War Cry 3 July 2021

Answered prayers build ‘eternal’ monument

WAR CRY

3 July 2021 50p

Speeding up to save the world Fast and Furious gang are together again

Singer stages return to the West End

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity providing services in the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable and marginalised. Motivated by our Christian faith, we offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK to all who need them, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. To find your nearest centre visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church

What is the War Cry? The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.

WAR CRY Issue No 7532

Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org

WHEN a parent asks their young child ‘what’s the magic word?’ they are not expecting the response ‘abracadabra’. Instead, it is a reminder to say ‘please’ when asking for something.

Teaching a child to say both please and thank you is important to many parents. Even into adulthood, we still want people to ask ‘nicely’ when making a request and to acknowledge us when we do something for them.

As we report in this week’s War Cry, tomorrow (Sunday 4 July) is Thank You Day. It has been designed to allow us to acknowledge all those who have helped us, particularly over the past 15 months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is backed by celebrities including Bear Grylls, Michael Sheen and Levi Roots, along with churches and other faith groups.

Giving thanks is important for Christians. Their thank yous are given not only to people who help them, but also to God for the times when he answers the prayers made to him.

Next year, construction of the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer in Coleshill, Birmingham will be completed. Each one of the million bricks in the wall will represent an answered prayer. In this week’s issue we speak to Richard Gamble, the man who was inspired to create the monument.

‘This is a colossal piece of public art which aims to communicate that Jesus is alive, and that when we pray, he listens and he answers,’ Richard tells us.

It is good to know that prayers are not just magic words spoken to make the people who are praying feel better. Rather they are a direct connection with Jesus, who can step in to any situation we face and, thankfully, make a ad the War C difference for good in our lives and in the e re ry lives of others. u’v

CONTENTS

Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Mal Davies Published weekly by The Salvation Army © The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399.

Printed by Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper

INFO Your local Salvation Army centre

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Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Staff Writer: Claire Brine Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight

From the editor’s desk

When yo

What is The Salvation Army?

FEATURES

3 Driving force

6

Fast and Furious 9 opens at cinemas

5

An attitude of gratitude

A day to say thank you

6 Do you hear the people sing?

Les Mis star on returning to the stage

8 Another brick in the wall

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Answered prayers provide building

blocks for artwork

REGULARS

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War Cry World

12 Team Talk 13 Now, There’s a Thought!

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14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: GILES KEYTE/UNIVERSAL PICTURES

GILES KEYTE/UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Letty and Dom are back in the fast lane as they try to save the world

FAMILY IS IN THE DRIVING SEAT Cinemagoers see that relationships are a fighting team’s greatest strength Film preview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

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IGH-speed car chases, death-defying stunts and an unbreakable family bond are arriving on the big screen in Fast and Furious 9, which is on general release in cinemas.

Twenty years after the first Fast and Furious film came out, the gang reunite once again to save the world.

When the film begins, married couple Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) have parked the fast cars and are living off grid with Dom’s little boy. To their surprise, an SOS mission comes through. Dom refuses, not wanting to leave his quiet life or endanger his son. After realising that he has a personal stake in the assignment, however, he reverses his decision and is back behind the wheel without hesitation.

Together with crew members Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) and Mia (Jordana Brewster), Dom and Letty career round the four corners of the world to prevent villain Cipher (Charlize Theron) and her partners in crime from making a global satellite takeover.

As well as facing military attacks and magnetic cars, Dom has to confront his past, because among the people working with Cipher is his estranged brother, Jakob (John Cena). They stopped speaking years ago because Jakob did something Dom believed to be unforgivable.

While Dom is dealing with betrayal from his blood brother, his Fast family step up and go to extreme lengths to try to stop Cipher. But will it be enough?

Whatever happens, there’s no denying that the fearless group will always have each other’s back. As Queenie (Helen Mirren), who lends a helping hand, says: ‘Nothing’s more powerful than the love of family.’

The love and support of family – whether blood or chosen – can

Dom’s estranged brother Jakob is working against him

be powerful. When we’re at a crossroads and need advice or when we’ve lost our way, it is often family who help us out. When we have a difficult task to accomplish, encouragement from loved ones goes a long way. And family members often go the extra mile to help when it’s needed.

Christians also believe themselves to be part of the ultimate family, adopted as God’s sons and daughters. It often means that they are supported by a community of other believers. But even if that is not possible, they experience the love and care of a heavenly Father.

