Faith stories - David

Tell us a little about yourself David:

I was born 75 years ago in a town in the North East of Scotland called Lossiemouth.  I was an only child but had a very close extended family so always felt surrounded by love from Parents, Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts, so it’s never been difficult for me to accept that God is a God of love – a very privileged situation.  I grew up in an era of freedom.  There were many fishing boats in the harbour to explore and of course we had no sense of danger in embarking on a punt in the harbour to the horror of the fishermen, but we survived.  There seemed no restrictions in wandering across the beaches and the woodlands around the area, so different to the more restrictive environment we live in now.  The local community seemed to protect us without the need for all the legal restrictions considered essential for our safety now.

My Parents and Grandparents were all sincere Christians so I was brought up in a very happy Christian environment.  My parents nurtured me in a knowledge of the bible and the need to come to know Jesus as a personal saviour which I did at an early age because it seemed so essential to have a real faith and trust in Him to secure my eternal future.  I went along to many Christian meetings, sometimes more to meet my friends than to hear God’s word, but in His grace much did stay with me for which I’m very thankful.

I’ve always been very conscious of God’s watchfulness over my life.  I particularly remember a visit to the doctor’s in my late teens.  He asked whether I was contemplating further study and suggested that some of the big oil companies often sponsored students.  I couldn’t believe it when a few days later I found an advert in the newspaper for university apprentices with BP at their Research Centre in Sunbury on Thames.  That was the start of 7 years in the south which resulted in many friendships.  God again directed my steps in meeting my wife-to-be in London, and in obtaining a job back in Edinburgh nearer parents which was a blessed decision.  I was initially involved in river pollution prevention which then extended to helping SEPA protect the wider environment in the Lothians.

God blessed us with a son and a daughter who both live near us in Edinburgh and who have presented us with 3 lovely granddaughters who all consider it is their responsibility to occupy our time if they don’t think we have enough to do in our retirement.

We came to Bruntsfield around 9 years ago after we had passed on the Gospel Hall at Southfield to 20 Schemes at Niddrie.   BEC was nearer our home and more convenient for transport and we have been made very welcome here.

Tell us about some big events that you have lived through that has defined you:

Thankfully it has been my privilege to live through a time of peace in Europe.  I experienced the time of the Cold War with Russia.  In my early years we lived in the shadow of a threat of nuclear war and the thought that mankind now had the power to wipe out the world.  Warnings would be short and devastation huge.  I think it was around that time I accepted Jesus as my Saviour as this gave a certain and sure hope over against world uncertainty.

There was no doubt that COVID was the period which caused the greatest change in our way of life.  It’s amazing how such a small organism can have such a worldwide impact.  But remember how such a small sin from Adam has had such a devastating impact on our world, so much worse than Covid.  Thanks be to God that He’s provided a perfect remedy in our precious Saviour, Jesus.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve experienced in your lifetime?

As I’ve said, hard times in my life are nothing compared to what others have experienced and we’ve to give thanks for God’s grace towards us.  However here’s one incident which taught us a number of lessons.  After 7 years in our first house we felt the need for more space and in September 1982 found a house in Pentland Terrace which we felt would be suitable.  We made an offer at the upset price and were staggered when our offer was successful.  We’ve been continually challenged by the comment our solicitor made in passing on the message of our successful bid.  My wife Margaret managed to stutter out in response, “But why?” and he responded by saying, “It’s God’s will you’ve got the house, now use it for His glory!” And we’ve never moved.  But the process of selling our own house was fraught with difficulties, particularly as we had already agreed to buy our new house before selling our own.  We thought it would sell no problem as we had renovated it to quite a high standard.  On our first week we had no visitors, and no offers by the fourth week.  I thought it appropriate to visit our bank manager only to be told that he couldn’t help and we’d probably need to sell the house we’d just bought.  On the fifth week things seemed to go from bad to worse.  I had a puncture in my car and needed a new tyre, I broke my glasses and on that week the advert for our house appeared in the wrong section.  I had gone out to the prayer meeting and Margaret was bathing our children, not the best situation to show a house, when unexpectedly a couple appeared at the door to see the house.  Despite it being close to the end of the year they wanted in before Christmas just a month after the entry date to our new house. 

So the lesson we learned which I would pass on to future generations in BEC is, it is at our weakest point that we see the greatest operation of God’s strength.  1Cor1v27

What is the greatest thing you’ve seen the Lord do in your lifetime?

I think the greatest thing is the revival in evangelical churches in Edinburgh.  The church we were involved with at Southfield had had a good evangelical involvement in Bingham over the years but by 2016 was dwindling in numbers and aging.  We had been praying as to how the Lord was going to take it forward when, one Sunday, two young men met us in our car park and asked what went on at our church.  We invited them to our services and they told us they held a coffee morning at the Community Centre in Bingham but weren’t able to discuss the gospel there as it was a Council property.  So they wondered if they could have the coffee morning in our hall.  That was successful, but it soon became clear that our kitchen needed upgrading as well as the rest of the hall.  Mes McConnell from Niddrie Mission approached us and it was agreed that we would pass on our hall to 20 Schemes.  They have planted a new church there, which is now thriving as Hope Church in a very needy area of Edinburgh.  This was a great answer to prayers.  There have been a number of similar stories such as the Old Schoolhouse and Chalmers in Morningside which have been revitalised and are now bursting at the seams.  This is totally contrary to the message which the media would like to portray of declining churches.

We’ve proved God in so many situations in our lifetime of which only a few have been mentioned above.  We’re so thankful that we can continue to trust Him for what remains of our lives.   

I know who holds the future,
and he’ll guide me with his hand.
With God things don’t just happen;
everything by him is planned.
So as I face tomorrow
with its problems large and small,
I’ll trust the God of miracles,
give to him my all.