I was wondering why you had taken so long to reply. I am really sorry to hear that you are discouraged and feeling overwhelmed by bad news and pain. I really do know what that is like.

I don't know whether this will help or not but it is an idea that has been popping back into my mind recently as I thought of you.

Imagine two kids standing about one hundred yards apart. Let's give them names. The tall skinny one with the baseball cap and braces on his teeth that are catching the sunlight - let's call him Joey.

Joey is shouting, "Come here Dan"

Dan is standing with his hands in the pockets of his one size too big trousers. He squints in the sun, his freckles bursting out in the summer heat.

Dan is shouting, "Come here Joey"

The day wears on and if we visit them again as the sun is going down. Neither boy has moved one inch.

Joey is shouting, "Come here Dan"

Dan is shouting, "Come here Joey"

If we call back in ten years I guess it might still be the same scene.

I can imagine going forward into the future and finding two old men leaning on zimmers shouting in quivery voices:

"Come here Dan" & "Come here Joey".

Sometimes I think that this illustrates one the biggest stumbling blocks people have in the Christian faith.

We sit here filled with angst, troubles, weighed down, crying out "Come Lord come" while God is standing ever so close whispering quietly "Come to me all you who are heavy laden..."

Some times we just won't go to God, sometimes we just carry on holding on to our burdens, refusing to let them go.

Yet the Lord says, "Come" and the Lord says, "Give me your burdens".

Like a man starving to death beside a banqueting table who refuses the offer of the King to pull up a seat and sit down and eat his fill.

Another possibility why you are feeling discouraged is that the flame within may be burning low. I think it was the great American evangelist Moody who was accosted in his hotel room by a man who insisted on knowing why he had to go to Church every Sunday to be a Christian.

Moody thought for awhile and then went over to where the fire was burning brightly in the grate. He took the long handled tongs and reached into the fire and drew out a brightly burning piece of coal and laid it on the hearth.

"Watch!" he told the man.

For awhile the coal continued to burn brightly. The flame began to die. Soon it was out. The piece of coal grew cold and dark while the fire continued to burn brightly in the grate.

The man nodded. The illustration was so powerful.

It is when the times are tough as they often are that we need the solace, comfort, support, sympathy and prayers of our Christian fellowship.

Can I suggest you might like to read Philippians? It en epistle of joy despite the fact that Paul is in prison. It speaks of fellowship and trials and trust.

This is my favourite part:

Philip. 4:4-6

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! [5] Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. [6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Anyway enough I am overwhelmed with work and must move on and do some other work but before I go…

You will of course have heard the tragic news of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Everything kind of stopped yesterday and everyone turned to the BBC who cancelled all normal programmes. The funeral is to be next Saturday and already things are being cancelled, shops are announcing they will stay closed till after the funeral. As I drove though the town to today I noticed someone had placed a bouquet of flowers on the railings of the East Church. It won't be a state funeral but one very similar to that held for Lord Mountbatten who was killed by an IRA bomb. The only state funeral in my lifetime apart from the King's been for Winston Churchill. Did you see the Royal Family attending Crathie Church yesterday on TV? That is an ordinary Church of Scotland parish church. The Queen when in Scotland is a member of the Church of Scotland and when in England a member and head of the Church of England.

We said prayers yesterday for all the family by name, as is our custom.

Might you do the same?

For Prince William, Prince Harry and Prince Charles.

For The Queen and Prince Philip.

For Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

Write soon.

Stuart