New Year's Letter 2014

As one year ends and a new begins, we thank Father God for what He has done and praise Him for what is yet to be.

2013 will always be remembered as the year that Nelson Mandela passed away. As we watched the celebration and heard the many reflections on his life, one in particular stood out to me. Archbishop Desmond Tutu made the remark “Mandela went into prison an angry man and came out a peace maker”. We will never know for sure what happened during that time, but I am sure that he and the Lord had many talks together. Whatever it was, it not only changed him but, as we saw, it has affected the world. Days after Mandela’s death David Cameron stood in Parliament and apologised for a former Conservative Prime Minister calling Mandela a terrorist and the Party’s stance on apartheid during that time. He also paid tribute to a former Labour Cabinet Minister Peter Hain who was influential in the campaign against apartheid. In reply Peter Hain said that if Nelson Mandela can forgive his captors how can he not forgive? This was music to the ears of all in Arise as our mission is to see healing and reconciliation for past hurts. I have written to the Prime Minister regarding this.

As we step into 2014 with a God who is faithful to His word, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” Hebrew 12v1b-2a. At the beginning of this year the Arise team once again commit ourselves to finish the work God has given to us to do until He tells us to stop.

Let us ARISE as God's people and stand together.

We pray that you and all who you love may know the many blessings of the Lord. May 2014 be a year of the continual healing of all our lands and produce a harvest for God’s Kingdom.

Shirley Bowers
Arise Leader.