By Julie Greenhalgh, Life Group leader, Jubilee Church Wirral

Somewhere in the memories tucked in the recesses of my mind I can hear the words “all change” as they ring out in a metallic voice in the train carriage. We have reached the end of the line.

I have many memories of travelling by train across the country with my mum as a child to visit my grandparents.

I remember very clearly asking my mum what those words meant as I was dragged off a comfortable warm train and out onto a cold platform.

As we were whisked up and down elevators and along train platforms at high speed, my brother and I fought to keep up with my mum and our luggage. I remember thinking how much I really would have rather stayed on the train!!

After jumping on and off the tubes running under London we were back into another warm train; our final destination the wonderful comfort of my grandparents flat.

I feel like I’ve reached a time in my life when I just keep hearing that voice from the train ringing in my ears again…and I find I still don’t like it, not one little bit.

I am a creature of habit, I do not like change. I like to know what I’m doing and when I’m going to be doing it. I am an organiser and when I lose control of the events unfolding around me I lose my peace. Not good!

When Andrew and I were first married we made the decision that I would take a break from my career as a primary school teacher and stay at home with our children. I have totally loved my role as wife and mum and would happily have continued to have children beyond the four we have!

Recently my life has included some changes. Some? Actually a whole load bucket load of changes and I feel like I’ve been dragged from the warm comfortable train carriage onto a cold and wet platform all over again.

Earlier this year my oldest daughter sat her GCSEs, my oldest son flew off to Africa for six months and my youngest son left primary school for the final time, ending 17 years of walking to the school at the end of our road.

In the summer we had our first holiday as a family of five and I felt Benjy’s absence almost tangibly.

Last week Lisby went by herself on the bus for the first time and stepped right out of her comfort zone, leaving her friends behind and starting at 6th form college. In the same week Eva went back to school to start her GCSE years and Sammy put on his ridiculously grown up uniform and headed to secondary school.

“All change…”

As when I was a child I struggle when life forces change. I lack peace in the journey. But fortunately, since meeting with Jesus I have a place to turn when events are taken out of my hands and I’m forced out of that warm train carriage. It’s a place that is never cold or daunting and that I can always trust in. So, during this time of many changes I will lean on Him because I know that God is the one constant in my life that I can completely trust will never change.

‘I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding,

In all my ways I will submit to him and he will make my paths straight.’

Proverbs 3:5-6

And when this time of change is over, and life settles down again, I’ll arrive in a new and wonderful destination!

Until the next time…

Julie Greenhalgh, Life Group leader, Jubilee Church Wirral