Well, this is a long introduction to a simple word. There were several identifiaable faces that came to mind, but I have a feeling this is also a word in this season for more than the faces I saw. Whew! All that explanation! Here goes:

I think God wants to say this:

“You followed the recipe well, learned it humbly from others of good heart and intention who taught you foundational principles and sought to help you bake the new cake according to instructions. It fell flat. It did not rise. You gave it more time. It still did not rise. So painful to watch with you and to wait with you and to watch with you longer still. The problem was not with you. You need to know that. It was a hard year. Disappointment added to the pain of betrayal.

The problem was never with you or your heart, your intention, your motivation, your competence or your diligence. I say again, you really need to know that! So do many who have carried the secret stamp, “Failed,” who tried, who ventured forth beyond familiar horizons with bluepirnts and new tools cut for a new work. Don’t carry the mark “failed” into the New Year. Leave the flat cake inside 2017. Without your painful experience my eternal plan for the blessing of my people lost and found in Scotland would be further delayed. Flat cakes of 2010 to 2017 and several more flat cakes to come, are part of the preparation of a flat path for my feet, for the arrival of my glory. You shall see that and rejoice with many saying, ‘This is our God and we have waited for Him.’ ”

This is what I believe was given. Having typed it here, I felt the Lord awakening this memory of my own, so this is additional and to my mind does not carry the same sort of weight as what is written above, but it may be helpful.

I knew for quite some time that I would have to retire on health grounds before I did, and acknowledged that to God in prayer. “I know I need to stop Lord, this is killing me. I dont know how to do it,” were my words! However I could not take the step, until a wonderfully supportive GP, the wonderful Gabby Dench (Now Gabby Finch) from Ministries Council of the Church of Scotland and an Occupational Health Doctor said what they said to me. I somehow felt I had been given permission to step down. Why I needed that, I am not sure, other than that I have aways taken being under authority seriously. My own health, exhaustion, prayers before God and the pleadings of my concerned wife should have been enough, but I needed someone to give me permission to “lay it down.” Perhaps I am meant to say to someone, “You have permission to lay this down now.” I have no authority to say that to you, other than as your brother in Christ, speaking from what I beieve is the tender compassion of Christ for you.

Even if you have read to the end of this “word” and it has meant nothing to you, here is a closing thought to make your reading not a complete waste of your time! Is there anything you need to leave firmly in 2017 and not carry into the New Year?  A thought? An experience in 2017 or earlier? It may be you can simply relinquish it rather easily. It may be you need help to do so. I hope you are in a church where such help is available. It could be you yourself need to discipline yourself in how you handle your life story and have to learn skills of containing and processing events/ reactions etc  and learn new dsiciplines of thinking, speaking, sharing, or perhaps how to not speak, not think and not share. There is a time “to” and a time “to refrain fro ” for many things. Everything can be quite helpful within the bounds of its own proper time and season but disastrous when it is allowed out of its  proper time  to spread its shadows on future seasons, yeras or decades. There may well be time enough still, even on the 30th. or 31st. December,  to leave some bits of 2017 in 2017 where they happened and where they belong,  before the New Year bells sound.

God Bless

Kenny