As I write this, the first stage of a fragile peace has started in the Middle East. How long it will last is anyone’s guess. And around the world many conflicts continue – some reported, others ignored.
At the first Christmas, the angels proclaimed to the shepherds “… on earth peace …”. Yet wars continue. And, on an individual level, we are more anxious, more worried, more fearful than ever before, despite living in a world that is safer than it has ever been.
Can we buck the trend? The answer is “yes”. We can know peace for ourselves, even when there is turmoil all around us.
At Nant Coch we know a way (Philippians 4:1-9). We try to be peace-makers, not warmongers. We are thankful, we focus on the positives. We pray. We try to fill our minds with things that are good, encouraging and uplifting rather than the doom and gloom that the media bombard us with. We try to put our faith into practice. And we find peace in doing this.
I have experienced this “peace that passes all understanding” recently for myself. Last year I was diagnosed with myeloma – blood cancer. Cancer is a word that scares many people – indeed, some people will not say the word, it is just “the big C”. Untreated it will slowly kill you. The treatment is very unpleasant and has an element of danger. Success is not guaranteed and is only temporary. Yet throughout the whole process I have known the most extraordinary peace. At no time whatsoever have I worried or been afraid or even been concerned – the peace has been total and continuous. And it’s not natural, it’s not me – it’s God-given, it’s supernatural.
Christianity works! We would like you to discover this for yourselves, if you don’t know it already, this Christmas. Please contact us, or come to one of our services, to know more.

Author: Edmund Plummer (Elder)