Wiveliscombe Evangelical Congregational Church

I am Tina. I grew up in what’s known as a dysfunctional family. My parents separated when I was seven. I went to boarding school, and spent holidays with my Mother, sister and brother in various hotels. At school, which I loved, we were taught Christian things like the Collect (prayer) for the day and went to Church every Sunday. I was confirmed with all my friends and for a bit felt God’s presence, but a plant needs food and TLC and I had neither.

I was sent to Finishing School for something to do with me, as I wasn’t academic. I was one of the last “debs” to be presented at Court (Buckingham Palace in London) and felt very superior. I then did a short course in secretarial work which I was hopeless at also did a bit of office work.

I married at eighteen and by the time I was twenty-two I had three children. We went to Church quite regularly but God seemed a million miles away.

At that time my Stepfather, who had become a Christian, died and my Mother was broken hearted. The people who had helped my Stepfather also led my Mother to the Lord (God). She was amazing; she had such joy and peace. She wanted me to do the same and as I could see the difference in her I went along to drawing room meetings at Judge Ruttle’s in London and found people who walked and talked with the Lord daily.

At a mid week service at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, London, I asked God to be my Lord and Saviour. I was told to tell people what I’d done. In God’s goodness we lived opposite a very gentle and knowledgeable Baptist minister and he helped me to understand this new life I’d started on. I learnt to read the Bible, to believe what it said, to pray and to love to meet with God’s people regularly. I needed to be turned around completely.

Since those days thirty years or so ago, I’ve had God’s Holy Spirit leading me into a deeper commitment to Him. He gives such peace and joy in our hectic farming life with all its up and downs and I’ve learnt to see that ‘in all things God works for the good of those who love him (the Bible, Romans 8.28).’

Some ask how in a busy and hectic lifestyle I have time to take my own time out with God, go to Church and still take on my full share of farm work especially at lambing time, which is 24/7. [24 hours a day and 7 days a week and a bit tiring]. The answer is I think extremely simple. Shortage of time is a problem that everyone faces and I am no exception. However, ‘I don’t have time to…’ actually means ‘I do NOT want to…’ So I have no problem in finding the time for all the things that I want to do and the things that I HAVE to do still get done.

My life now has purpose and I’m thrilled to know God as my Father and belong to his family.