Getting to know you.... 

We love hearing people's stories and how God has touched them and worked in their lives... last month, Liz McGregor met with Ailsa Warden and persuaded her to share her story... here's how the conversation went...

Ailsa, summer is almost over for this year but I know you had a really exciting holiday recently. We’d love to hear about your trip and some of your other favourite holiday destinations? 

 Until a couple of months ago I had never travelled outside Europe.  Our favourite holiday spot is the Algarve – we’ve gone once or twice a year for the last 14 years!  This year however, my son and his wife, who both love America, very kindly took us on a bit of a trip of a lifetime to the west coast of America.  We loved every bit of it and my husband is already thinking where he would like to go next time.   In the meantime we are very much looking forward to heading back to Portugal in September.

Holidays are wonderful blessings giving us much needed time to rest and be refreshed but during the rest of the year you serve faithfully in Carrubbers. Tell us when and how you came to the church?

It was about 14 years ago that my eldest son, who had been coming to Carrubbers for a while, suggested that the rest of us come along and give it a try as we weren't very happy where we were. So we did and we have been coming ever since – and what a blessing it has been to us all.

Were you a Christian when you came to Carrubbers?

Yes,  I became a Christian in my teens but my life since then has not always been a confident march along the straight and narrow path.    There have been times when I have veered off the path a bit, times when my steps have faltered and even more times when I just seemed to be standing still.   I remember standing in church unable to sing bits of certain hymns.  Everyone around me was singing "It is well with my soul" but I was thinking  “is it really well with my soul because it really doesn't feel as if it is”. Thankfully our God is a very patient and loving God who has no desire for me to be an uncertain Christian.  Over and over he has graciously reminded me that the wellness of my soul has nothing to do with how I am feeling on any given day but all to do with Christ’s blood shed for me.

What motivates you to be actively involved in church life?

Martin Lloyd Jones wrote "If you are truly desiring to be more righteous then a good way to do that is spend more time with the righteous" and we are certainly all given plenty of opportunity and encouragement to do that at Carrubbers. Not just by coming to church on a Sundays but for me it's been going to home group, the prayer meeting, W2W.  Being committed to these has made a real difference to me.

How do these activates at Carrubbers help you grow in your faith and walk with God?

They help me in many different ways.  It is so encouraging to be able to learn from each other as we study Gods word at Home Group and at W2W.  Supporting one another in prayer is a huge blessing and just getting to know folks better is important to me.  . Now, in truth, I am not always to be found joyfully skipping out the house on a Tuesday or Wednesday night but  - if I am truly desiring to be more “righteous” – more like Jesus  -  then where better for me to spend my time.

You mention the importance of supporting one another in prayer.  Can you tell us about a time when that really mattered to you?

Yes, the incredible blessing of belonging to a fellowship like Carrubbers was made even more real to me when 2 years ago my sister and my Dad died within 3 months of each other. The genuine love and care that was shown to me and my family and the way that people upheld us in prayer was just amazing and so appreciated.

At W2W before the summer break the focus was on prayer.  What did you learn that has been most helpful to you?

I’ve really been challenged by our studies on prayer at W2W.  We were encouraged to incorporate scripture into our prayers and I am learning to do this now. Here is one of my favourite verses that I have been using in my prayers.

 "but you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and you did not forsake them" Nehemiah 9v17b

 Our gracious God has certainly been and continues to be all these things for me and I am grateful

Thank you, Ailsa for sharing with us something of your life and walk with God and thank you too for all you do as you serve the Lord and his people at Carrubbers.

NOTE:  Please feel free to chat with Ailsa in church or at W2W.  You can also email her using this link

Home from home…..where is my home?

Over the past months we’ve featured in the W2W blog some interviews with women who are not originally from Edinburgh.  While they’ve made Carrubbers their church “home” their roots are elsewhere.   But for others, like Rachel Meadows, Edinburgh and Carrubbers are very much “home”.  Recently Rachel has been thinking about this and has agreed to share some of her thoughts with us here.  Feel free to connect with her if you’d like to chat with her about what she has written.  Rachel.meadows@carrubbers.org

Where is your Home? How would you define Home? These are some of the questions I have been mulling over for quite some time now and it is clear to me the answer is not always a completely straight forward one. People have different experiences and views and come from all different types of backgrounds and cultures. I am aware I do not have all the answers as I have only ever known one type of experience. I cannot answer for those who have lived in a variety of places or do not have close family. I can however share with you what my personal experience of home has been so far and how I would define it.

Home is a place. I’ve always lived in Edinburgh. It has been a fantastic place to grow up in and I am immensely proud of coming from such a beautiful city, rich in things to see and do and people to socialise with. Edinburgh is very much the place I call my home. I always feel a real sense of pride when I look up at Edinburgh castle on (the occasional) sunny evening or hear the bagpipes as I walk through Princes Street or down the Royal Mile.

Home is family. I have grown up in a family where I have been shown constant love, support, security and acceptance. My parents have guided me wisely and as an adult I count them as my greatest friends. Our house was always an incredibly lively household. I am the eldest of four children and was permanently surrounded with constant noise and busyness. My mum was always there to greet us when we came home from school every day and my dad would read us exciting stories before bed when he came home every night. These were special times where I felt very safe and treasured. But like any normal family we have known our share of stresses and sorrows, but we have always come out the other end and worked together.  To me, my family is what I would define as home.