We are all invited to join the family of God, regardless of what we look like, where we come from and whether or not we feel supported by loved ones. One Bible writer encouraged his fellow believers, saying: ‘Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are’ (1 John 3:1 Contemporary English Version).

Family may hurt us or let us down, simply because they are human, but God will not. He promises to love us with an everlasting love and never leave or forsake us.

If we choose to become a part of his family, we can know a love that is powerful, find help in times of trouble and experience an unbreakable bond.

The fearless group have each other’s back

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Soul-full song for island show

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AFTER explaining how she became a Christian, the chief executive of international development charity Christian Aid, Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, chose the song ‘It Is Well with My Soul’ when she took part in the Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs.

Amanda told presenter Lauren Laverne that she came to the Christian faith in Zambia after hearing a group of singers at a funeral that she attended with her aunt.

She said: ‘I sat outside, and there was this group singing, called the Revelators, and the song that they sang was a vernacular song, a Bemba song.

Translated it meant ‘Jesus is standing at the door and he’s knocking, will you open the door for him?’ … That ability to just get up and really speak your heart when you’re talking to God, that’s where I learnt that.’

Amanda went on to explain why she finds the Christian song ‘It Is Well with My Soul’ so meaningful.

‘I believe that it doesn’t matter what you throw at me, it doesn’t matter whether I’m scared of the creepy crawlies, it is well. Whatever lot is thrown my way, knowing that God is with me is enough for me.’

Artists paint pictures of African-British history AN African scholar, who in AD670 became abbot of one of the most important monasteries in England, is being depicted in a series of new portraits displayed at English Heritage sites.

Hadrian, who was appointed abbot of St Augustine’s Abbey in Canterbury­– from where Augustine had spearheaded the conversion of Anglo-Saxon England 70 years earlier – has been painted by artist Clifton Powell for the nationwide exhibition Painting our Past: The African Diaspora in England.

It is thought that Hadrian, who was described by early historian

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Bede as being ‘learned in sacred and secular literature’, was from Cyrenaica, which at the time was a province of the Byzantine Empire in what is now Libya.

The exhibition aims to highlight the stories – many not widely known – of African people in England throughout history. Each portrait is being displayed at the English Heritage site with which the historic figure is associated. All the portraits in the series have been made by an artist who identifies themselves as black or mixed-heritage.

Other historic figures in the series include Dido Belle, the daughter of an enslaved black woman and a Royal Navy officer, who spent much of her life at Kenwood House in London, and Roman emperor Septimius Severus, who travelled to Britain to strengthen forfications.

A BENEDICTINE abbey on the Hebridean island of Iona is reopening after a renovation project, The Guardian reports.

Princess Anne, patron of the appeal, visited Iona for the blessing ceremony.

A £3.75 million community fundraising project enabled the renovation to take place.

About 2,500 people from across 22 countries contributed, having raised money through bake sales and sponsored walks.

The funds raised have financed a new energy system to pump hot water from underground to the abbey. Another appeal raised funds for the renovation to the nearby village hall, schools, homes and businesses across the island.

The abbey also now has a new kitchen and scullery, a renovated refectory, wheelchair access to residential accommodation and a superfast broadband connection.

A monastic settlement was first established on the island by Irish monk Columba in AD563, before the site became a Benedictine abbey during the Middle Ages.

A Christian community operates on the site today, with visitors able to take part in worship and other activities.

Do you have a story to share? a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK Clifton Powell painted African Scholar, Hadrian for the English Heritage exhibition 4 • WAR CRY • 3 July 2021

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AN 18th-century debate about miracles between reason and religion produced a theory that has become ‘central to understanding’ the Covid-19 pandemic, reports The Guardian.

Clergyman and mathematician Thomas Bayes worked with a friend, Richard Price, to refute an attack on Christianity made by philosopher David Hume. In an essay, Hume had written that he would not be convinced that a dead man could be ‘restored to life’.

He said that a claim to have witnessed a miracle was not evidence enough that it took place. It was understood as an attack against the Christian belief that Jesus was miraculously raised from the dead.

Bayes became known for developing work on conditional probabilities, the chance of one event occurring, given that another event has happened. Today, Bayes’ theorem has been used to calculate the accuracy of the lateral flow tests used to map the spread of coronavirus. It has also been instrumental in figuring out the conditional probability that someone is not infected, given that they have a positive result.

