Welcome to the first, and I hope of many blogs that provide a simple outlet for me/us to communicate what we're thinking, doing and preparing for, not simply about the intensity of faith, but about who we are and how we live as believers.
The best place to start is to give you some background and relevance, so you're able to recognise if and where I might figure in your own timetable, i.e., should you read and follow or not? Also, being a marketing type I know, if this is not relevant or there's no synergy, there's no point in anyone wasting their time and we all move on. But I do hope you'll want to stay :)
For those of you who are new to the site or have recently signed up for updates, I'm Nigel Maine, married to Liz since 2004. We were both previously married, got divorced. Liz separated in 1999 and me in 2002. We met each other after our respective divorces when Liz had a business appointment with me in 2003 (the week I actually got my decree nisi). We both had children from our first marriages, we both had a boy and a girl. when we met they were ages seven, eight, nine, and ten.
In the earlier days of my first marriage I had another daughter, Lauren, who tragically died, aged four-years-old, following an accident whilst she was out with my ex-wife. Her death in 1993 followed a few months after my business and I went bust. Three years later, I had a quadruple bypass in 1996, some say it was a broken heart.
As you can see, in a few paragraphs, it has satan written all over it - he comes to kill, steal, and destroy! All of us have some sad and tragic stories to tell that leave us questioning the meaning of life. In my case, I was on my knees. In December 2002 I moved out, and low-and-behold her boyfriend moved in!
However, after I moved out, life took another turn for the worst as my ex wife's boyfriend, who also happened to be my daughters primary school teacher, behaved inappropriately with my daughter. She told me, I told the police, and in return I was attacked from all sides as my ex-wife laid it on thick telling anyone who would listen, I had lied and made-up the whole story to discredit the boyfriend.
It seemed that God had a plan for us, here's why I think that: Once I accepted that the legal system was flawed and now refused to play any further part in it, the case literally disappeared, those that know, know there should have been court orders. However, after my last and quite angry letter to the High Court saying, 'you've done your worst, I'm out'. The same day statements were to be submitted to the Court, without being exchanged in advance (as the Judge knew the CAFCASS, the family court organisation were deliberately targeting me) my daughter was 'delivered' to me by my ex-wife and everything changed.
It wasn't until 2017, fifteen years later, after the earlier 86 court appearances that I finally obtained written and undeniable proof. The evidence finally closed the mouths of the liars. I tell you this, because after going to court between 2002 to 2009, and turning my back on the failed legal system in the UK. I made a bee-line to the police, this time armed with proof/evidence. My local police force said if it had happened in their durestriction, the would arrest them both. However, as it was under the Metropolitan Police, I had to go back to where it was originally reported. After sending nearly nine hours waiting for the police to see me, they confirmed the case was handled incorrectly at the time, however, as some years had passed, my daughter needed to contact them direct. And therein lies another tale!
Looking back, there was only one constant, and that was the truth. The fact I would not lie and only told the truth, the truth of Liz's commitment to our new and now integrated family and most importantly the truth of God's Word and His promises. In the early days of our walk of faith, we experienced some inexplicable events that would frame. And characterise our faith and how we saw the world.
Until next time, have a great week,
Nigel