Home is extended family. My Grandparents have always set a fine leading example and have been instrumental in showing us all examples of patience, kindness and gentleness throughout my life and how to instil these qualities into the home. I have also been richly blessed with a large extended family where get-togethers consist of family sing songs around the piano, dance offs in the living room as well as the kettle never being off. These times are loud, haphazard, fun, relaxing, cosy, joyful and full of love. These are times that I am truly grateful and thankful for.

Home is my church community. I have been blessed to grow up in a church  (Carrubbers) where I can walk in on a Sunday morning and I am known and accepted. It is a place where I feel truly comfortable and supported. I know people understand me there and can see my worth. It is the place I feel encouraged to be nothing less than myself. The people that go there feel like one big family to me.

Friends also feel like home. Spending time with them often feels like getting into a comfy favourite pair of shoes. You can be silly, ditsy and funny, serious or sad and they will stand by you and love you through all the sunshine and the storms.  And so.to me, a place, my family, extended family, church and friends all contribute to my understanding of what home means to me - and I know I am very blessed.  . This is something that has become increasingly apparent to me the older I get. 

Yet, home is more than the sum of all these things.  Home is where peace, love and goodness reign.   It is a place where you feel accepted no matter what, where you are secure with being who you are and are encouraged to be and do your very best with the gifts God has given.  It is a place of familiarity, trust, laughter and joy.

And then, there’s our Heavenly Home!  Heaven is a place which has always been talked about with great excitement in my family.  Every time my Grandad leaves our home his parting words to us are "keep looking up, there's a better day coming". This has always inspired me to think with hope and live life with a joyful attitude, knowing there is something even better in store. One of the songs we sing together at family gatherings is an old hymn called "Meeting in the air".  It is a song filled with great joy as we look forward to meeting people we read about in the bible, all sorrows gone on that glorious day when we will meet Jesus. One of my favourite parts of the song is

I am going to meet you, meet you there in that home beyond the sky,

Such singing you will hear never heard by mortal ear

'Twill be glorious, I do declare;

And God's own son will be the leading one at that meeting in the air".  

When I was little Pastor Wayne Sutton used to say to my Dad about myself and my siblings "you have such treasures man!"  This has always made me view other people as precious treasure. People are what make my life truly rich.

I have always liked to imagine that one day all my family and friends will be in heaven with me. I pray that they will be the treasure God has stored for me and we will all live together at peace in our everlasting home with Jesus reigning as the one true king. 

Some of my favourite verses are in Revelation 21: 4-8. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away". Over the last few years I have seen friends and family face many hardships and suffering. The reality is that this life is far from easy and that verse always makes me feel relieved that one day we shall no longer endure the hardships of this life. This is the heavenly home I look forward to.  Let’s encourage one another to "keep looking up" because "the sky not the grave is our goal." 

Liz McGregor writes...

Mairi,

Every week I learn something new about the gifted and creative women that are part of Carrubbers.  You are one of these very talented ladies so thank you for being willing to tell us a little bit about your life!

We often see you wearing beautiful, unique pieces of lace when you come to church and I believe you actually design and make these yourself. Where did your interest in lacemaking come from?

The first thing that attracted me to lace was the bobbins.  I remember seeing old lace bobbins in a museum in Northern Ireland and was intrigued by them.   That year, 2010, my sister gave me a lace starter kit for my birthday.

Most of us probably think about our grandmothers when we think about lace making. How did you learn?

Life was busy and my starter kit ended up in a drawer until I went to a Craft Fair in Glasgow with my sister.  There I met ladies who were excited about making lace and I guess I simply “caught the bug”!  I bought a book for beginners on lace making, went home, got my starter kit out and worked my way through the book until I had taught myself the basic techniques of Torchon Lace.    Later I joined the Edinburgh Lace Club and my lacemaking came on by leaps and bounds.  I also started creating my own patterns with the help of a lace tutor.

I believe you’ve now won some awards for your lace making. Is that correct?

Yes, in 2013, just for fun and to give me something to work towards, I entered my lace into the Royal Highland Show.  I made a brooch and bracelet on the theme “An evening stroll along the Promenade”   To my amazement and delight my brooch won 2^nd prize, my bracelet won 1^st prize and was voted the “best in show” for the lace section!    It was a great boost to my confidence both as a lace maker and designer.

It looks so complicated and fiddly to me. When you are creating a beautiful lace design how do you feel?  What does it mean to you?

 It’s a wonderful process.  If I’m creating my own design, it starts with a small seed of an idea in my head, perhaps developed from a photograph that I like.  Slowly I work it out over a few days, sometimes over a few years until I’m ready to draw it, develop the pattern and then make the piece.  And when it works it feels amazing – it truly is a gift from God.  I love the challenge of working from a pattern and it has been inspiring to learn this beautiful craft from older women here in Scotland and also in Belgium where I have taken courses.

I’ve learned that when something seems impossible, not just in lace making, and I pray about it, God helps me and I am able to thank him.

Have you always been a creative person?   

