Storm lessons on air and in print

Today's Health and Wellbeing section of the Guernsey Press featured my book Through the Storms; a manual for when life hurts. In addition, tomorrow morning, Friday 28th February, at 11am I will be on the JKT chat show on BBC Radio Guernsey to talk about the book. I don't like the self-promotion that goes along with all this publicity but I do want my book to be in the hands of people who need it.

As I recorded another interview this afternoon with a UK station I found myself almost overwhelmed with gratitude that I am still alive and able to share my story. The interviewer was from a part of the UK that has been inundated with flood waters during recent stormy weather and once again I felt for the dear folk affected. Storms are no respecter of status, education or ability, but strike all of us at times we are probably least expecting. Certainly that was my experience, and I just hope that this book, now fully published, will give hope, encouragement and comfort to many.

Once again, you can order it here online at Amazon.co.uk where you can get the paperback or Kindle versions. Alternatively, try your local bookstore. In Jersey there are some at Waterstones in St Helier, and in Guernsey at the Lexicon bookshop. If you want a signed copy then email me at throughthestorms750@gmail.com and I will gladly send you one.

When Streets Become Rivers

Raging floods have hit Britain this week and more rain is threatened. Storm Dennis has moved away but in its place torrential rain has saturated soil and swollen rivers beyond tolerance. An Environment Agency boss, David Throup, who manages the area of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, tweeted that the River Wye has hit levels not seen in 110 years. According to the BBC, the Agency has said that there is still a "heightened flood risk" in the Midlands with five severe warnings - meaning there is a danger to life - still in place near the Welsh border around the rivers Lugg, Severn and Wye.

Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in the worst-affected areas, which include south Wales, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire. You can only imagine the distress and sadness of the people whose lives are affected, and whose homes are inundated with mud, flood water and sewage. Suddenly, the issue of climate change becomes less of a theory and more of a daily reality.

Life's storms are very real. In a moment, what was chugging along nicely can be turned on its head. Where once were security and familiar circumstances there can come uncertainty and chaos, bringing with them fear and apprehension on a grand scale. For me it was the sudden onslaught of devastating chronic ill health. Along with it came a flood of problems like - how will we pay our rent? Who will provide food for our family? Will I even survive?

Thank God that we don't have to face life's storms alone. God says 'When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.' (Isaiah 43:2). The storms of life can be endured and overcome when we know the active, manifest presence of Almighty God with us. That's why I am thrilled to have published this week my latest book 'Through the Storms; a manual for when life hurts'. If you are going through devastating storms right now, or you know someone who is, get a copy of this book for yourself or to give to them. Click here to order one in paperback or Kindle format. Or you can email me to obtain a signed copy at throughthestorms750@gmail.com

Don't wait till the waters rise or the floods come. Remember the motto of the Scouts movement; 'Be Prepared!'

When storms just keep coming!

Like the famous red London buses, storms go missing for a while, and then they come one after the other! Last weekend we shuddered under the onslaught of Storm Ciara, then yesterday I took the photo here during what I understand was Storm Inez and now we are expecting to be rocked by Storm Dennis! Thank God for sea defences is all I can say!

Sadly, though, for many around the UK, especially in places like Pately Bridge in Yorkshire, flood defences were overwhelmed. Homes and businesses have been flooded, and not for the first time. My heart goes out to those dear folk who have suffered this all before, and probably can't move because of the record of flooding in their area.

But, there can be no argument with the warning that comes from the old motto of the Scout movement. 'Be Prepared!'. Our nearby island of Jersey is thinking about the possibility of spending over 200 million pounds on beefing up their sea defences by 2050.

Jesus told of the need for builders to erect their homes on foundations of rock, not sand, because when the storm comes they will not be washed away. Elsewhere the Bible says 'that rock was Christ!'. Certainly, my own experience through the storms of the last couple of decades has been that knowing Jesus and his love and power have kept me in the most appalling circumstances. If you would like to receive a copy of my latest book Through the Storms then email me at throughthestorms750@gmail.com or click here to pre-order online.

Preparing for Stormy Weather

We are bracing ourselves for Storm Ciara expected in the Channel this weekend. When storms hit, it is best to be ready. Sea defences are a vital part of the infrastructure near my home on the West Coast of Guernsey. Here, we are exposed to the huge swells that roll in from the Atlantic, driven by powerful westerly gales. If combined with a high tide, this can produce flooding and causes huge seas to crash over the sea-walls.