Project blossoms for military veterans MILITARY veterans are now participating in a community allotment project thanks to a partnership between The Salvation Army in Oldbury and charity Stepway.

The Salvation Army church has offered its land to be used for growing fresh produce. The 100 square-metre community garden grew out of a new partnership earlier this year and has accessible raised beds for people with disabilities, a polytunnel, a seating area where gardeners can relax, and plots where people can grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Alongside the community garden project, military veterans charity Stepway will run therapy services, a drop-in centre and courses on budgeting, benefits, education, employment skills and accessing mental health services.

The leader of Oldbury Salvation Army, Captain Carl Wardley, said: ‘It makes sense for us to be involved by allowing some of our land for a community garden project as well as providing access to our buildings so that people can meet and feel safe. We are also able to offer pastoral support to veterans.

‘And we have experts on site through our Employment Plus service who can help veterans wanting to get back into the job market.’

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Many thanks

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Thank You Day reminds us that there are lots of people to be grateful for Report by Claire Brine

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INCE lockdown began in March 2020, families, friends and communities have worked together to show love and support to one other – and it’s time to show some appreciation. Tomorrow (Sunday 4 July) is Thank You Day. Backed by figures such as Bear Grylls, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Michael Sheen, Thank You Day is about expressing our gratitude to the people in our lives who deserve it, but particularly those who have helped us over the past year.

While people are free to say thank you to whoever they want, however they want, the website thankyouday.org.uk is full of ideas for those needing a little inspiration. At 11am tomorrow, people who enjoy the outdoors are invited to do an hour’s litter picking, as a way of saying thank you to their local environment for providing freedom during lockdown. At 5pm, Cheers for Volunteers encourages individuals and groups to raise a glass or mug in appreciation of those who have selflessly volunteered their time and skills.

One of the people behind Thank You Day is Gavin McKenna, the founder of Reach Every Generation, an organisation that mentors young people caught up in gang culture. Recognising the difficulties that the pandemic presented for teenagers, Gavin says: ‘I want to say a big thank you to them for being patient, being resilient, persevering and getting through.’ He also directs his thanks towards the people who went ‘over and above to be a light during the dark times’.

In the bleakness of the past year, we have all needed glimmers of hope.

While many of us have relied on kind friends and neighbours to help us stay positive, Christians believe that the ultimate hope-giver is Jesus.

The Bible describes him as ‘the light of all mankind’, which ‘shines in the darkness’. And, it adds, he is a light that ‘the darkness has not overcome’ (John 1:4 and 5 New International Version).

No matter how grey life may seem, Jesus can brighten our day. No matter how isolated we may be, his love can comfort and strengthen us. With him, our hope is never defeated. Surely that’s something to be thankful for.

We have all needed glimmers of hope

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Faith plays a role in SHAN AKO was one of many performers whose live gigs stopped immediately when the first lockdown was enforced in March 2020. She had arrived at the theatre for another night playing the role of Eponine in Les Misérables in the West End, when she was told the performance was cancelled.

As restrictions now begin to lift, she talks about life off stage, how her faith influences her career, and about being in front of an audience again

MICHAEL LE POER TRENCH

Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

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INGING has always been Shan Ako’s thing. From as early as she can remember, she was performing on stages, and as a teen she chose to pursue music as a career. But part of that career was put on hold with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shan had been playing the role of Eponine in Cameron Mackintosh’s West End production of Les Misérables for six months when the lockdown hit.

‘It ended really abruptly,’ she says. ‘I went in one day and they told us there was no show today. It was quite upsetting, but we were hopeful that we would be back soon. We didn’t think the lockdown would last more than a month, but it dragged out for the whole year.’

However, the lockdown did come at a good time, Shan reflects, because she had been due a break.

‘I was the only cast member who hadn’t yet had a holiday at that time, and I was going to take a break. I’ve always done my own music, so not being in the theatre allowed me to focus on that a bit more. I was able to release an EP, spend time at home with my family, stop the busyness and reconnect with God a bit more. It was very much needed and I was well throughout, so I can’t complain.’

After almost nine months away from the Sondheim Theatre, Les Mis was able to run

Although the audience may wear masks, I can still feel their joy

Shan as Eponine in ‘Les Misérables’

6 • WAR CRY • 3 July 2021

again, and Shan rejoined her fellow cast members. But the run was once more cut short.

