Mam Torr and beyond.

Yesterday was such a perfect day for walking. No mists hanging over the hills. All perfectly clear and glorious. Climbed up to Mam Torr from Castleton on to Win Hill, Lose Hill Pike, Hope and back along the river to Castleton again. One of the most perfect of walks any day but a great gift on a good day. "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament proclaims his handiwork." (Psalm 19:1)



Gerard Hughes in his book "God of Surprises" suggests an exercise of meditative prayer that chimes with breathing. He suggests that as you breath out to picture yourself expelling something and as you breath in receiving something. For example; out - self, in - God; out - guilt, - in - grace; out - fear, in love; out - stress, in - peace. You get the picture. It is a pattern of prayer I often use whilst walking. Breathing and walking go together, quite consciously so whilst tackling the Peaks.



So for this Sabbatical journey my breathing prayers yesterday were, "Out weakness, in strength; out tiredness, in energy; out staleness, in freshness; out vagueness, in vision."

In other words this Sabbatical should enable me to return to my ministry with a new vigour and dynamism. After 40 years the next part of my ministry will be 'the finishing work.' I don't want to settle to retirement mode but for the final years to be fruitful years.

My good friend Roger,with whom I shared a room at Bible college 41 years ago is quickening rather than slackening his pace. Far from settling for leading his large and successful church on Long Island he is in the process of planting a 2nd church. I don't think he will stop at that. He's an inspiration. The final phase can be the most fruitful phase! When my church get their Rector back I hope they will notice a difference. If I don't return with renewed vision this will just have been a 3 month holiday and that is not the object of the exercise.