Being ready means you don’t wait until the storm comes before you prepare. Life has plenty of storms to throw at us. In my case, 22 years of agony with frequent hospitalisations and surgeries. In the aftermath of my physical storm I now wrestle with mental ones – as waves of PTSD hurl themselves against my defences. Your scenario will be different, but even if all is calm just now, getting ready is still wise.

My book, Through the Storms; a manual for when life hurts, is written as part of personal storm defences. It doesn’t presume that things are rough for you just now, but offers insight, advice and encouragement for when they are. It also gives you a resource in your hands to offer others as they battle with the elements.

Contact me on the form below, or email me at throughthestorms750@gmail.com to order your own signed copy today. £8.99 plus £1.75 p&p in the UK. Or, you can pre-order the book at Amazon by clicking here https://amzn.to/2SfwRSO.

As a good scout would say, 'Be prepared!'.

Free at Last? As Brexit finally beckons...

Free at last? At 11pm this evening, the 31st January 2020, the United Kingdom will end its 47 year history of membership of the EU. Many will be celebrating this moment as a return to the good old days of independence. Others will be mourning the passing of close links with our European neighbours. But will we be truly free? Yes, perhaps, free of the unelected bureaucracy that seems to dominate the EU project. Free from the jurisdiction of the European institutions and courts. But really free? I don't think so.

When the Christian leader John Donne said famously that no man is an island entire of itself, he could have been speaking for a nation too. In this global age, the UK will need to carve out a new identity for itself in the family of nations. Going its own way from the block of now 27 nations that is the EU, could easily lead to a period of isolation. Real freedom comes, not from withdrawal and introspection, but engagement, mission and an outward look.

The same is true for the church. God has called us to be a people with an open heart for the world. Donne went on to challenge his readers not to ask 'for whom the bell tolls' as it tolls for each one of us. Real freedom is the freedom to be all that God designed us to be. At times it will come from the laying down of our lives and selfish aims, as much as from the taking up of new opportunities.

The UK has a proud history of serving other nations in their times of need. Twice, they have stepped in to liberate the very territories of the EU that they are about to walk away from. May the vision of its role in the wider world not be diminished by the sounding of bells at 11pm this evening.

Does Britain Have an Opioid Crisis?

Does Britain have an opioid crisis? Dr Michael Mosely thinks so. In this week's Horizon programme on BBC 2 he highlighted the dreadful statistics from across the pond in the USA as a warning to us. He said that in the UK over half a million people are taking opiates like morphine for chronic pain. His claim is that there is evidence that for most of them (he says 90%) the pills are doing no good and can lead to addiction. He also cites the increased danger of accidental overdose - something that happened to me on more than one occasion. I actually stopped breathing once, shortly after putting on a 75mcg patch of Fentanyl and was saved by the presence of a nurse in my home who called the ambulance and got me into hospital. So, I know the stuff he is talking about after 22 years on varying doses of opiates, sometimes up to 5 times what the programme described as 'dangerous levels'.

But, as my book Through the Storms; a manual for when life hurts covers in one chapter, there is another side to this so-called 'opioid crisis'. How about 'a chronic pain epidemic'? Because the problem is that with all this kind of publicity there is a danger of heaping shame and guilt onto sufferers of chronic pain without offering them viable alternatives. Often, it is not their fault that they have been prescribed these drugs by well-meaning doctors, but they are made to feel wretched for needing them. I certainly was at times.

There are research programmes into alternatives to opiate prescribing but they all too often fall into one category or another. Either they are looking into other equally strong but frighteningly powerful drugs, such a gabapentin or similar, or else they are based around well-being. This may all be well and good but, in my case, I don't think a bit of gardening with friends would have dealt with crushing agony of chronic pancreatitis with recurring acute episodes!

I am so thankful for the temporary relief I received from a spinal neuro stimulator and also for the amazing surgical intervention I finally received at the Newcastle International Transplant unit in 2017. Today, after 22 years of appalling pain, I am largely pain-free and also free of any need for opiates.

There is a scandal surrounding the easy availability of powerful pain killers over the counter in the UK, but in my book I am concerned for the many affected by chronic pain without hope of relief except by means of these potentially dangerous opioids. Government funding should be moved into research into alternatives alongside any public information programmes such as this one.

