Yesterday the instructor who usually takes my exercise class was unwell and had arranged for someone else to cover.  As it happened, I was wearing this tee-shirt:

She read it said, 'so are you a preacher?  It transpired that she and her husband are 'between churches' at the moment and just might come along to the Gathering Place at some point to try us out.  Wow!

This got me thinking... I have met more people outside churchy circles in the last nine months than the last nine years (well more like eleven years but it's not as poetic to write!)

One of the unexpected blessings of the last nine months has been the wonderful people I've met - professionals and patients - and the fascinating conversations I've had.  I have always been open about what I do/am but have never rushed to elaborate.  The genuine interest people have shown is amazing, as are the questions they ask.  From the people who asked about my sense of call, to the secular-Hindu who spoke of being an 'old soul', to the Penty woman who tried to evangelise me (!), to the professionals who understood how my job impacted my 'journey' through treatment...

Don't get me wrong, this doesn't act as an explanation for what happened, or a purpose for it, it is just one of the amazing ways in which hope (see post below) triumphs in adversity if only we have eyes to glimpse it.

PS Looking at this photo taken in March it is amazing how much my hair has thickened up!