The Southgate Christian Fellowship
'60' and amazed!
Sometimes it seems that life is to be lived at a hectic pace with the emphasis on living for the moment, but God is at work throughout the whole of our earthly lives and beyond into eternity, as Brenda found out.
Brenda has known God at work in her life for as long as she can remember. Here she shares how He took her through some very difficult periods.
Brenda was born in Tottenham into a large family, the sixth out of eight children.
She was just four years old when the Second World War began and she remembers being evacuated to
When Brenda was seven the family returned to Tottenham and were reunited. Their home was still intact, although some of the other houses in the road had been destroyed by bombs.
Her first Bible
When she was ten Brenda asked for a Bible as a Birthday present. She also began attending Sunday School at
Her eagerness to learn about God meant that she often stayed behind after Sunday School to ask further questions and talk about what she had learned in the lesson. When she was 15 she read through the whole Bible.
She began going to church, and the message that hit her was: “Put God first and everything else will fall into place”. Challenged by this she was baptised and became a member of the church at the age of 16.
Off to University and...
Having passed her three ‘A’ levels, Brenda moved on to
...a Challenge
It was whilst at university that she was to face one of the hardest decisions of her life. She had met David, a fellow student, and not long after they started going out together they decided they wanted to get married. However, in the back of Brenda’s mind she knew that the Bible says a believer should not marry an unbeliever.
Hearing God and...
During a Geography field trip the Lord spoke clearly to her, asking her to make a choice of either David or Him. Much as she loved David and impossible as it seemed to give him up, she could not turn her back on the Lord who had died to give her eternal life. Devastating as it was, she told David that their relationship was over.
...Receiving His Love
All through this crisis Brenda never lost her trust in God. Instead it brought her into a deeper revelation of what Jesus had done for her. That Easter, God showed her in a fresh way exactly what He had done for her on the cross at
Looking back, Brenda says she is grateful to God for his guidance, although at the time it was a terribly difficult choice to make.
Fresh Challenges
A few years later Brenda returned to
All those who know her will agree that she is not one to seek the limelight, but she became a Deacon in the church at the age of twenty-three. She always had a sense of her inadequacy and this responsibility forced her into greater Bible study and prayer.
Fresh Experiences
Another spiritual landmark was being baptised in the Holy Spirit when she was 34. As a result she became 100% sure of her salvation. This also contributed to her confidence when, two years later she was asked to become Church Secretary. She says she argued with God for six months and finally said, “I“ can’t do this Lord, but if it’s your will, I’m willing”.
During this time her relationship with the Lord developed and deepened further, and although there were times of difficulty Brenda always talked to God and recognised his voice guiding her.
Fresh Ministry
Some years later she moved to join the Tottenham Fellowship where she became a full-time worker, helping with needy families in the church and serving in different areas. During this time she was given free board and lodgings, and a sum of ten pounds a week for other necessities. Although she felt vulnerable at times, she trusted the Lord to look after her and meet her needs.
A Walking Encounter
Brenda’s favourite way of meeting with God is to take long walks and talk to Him. Since she was a small child she has talked to God in ordinary everyday language, as if talking to her best friend. Her relationship with Him is real and honest. If she is upset and angry she is secure enough to express her feelings to him. However she feels she knows that His love, peace and gentleness will surround and fill her, and reassure her once more.
A Single Struggle
One of her greatest struggles has been with remaining single. For years Brenda hoped to get married, but there came a time when she realised that she would have to give her desires over to the Lord and almost renounce the idea of marriage for her own sake and the sake of those close to her at the time. Having done this she can now say that she has far greater peace about being single.
And now...?
Now in her sixties she is optimistic about the future. “I feel that I’ve entered a new and exciting phase of my life, and when I compare how I feel now with how I felt at being forty, I’m amazed at how good life is!”
You can contact Brenda by e.mail.
Office Address:
thescf@aol.com
020 8886 3786