This week, we welcomed back Amanda, the Manager of Books Alive in Hove.  Amanda brought some lovely Christmassy items and other bits and pieces for us to start our preparations for the big countdown! There was a bit of a scramble to peruse the lovely display and to make our purchases before Faith called us to order to start our meeting!

Amanda brought us a passage which meant a great deal to her – The calling of Samuel from 1 Samuel 3 v 1-18. Amanda shared some testimony as to how, through a non-Christian friend, she received what she called a ‘light bulb moment’, where God revealed to her what she needed to do.

God doesn’t often shout, He speaks quietly and gently and if we are not in tune or hard of hearing then we can miss the moment.  Sometimes, just like Samuel, we need somebody else to help us understand what God wants to say to us. This revelation meant that Amanda would be facing an exciting, fresh start with a move to Brighton –  a real uprooting. Through this episode in Amanda’s life, her mother came back to faith and was baptised. Another light bulb moment came through a Christian friend who encouraged her to apply for the perfect role of Manager of Books Alive. The rest, as they say, is history!

Amanda encouraged us to be ready to listen and to have the courage to act on God’s word. Let’s all be willing to slow down, to be still and to say to the Lord, “Speak Lord, for Your servant is listening!”