If you are in pain, and can't wait for the publication date for my book on Amazon (20th Feb) please email me at throughthestorms750@gmail.com and I will send you one by mail and can include an invoice for you to make a bank transfer or send a cheque.

The Cult of Celebrity

For the last two days half my daily tabloid newspaper has been full of the Prince Harry & Megan story! It seems that the decision of this relatively young couple to step back from front-line royal duties has taken the British press by storm. Nor could I believe the negativity of their articles and the ridiculous degree of scrutiny being given to this fairly minor set of events. It even knocked the US/Iran crisis into a much less prominent report halfway through the paper, including the possible shooting down of an aircraft with the deaths of over 170 people! It seems to me that we are gripped by one of the worst examples of the cult of celebrity. One dictionary definition of this phenomenon is 'the tendency of people to care too much about famous people'.

Some years ago a scholar at Warwick University in the UK did some interesting research on the cult of celebrity. Dr Angie Hobbs, then of the Department of Philosophy, said "It’s a phenomenon we need to take seriously. Why people are confusing fame and celebrity with the type of activities and creations that are greatly worth celebrating."✽ We probably care too much about the activities of famous people because we get to hear too much about them. Social media and the proliferation of 24 hour news means that there is an insatiable appetite for stories, and plenty of people willing to supply them.

I'm sure that much of the charitable work of the royal couple is highly worthy of promotion and fame. The monarchy itself, as an institution that brings stability and unity to an otherwise overheated political system and national differences, is to be celebrated and preserved. But not to a ridiculous extent that makes a mockery of the amazing achievements of so many who do truly great things in our land in the service of others and of God.

It was once said that the world is yet to see what can be achieved by someone who doesn't care who gets the glory! Today, give thanks for the folk who have blessed you and don't seek the limelight. I thank God for a professor of surgery and his colleagues who spent themselves unstintingly to save my life. I am grateful too, for the humble tomato grower who invited me to church in my teens so that I could learn to follow Christ.

R.T.Kendall wrote a book called 'Popular in Heaven Famous in Hell' and maybe that's the only celebrity that really matters!


✱https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/knowledge-archive/socialscience/celebrity/

The Rattling of God's Bucket

I was passing by a field near our home in which a Guernsey farmer keeps his sheep. Sheep are not common in our island, where the Guernsey cow has pretty much dominated the fields and farms for so long, but this is one of the more remarkable flocks. The sheep are black and white speckled in colour and have long horns. some of those horns are twisted and give these guys and girls a somewhat hostile appearance.

I was surprised by their posture. Normally they are spread out across the meadow engaged in avid grass consumption. This time, they were stretched out in a line, all turned to look intently towards the farmer's house, situated about 500 metres away down the lane. They ignored me and everything around them as they clearly only had eyes for one thing - their shepherd - but he was nowhere in sight.

As I moved on and passed his home, Tony the farmer was walking out on his way to the field. In his hand he held a metal bucket containing animal feed. Either those sheep had heard the rattling of his bucket, or else they were aware of the time day that he normally came. Whatever, these sheep were looking intently for their shepherd to come.

Are you, as a Christian, looking for the coming again of the Good Shepherd? The Bible says we should be (Titus 2:13). And are we listening out for what God is preparing to do in our day? This is the rattling of God's bucket. It may be faint and distant, but if we are looking to God and listening for Him too, we should be positioning ourselves to be ready.

Do you hear that bucket rattle?

Happy New Year.

Starvation Averted Just in Time

December 28th is a red letter day in the history of the Channel Islands. Late on the 27th, 75 years ago, the Red Cross ship the SS Vega docked in Guernsey's St Peter Port harbour. Aboard this rescue ship were parcels of unimaginable food and luxury supplies for the starving islanders. Up to this point, after 4 years of German occupation, the people of the island were in deep trouble. The Allies were 6 months into their liberation of Western Europe since D-Day, and were ensconced just 30 miles away on the French coast. The local occupying forces were cut off from all supply routes except the occasional submarine or aircraft and were in turn reduced to starvation rations. People were falling in the streets. The intense winter cold was claiming as many victims as the lack of food.

Then - wonder of wonders - into the harbour came this vessel of joy! If Guernsey punches above its weight today in terms of giving charitable funds to overseas disasters and relief work, it is, among other things, because in our culture there is a deep sense of gratitude for this international relief mission in 1944. Without these amazing food parcels which came again through the months that followed, the local population might have perished in its entirety.

