Marylyn Smith

I'm the East Midlands Secretary for GBWA and I also distribute Sharing magazine.

I was born in 1940 towards the end of the war, so I don't remember life during the war years. My childhood was happy, not particularly wealthy - my faher served abroad in Egypt during the war. It wasn't a Christian home, but I was always sent to Sunday School. At the age of about 11, I attended a Billy Graham crusade and the Lord spoke to me and I was converted and, later on, baptised.

After leaving school and commencing work, the ways of the world crept in. I began a friendship with a non-Christian lad whom I eventually married and we made our home in Potton.

In the office I worked with Ethel Pibworth, a Christian who attended Potton Baptist Church, and she 'nagged' me until I gave in and began to attend church with her, later becoming a member. There I was richly blessed with good biblical teaching and soon I accepted that I had done wrong in marrying Alan. So what could I do to put things right? Our Bible studies with Chris Seekings turned to 1 Corinthians and 7.13 spoke to me: 'If a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him'. So, having admittted and confessed my sin, I committed the situation to the Lord. Ethel and I then set aside special times to pray specifically for Alan's conversion.

In the midst of all this I became pregnant. Sadly, at five months my baby died and I had to give birth to a lifeless baby. Many questions arose in my mind - was this God's discipline? Maybe; but always remembering:

Though I his goings cannot see,
Nor all his footsteps find,
Too wise to be mistaken he,
Too good to be unkind.

Several other problems beset us: an operation to remove a cyst; three more minor miscarriages. Then nothing. After having several tests, we were told there was no medical reason for not conceiving. I was virtually resigned to a childless marriage.

Then Ethel and I had a moment of madness - 'Let's go horseriding!' Which we did. Not quite up to the standard of 'Only fools on horses'. Shortly after our second ride, I fell pregnant! Nine months later, Karen was born - but I still couldn't do things properly and she was a breach birth, which in those days meant she had to go into intensive care for a few days. Other mums in the ward felt sorry for me, that I could not 'bond' with my baby. Was I upset? No way! I had waited ten years for this - so what were a few more days?

I had to stay in hospital for several days and imagine my delight on being told that Alan had slipped into Sunday morning service the day after the birth.

Then just 18 months after Karen, our son Jonathan was born. That was over 30 years ago now and I can truly say that the Lord has been faithful to us in all things, even when we have often failed him.

I would like to report that life has been a bed of roses and we all lived happily ever after - but, no, there have been many ups and downs for us over the years, both in our church life and our family life ... but that's another story!

Romans 8.28 is a favourite verse of mine and many times have I had to cling hard to the promise, 'And we know that all things work toegether for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose'.

Yes, ALL things do work together for our good, but only if we fulfil the condition to that promise ... it's to those who love God. He must have the pre-eminence in every department of our life, in order that we can claim the promise... How is it with you?