Kathy Halliday

From a very young age I felt as though I didn’t really belong to my family; I felt different, alone, and as though no one really cared - except for my grandmother.

When I was about 14, I ‘almost’ ran away from home, I was so unhappy. I was going to my grandmother’s. I sat on the station platform, and realised that I would miss my mum and sisters too much, and couldn’t leave them. In spite of everything I loved them.

I did leave home when I was 17, without the blessing of my parents. My mother had nothing to do with me for another 17 years.

The years passed, I married and had a son. Marital problems led to divorce. After a few years Paul and I met, and within five months we were married. We moved to Cornwall, and seven months later Paul died suddenly; from a massive stroke ... alone again.

Although I had not really made any friends near my new home; my next door neighbour Theresa, known as Terry, was kind to me when she heard my sad news. Terry talked to me about God and Jesus. I realised that for so many years I had been trying to find someone or something to fill emptiness in my life, but I’d been looking in the wrong places. I had only found fear; fear of what would be taken away from me, and fear of doing the wrong thing.

When a preacher, Nigel Thompson, visited Cornwall in October 2004; he kindly found a couple of hours in his busy schedule to talk to me, at Terry’s request. It was then that I asked for God’s forgiveness of my sins, and the life I had led - and asked Jesus to come and be part of my life.

When I was growing up I’d wished for a father who would be MY father. Someone who would take me places, do things together, be there for me. Now I have a father, The Father in Heaven, through Jesus. He’s always there for me.

Since that time I have experienced a whole range of emotions: doubt, love, trust, wariness, joy and the list goes on. But through it all there was peace inside me, and the emptiness has gone.

Now if ever I feel scared - in the dark - I pray. The Lord answers my prayers - but at the time of His choosing. God has shown me He’s on my side, and always helps me through.

I am constantly affected by the wonder of everything of God; the enormity of His grace and love. And He’s given some of that to me. During 2005 I had the joy of being baptised; and now I am seeking to follow Jesus; to go where He says, and do what He asks me to do. When I heard that Keith wanted to put his testimony into a book I thought "What an interesting project that would be." Whilst visiting a friend Pauline and Keith arrived and during the visit talked about the book again and that they were looking for someone to help with the accounting. Just before they left I offered to help. We all said we would pray to the Lord about it. It just seemed to follow on from there. And it has been interesting. Writing the book has shown me again just how mighty our Lord is!