No, when I was a child I never sat still for a minute – sports were my thing then but all that changed in my late teens when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis.  Instead of playing the sports I loved, I was at home lying on a couch so weak that even a shower exhausted me for hours.   Seeing my frustration as I lay around watching TV, my Mum came home one day with paper and coloured pencils and suggested I might like to draw: being dyslexic meant reading wasn’t that enjoyable then.  Suddenly the artistic side of me that lay hidden was revealed and I began to draw and paint and to make cards and jewellery.

Later I realised that I also love photography.   As I look at a beautiful scene through my lens I see something of the amazing God who loves me.  I cannot help but worship and enjoy his presence.    My phone is full of my photographs, reminders of how I feel about God and his creation.

With my lace and photography I hope that my work will encourage others in their search for beauty and the creative excitement in God’s beautiful world around us.

It must have been hard to come to terms with a chronic illness as a young person. Can you tell us about that?

I had attended church as a child but stopped going when I was about 16.  As I faced what was happening to me I realised that I needed God back in my life and I started going to church again with my Mum.   But it wasn’t until I came to Edinburgh and began to attend Carrubbers that I actually became a Christian.    David and Janice Anderson took me under their wing.  Now as I look back I see that through my illness, their love, concern and clear communication of the gospel, I was open to God in a way that I had never been before.     I will be forever grateful to my Mum, to David & Janice and to the Lord.

How has God continued to work in your life since you became a Christian?

13 years ago I had the worst flare up of my disease.  I was in hospital for weeks and in the end had to have surgery to remove the whole of my large intestine.   Two further surgeries later I now have an internal pouch.  Thankfully my health is much improved now although I still have spells when I am very low in iron or I have an infection in my pouch.  These times are tough but they come and go and I just have to take one day at a time.    When I’m feeling good I get on and do lots of fun things, when I’m not feeling good I just accept that I have to stay home and rest.

All this has meant that I can’t have children.  It’s so interesting how things turn out.  When I got married to Paul, I was determined to have children and be a stay at home mum – that was all I wanted to be and to do – nursing (my current vocation) for the next 40 years was not on my agenda!    But God has a different plan.  Through all of these difficulties and disappointments over these past years I have grown so much in my faith and trust in God.

One day a non-Christian friend pointed out that I was so focused on becoming a mum that I wasn’t enjoying being a wife.  This was hard to hear but suddenly I realised what a wonderful husband God has given me in Paul.  He is my best friend and we have a wonderful life together with so much to be thankful for but I was forgetting this in my determination to become a Mum.  It wasn’t easy to let go of my dreams.  I found it hard to be around family and friends who were all getting pregnant and having babies.  This is one of the hardest things I have had to face.  It has been quite a journey.  But God IS faithful and his plan IS the best.  I have now accepted what God has for Paul and I and we couldn’t be more happy, at peace and thankful.

Yours is a chronic invisible illness, something that most of us don’t have to cope with.  Can you help us understand how this affects you?

“You are looking so well, you don’t look ill, you look so healthy.”  These are some of the things people often say to me.  I know they are genuinely happy to see me looking well but…if they only knew the truth.  Life is generally good but there are times when it is not; during a time like this I wake up so tired, so exhausted in the morning that I just don’t know how I will get through the day.  While my body screams to stay home, I get up, put on a smile and head to the hospital to work.  I make it through the day but by the end of my working day every fibre in my body aches and even breathing is hard work.  I wonder how I’m going to find the strength to walk home – a 20 minute uphill walk but I refuse to pay £1.60 for 2 stops on the bus! Day after day it goes on like this until there’s nothing left to do but cry. It isn’t easy living with a chronic illness but thankfully it isn’t always like this - just when I am having a bad spell.

As you look to the future, say in 5 years’ time what would you love to be doing?

I look forward to living in the house that Paul and I are currently beginning to build, running my own craft business and joyfully and contentedly living the life that God intends for us to live.

What is your favourite passage of scripture?

It’s Matthew 10: 29 -31.  David Anderson shared these verses with me when I was very ill in hospital just after my first surgery.  I still remember it as if it was only yesterday.    These verses have helped me through other tough times and I often go back to them even today. 

 Jesus said to his disciples “are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of the Father. And even the very hairs of your head are numbered.  So don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Thank you, Mairi for being willing to tell us your story in such an honest and helpful way.  I know we will all be challenged by what you have shared.  How can we pray for you?

 Please pray that:

• I will put my trust in God and live my life with him at the centre, knowing that his plan for me is the best even if I don’t understand why something is happening. This is an ongoing journey of faith. 
• My lace and photography will be used to glorify God and that He will use it for good.
• Paul and I will trust God each step of the way as we work hard to build our new home.

As you pray for Mairi be sure too to look out for her at church and see if she is wearing one of her unique pieces of jewellery!  You can email her at mairigoldlace@gmail.com if you are interested in finding out more about how to buy or commission a piece of her lace or photography.  Or, check out her website at www.mairigoldlace.co.uk  to see some of her work and commissions that she has done for people. 

Getting to know you …

This month, in our “Getting to know you” series, we’d like you to meet Andrea

 Andrea, let’s start with an easy question shall we…

 What is your signature dish in the kitchen?

 I am not sure about a signature dish, but since childhood I have loved to bake. I enjoy the whole process-reading recipes, hands on, presentation and finally eating!

