32 Oakfield Tower MOTHERWELL 12th August 2001

Dear Jane,

Thank you for your letter and for opening your heart to us. We have not forgotten you and pray for you when God brings you to mind. It is hard to believe that four years have gone by since we first met you. We have had some letters from you before and a very nice card. Thanks for keeping in touch with us. We are always pleased to hear from you.

We are both keeping very well. We are recently back from a youth camp, called the Maranatha Camp, which was held in Culloden Academy, near Inverness. There were over a hundred campers from Northern Ireland, France, Scotland and other parts. We had some marvelous times of worship, including a Sunday evening's communion on Nairn beach around a campfire, which was a real blessing. We know of a number of young people who became Christians and many others who went deeper with the Lord. Some we have heard are to be baptised in their home churches, which will be really exciting.

During the week we talked to a number of young people who spoke of problems similar to the ones you have mentioned, in your letter. We have found it to be true that most teenage Christians, deep down, really want to go on strong for the Lord but sometimes the struggle gets them down and they feel so bad. As we sought to reassure them, so we want to reassure you. God loves you so very much. He knows all about your struggles and at times your failures too, but His great love for you remains the same. It is unconditional love. He doesn't just love you if you behave in a certain way or perform in some way. He always loves you! It doesn't matter if you think you were quite good today or quite bad. His love is constant. Believe that! It is true!

Another truth is that it can be lonely to follow Jesus. We cannot pretend otherwise. We have recently sent over a hundred young people home from a great camp, where we and many other spiritual leaders loved them, helped them, prayed with them, taught them and cared for them. We sent them home to stand for the Lord, ALONE: often in isolated situations; some the only Christian in the family or in the area. We taught them that although we could not be with them, the Lord would be with them. "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13 verse 5). Some young people we know, were going home to break up with friends, whom they knew were dragging them down. Not an easy thing to do. It is not always easy to do the right thing. We greatly admired them for it. God will lead them and you to the right kind of friends and to the man you will marry. Don't look for him in the wrong places!

Then there is the matter of local churches. There will always be "church hurts" but we dare not stay out of the church. Some of the campers are going back to lively churches, where they will be cared for and strengthened. Others are going back to churches like the one you mentioned, and it will not be easy. There is no perfect church. We don't agree with a lot that happens in our church in Motherwell, but we stay because God has put us here and He has commanded us to love our brothers and sisters, though they can be very difficult and at times, break our hearts. Ask the Lord to show you the church He wants you to be in and determine to go, with His help. The love we need comes from the Holy Spirit.

Many of the campers wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit, so they could go back to live a victorious Christian life, rather than an up and down, defeated kind of life. If you, Jane, would like to be filled with the Holy Spirit and live the Christian life, as God intends, we have outlined some steps for you below.

Despite what is portrayed daily, on the TV and whatever your friends say, casual sex is not fun. That is the truth. For someone as sensitive as you, it will leave you feeling cheap, used and degraded. (Also the risk of AIDS is increasing not just in gay circles but in straight as well. Recent reports show the increase of cases in this area.) It is not uncool, to be sensible, to be pure, to say, 'No' to drugs. Nor to say, "I'm a Christian." Oh, you'll get slagged at first, but stick to your guns and once they see you mean it, you'll get a lot of respect, as long as you love them and don't judge them. We have found it to be true that the gangs and young people in Motherwell, respect us as Christians and think our "Jesus Bus" is really cool, even though they are not Christians and into the same things as your friends! Dare to be different when you start back at school and see what great things God will do for you.

Drink is not condemned in the Bible, as you rightly point out. Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into wine for a Wedding party. However, drunkenness is condemned and the Bible makes it clear that, "no drunkard will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6 verse 10). Anyway, the Christian has his or her very own high. We can get stoned on the Holy Spirit. See Ephesians 5 verse 18, "Do not get drunk on wine which leads to sin. Instead be filled with the spirit." When the guys offer us a bottle or a joint we say to them, "Hey guys, we are on the best buzz of all - high on the Holy Spirit!" How true!

If you are open about your life for the Lord, you will no longer have the pressure of having to tell lies and deceive concerning your social life. God will give you a meaningful and fulfilling social life; one you can be proud to be open about and to share with your friends. He has a wonderful plan for your life. He has great things in store for you. Believe us. Believe in Him.

To help you understand more about God, let us explain. God exists in THREE persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. So therefore, we can say that the Father is God, Jesus is God and the Holy Spirit is God. He is ONE God but in THREE persons. He is the three in one! That is why we sometimes worship or pray to the Father, or sometimes to Jesus, or again to the Holy Spirit. Whatever it is okay. Also we can say the Father is in us, or Jesus is in our heart, or the Holy Spirit is in us. They are interchangeable. All THREE love you and surround you as you read this letter. So be encouraged!

A number of our campers were anxious about unsaved family members. Most of us, including ourselves have relations we love, who are not Christians. God understands our concerns for them but asks us simply to TRUST Him. He gives us opportunity to pray for them, to do kind things for them at times and to live out our Christian lives before them. Perhaps even to speak a word to them for Him. Yet this is never easy and we need to be very patient. Sometimes we have to wait for many years to see changes in those we love. Of course, you are concerned that your own life has to be lived fully for the Lord, if you are going to be of any help to others and this is true. Well, the steps below, if followed will bring you back to the Lord and change you into an effective Christian, bright for Jesus.

Firstly, find a quiet place, where you can be alone with God, without any interruptions.

Secondly, and this can be very painful, make out a list of all your known sins. Write them down and confess them to Him. This will include, from what you have told us in your letter, your coldness towards the Lord, your negative reaction to the hurts at Church (yes, the members were in the wrong but you probably reacted through the hurt and were angry. Perhaps you vowed not to go back), also you'll need to confess trying to get stoned on things other than the Lord and all you lies and deceiving people about your social life. Take your time and tell the Lord everything in detail. Let the tears come! Tell Him all about your hurts; fears of standing up as a Christian; fears of being alone.

Then, whenever you have told Him every sin, ask Him if there is anything more He wants you to confess. Wait quietly to see if He answers. If there is anything, confess it too. Thank Him that the blood of Jesus on the cross, washes away all your sin: "the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." (1st John 1 verse 7).

By now you will feel really drained, but don't worry. Ask Him to fill the void inside you with the Holy Spirit. Pray, "Lord fill me now with your Holy Spirit." You will find that the burden has lifted and that you are filled with a new energy! Wow!

Thank Him for all He has done for you. Then ask His help in confessing your sins to Him daily and asking for the daily filling of the Holy Spirit, to live a dynamic Christian life, as God intends for every Christian.

Let us know how you get on with these things. We have enclosed a Christian music CD and some daily Bible reading notes to encourage you. You are very welcome to phone us on 01698 276629. If you would like a visit or if we could collect you and take you for a coke, let us know. Or, if you would like to come through here to Motherwell, you could try something in Trixie's pottery and have a wee talk and prayer with us.

We are here for you, any time.

Love you,

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