On Thursday 12 June we were delighted to welcome Claire Withams for a return visit.  Claire has spoken in the past about her experiences of working for the Ambulance Chaplaincy.  Today Claire spoke about the gift of peace which God wants all His children to enjoy.  In the course of her work she often encounters people who are in severe distress, and said she finds it a real privilege to try to bring some peace and comfort into those situations.

She reminded us of Jesus’ promise in John 14 : 27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid”.

She demonstrated graphically how easily this peace can be lost – buried beneath such burdens as anxiety, depression, overwork, money worries and many other cares.  We are sometimes carrying heavy loads which weigh us down; our peace seems to be lost altogether, but Jesus also promises the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Counsellor, and with His help we can find our peace once again.  This can be through prayer, sometimes solitude, but is often through fellowship with one another.

To close our meeting Claire chose a very fitting hymn – “When peace like a river . . . It is well, it is well with my soul”.