‘Cameron Mackintosh was amazing,’ she says. ‘His company really pushed for the industry to get back up and running. In December, we started up again, but we only managed to do 10 shows, because there was another lockdown. But they had gone to great lengths to make sure we could perform – even joining two buildings together so that we could be socially distanced.’

The lockdown left things up in the air again for the music industry, but just over a month ago, the cast members were back on stage in their first performance since last year – and they are hoping to complete this run.

‘We have passed the 10-show mark, and it has been great so far,’ says Shan. ‘All the Covid procedures have been put into place, and we’re very careful so everyone feels safe in the building. It’s a great environment to be a part of, because everyone’s been longing to get back on stage.

‘Seeing the audience is great. Although they may wear masks, I can still feel their joy, or sometimes they might be wiping their eyes. I can definitely see that they are loving it.’

Shan is loving playing the role of Eponine.

‘Eponine is a strong woman and she has

singer’s choices

BOYD VISUALS

got a loving heart,’ she says. ‘But she is misunderstood and she has had a hard life.

I feel like that represents a lot of people, and I’ve been through it too.’

Playing Eponine felt like the right choice, Shan says. And choosing which roles she plays is not a decision she takes lightly.

Because of her Christian faith, she feels she ‘can’t do everything’.

‘The role has to align with who I am. It’s fun to act, but I have to be wary because I have to tap deeply into these characters to do it well, and then I’m singing things all day and living it on stage.’

Shan’s faith has been important to her since it first developed when she was 14 years old.

‘My dad’s friends invited us to church, and I loved it,’ she recalls.

‘I felt so loved, and I wanted to know more about God. At the same time, I was also introduced to gospel music. Someone gave me Donnie McClurkin Live in London on CD. I’d never heard music like that before, and I was instantly moved.’

It was also about that time that Shan began attending the BRIT performing arts school in south London and decided that she wanted to pursue music.

‘I started writing songs, performing them, putting on events, selling my CDs. I enjoyed it, so I didn’t mind how hard I had to work. But I was still finding myself, and I was new in my faith.’

Today, she says her belief plays a part in her songwriting.

‘Because of my faith, I’m able to sing about experiences we all have, but with the knowledge that it doesn’t start and stop there. There’s always hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.’

Her faith has helped her in her difficult times, such as the ones she draws upon when playing Eponine. ‘When you go through struggles you can’t handle them alone. Sometimes you don’t want to speak to anybody, but when you read God’s word and pray and meditate, there is a connection and you know that there’s a higher Shan has been singing power and a higher and playing guitar since purpose to everything. she was a little girl It’s very comforting.’

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Bring on the wall!

This autumn, construction will start on the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, a vast piece of architectural art, situated near Birmingham. Each of the one million bricks used to build the wall will represent a true story of answered prayer. RICHARD GAMBLE – the man behind the mission – wants the project to inspire the nation to remember the good things God has done Interview by Claire Brine ble am Richard G

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HEN I heard God saying to me “I want you to build a wall”, I had no idea what I was meant to do,’ says Richard Gamble. ‘But I said back to God: “OK then – if that’s what you want.” As someone who doesn’t know how to put up a shelf, let alone build a Christian monument, I thought I’d better start praying.’

Seventeen years on, building work is expected to start shortly on the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, a giant monument shaped like an infinity loop, situated between the M6 and M42

An artist’s impression of the architectural structure

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motorways just outside Birmingham. Made up of a million bricks, the towering structure will reach a height of 51 metres, making it two and a half times taller than the Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead.

‘This is a colossal piece of public art which aims to communicate that Jesus is alive, and that when we pray, he listens and he answers,’ says Richard, the founder of the Eternal Wall project. ‘Our idea is that each of the million bricks will represent a story of someone’s answered prayer, and

INFINITY LABS

visitors to the site will be able to point their phones up at the bricks to read about them. The point of the Eternal Wall is to help us remember the things that God has done for us, because we are so good at forgetting.’

To get his project off the ground, Richard, who lives in Leicestershire, began travelling round churches across the UK, to collect stories of people’s answered prayers. Some of them feature in his book, Remember, which was published earlier this year.