What verses have been particularly important in your life?

This was a really helpful, challenging exercise to look back on God’s faithfulness and personal touch in my life through His Word. Here are some verses He has given me in the seasons of my life so far:

Stillness

Verses about stillness in Him amidst the clamour, restlessness, worry and uncertainty of this life:

Psalm 46-“Be still and know that I am God…….”

Exodus 14v14-“The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still.”

Knowing

The assurance of His knowing me deeply, intimately, thoroughly. I listened to a

Sermon recently that called these kind of verses God’s “language of knowing”-these are some passages in Isaiah that have comforted and helped me over the years:

Isaiah 43v1-4 “Now this is what the Lord says, He who created you O Jacob, He who formed you O Israel. Fear not I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead, since you are precious and honoured in my sight and because I love you….

Isaiah 54v10-“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 45v3-“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel who summons you by name.”

Knowing Him

I have recently been challenged about the need to know God more, to long for Him more. This verse is my prayer not only for me but for all the women of CCC as we grow in the Word of God in Sunday services, W2W, home group, and in time spent together. That we would know Him more;

Hosea 6v3-Let us acknowledge the Lord, let us press on to acknowledge Him, as surely as the sun rises He will appear, He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.

How has W2W/home group/church been an encouragement over the last year?

It has been a privilege to be involved in both daytime and evening W2W over the last few years. It has been such an encouragement to share our lives and to discuss the impact God’s Word has on them. It has been a blessing to see women teaching others from the front and in small groups, spurring one another on in a real way.

On a personal level, I have not been as involved since the beginning of last year due to ill health. At this time, I have profoundly experienced the love of God through the women of CCC. I have been ministered to in prayer and in practical, nurturing, and creative ways. Living out some of the things we have studied and talked of over the years….I am deeply thankful to the Lord for them and indeed for all my church family.

In the midst of caring for your family, juggling work and church life, how and when do you manage to find a moment or two with God?

This seems to be a battleground for each Christian, whatever our personal situation. We talk about it in homegroup a lot, keeping each other encouraged and accountable-I find that so helpful .How  I need to draw near to Him and hear His voice.

Personally, I try to begin my day with God and His Word. Over the years I have had times of waiting in the car for school and other pick ups. I tried to use that time for prayer or a mini devotions. Recently someone in homegroup inspired me to have Christian music in the background when possible and to dwell on the words as I go about tasks.

I was challenged by our evening W2W session on devotions, how to keep our personal time with the Lord fresh, real and creative. Also to truly see it as our Life source.  Let’s pray for one another in this vital area of our Christian life.

What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind?

In answering this I would look back to the influence of Godly people in my life so far. These people influenced me in these areas:

The Word - People who cherished the word of God in their hearts and minds, allowing it to define all areas of their life.

Prayer – persistent, worshipful, battling.

Care - Christ – like care of fellow Christians and all the people in their life.

Heaven – People who have a joyful, inspiring heavenly longing seen in their lives, priorities and conversations.

If I could pass on even a few of these things as a legacy it would be amazing. It is challenging and inspiring to be in CCC with so many young people coming up as the next generation for God.

Getting to know Oluwatoyin Adejoke and her family.

Toyin, we are so glad you and your family have come to worship with us at Carrubbers

Tell us where you were born and a little bit about your life when you were growing up.

I was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1967, the second of four children and only daughter. My birth happened at a time when the Nigerian civil war was raging and the Biafran army was trying to take over Lagos. According to my parents, my mother could not attend the hospital for delivery and had to stay at my grandparents’ home. A bomb was dropped somewhere close by just about the time she was going into labour, and she gave birth to me whilst she was being shielded under the bed trying to escape the effects of a civil war.

My parents were middle class, working parents and provided us with a very good home life. In Nigeria, the extended family is quite involved in a child’s upbringing so I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ home. My grandparents had seven children and so I had a lot of cousins to play with. My family holds a strong belief in education and I attended some of the best schools in Lagos at that time. We were also a Christian family of the Methodist tradition. A lot of my extra-curricular activities centred around the Church - activities such as Girls’ Brigade, Sunday school etc.

My mum, who was into dress making had a wide circle of friends. Through some of these friends I had the opportunity to take part in a few TV programmes and adverts. I still remember being in a TV advert for a squash drink called Tree Top and some of my friends still refer to me as ‘the Tree Top girl’! I enjoyed school and had good friends growing up. I finished my Nigerian education with an honours degree in Sociology in 1989.

What language do you like to speak most?

I enjoy speaking my native language which is Yoraba but unfortunately I don’t get to speak it that much these days. My children don’t speak the language so I only get to speak it when conversing with family and friends from the same tribe as me. When I am praying or worshipping God, Yoruba is my “heart language” as it enables me to express myself in the best possible way.

When and why did you come to Scotland?

As a family we had been living in Ireland. Due to the lack of good employment opportunities I decided to relocate to Scotland in April 2015 for work and to study. I had been to Scotland previously on holiday with the children and we enjoyed it tremendously.

Tell us about your work and your studies.

At present I am a part time social care worker with the Thistle Foundation. I help provide support for individuals with different ranges of disability which enables them to live a fulfilling life in the community around Edinburgh. I am also at the University of Edinburgh on a Master’s programme in Social Work, and this involves work placement opportunities with different care groups as a social work student.

