Hi

I thought it would be good to let you know what is going on in our lives, because sometimes a bit of normality is helpful when life is anything but normal.

Just recently we had a day out as a family and set off to visit Framlingham Castle which is one of the local sights. We had been there before, but the family were much younger then and all they could really remember was being assaulted by a gang of unruly ducks who ate their chips, so with the hope of a slightly more educational visit we made our way across Suffolk. It was one of those late spring days, you know the ones that are warm but chilly in the shade, where although you put on your coat you always end up taking it off, putting it on, taking it off and finally trying to tie it around you waist like you did when you were a kid.

Arriving at the castle we bought our tickets and to everyone’s glee (apart from me) found that a tape player, headphones and map were included in the price. This is so that at specific places on your tour you can stop and play the tape which then tells you all the interesting historical facts about the spot you are standing on. For most people of course this is a fantastic bonus which works very well unless you are like me, who some how always manages to get the messages out of sequence and ends up listening to a description of someone falling tragically to their death from a high tower, when they are in the basement looking upwards at a gentle staircase.

So as everybody else in my family including my youngest son Jo were grasping the history and life of Framlingham and having a great time, I had now given up and was sulking in the castle court yard trying my best not to look like the little boy who always sat at the back of the class trying to finish the dot to dot book.

But it was here in the court yard that I spotted an old well, now not liking heights much (could be another reason for skulking in the courtyard as opposed to following the trail around the high walls and towers) I edged toward the well to gingerly peer into the darkness. As I looked down all I could see was black, and somewhere in that black there was the drip drip of water. So like a man with a sudden purpose I picked up a stone and tossed it down the well then started to count out loud to see how deep the well was. I got to ten then fifteen and began to think I had missed the splash but just as I got to twenty and was about to give up I heard a distant splosh echoing up from below.

Hmmm, I did it again and counted the same, but it was then that I noticed that my family had finished their tour and were standing behind me looking quizzically at me, can’t imagine why?

We finished our trip and everyone agreed that it was a really good day apart from finding Dad staring down a well counting out loud to himself, much to the consternation of the Germans tourists who thought it was some sort of dark satanic right and started to queue up to do the same thing, “ Eiens Swi Dri”

Some weeks later I was in the shower looking down the plughole when the Holy Spirit brought the memory of the well back to me and said plain as you like "Why was your expectancy greater when it came to listening for the splash of that stone than believing in me and what I am able to do”?

Now there is one thing I have learnt when the Holy Spirit talks and that is to listen. Which may seem an odd statement but I have discovered that most of the time I don’t really want to listen as I know he is going to say something that will challenge my heart, and if I am honest I would like to stay unchallenged and comfortable.

Well I was really hoping this one would go away but it didn’t, so I started to ask God about the importance of what we expect and how it can either fire or quench our Faith.

The answer I got was simple “expectancy is the fuel of faith”. What we are expecting and the level of our expectancy determines how much Faith we have for God to answer our prayers and hearts desire.

The woman with the issue of blood that had been a draining her dry for twelve years in (Mark 5:25) had an expectancy that just one touch of the masters garment would heal her, so she put aside manners and pushed her way to Jesus and got hold of her healing. Blind Bartimeus in (Mark 10:46) had been hearing about this Jesus healing sick people and had an expectation that he would be healed, so when all protocol told him to be silent and stay hidden away because he was an outcast and beggar he stepped over the line and caught hold of Jesus and received his healing.

Expectancy is the fuel for our faith.

My dear friend I know the battle you are fighting and it may seem that what you have prayed and believed for has not yet happened but know this, God is faithful and he a always answers, expect your miracle, look for his presence and be healed.

We love you and are praying for you both, look forward to seeing you

Your friend Pastor Rob Frankson