‘In visiting all these churches, I discovered that we live in a culture which doesn’t remember things any more,’ he says. ‘Our forgetting has happened for lots of reasons – which I explore in my book – but one big factor is technology. We don’t need to remember facts or details these days because we can look up most information that we need on our phones.

‘Secondly, we are so obsessed with the present or the future that we don’t

The aim is to communicate that Jesus is alive

give ourselves the space to remember the past. Yet remembering is important spiritually. The Bible is full of stories of people remembering what God has done for them. One example comes from the Old Testament. After God saved the Israelites from slavery and led them across the Jordan, the Israelites took 12 stones from the riverbed and created a monument so that they would always remember what they had come through.

We are going for the same effect with the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer – but with

Turn to page 10 f

3 July 2021 • WAR CRY • 9

From page 9 a few more stones.’

Though Richard has spent 17 years so far laying the foundations for the Eternal Wall project, he can remember with clarity the events that first sparked his idea.

‘It was early 2004, and I wanted people to think about Jesus over the Easter period rather than chocolate eggs and bunnies,’ he explains. ‘It was then that I felt God telling me to carry a cross around Leicestershire. It sounds odd – but I did it. I dressed in a suit and carried this big cross for 77 miles. It was like a piece of performance art, and the press covered it.

‘Once I’d done that, I asked God what he wanted me to do next. Suddenly this picture of a wall flashed through my head, and so I decided that was what I needed to do. But I didn’t know how.’

The idea of creating a Christian landmark was daunting, so Richard prayed some more about it. He wanted to find a Christian architect to help him.

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‘I prayed for 10 years, and nothing was really happening,’ says Richard.

‘Every time I met an architect who was a Christian, I’d share my idea with them and they would give me a look that said: “You’re off your rocker, mate!” But seven years ago I met someone who connected me with a Christian architect who said: “Yep. I know what we need to do.”

‘We started crowdfunding – and it was a miraculous experience.

We needed £45,000 to get the project started, and two days before our deadline we were £22,000 short. So I prayed through the night and felt God say: “It’s OK. I’m with you. Be at peace.”

‘It was so hard. I wrestled to get to a place of peace, but eventually said: “OK God, if you are behind this, I will go for it.

But if you are not and the project doesn’t happen, that’s fine too.” As soon as I

reached that point, donations came in from all over the world.’

The next thing Richard did was run a global competition for the project’s design. An idea to create a structure resembling a Mobius strip – which has no beginning and no end – was put forwards

by Snug Architects in Southampton. The designer happened to be a Christian.

‘After that, we needed to acquire some land, which is another ridiculous story,’ says Richard. ‘My wife and I were invited to go to a Christian conference in the States, and while we were there, a woman came up to us and said: “God wants you to know that he has got some heavenly land for you.” I thought: “Oh! OK then.”

‘Back in the UK, I had a team of people praying about the project, and so I phoned Sue – one of the group – to tell her what this woman had said. Sue replied: “Well if God has got the land, I’ll ask him to tell us where it is, because that will save us a lot of time.” Sue prayed, then sent me a map with a picture of some land that she had circled, saying: “Either this is the heavenly land or the person who owns it is very significant.”’

Two weeks before Richard received Sue’s email of the map, the owner of the circled piece of land had contacted Richard, asking to meet him. Richard discovered that in 2004, six months before he had felt called to build a wall, the land owner had set up a trust fund with an aim to build a national Christian landmark.

‘To cut a long story short, this guy gave me a piece of land for the project, but for various reasons beyond our control, it didn’t work out,’ Richard says. ‘Then he gave me another piece of land, and that didn’t work out either. So he employed

Donations came in from all over the world

INFINITY LABS

an architect, instructing him to find the best piece of land for the Eternal Wall. The architect recommended somewhere – and it was the exact area that Sue had circled on the map, two years before.’

Though Richard is full of stories of how God has answered his prayers, he is still seeking stories from the public to feature on the bricks of the Eternal Wall.

People who want to share the good things God has done in their lives can do so at eternalwall.org.uk.

‘When we open in late 2022, we want to have ready our first 200,000 answered prayers,’ he says. ‘Our plan is that at nighttime, we will light up the bricks which represent the prayers, and as more prayers are added over time, so more of the Eternal Wall will be illuminated. We want people to have the sense that it isn’t a dead monument, but a living and growing one.’