Your family is with you in Scotland?  What are they doing?

I have four children; Andrew (17), Tomi (15), Teni and Samuel (12) and they attend schools around where we live. I am a single parent as my former husband and I are legally separated.

How did you find Carrubbers and why have you made it your church?

Carrubbers was introduced to us by our Pastor in Ireland who gave me the names of three churches in Edinburgh that he felt were like our church in Cavan. We attended each of these churches and then made a decision to stay in Carrubbers. Here I sensed there was more of an opportunity for the children to grow in the Christian faith through the youth ministry. My fellowship with the Leith home group has also been very inspiring. We have been accepted into this group and have been so supported and encouraged which has made the transition process warm. On Sundays, the manner in which the word of God is presented and shared has also developed our walk with God.

How did you come to know Jesus personally?

I have always known of Jesus being a redeemer since I was born into a Christian family. However I never had a personal relationship with Him until about 1990 after I graduated from the university. During my university years I kept up my Christian faith but it was quite on the periphery. I attended Church and professed the Christian faith but there was no desire to know Him more or to search the Scriptures. I got introduced by a friend to a Pentecostal church in Nigeria and it was there that I started understanding that there was more to knowing Jesus in a personal way as my Lord and Saviour. At about the same time, I came to an understanding about some of the challenges my mother was facing as a wife and mother. These things caused me to pray and to believe and trust God.

What helps you to grow in your Christian life each day?

The Lord enables me to grow in my Christian faith through the opportunities for learning that come my way as life happens day by day.   On Sundays I am fed as the Word is preached and taught in Church. During the week, home group and the daily devotional that I use and the radio programmes on UCB2 also develop my faith walk. Songs of worship and praise are also avenues for development. Our favourite song as a family is 10,000 reasons by Matt Redman.

What brings you joy?

My life with my children brings me a lot of joy - seeing them mature and succeed brings me unmeasurable contentment.

A sense of making a difference and being a positive influence gives me fulfilment and this is why I have chosen social care work as a career path.

A close relationship with God, a stimulating time of worship or hearing the word brings me joy.

And I just love being in the house, preferably with a real fire lit, reading a book, and with all the children in the same room doing their bits and pieces!

What food from Nigeria do you love to cook?

Ogi with Akara is a dish I just love cooking and sharing with friends. Ogi is a sort of porridge or custard made from maize flour whilst akara is fried bean balls.

What is your favourite verse in the Bible that is a blessing to you?

I am constantly encouraged by Scriptures that say I need not fear, I need not be anxious, I need not worry – because “It is well with my soul.” Psalm 103: 17 says “From everlasting to everlasting, the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him and his righteousness with their children’s children.” Romans 8:28 says “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.” These and many other verses are a wonderful help to me.

Getting to know you... Beth Sederstrom

What is your background?

I have always been a bit different. I grew up on a farm in Minnesota, USA, in a town of around 1,000 people. When I was five years old and we had career day at school, I dressed up as a cowgirl. Other girls wanted to be teachers or moms. I just wanted a horse! My family was heavily involved in our church, and I accepted Jesus as my Saviour at an early age. Later, I rededicated my life to Christ in junior high (13-14 yrs old) and have been trying to become more like Jesus ever since.

Music has been a part of my life since I was very young. I started with piano lessons as a young girl and then later switched to the flute around age 10 or 11. A couple of years later, I was bored so my teacher asked me to learn saxophone to play in the jazz band. These two instruments filled my life with hours of practice and rehearsals for the rest of school and helped to pay for university where I played in bands and orchestras. During this time, I was always trying to figure out how to use music to honour God. I knew that musicians normally just played in church but coming from a Presbyterian background, this meant playing the organ. I survived through one semester of organ lessons in university and decided that was not for me!

My parents instilled the love for travel in my life at an early age. We would drive all over the US going to civil war battlefields and other historical places. So when I graduated from high school, it didn’t seem strange to go on musical trips around the world. The one that made the most impact on my life was a trip with the Continentals after my first year of university. It opened my eyes of how music can be used to spread the gospel across cultural boundaries. This helped to convince me to obtain a degree in music and music ministry.

As I explored this thread, I travelled with Pioneers, a missions organisation, to Kyrgyzstan and worked with an ethnomusicologist. An ethnomusicology is an expert in world music and in a missions context, they help to use music to reach to the unbelievers around them. This experience inspired me to obtain a Masters in ethnomusicology. While I was completing this degree, I worked in the worship/special events department at a church in Hawaii, and my Masters thesis examined the rise of hula among Christian communities.

What brought you to Scotland?

I originally came to Scotland to work with Youth with a Mission (YWAM), because I wanted to explore being a full time missionary as I had been on many short term trips throughout my life. After I finished my degree, I moved over here for a 10 month discipleship training programme and have stayed for 9 years. Since then, I have transitioned out of YWAM, but I still work with classical and traditional musicians. This involves being in different ensembles and building relationships through music. I like learning instruments so I vary what I play based on the ensemble and their needs. On a normal basis, I am in a saxophone ensemble, a concert band that also plays marching gigs in summer and in the Edinburgh Police Choir. I also play for musical theatre groups around Edinburgh and Musselburgh. Besides this, I teach flute and clarinet as well as working as one of the organisers for the Scots Fiddle Festival.