How appropriate that this rescue mission should have occurred at Christmas. This is the season in which we commemorate God's great intervention in our human condition. In a land that was also then occupied by foreign troops, Jesus came as a sign that God is with us. And that first coming of Christ, and the mercy that he brought into a warring world, was almost certainly at the root of the grace gifts that the SS Vega brought with her. This is how one eye-witness put it: "It was the most marvellous revelation of the Almighty Power of the Living God, but if his dear son had never come and lived and died for us on this earth, that Red Cross ship would never have come to bring us those parcels, and in a very short time we would all have starved to death".

Today, when spiritual starvation marks our communities and blights our relationships, maybe we should celebrate the mercy of the coming of the Son of God like those Channel Islanders did in 1944.

Feeling Down in the Mouth

 A bad tooth can make the mildest of us into a grumpy old croc! At least - that's my excuse. I have had extreme pain in a lower molar for over a week now and it has tested all my fine theories about coping with life's storms! This may only be a severe squall rather than a destructive tornado or howling hurricane, but it has reminded me of how all-consuming serious pain can be. 

So - off to the dentist I went, to be told that I had an abscess under a back tooth and that I would need to suffer on, whilst taking a course of antibiotics until it would be safe enough to take it out. That happened yesterday and was not a fun experience! But I am so grateful to have a caring and experienced dentist who took so much trouble to minimise my distress. Now I'm just nursing a very sore jaw in the hope that it will all settle down by the time Christmas comes.

In all this I feel humbled and grateful that good medical care is on hand and available to us here in the West. There are many places where this is not the case. I have seen macabre scenes of amateur tooth pulling in the developing world and it is no laughing matter. Still, I am glad that yesterday is behind me and look forward to better days ahead. Roll on New Year!

Loading up your Inner Trolley

Christmas shopping can be hard going! It has been said that it's like being in a tumble drier - you go round and round in circles, get very hot, and when you get home you realise you've been taken to the cleaners!

Harrods of London once put these words into their Christmas catalogue: 'Christmas is coming, joyful and triumphant in a blaze of splendour. Harrods is brim full of comfort and joy, overflowing with grandeur. Let the glory of Christmas ring out!'*

I have a feeling that the only ringing being done in most of our High Street stores is the bell on the cash registers! (Yes, I know that dates me!) But there are wonderful gifts available for us this Christmas season. When the angels sang to announce the very first Christmas Day they proclaimed '...and on Earth, peace to those on whom his favour rests'.

Love, joy and peace are the fruit of trusting Jesus and following in his way. Why not load up your inner trolley with really good gifts this year?

* Taken from the booklet 'Christmas in Three Words' by Vaughan Roberts, The Good Book company, www.thegoodbook.co.uk

Help for Hanging in There!

They're here! Hooray! At last my own supply of my latest book has arrived. The publisher, 'Instant Apostle' (just add water? 😂) will make them available from the public date February 20th 2020. You can pre-order them for then on Amazon by clicking here or if you would like one right away, in time for Christmas, then email me at throughthestorms750@gmail.com. I can send it you with bank details or you can pay by PayPal. The books are £8.99 plus £1.75 p+p.

So many folk have been really encouraging me over this book during the two and a half years I have been writing it, and I am grateful. Thanks too for all your prayers and help over the 22 years of my battle with appalling pain and critical, life-threatening illness. My prayer is that this book will give sufferers of long-term 'storms' of all kinds, hope and encouragement too.

I wrote this book for people of all faiths and of none, although it would be impossible to tell my story without giving glory and credit to Jesus. I have been described recently as 'a walking miracle' and if that is the case, it did not come cheaply or easily. I feel immense compassion for folk in chronic pain and who face the dreadful aftermath of trauma. God has been good to me, and I hope this book will help you 'hang in there' a little longer, looking for light at the end of your tunnel too.

Through the Storms; a manual for when life hurts

Described as possibly the most painful condition known to humankind, chronic and recurring pancreatitis not only nearly killed me, it seriously messed with my life. Admitted to teaching hospitals over 100 times, enduring over 30 surgeries, I spent 22 years on what one specialist professor described as 'industrial doses of opiates' (morphine, even at times the medical form of heroine, Fentanyl, and Ketamine etc) yet pain was unremitting. Of course I wanted to end it all. I cried like the psalmist 'How long, O Lord?'. Surrounded by praying friends and supported amazingly by my wonderful wife and family, I simply could not understand how I got through each day. But I did by the grace of God, and now my story needs to be told.