As much as Richard hopes that visitors will admire the architecture of the Eternal Wall and feel encouraged by reading the answered prayers, his biggest desire is ‘to communicate the truth about Jesus’.

That’s why the site will incorporate an exhibition area, inviting people to learn more about the Christian faith.

‘Whether people believe in God or not, we want to create an environment where they can reflect on issues of prayer and faith,’ he says. ‘We want people to engage with Christianity without feeling Biblebashed. When we share true stories with one another about what God has done in our life, those first-hand experiences have credence. We want people to see that faith is about relationship and not religion.

‘We also want to be bold and confident in who we believe God is, because we live in a culture where people don’t like to talk about the good things he has done for fear of offending. I understand that not everyone’s prayers are answered

how they might like them to be, and we need to be sensitive to that. But if that sensitivity puts us on mute, then we have a problem.’

After 17 years of thinking and praying about the Eternal Wall, Richard feels that his understanding of God has deepened.

He stresses that remembering God’s goodness towards him is the cornerstone to his maintaining a strong faith.

‘If we forget about the prayers that God has answered for us, we are in danger of forgetting who God is,’ he says. ‘God has done things for me which I wouldn’t have even thought to ask for, because he understands what makes me tick. He is gracious and forgiving. He has done some amazing things in our nation – and the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer is about capturing that. When we remember that God provided for us once, we know that he will provide for us again.’

l Remember is published

by SPCK

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Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Joyce, who has pain in her legs and feet and is feeling lonely and anxious.

The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their ­circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, Lon­don SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

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Becoming a Christian

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God

Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.

talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK Giving things up can be enriching Claire Brine gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters

WHILE online daters are busily swiping and clicking in the hope of meeting their match this summer, employees at dating app Bumble are shutting down for a week. The Times reported that company boss Whitney Wolfe Herd has instructed her 700-strong staff to take a week off work because of ‘collective burnout’. To Clare O’Connor, Bumble’s head of editorial content, being given seven days’ paid holiday ‘feels like a big deal’.

After more than a year of living through a global pandemic, I can understand why workers are feeling burnt out. And I admire a boss who recognises the stresses facing her employees and looks for a way to make their life a bit better. People before profits, right?

Another recent article on the subject of burnout has grabbed my attention this week. The Guardian featured the stories of a number of people who, after experiencing extreme work-related stress, left their careers to find new jobs – and they ‘built better lives’ as a result. One of them was Mays Al-Ali. She left her ‘successful job’ in advertising to work as a yoga teacher and nutritionist.

‘I’m a lot poorer, but happier,’ she said, describing the experience as being ‘like saving myself’.

The words that Mays chooses to describe her situation intrigue me. While she may be poorer financially, it sounds as though her quality of life has become richer.

I also can’t help but reflect on the idea that to save herself from burnout, she had to give something up. She had to quit a job – one that the world would probably tell her she was lucky to have – to find a better life.

Looking beyond work (because I happen to like my job), I wonder if there are areas in my own life causing me burnout. Note to self: there are. The jealousy I sometimes feel towards my peers and my constant worrying about the future just aren’t good for me. They drain me.

That’s why I need to work on letting them go. Because when I finally give up my negative habits, I stand to gain a life that’s infinitely richer.

I admire a boss who recognises the stresses facing her employees

Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit.

Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.

Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Amen

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Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army

Looking for help?

Contact details of a Salvation Army minister Name Address Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Or email your details and request to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk 12 • WAR CRY • 3 July 2021

NOW, THERE’S A THOUGHT!

Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

Who had a No 1 hit with the song ‘One Moment in Time’?

2

What does the Hebrew greeting ‘shalom aleichem’ mean in English?

A 3

Who is the captain of Liverpool Football Club?

4

Who played inmate Mark Cobden in the recent BBC TV series Time?

5

6

The UK, US, France, Germany, Italy and Japan are six members of the G7. What is the seventh country?

Who wrote the thriller novel Leave the World Behind, published last year?

ANSWERS

by Barbara Lang

Exercise made my life run in a new direction B

EFORE this new year had even begun, I made a resolution.

I embraced the NHS Couch to 5K programme, put on a pair of trainers and with the accompanying podcast playing, headed out of the door.

I pounded the pavements in my neighbourhood, slowly, breathlessly and in a very stop-start fashion. By January, I was running in the frost, teeth chattering, waiting anxiously for the signal on the podcast that I could have a minute of walking before stepping up my pace again. By the end of February, I could run, huffing and puffing, far enough to leave my housing estate behind and glimpse countryside in the distance.