What challenges does being a Christian bring to your personal situation?

Musicians can be a rowdy bunch. They like to drink before and after performances. I am not a big party-er so the challenge is being a light in the situations without making them not want me there because I am not participating. I am an introvert and I tend to try to make my difference by being the stable one in situations. This might be literally as I play the baritone saxophone in the saxophone choir and provide the structure for the piece or it could be emotionally as I am the one that people can trust to talk to and lean upon.

I really like the book Twinkle: Sharing Your Faith, One Light at a Time by Elisa Morgan which describes how we all can shine the light of God into situations. There are some people who are like spotlights. There are others who are penlights. Whatever your personality and your situation, you can make a difference. In a dark room, even one candle will allow people to see.

What plans do you have for the future?

I am currently working with Heart Sounds International, a part of Operation Mobilisation (OM). They take short-term trips into areas what are normally unreached and help to create ethnic worship to be used in outreach or spiritual growth. In March, I travelled with them to Myanmar to work with a small people group there. In October, I am traveling with them to East Asia and then God willing, I will be traveling to the Middle East in February. I have a passion for seeing people worship. That is why I have started helping with sound at Carrubbers. These trips help other people around the world to worship in their own ways using their own music.

Connecting with Beth?  

• Look out for her on the sound desk on Sundays and say “Hello!”
• Ask to be on her email list to learn more about her mission trips overseas and how you can encourage her and pray for her.
• Click here to send her a wee email

Hi Sue

As we get to know some of the women around Carrubbers, tell us a little bit about yourself… to start with… how did you become a Christian?

I became a Christian in my mid-teens, having always believed in God, but having absolutely no idea why Jesus was relevant. As a selfish soul, I was looking for the best in life, but also knew there had to be an ultimate truth. On a visit to a Christian ski centre, I was firstly attracted by the quality of life I saw in the staff, something I had never seen before. Then the centre director spoke on John 10 v 10, Jesus claiming to be the source of 'life in all its fullness'. If this was true, it was what I wanted - so I began to work my way through some Navigators study books for seekers, and gradually had my eyes opened to the truth of Jesus, God's love for me and my unworthiness. Over the 40+ years since then I have never had cause to doubt any of that, and the more I read in the bible and experience in the world, the more I see that Jesus really is the only way, truth and life.

How has your faith been challenged? The darkest time of my life was undoubtedly 1994, when my parents divorced and my sister's husband was murdered in the Rwandan genocide - but it was also the most precious time, when I realised that what I knew in theory was true in reality; that God was in control and would never leave or stop loving me and those who belong to him.

Tell us about a book you’ve read recently which has been encouraging?

I've recently read 'Fruitfulness on the Frontline' by Mark Green. Anything by him is immensely encouraging and challenging - in the way that you think, 'Yes, I could do that!' His specialist subject is Christianity in the workplace, whether that's in advertising (which is his background), school, office, home, checkout queue, bus - wherever we are meeting people and carrying with us 'the fragrance of Christ'. I find it encouraging because it includes me - whose life is made up of seemingly trivial things. Nothing is trivial when done as service to Jesus!

What hopes have you got for the future?

Well my greatest joy just now has to be my grandchildren (sorry husband and children, you're upstaged!). There are 3 in Edinburgh and 2 in Aberdeen, so far, and it's such an unbelievable privilege to have them in our lives. I begin to see how children are like arrows, as in psalm 127 - you shoot them into the future without seeing where they will go and the effect they will have. But I do fear for the society and nation they are inheriting. They will, I think, be ever more alien as Christians in this godless place. Our youngsters really need to know how to stand and how to defend their faith.

What does an average day look like for you?

My daily life is hugely varied. I 'run' a six-bedroom Victorian house which always needs maintenance and has a constant through-put of people. I spend what time I can with grandchildren, supporting (or sometimes undermining?!) their parents, and try to have time for the rest of our grown up family too. Extended family sometimes have needs too, and I'm in a privileged position to be flexible enough to give some of the care needed by an aunt in Dundee recently. My unpaid occupation is often catering - usually for Scripture Union at their outdoor centre at Lendrick Muir, but as they say, anything considered, and I'm up for a challenge! My specialty is big numbers and small price, and I like best cooking for student age - they eat everything!

How do you find time to spend with God in all that busyness?

Compared to bringing up 5 kids, with an irregularly available husband (he was on police shifts), life is easy now. But it's no easier finding time for bible reading and prayer! There's always other pressures trying to keep me away, and unless I begin the day with specific time for God I'm not likely to make time later. Same old thing needed - discipline, which is not my middle name!

To read more blogposts written by women in Carrubbers check out the blog pages on the website.

In a church the size of Carrubbers it’s sometimes hard to get to know one another. The “Getting to know you” series of blogposts aims to help us have a wee insight into each others lives so that we can be better at connecting with one another when we do meet up in church or at women to women.

This month, we’d like you to meet Karen Clark

Hi Karen, you work in Carrubbers on Mondays and Tuesdays, but what do you do the rest of the week.

