Brad Waldron 

My name is Ralph Bradstreet Waldron Jr. The Lord knew this was to be my name, for he knows everything about me. I am 76 years young. I have always felt privileged to have been brought up in a Christian family. I attended Church regularly, and at the age of 16 received a Water Baptism. I did believe in God, his Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, they were only in my mind and seemed so far away. Reaching the age of 18, I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served with them for 21 years. Church was always available, but I didn’t go. Thinking about this, I keep coming up with the same answer, “I was just too lazy.” I married an English girl in 1959 and we raised three children. My wife had never attended Church and I didn’t suggest that we should. My Son started working in Cyprus in 2005, so my wife and I started spending the winters there to be by him. We decided in 2008 to buy Off Plan an Apartment and went back to England in April to await completion. My wife suffered a massive Heart Attack at the end of April, from which she never recovered. After her funeral, I returned to Cyprus with my Son until I could move into the new Apartment. From my arrival in May 2008 until May 2009, I was in grief over my loss. I just seemed to wander. Not being on my own before, I found I had no direction or purpose in mind. It was in May 2009, that I saw an advertisement in a local paper of a place to go, have coffee and meet new friends. I went, and met the Pastor of the New Testament Community Church, and others. I said that I would come to a Service. I then met a lovely lady who lived in the same apartment complex as I did, and she also had just been acquainted with the same church. She invited me to her Birthday party that was being held in a few days. I went and met many more people from the Church. I went to church the following Sunday. After the service, I said to the Pastor, that I had never experienced such love and affection from so many people. I continued going to church and became a member after three months. One Sunday in 2009, there was a speaker at church named Davie Falcus, who had the gift of touching people with the Holy Spirit. I knew I wanted this and went forward to speak with him. I thought I would say a few words and leave. David spoke briefly and touched me gently on the forehead. The next I knew, I was awakening lying on the floor. I knew I had been touched by the Holy Spirit, as I felt such inner peace within myself. That was a turning point in my life. I asked the Lord to forgive my sins and guide me on my journey through life. In February 2010, I had the strangest month of my life. Reading from the Scriptures, tears would stream down my cheeks. Never writing a Poem in my life, I started writing about the Lord and what he meant to me. The words just flowed from my mind. The people I have met at church have always supported me, and are truly my extended family. “I receive much more than I give.” I may have been away from the Lord for 55 years, but I have returned to continue my journey with him. “I am truly, my Fathers Son.”

SEARCHING

Lord, I hear your word and feel such joy

And think sometimes of when once a boy

Happy were those days without worry or stress

Now older, I feel the same, with mind at rest.

You have given so much to me

And opened my eyes that I may see

What I have missed for so many years

Just that thought will bring on tears.

I’ve been in the wilderness for quite some time

With no direction or purpose in mind

Until I went for a coffee or two,

Meeting dear friends with things to do.

I haven’t looked back since that day

Finding a life that has shown the way

To happiness and contentment beyond compare

For Your love is in my heart; of that I am aware.

Brad Waldron

19.2.2010