prayed for, and said they didn’t need to come again. They reported to the doctor on the Wednesday (he was prayed for Tuesday), who made an unscheduled home visit to see for himself (you must know how difficult it is to get an appointment with a doctor, let a lone a home visit!) – he couldn’t believe it, and had never seen a similar wound heal so fast. Jason was back at work the following Monday, and is telling everyone! He’s a manager in a big DIY shop, so all the staff, the customers, and the visiting reps know about his testicle!!

Deborah, who was prayed for last week, is incredibly pain free after 20+ years of chronic pain: Irene, who couldn’t walk with acute sciatica, has been brilliant since God healed her on the spot… so many others, too!

This morning, I had the privilege of speaking to a group of people involved in counselling and healing ministries, in a church named ‘The Lighthouse’ in Hillhall, near Lisburn: it was so good to be able to share with them, answer questions (I love that challenge!), and then pray for a couple of them. I’m back with them in a few weeks’ time.

Thank you all so much for your prayers: I don’t know how I’d survive without them (I wouldn’t!!), and if you could embrace Ionela into those prayers over the next 2-3 weeks, it will have a profound impact, I know.

The rolling snowball that IS Londonderry…!

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Random Thoughts, Testimony Leave a comment

Great day in Londonderry again yesterday – not a mass of people seen as in other days, but every one seen was more than significant. It was great to have Grace Uitterdijk with Davy and me, too – Grace was in Cali with me 2 years ago. She’s a great pray-er, and saw loads of miracles in Colombia.

The couple we saw first, James and Deborah, were both hugely impacted. Deborah has had scoliosis, ankellosing spondylitis ( a long-term chronic condition in which the spine becomes inflamed), herniated discs, ruptured vertebrae, and osteoarthritis in much of her body, especially her left knee…. to say she was in extreme pain 100% of the time would be an understatement. And not old, either, younger than me! There was much she couldn’t do – bend, crouch, kneel, squat, even sit or stand for more than a few minutes at a time.

We sat and talked for a little time, as I like to, to build a bridge with people I don’t know: and to tell a few testimonies, which act as spur to faith. It seems that, even in that time, before being prayed for, Deborah’s pain started to reduce. One of the lovely things about establishing a bit of a relationship, and raising faith through testimonies, is that praying for healing becomes much simpler, and much more immediate. Deborah was pain free in a few minutes: her face showed it, both in the ‘pained’ look that faces invariably carry, but also with the total shock, after more than 20 years of chronic pain.

About 3 hours after we’d left their house, James sent Davy a text message:

“Davy, thanks for today, Deborah is feeling brilliant. It was a real miracle that happened today, and you are all welcome to call, anytime. Thanks, James.”

James had pain in his left hip, also the beginning of osteoarthritis, suffered from lifelong psoriasis, and early hair loss – he’d been losing it unnaturally for years – alopecia. The inflammation in his skin immediately began to fade, on his arms, and his side and stomach, and the pain in his hip disappeared completely. I’d love to tell you that his hair grew instantly, too, in Screaming Lord Sutch proportions(! remember him??!), but I reckon that might take a few days! Amazing for both Deborah and James, thank you, Lord. You’re so good….

Then to see Emma, the young mum who had the dramatic encounter with Jesus and a trip to heaven, just 10 days ago… she looked fantastic, transformed – her voice strong (if you remember, it had almost been ‘stolen’ from her when the last brain tumour was surgically removed last September, along with her sight), fully of determination, vision – and about to assault the doctor to get her off of steroids as quickly as possible. She’s been out and about in the past few days, including to a night club on Saturday, for the launch of the CD of a friend of hers and Tim (aka Harry!). She’s doing amazingly….

A lady who received a lot of healing a couple of months ago, Irene, was next: she’s doing great from what she’d been ‘afflicted’ by previously, but for some weeks, had been in excruciating pain from a trapped sciatic nerve. She couldn’t walk, only with difficulty on crutches. Her face, too, was a picture, as the pain instantly subsided: she was up, walking around, bending, crouching… instant relief. Thank you, Jesus!

Then to Davy’s mums home, to pray for a few from his family. God blessed – and blitzed – them all – with various reports of ‘intense heat’ inside as they were prayed for, and transformation took place….a great day, with God doing what only God can do!

Roller-coaster week

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Random Thoughts, Testimony Leave a comment

In a week when long-time friend Ray Goudie died, and went to be with the Jesus who he’d loved and served his whole life, a much newer friend, Emma, went to heaven and met with Jesus (see the other blog post). It’s hard to understand the extreme opposites of their experiences: even more for Nancy, Ray’s amazing wife. While we don’t understand, we can only trust God. While it was amazing to rejoice with Emma yesterday, it was – and this is true – equally amazing to be with Nancy, at their home, on Tuesday. God gave her such peace: their home was filled with the presence of God. Ray’s legacy is immense, through his and Nancy’s ministry in British Youth for Christ, with the band Heartbeat, and for the last 25-30 years, through New Generation Music (NGM).