My new book 'Through the Storms; a manual for when life hurts' should be out in time for you to have one before Christmas, or to give it to a friend or loved one. It offers hope, encouragement and practical wisdom to people of all faiths or of none who may be passing through life storms of one kind or another. It tells of my near-death encounters and looks honestly at my struggles, but it also gives positive suggestions to help with pain, disappointment, loneliness, bereavement, PTSD and a host of other 'storm conditions'.

Some people call me a walking miracle today. I am so grateful to God and to my transplant team in Newcastle for this amazing new start. But being cured is not when healing ends - it is sometimes just when it is beginning - and I am still learning lessons as I reflect on this two-decade long ordeal. I want to share those lessons with you.

If you live in Guernsey you can have a copy for £8.99 post free by emailing me at throughthestorms750@gmail.com. You can use the PayPal link below to pay or ask in the email for further payment options. In the UK and Jersey I will send you a copy for £8.99 plus £1.75 p&p which totals £10.74. Higher quantities and discounts for churches can be arranged through the email please.

You can also pre-order order copies via Amazon for when it is officially published in February 2020 and becomes available on Kindle etc.

Click here to send me your secure payment via PayPal

Here are some kind comments about this book:

from Rev Lyndon Bowring, Chairman of CARE

 ‘I’ve known Eric for more than forty years and marvelled at his faith and determination not to let his condition get the better of him. He is a living tribute to the grace and mercy of God. If your situation looks hopeless, you’re caring for someone in great need or you fear for your own future health, this book will be an incredible inspiration and comfort to you.’ 

from Jonathan Le Tocq, Minister for External Affairs, States of Guernsey, and church leader

‘Few people desire to show their scars to the world, especially those that come along with pain, humiliation and vulnerability. Even then, few are able to articulate effectively the experiences that brought about those scars. Eric is one of the few who can. In a world crying out for authenticity he takes us on his life’s journey, along the way equipping us all to understand better the pain, frustrations and unanswered questions of those who suffer.’ 

from Rev Dr Clive Burnard, Regional Minister, Yorkshire Baptist Association

‘I cannot commend this book highly enough. Not only is it honest about the profound challenges faced personally by the author, but readers will also find both wonderful encouragement and practical help. 

from Dr Richard Seymour, retired GP 

‘If ever there was a man to help those in chronic pain, it is Eric. He’s been there, lived with it for more than twenty years and now has been mercifully released.’ 

Flood chaos points to a climate crisis!

It's pouring outside! October 2019 has officially been described in Guernsey as the wettest since 1960 - that's 59 years! And still it rains. All over UK counties like Yorkshire and Derbyshire there are flood warnings this weekend. Rivers are breaking their banks, homes are being flooded. At least one person has drowned.

It seems certain that climate change is behind all this. I have friends who would disagree, but the pattern of global weather does seem to be changing. The contrasting news of wildfires in places as far apart as Australia and the Amazon would seem to bolster this. These are certainly climactic times we live in!

It feels as if the world is groaning under the weight of human action and inaction. Climate emergency has become the buzz phrase and it has almost become the latest 'unacceptable intolerance' to question the actions of those who protest that it must trump (!) all other concerns. Maybe the real issue is not so much about what governments do though, important as that might be, but really about what individuals do.

The Bible observes that, 'For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time' (Romans 8:22). We hear that groaning even more clearly as the rain pounds our hemisphere and the dry undergrowth rages in another. Is this what Jesus called one of 'the signs of the end?' Does our planet have a 'use by' date? It is important to do what we can to reduce, recycle and re-use, but to stick with the alliteration, ought we not also to repent?

Through the Storms: pounded by wind and waves!

We are in the grip of a powerful storm today. I got up this morning to find tables and heavy chairs strewn around the garden as if they had been tossed away by a petulant child. Bins were on the flower beds and large plant pots had been tipped over. We live near Guernsey's west coast and crowds of people were gathered there this morning for the high tide to take photos of the angry sea. Spume and spray were soaring over the highest rocks, and angry waves crashing onto the sea walls.

