CENTURION
"In my family home growing up with 3 younger brothers, the name Jesus was an exclamation word, although my fiery Irish Grandmother would reprimand anyone who said the Lord's name in vain. They had a pew in the local church with the family name on it, but whether she had a relationship with Jesus, I do not know. I now have the family King James Bible dated 1915 and wonder if my grandparents prayed for me. My Grandmother came to D'urville Island, New Zealand with both parents, although her Father left them shortly after they arrived. Together with her alcoholic Mother, they lived in an attic above a garage with a mattress and little else. The local school provided clothes for the two children who went to school dressed in rags, but the Mother pawned their clothes for drink. So my Grandmother and her brother would go round at night scavenging in the rubbish bins for scraps of food.
"At Primary school for half an hour on a Friday morning, a local Pastor would read a Bible story about Jesus. It always fascinated me. I don't know why but I always looked forward to hearing about Jesus. I would bike 3 miles once a week to the local Sunday school, but the other kids played up too much for my liking and were not there to hear about Jesus. I stopped going, but I always believed there was God.
"Two strong personality traits came through at an early age. Perhaps to get Dad to take notice of me, I developed a passion for individual sports favouring archery and after many dedicated years, became Australasian champion. I have a a competitive personality and go in to win. The second trait was my love for the mechanical. I drove the tractor for Dad when I was 6 and over the years built and developed my love for cars.
"I hated school and left as soon as I could to begin a plumbing, sheet metal and drain-laying 12,000 hour apprenticeship. God made me to work with my hands. I was not designed to sit in an office, I needed to get out and create things.
"I was into hot cars! My first car, a mini, was so hot I broke 5 crankshafts in it. Big wheels, big guards and in those days there was only one speed, pedal to the metal! There were no radars thankfully. We had the freedom. No seat belts. If you got caught after a dance in the local hall, the cop would take your car keys off you and then return them to you the following day.
"I always had a place in my heart for Jesus, but I never knew him as my Saviour. I knew Jesus was a very special person but I was ignorant of an intimate relationship with him. I didn't know Jesus was God.
"There were several occasions as a married man with children I loved, when I needed to sell whatever car I had been working on at that time. One such car was a Ford Anglia 1500 Cortina motor with webbers and extractor and gear. I went on to different cars like a Valiant hemi pacer 4 speed 73 model, but it was around this time when motor rallying started in New Zealand. I loved watching and my dream was to get into it. I thought I could do this quite well. I decided on a '76 Vauxhall Chevette hatchback 1200 cc. Together with a mechanic mate, we removed the motor and rebuilt it so it was like a works car with a 2.3 litre motor. I entered into a Tokoroa rally with 186 starters and in the final 96 kms stage, came through in the top bunch of those who had big name sponsorship. The car only did 7 miles to the gallon so it was touch and go if I would have enough fuel. I was going well until the final turn, where one of the road direction arrows had been interfered with and I turned the wrong way. Although I had good sponsorship I didn't have the money needed to continue to compete and win at that level. I sold the rally car after moving as a family to Tauranga. I was a workaholic. No one could ever say I was lazy.
"Through her younger sister, my wife became a born again Christian and although I respected her faith, I didn't enter into that world. I kept talking to God, but I put him on a shelf as I had so many things I wanted to do. I took a break from plumbing and took another job, but one day on this new job, I ran around a corner into steel rods sticking out from the side of the building. I tried to ignore the pain in my sternum but eventually after 3 Doctors visits it was found I was bleeding internally and had developed septicemia (a serious life threatening response to bacteria in the blood). I was put into hospital and one day I went up to the garden on the roof. I felt so crook, I thought the only way I'm getting out of here is in a black hearse. I always believed in God, but never knew Him. I said 'Jesus if you are so real, I need to know, now. I need you now'. The presence of the Holy Spirit came on me in a powerful way. I knew, because I knew, because I knew. It was God. I never saw God, but I felt an overwhelming presence and heard God say 'I'm here with you'. I became a Christian and thanked my wife who had prayed faithfully for me.
"Years later I was encouraged to become a part of Watchman. This is a group of fervent local Christian men, whose sole purpose is to read the Bible, interpret the word according to life today, be aware of prophetic messages from the Holy Spirit and pray without ceasing. I feel my purpose here on earth today, is to develop a knowledge of God's heart, for the relevant times we live in and to share with others".
Psalm 91 ' Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. Surely He will save you from the fowlers snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say the Lord is my refuge and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways: they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra: you will trample the great lion and the serpent. Because he loves me says the Lord, I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him and honour him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation'.