Holding On

Tomorrow is September 1st - a significant double anniversary for me. 1st September 1978, Bob asked me to marry him. Exactly a year later, he told me that he felt God was calling him to be a Baptist Minister. "You could have told me last Saturday" I said [I'd been Mrs Almond for exactly one week] But I wasn't surprised, I think I knew before he did. He did his theological training at Spurgeon's College in South London. It was a special time, and we made many great friends there. Just last month the college closed. Very Suddenly. Like many smaller educational establishments at the moment, there were big financial problems, and everything just fell apart. Many people have been saddened by this- and the Baptist Family has rallied round to ensure those who were in the middle of training, or about to start training, will be able to study elsewhere. It is a huge upheaval for them  and for the staff, now unemployed. 
The College motto is Et Teneo Et Teneor, I both hold and am held. A reminder of our faith in God, and the certainty of God's love that will never let us go. 

So often in our college years, I would stand at the bottom of the stairs and look up at the beautiful stained glass window. Even when the way ahead was not clear, or there were difficult situations to work through, God never let us go. I am praying for all those affected by what has happened, that they will know that God will not let them go.