We are no strangers to stormy conditions in these islands, exposed as we are to the swells of the Atlantic Ocean. They are part of our lives as much as the much loved long sunny days of the recent summer. All sunshine makes a desert, of course, and we know that these dark days are part of the cycle of life that should be enjoyed (!) and not just endured. But that's tough, isn't it? We welcome the calm sunshine and even bright cold, but grey, stormy weather can be both intimidating and depressing.

Storms have also marked our personal lives. The first two volumes of my 'storm' trilogy, Braving the Storm and Storm Force, told of my long battle with the howling winds and life-threatening episodes of serious ill health. In February 2020 the third book will be published - Through the Storms: a manual for when life hurts. You can email me at ericgaudion@me.com to pre-order now, or click on the links to go to Amazon to do so. Diane and I have proved that you can survive the storms without being permanently knocked off course and without going under for the third time!

As the wind rages around me outside this study, I thank God for his faithfulness and presence even in the middle of the storms of life. Jesus once slept in a boat that was being threatened with being overwhelmed by a storm, and his disciples were terrified. Just his amazing presence was enough, though, to guarantee their survival. When he was finished with the storm, like a man calling his dog to heel, Jesus stood up and said: 'Peace! Be Still' and it was over. No wonder the fishermen with him asked each other 'what kind of person is this that even the storm obeys him?'

In the Tunnel of Hope

EU and UK negotiators are rumoured to be engaging in negotiations that are being described as 'entering the tunnel'. This is supposed to reflect the urgency of the hour as a possible date for Brexit approaches. It also speaks of the secrecy and intensity of the talks as leaks and media speculation may spoil or threaten what could be a dicey and difficult deal in any case. 'Down to the wire' diplomacy is being conducted in the tunnel! The people of 28 nations await the outcome.

Our island is marked with many tunnels, some dating back to English troop movements during the Napoleonic wars with France, and some to seventy years or more since the German occupation. All of them serve as useful reminders of what European disunity can cause. A beautiful and peaceful place is undermined by the concrete left by Europeans who fought each other virtually to a stand-still, twice in the last century and even more so before that. Millions of graves across the continent of Europe also cry out to the tunnellers to get it right. The future of a nation's children is being dug in the Brussels' tunnel and now is the time to pray for their success.

Whatever the outcome, and wherever you stand on Brexit, let's call on God for the tunnellers to have wisdom, patience, creativity and boldness this weekend. Then, maybe, the tunnel itself can become a symbol of hope instead of a memorial to past enmity.

Who do you Think you are?

One of the most popular series on BBC television is 'Who do you Think you are?' in which celebrities search for their ancestors. That's one particular cupboard I don't think I should go rummaging about in, not because I think there might be anything to be ashamed of, but just because that does not make me who I am today. I am not just the product of generations of people who 'begat' me. God says that I have been 'fearfully and wonderfully made', (Psalm 139) and that he had a special plan for me when I was conceived. There are no 'accidents' in God's family - each one of us was planned!

The important thing is not so much where we came from - but where we are going. I listened to an amazing edition of Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 this week with the guest Sabrina Cohen-Hatton who is one of the most senior Chief Fire Officers in England. In her teens she was homeless and begging on the streets. Now she leads thousands of men and women and has a PhD! We should never be bound by the past if we follow the God who says 'I make everything new' (I have no idea of Sabrina's faith stand but her example is inspiring).

This week (Sunday 6th October 2019) we are beginning a new series of talks at Vazon Elim Church on the subject 'The New Me'. At 10.45 I will speak on 'Who am I?' and at 6pm Matt Gregor will preach on Psalm 139. This should be a great series and you would be most welcome to come if you are in Guernsey, or to tune in online. You can watch the 10.45am service at www.vazonelim.org.gg or search YouTube for 'Vazon Church'.

It should be 'cracking good!'

The weaponising of words

It is a good thing that the green benches in the House of Commons are spaced exactly two sword lengths apart! This was done deliberately to prevent duelling 'gentlemen' from doing any actual harm to one another. This week, however, there have been shocking scenes of angry confrontation. Words and terminology have been drawn from their scabbards in verbal combat such as has not been seen in decades. And both sides of the Brexit debate seem determined to use such words to curry favour with the electorate. On one side harsh and inflammatory terms are being bandied about to portray the opposition MP's in the worst light possible. On the other, plaintiff cries of outrage appear occasionally to be part of an effort to convince the populace that their opponents are 'unfit to govern'. What a sad indictment of our democracy that the so-called 'mother of parliaments' has come down to this.