Some days I ran reluctantly, thinking longingly of a mug of tea by the fire. But I continued towards the goal of finishing the whole programme. As the early signs of spring began to appear in March, I had started to miss running if I was unable to get out. I pined for the peace of the early morning and, to my surprise, the exercise itself.

These days, I am running further, into the open countryside. My faltering steps on pavements near to my home have – through effort and intention – become an important part of my life.

I made changes so that my future was happier than my past, and I would encourage others to take the plunge. Decide what to do and make a start today – even if that start is small. Do not be disheartened if the path towards a goal seems steep and slow.

Keep persevering, remembering that every step brings you closer to the target.

About 2,000 years ago, one Bible writer encouraged new Christians to keep their resolve, saying: ‘Let us run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus’ (Hebrews 12:1 and 2 New International Version).

If we look to Jesus, we will find a faithful friend who is willing to help us persevere as we take steps to become better people with a brighter future.

I made changes so that my future was happier

3 July 2021 • WAR CRY • 13

1. Whitney Houston. 2. Peace be upon you.

3. Jordan Henderson. 4. Sean Bean.

5. Canada. 6. Rumaan Alam.

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Two-footed animal (5) 4. Chocolate drink (5) 8. Cobbler’s tool (3) 9. Clean (5) 10. Fetch (5) 11. Rubbish container (3) 12. Regal (5) 13. Prisoner (7) 16. Carry too far (6) 19. Be cautious (6) 23. Menial (7) 26. Colloquialism (5) 28. Small child (3) 29. Shout of joy (5) 30. Splendour (5) 31. Master (3) 32. Rendezvous (5) 33. Illustrious (5) DOWN 2. Social gathering (5) 3. Meddled (7) 4. Embrace (6) 5. Ship’s room (5) 6. Plea of being elsewhere (5) 7. Power (5) 9. Braking system (5) 14. Pledge (3) 15. Motor (3) 17. Contend (3)

SUDOKU

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9

2 4

4 3 2 6 8 1 9 9 4 5

3 8 1 6 8 9 7 2 1 5

9 2

2 6

18. Increase engine speed (3) 20. Facing the east (7) 21. Rowing crew (5) 22. Ratify (6) 23. Drain (5) 24. Perch (5) 25. Formally request (5) 27. Extemporise (2-3)

M O HONEYC B

Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number 1. Crowd together 2. An official count of a population 3. Make smooth and shiny by rubbing 4. Primary colour 5. Small stone 6. Relating to the lower back

ANSWERS

6

3 3 7

WORDSEARCH

8 1 9 2 7 6 4 5 3 7 5 backwards 3 4 9and1diagonally 2 6 8 Look up, down, forwards, on the grid to find these hit songs of the 1960s 2 4 6 5 3 8 1 9 7 Z M S E D N J Y 6 I 2J Q N 1 3Y A W A 8 9 T 7 E 4G D 5 V N Z M J F Z I D S C D J W C V O H E K 5 N M 9 W Q T S W Y Z D Q O 4 7 6 2 8 3 1 Z F V R K X I I A U N E Q D V R 3 I 8L P H T T Z Y U Z H P 7 1 5 4 6 2 9 D P S B U F I B M E E A E G B J Q P D Z 4 6 8 9 1 5 3 7 2 N A O M D K W G U Y R R Z Q Y Z R O O H A L L E F E K C O R A L L E R E D N 9 7 2 8 4 3 5 1 I C 6 L B Z M T Q Z U Y T Z P H N T G L B T G 1 3 5 I 6O T Z Y R C A K 2 7 9 8 4 L A Q E Q R N E O Z Y

U T W R E G Y R D D M O Y S T S R S G C F R Q Y O E J I N E M W U H Z Q V Z A R R O Z N D E D Q N E O G E B K W S M I E E S E N I D L T U M A L B P A K E D N V D S Y H V J Z L A R O F W Z E B Z S P I N P Q O C Z B N S N S T Q S M B E B V R O M Q J J D Q U E O E M I T F O T U O N W G M C P C G L J N Y P F O Q L Q W G O S B D L Q A Y G O K O A C X N D Z E L O N Z N C R D Y S C O Z S Z W A P R Q B M ALBATROSS

MOON RIVER

HONEYCOMB 1. Huddle. 2. Census. 3. Polish. 4. Yellow. 5. Pebble. 6. Lumbar.

