Birthday weekend leads to reflection on challenging year

It is my Birthday Weekend – August 2, 1969, was the day that it all started for me.
The Reverend Jonathan HaighThe Reverend Jonathan Haigh
The Reverend Jonathan Haigh

I don’t know about you, but I get all reflective when it comes to my birthday.

When I look back, I have had more good experiences in life than bad ones.

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One challenge as a child was battling with leukaemia and I still thank God to this day for Sheffield Children’s hospital for saving my life and giving me a future.

But I have to say that this year has been one of the most challenging years in my life so far as we come terms with the coronavirus and its effect on all of us.

Looking back helps us to see that whatever we do have to deal with in life, we have a faithful God who will sustain us and uphold us and give us a resilience to get through.

However, I also find myself looking around me in the present to remind myself of all the people who are part of my life today.

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Those people make me feel special and loved and that I am not alone.

This also causes me to pause and think about people in our community who are isolated or feel marginalised and maybe don’t have those around them to help them feel special.

This is something that we all deserve.

It motivates me to ensure that I can play my part to make sure that others know they are not alone.

As we emerge from lockdown, we need to remember that the same people who had needs during lockdown, still have them now.

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Finally, I look forwards. I do this with a fresh perspective after looking back and then looking around me in the present.

I can see that God has been there throughout my life and is with me now.

That renews my confidence that God will walk with me into the future, to help me to deal with whatever comes my way.

As it says in Psalm 23vs6, ‘surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life’.

The Reverend Jonathan Haigh is a minister at Victoria Hall Methodist Church, Sheffield city centre, and Greenhill Methodist Church – see greenhillmethodistchurch.com