Until the end of June, I was “Miss Clark” to sixty 3 - 5 year olds in a local School Nursery. The children were great fun and seeing them learn as they explore the world around them was amazing! It’s very different from what I do at Carrubbers and I enjoyed the variety. I am however  hanging up my teaching hat for good as I start full time in Carrubbers from September. I am really looking forward to bwing full time in my role at church.

 How do you like to spend your time off?

I just love going to the zoo! Sad eh?!! I got a membership a few years ago when lots of friends came to see the pandas one summer, and ever since I have just loved being able to pop in and see what the monkeys or rhinos are up to. I also love to see my family and have four wee nieces and a nephew whom I adore…. A really good day off combines both these loves!!

How has God been working in your life recently?

I have been on a bit of a journey recently as I have sought to serve God with my life though understanding his word better and helping in different church ministries. God has used these, and the ministry of many older Christians, to lead me into this new role as Pastoral Assistant for Women at Carrubbers. My desire to live for Christ however is often in conflict with my attitudes, actions, willingness and abilities so I have had to learn to trust God in new ways, knowing that if I walk in obedience to him, he will make up for my weaknesses and use me in his service.

How has women to women been an encouragement to you over the last year?

I have been so encouraged to see various women have a try at giving a talk, or lead a bible study for the first time. It’s been so encouraging to see them grow through the experience, as well as see God use them to help me and others grow. As Ephesians 4:15-16 says “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”We all have different gifts and it’s lovely when we get to use them in the body of Christ.

Have there been any books that have particularly inspired you?

Aside from the bible... one i have enjoyed and learned a lot from has been Tim Chester and Steve Timmis's "Everyday Church". It's got some practical advice in terms of how to live for God and care for others and reach out in the every day way we live and interact.

What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind?

I'm not sure this this could ever by my legacy, but it is my prayer... I would love to see the church full of people who just love Jesus and want to live 100% for him, I would love to see so many more of our friends and relatives coming to know the Lord, and I would love to see strong women’s ministries thriving across Scotland.

In a church the size of Carrubbers it’s sometimes hard to get to know one another. The “Getting to know you” series of blogposts aims to help us have a wee insight into each others lives so that we can be better at connecting with one another when we do meet up in church or at women to women.

This month, we’d like you to meet Karen Clark

Hi Karen, you work in Carrubbers on Mondays and Tuesdays, but what do you do the rest of the week.

Until the end of this week, I am “Miss Clark” to sixty 3 - 5 year olds in a local School Nursery. The children are great fun and seeing them learn as they explore the world around them is amazing! It’s very different from what I do at Carrubbers and I enjoy the variety. I am however just about to hang up my teaching hat for good as I start full time in Carrubbers in September.

 How do you like to spend your time off?

I just love going to the zoo! Sad eh?!! I got a membership a few years ago when lots of friends came to see the pandas one summer, and ever since I have just loved being able to pop in and see what the monkeys or rhinos are up to. I also love to see my family and have four wee nieces and a nephew whom I adore…. A really good day off combines both these loves!!

How has God been working in your life recently?

I have been on a bit of a journey recently as I have sought to serve God with my life though understanding his word better and helping in different church ministries. God has used these, and the ministry of many older Christians, to lead me into this new role as Pastoral Assistant for Women at Carrubbers. My desire to live for Christ however is often in conflict with my attitudes, actions, willingness and abilities so I have had to learn to trust God in new ways, knowing that if I walk in obedience to him, he will make up for my weaknesses and use me in his service.

How has women to women been an encouragement to you over the last year?

I have been so encouraged to see various women have a try at giving a talk, or lead a bible study for the first time. It’s been so encouraging to see them grow through the experience, as well as see God use them to help me and others grow. As Ephesians 4:15-16 says “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”We all have different gifts and it’s lovely when we get to use them in the body of Christ.

Have there been any books that have particularly inspired you?

Aside from the bible... one i have enjoyed and learned a lot from has been Tim Chester and Steve Timmis's "Everyday Church". It's got some practical advice in terms of how to live for God and care for others and reach out in the every day way we live and interact.

What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind?

I'm not sure this this could ever by my legacy, but it is my prayer... I would love to see the church full of people who just love Jesus and want to live 100% for him, I would love to see so many more of our friends and relatives coming to know the Lord, and I would love to see strong women’s ministries thriving across Scotland.

In a church the size of Carrubbers it’s sometimes hard to get to know one another. The “Getting to know you” series of blogposts aims to help us have a wee insight into each other’s lives so that we can be better at connecting with one another when we do meet up in church or at women to women.

This month, we’d like you to meet Eilidh

Hi Eilidh, tell us a little about what you do when you’re not around Carrubbers.

At the moment I’m adjusting to life as a full time worker and not a student with the luxury of plenty time during the week to decide how it is spent! I do enjoy my work though, I’ve just started working as a physiotherapist. At the moment I work with medical outpatients and elderly rehab patients in a day hospital.

How does adjusting to working life affect your relationship with God?

I find at the moment I try and get up early to spend time with God and do my bible reading while I’m having breakfast otherwise it’s very easy to go through the rest of the day and be too tired by the time I get to bed at night.