It does not reflect a limited vocabulary on the part of the speaker - quite the opposite in the case of Britain's present Prime Minister. But it does reveal that both sides need to draw back and reconsider their weaponising of language, before someone does really get hurt.

I would like to let some light in onto this shady use of language. Consider this biblical advice:
'A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.' (Proverbs 16:23-24)

And to leaders in particular: '...excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love' (2 Cor. 8:7) and 'set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.'(1 Tim 4:12). And 'your words [should be] solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.' (Titus 2:8 The Message).

In every situation of conflict and misunderstanding the practical advice of the scriptures speaks clearly to us all:  'A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.' (Proverbs 15:1)

Give yourself time to explore life, faith and meaning.

Alpha@Vazon 2019 begins in just a few days, Wednesday the 2nd October 2019, at Vazon Church, Guernsey. Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith, run over nine evenings and one Saturday daytime. Each talk looks at a different question exploring life, faith and meaning and is designed to help create conversation. Alpha is run in 169 nations all around the globe, and over 29 million people have done the course up to now! It runs in cafés, churches, universities, prisons, schools and homes – you name it. No two Alphas look the same, but generally they have three key things in common: great food, a talk and good conversation.

The food is going to be good – finger licking good with great desserts! Then, the talks are really quality and inspirational, designed to engage and inspire conversation. Usually no more than thirty minutes long, they come on video. They explore the big issues around faith and unpack the basics of Christianity, addressing questions from 'Is there more to life than this?', 'Who is Jesus?', and 'How can I have faith?' to 'Why and how do I pray?' etc

Good conversation means just that – an environment where you’re welcome to say nothing or ask any question about life, faith and meaning. This is the chance for you to revisit the foundations of your faith or discover why others believe as they do.

So, please think about whether you would like to join us at Alpha@Vazon 2019. Everyone is welcome, especially if you are of no faith or really would not consider yourself a Christian. If you would like to reserve a place for yourself and/or a friend (if you're in Guernsey of course) then message me or email matt@vazonelim.org.gg. There is no charge and no pressure! 

If you want to watch a short video about Alpha take a look at www.vazonelim.org.gg.

One less question for Siri or Alexa - try Alpha!

Suicide shock at fabulous beach location

I was walking on the beach on Guernsey's fabulous east coast early in the morning, just as the sun was rising over the nearby islands of Herm and Jethou. It was a stunning scene of peace and beauty but I was in for a shock. The bundle of clothing that moved lazily in the shallows as the waves lapped the shore, began to take form as I approached it. I drew my breath in fear and apprehension. It was a body. A beautiful young woman had taken her own life there on the beach. As I waited tearfully for a policeman to arrive on his motorcycle, I prayed for a family about to be torn apart by grief and remorse. Much later I discovered that she was a wealthy heiress, but had been overcome by what turned out to be a terminal mental illness.

This was forty years ago, and I was just starting out on my ministry in the island, but I learned a terrible lesson that day. Living with plenty and prosperity is no insurance policy against loneliness, depression or despair. I believe that Guernsey's suicide rate is still, pro-rata, one of the highest in Europe, in spite of its great beauty and close community. The World Health Organisation has designated today, the 10th September, as suicide prevention day. They claim that nearly three times as many men as women die by suicide in high-income countries, in contrast to low- and middle-income countries, where the rate is more equal. Globally, one person commits suicide every 40 seconds.

I was motivated by that incident, very early in ministry, to take seriously the issue of suicide prevention. I try to listen carefully for the evidence of the potential for self-harm when people speak with me. During my 22 years of heavy opiate use for intense chronic pain, I was occasionally tested by thoughts that my loved ones would be better off without me (and that I could be with God). Those were lies from the enemy of my soul and my family. If I had short-circuited my life in that way I would have missed the amazing research developments in surgery, for instance, that changed my life in 2017. But much more than that, I would have torn a hole in my family and community that could never have been filled.

Please be aware of this problem, and if you are affected by thoughts like the ones I mention above, do talk to someone you trust about it. If you want to contact me, please do. You can search for me by name on Facebook, or use this email: ericgaudion@me.com which I have set up specifically for this purpose. The Samaritans are also always only a phone-call away (116 123 free from any phone).

You really do matter to God, and he does have a plan for your life down here. When his time comes he will call you home, but till then, take advantage of every offer of help and love that might keep you from falling into the trap of believing those lies.