About 6 weeks ago, I felt I should fly over to England, and pray for Ray. He’d been given a few days – then – to live, by the doctors. As soon as Nancy let me know that he’d died, on Monday evening, I knew that I should go and pray for him: not because I knew that he’d come back to life, just that I knew that I had to try every door, take every opportunity, and be obedient to what God had said. Nancy felt the same, so Tuesday, I was in the undertaker’s praying for my friend… it was so much harder praying for someone I know, and even though there have been two in the past who God has brought back to life, I didn’t know them….

I’d love to report that Ray opened opened his eyes, spoke to me, and got up. He didn’t. But I’m so glad that I went, I’d always have regretted not going, and wondered. Please, please – pray for Nancy, Daniel, and Aiden: this is such a tough time for them. Ray was an incredible man, a wonderful husband, a fantastic dad. There will be a Thanksgiving Service for his life on September 17, at 2pm, at Edge Church, 1160 Park Avenue, Aztec West, Bristol BS32 4TF. It’ll be a day of great celebration for all that God did through the life of this humble, loving, obedient man.

It’s been a privilege to know you, mate… see you in the morning.

Transformation – a visit to heaven

Posted on July 30, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Evangelism, Journal, Personal, Testimony Leave a comment

Regular readers here will remember, ‘m sure, a lovely young mum from Londonderry, Emma, who has had the tragedy of 5 brain tumours in the last 14 years, and she’s still only 37 years old, married to Tim, who I think is nicknamed Harry (that’s what I’ve been calling him for some weeks!), and has a lovely 9 year old daughter, Hope.

It’s been a privilege to get to know Emma, Tim Hope – and Emma’s brother and sister, Clare and Rory, over the past couple of months. More recently, Tim’s parents and sister and brother have been over, visiting from Australia. Emma’s had some wonderful improvements during those weeks: but there have also been some ‘dips’ in her condition, which normally stop when she’s been prayed for. A week ago, I went to see Emma again, with Davy, local pastor Adrian Curry, and with Carly, Grace, Peter, and Miriam – a fiend of Grace’s.

When we arrived, Emma was in bed: and, to be honest, she looked as though she could have been been – at best – in a coma, at worst, dead. She’d had a bad week, with the medication given to her for one thing having massive negative impact on another part of her body. She had a brain swell, and had gone down and down as the week went on. We got round her, and commanded – again – life and healing back into her. We couldn’t be with her too long, as the nurses arrived to do whatever nurses do….

Was back to see her yesterday. It was unbelievable to see the transformation. Emma asked if we’d ‘seen the white’ last week: I asked her what she meant, needless to say! Though she was completely ‘out of it’ last week, she was aware we were there, and heard the prayers. While praying, Emma first saw a brilliant white light: then ‘someone’ in white, and she said that she felt incredible as she was with him. She knew, though she didn’t know how to verbalise it, she’d been to heaven, and met Jesus….she was there some time. When she came back, her body had done a 180 degree about turn, and she felt amazing.

This week, she looks totally different. Her body has recovered remarkably (they should have reduced her – maximum – dose of steroids today) – her faculties had all returned, her voice is recovering remarkably (it had been a problem since the surgery in September last year to remove the last tumour, when the surgeons removed too much of her brain – by mistake – and severely damaged the speech and sight parts of the brain. Her mind was working so fast yesterday, her speech could hardly keep up with it! She talked about nothing else other than the man in white, where she’d been, the impact that he, and heaven, had on her… she said that not only was she changed health-wise, but changed forever inside, and knows that she’s not going to die….

The whole family has been impacted by what she saw, where she ‘went’, who she met… heaven’s invaded her life, Jesus has touched and talked to her… and she puts it all down to prayer…. she’s so on her way into the Kingdom!

Ray Goudie update

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Paul Bennison Posted in Journal, Personal, Testimony Leave a comment

Some answers to prayer today…. please keep praying!

Hi everyone – sorry I am late posting this, but I have been out for a little while. Ray has definitely been stronger today – thank you for your prayers. He slept for about four or five hours in the night and was bothered by the catarrh. However today he has felt stronger and has not been bothered as much by the catarrh. It seems to have got better as the day has gone on. He has eaten slightly more today than the day before. No bowel movement as yet though. So prayer points for tonight: 1) Praise God for the improvement in Ray. He is definitely stronger within himself. 2) Praise God he has eaten slightly more. Pray that his stomach settles and that he is able to eat more and more. 3) Pray for even more strength tomorrow. That he will feel as though he can get up out of bed. 4) Pray that he sleeps well tonight and continues to feel the presence of God with him. 5) Continue to pray for the Bowel to be whole and working as normal. We know God is with us and that we will not drown. He is our help and shield. He surrounds us – he goes before us and he is behind us. Such wonderful news!

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