I love reading and I try to always have a book on the go, but when life gets busy it tends to be one of the things that gets shelved! Recently I read a really good book called ‘To Live is Christ’ by Beth Moore. It takes you through the life of Paul and the letters he wrote. It was really encouraging taking a closer look at Paul and to see how God used his faults and failings as well as his strengths and gifts to glorify him. The book helped to bring some of the passages from the Bible alive and it encouraged my enthusiasm to live my life for Christ and allow him to use me. I would love to serve God with the same passion that Paul did! I also would love to pray more like Paul with his example in Ephesians 3 v 14 – 20. Sometimes it’s so easy to get distracted praying for circumstances that people are in, but I’d love to get into the habit of praying that most importantly people would come to know the fullness of God and His love through the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. We often pray that God will help us grow, but then as soon as he puts us in a difficult situation where we will learn to trust him more, the first thing we often do is pray that he’ll take us out of that situation!

What would your favourite verse in the bible be?

These verses from Philippians and Proverbs seem to be verses that I keep coming back to through various times and situations in my life. I love how the verses in Philippians are such a comfort to know that we can bring everything to God in prayer and I don’t have to be anxious, but I also like how the verses are a challenge to remind me to commit everything to God in prayer and to rejoice in God at all times even when things aren’t going the way I maybe imagined or hoped.

^"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Phil 4 v 4-9

You’re not originally from Edinburgh are you? But where would you say you’re favourite place to be is?

My favourite place to spend time has to be outside by the sea! Preferably at home in Shetland. I actually love watching the sea any day, whether it’s calm or rough, I love wrapping up warm and heading out for a walk on a wild day and watching the power of the waves! I just love admiring God’s creation, so I do like to get out of the city for a good walk every now and then, but even in the city you get some gorgeous skies and scenery to admire.

I also really love spending time with friends and family. I love Christmas time where we seem to make more time to spend with people just catching up, eating with each other and playing board games. And I always love a good Fri/Sat night in with friends chilling, playing games or watching a film together!

Where would you like to be in 5 years time?

I hope that in 5 years time that, wherever I am and whatever I am doing, I will have grown in my walk with God. I pray that I won’t shy away from the chiselling and re-shaping God does in my heart through the situations and circumstances he has me in. The song Purify My Heart has the line in it which says ‘refiners fire, my hearts one desire’ and it just highlights to me that, although God has saved me and I’ve been given Jesus’s righteousness, there is so much work to be done by the Holy Spirit to sanctify me and help me to become more like Jesus. It’s actually a really challenging song, refiners fire won’t be pleasant at the time but the outcome of that work is so worth it.

Read more articles on the W2W blog site

 In a church the size of Carrubbers it’s sometimes hard to get to know one another. The “Getting to know you” series of blogposts aims to help us have a wee insight into each others lives so that we can be better at connecting with one another when we do meet up in church or at women to women.

This month, we’d like you to meet Sarah Sutton :  

 So, Sarah. What’s a day in your life usually look like?

A typical day for me depends on what day it is!! On a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday I work as an Occupational Therapist at the Astley Ainslie Hospital, on a Wednesday I do Scripture Union at the Royal Mile Primary School and meet up with folks and on a Friday morning I tend to have a hoover in my hand at some point!!

Where is your favourite place to be?

I have several favourite places to be…I may be cheating by sharing more than one, but I’m going to anyway!

I love walking our wee dog Ruby on a lovely sunny day in the countryside either on my own or with Wayne or the girls.

I love lying in the sun reading a book, with my feet dangling in some lovely warm, but refreshing water!

I love a good Body Combat class after a full on day at work!

I love spending time with my Hubby, going out for a meal is one of our favourite things to do!

In the winter I love being in my pyjamas with the fire on and a nice cup of tea and a packet of Galaxy Counters and a book or a Romantic Comedy!

    Ok, that’s five I better stop! 

 What verse has been particularly important to you in your life?

A verse that has meant a lot to me recently has been Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Most of us know this verse really well; myself included…I’ve taught it to so many children in Sunday School, but what about living it? My 102 year old Nan gave this verse to us just before she died last year. We asked her if there was one truth that she could give us what would it be and in her weakness and frailty she confidently quoted this verse.   Firstly we need to trust in the Lord for our Salvation but then we need to trust in Him day by day. Some of you are aware that one of our daughters has been unwell over the last two years and this verse was the verse that has kept me going….Trusting, but then acknowledging Him, obeying Him in how I live my life and respond to the things that come my way. This verse is my life verse, seeking to,”Trust and obey”

Tell us about a book you’ve read recently that really encouraged you?

I book that has really been encouragement to me has been “You’ll get through it” by Max Lucado. Max Lucado is an engaging writer and this is a book that can be easily read. In it he takes us through the life of Joseph. Life was tough for Joseph and life can be tough for us too….We can get dismayed with where we find ourselves but in this book Max Lucado encourages to look at how God was working behind the scenes of Joseph’s life and our lives too. As it says in Genesis 50:20, Joseph said to his brothers “you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good” No matter what life sends our way, we can get through it!

And lastly, what kind of legacy would you like to leave behind?

Wow this is a good question…Makes you think… I want people to know about Christ and the gospel either by the things I have said to them or by the example of my life…Praying that my life is for the glory of God and for His Kingdom and that folks will have turned to Christ and be following Him because I have been faithful to Him.

Thanks so much Sarah… look out for more interviews over the coming months!!