BLUE MOON

OH PRETTY WOMAN

CINDERELLA ROCKEFELLA

ONLY THE LONELY

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Biped. 4. Cocoa. 8. Awl. 9. Scrub.

10. Bring. 11. Bin. 12. Royal. 13. Convict. 16. Overdo.

19. Beware. 23. Servant. 26. Slang. 28. Tot. 29. Whoop. 30. Éclat. 31. Sir. 32. Tryst. 33. Noble.

DOWN: 2. Party. 3. Dabbled. 4. Clinch. 5. Cabin.

6. Alibi. 7. Might. 9. Servo. 14. Vow. 15. Car. 17. Vie. 18. Rev. 20. Eastern. 21. Eight. 22. Attest.

23. Sewer. 24. Roost. 25. Apply. 27. Ad-lib.

DO IT AGAIN

OUT OF TIME

DO YOU MIND

POETRY IN MOTION

GET AWAY

STARRY EYED

HEY JUDE

SUGAR SUGAR

I GOT YOU BABE

THE YOUNG ONES

JOHNNY REMEMBER ME

WONDERFUL LAND

8 7 2 6 5 3 4 9 1

1 5 4 2 9 8 6 7 3

9 3 6 1 4 7 8 2 5

2 4 5 3 7 1 9 8 6

7 9 3 8 6 5 1 4 2

6 1 8 9 2 4 5 3 7

4 2 1 7 8 6 3 5 9

5 6 9 4 3 2 7 1 8

3 8 7 5 1 9 2 6 4

14 • WAR CRY • 3 July 2021 1

6 8 9 7 2 5

3 7

3

2

Chorizo and potato breakfast tostadas Ingredients 1tbsp rapeseed oil 200g potatoes, diced 50ml water Salt 50g chorizo, chopped 1tbsp sunflower oil 4 medium British Lion eggs 4 small corn tortillas 2 limes 1 small garlic, peeled and minced 2tbsp mayonnaise 1 avocado, peeled and diced 1 red pepper, seeds removed and diced 10g coriander, roughly chopped Pepper

Method Heat the rapeseed oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the potatoes and stir for 2 minutes, until browned. Add the water and a pinch of salt and cover with a lid.

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chorizo, then lower the heat and stir for another 3 minutes. Add more water if needed to cook the potatoes fully.

In a separate pan, heat the sunflower oil over a medium heat. Crack in the eggs and reduce the heat to low. Cook slowly for 5 minutes, until the egg whites set.

Toast the tortillas in a toaster or on a hot, dry frying pan.

Mix the juice and zest of 1 lime with the garlic and mayonnaise to make a lime mayo.

To assemble the tostadas, place the egg in the centre of each tortilla, then add the potato mixture, avocado, red pepper and coriander around the yolk. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the remaining lime into wedges to serve with the tostadas.

SERVES

4

Bubble and squeak stack Ingredients 2 small vines of cherry tomatoes 300g cooked potatoes (roasted, boiled or baked) 150g cooked vegetables (eg a mix of cabbage, carrots and peas) 25g breadcrumbs 1tsp wholegrain mustard Salt and pepper 3 British Lion eggs 2tbsp plain flour 2tbsp sunflower oil

Method Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.

Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and place the vines of tomatoes on it.

In a large bowl, lightly mash the potatoes and vegetables together until you have a chunky mixture. Add the breadcrumbs and mustard. Season, then crack in an egg. Stir well to form a soft but mouldable mixture.

Divide the mixture into 4 and lightly flour your hands, then roll each piece into a ball.

Flatten slightly to make patties.

Heat 1tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Cook the patties over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until deep golden. Transfer to the baking tray alongside the tomatoes and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.

Wipe the pan and add the remaining 1tbsp oil. Crack in the remaining 2 eggs and fry over a medium-high heat for a few minutes.

To serve, stack the bubble and squeak cakes on plates, add the cooked tomatoes on the side, and top each stack with a fried egg.

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the British Egg Information Service website eggrecipes.co.uk

SERVES

2

3 July 2021 • WAR CRY • 15

God cannot be limited by any human concept or prediction Henri Nouwen

WAR CRY