“My “Three Grannies” And Grandfather”
Perhaps a way that can describe my Christian journey is through my three “grannies” and a grandfather. Of course, you may immediately wonder how it is possible to have “three grannies” – well, two of them were biological and one was in a way adoptive. First I will speak about my maternal granny, who was from nowadays Slovakia. My sister and I called her “Babi” (“Granny”), which is presumably a familiar word to people from various European countries, although her actual name was Greta. Her husband had died when I was very young (apparently something like a political prisoner) and she used to come over to England during summer months to stay for some time – we were extremely good friends and I have fond memories of her belly laughing at my joking behaviour and we used to play endless card games and she used to make fantastic “cheese straws”, however, she was an atheist, so we never discussed religion from her side, although as you will see, that would not be the last word on that matter regarding her.
Next was my paternal granny called “Ro”, who I loved dearly and again had fantastic childhood memories – she and her husband Derek had a rather amazing house, including a “sit-on” railway, that went around their fairly large garden, with swimming pool and tennis court – I can probably say that they were almost perfect grandparents, as far as I could imagine, although they had drifted into atheism, having been somewhat religious, being extremely kind, generous and loving – my grandfather had been some sort of an officer during the war and was a very remarkable courageous man and probably the most loyal “friend” I have had during my life and my mother always said that I had been (unofficially of course) his favourite grandchild out of the ten of us – my father has two other brothers, with the youngest being an approximate atheist and the middle one very religious and he maybe got my first or one of the first Bibles.
Finally was my “adoptive” grandmother called Margaret, who was a spinster and ex-nurse as far as I remember – apparently, when my mother asked in the local baker about a babysitter Margaret was there and immediately offered and refused payment – again, we got on “like a house on fire” and I would occasionally stay at her house when my parents were away and she would also visit my house and myself and my family would drop round to her – we used to play numerous games of chess and draughts, etc., as well as go on long walks and even a brief holiday, etc.. Now, the big difference with Margaret was that she was a devout Christian and a very Christian woman: really “salt of the earth” and a remarkable person – as I was her “adoptive” grandson I can almost guarantee that she would have often been praying for me (perhaps daily).
There is a photo of when I was maybe about 8 or so, perhaps showing me sitting something like “the cat that got the cream” – in many ways life was very good. Some interesting spiritual experiences happened to me that I can remember – first when I was quite young, such as about 5, I suddenly had a realisation that there was a good Creator and felt influenced to follow a spiritual path – this was in sharp contrast to my later peers who even at a young age had started to get into Heavy Metal music and although was friends with some of them, was thought of as a “goody-two-shoes” to some extent – most likely Margaret and possibly my uncle and his wife were praying for me and that was influencing my lifestyle
Next, when I was about 11 or 12 perhaps, a very unusual spiritual experience happened on a school walk – it was a Saturday and although I went to a Christian primary school, the Saturday Sabbath was never mentioned – then suddenly on the walk, I had the realisation that Saturday is a holy day and we should be keeping it. Whilst at secondary school, studying the story of a Jewish boy during the Second World War, I had a remarkable resemblance to the boy on the cover of the book (you will see how that fits in shortly).
At A-level, I unexpectedly did well at religious studies and had a chance to try for Oxford and in my mind, I felt that the Bible was the “Word of God”, although alas did not take the opportunity (my Bible religious studies teacher was an atheist, telling us why the Bible was corrupted), studying English Literature and Creative Writing instead elsewhere. In the middle of university, I had volunteered to work on a kibbutz in Israel, then visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and a young Muslim (I assume) man came up to me and punched my arm: I had no idea why... then when I returned to England my mother told me for the first time that we were, in fact, Jewish from Greta's side, although it was never talked about – needless to say I was not a little surprised.
After university, following travelling abroad I came back and was having trouble from a lump on my neck, that was causing me big problems (did not go to a doctor, as did not want to go the chemotherapy and radiation route, if cancer) – I prayed to God, that “if He would save me, I would serve Him” and became a vegan, cutting out sugar, doing sport and eating anti-fungal foods, such as potent organic raw broccoli seeds, as well as turmeric and garlic (have told perhaps 100s of cancer sufferers before that I used to pray for as a 3ABN “prayer warrior”, and others including one or more doctors that I met, although despite asking for feedback, am not sure anyone ever told me it helped them). A few years later I got baptised in a Baptist church – about that time, I was sitting at my desk (probably with my King James Bible to hand) and I had a sudden clear and compelling “realisation” that the Bible was Preserved and Inspired – following on from this, I have set up an online ministry which has reached 1,000s of people called “Matthew 24:14”.
Whilst I had been “tent making” with (mainly online) English teaching, I felt that I should be also studying theology and my business had been getting far slower due to “not having my heart in it”, etc.; I started applying to study theology at Newbold and finally, have now completed the first semester as a “mature student”. Now a committed Christian with a “religious beard” to match, so for my journey from then to now, I can thank my dear “three grannies and grandpa”, who shaped and guided my life and to me, I am greatly indebted to them.