Christine Treanor
God has given me a new life as ReSource’s
administrator
In the autumn of 2000 my daughters left home to go to their respective
Universities and I found myself at Holy Trinity Church, Leicester doing
an Alpha course. Prior to that I had been a member of another church in
Leicester but had not really been comfortable there for a long time,
particularly since my dear friend Noelle had died tragically of cancer.
Looking back I can see that I had been spiritually dry if not actually
dead. I had not lost my faith but I no longer felt at all close to God.
However another very dear friend, Anthea, stuck by me all through that
loneliness and I know she prayed constantly for me. I yearned to be
back in a real relationship with the Lord and that happened during
Alpha. I well remember the first Sunday I attended Holy Trinity. I was
so glad and I couldn’t help sobbing all the way through the
service.
Sadly, three years later my marriage of nearly 30 years broke up after
my husband had an affair. It was a dreadful time for me and our girls
and I was so thankful that I had regained a lively faith. If I had not,
I really do not think I would have got through the dark days that lay
ahead. I remember the first night I moved into my little cottage
putting my head on the pillow and saying to God ‘well for the
first time in my life I really am properly depending on you’;
and he has never once let me down. In fact I have been blessed
abundantly.
My former life had been privileged, living in a large, beautifully
decorated home with all the perks of comfortable middle class life
around me but now I found myself in a much more vulnerable place and
having to work, at first part-time and latterly full-time to earn
enough to make ends meet.
Practising the glad game
And so I resolved to practise the glad game, just like the heroine in
the Pollyanna books of my childhood. I was glad for things. I was glad
for my family and friends, glad for the chance to work in my village
for Edward who didn’t mind me typing with tears running down
my cheeks most afternoons! I was glad for my cell group who made me so
welcome; glad for the leaders Sarah and Lino who own one of the best
Italian restaurants in the country and who provided me with a delicious
supper every week; glad for so many things. But I still had not
completely recovered from the overwhelming, all consuming sadness of
the divorce.
Letting go of the past
My friend Heather suggested I needed prayer ministry and I agreed; but
then I bottled out at the last minute. I don’t know why
except to be honest I think sometimes it is easier to hang on to your
problems than let them go. But then when my ex-husband announced he was
to re-marry I was really upset and couldn’t stop thinking
about him all the time. It was really horrible, and I knew I needed to
be healed. I had to let go of the past and as they say in all the best
stories – move on! So it was that I arrived at Alison
Morgan’s home one evening with Heather having no idea at all
what I was about to experience. It turned out to be quite an evening!
Alison very quickly got to the root of the problem – that
even though I had forgiven my husband, I had not confessed and been
forgiven by God for my part in the marriage breakdown.
So I did, and immediately afterwards the most incredible thing happened
– I suddenly felt as though an elastic band was being pulled
further and further out of my stomach and that elastic band was my ex
husband. It felt physically as if this was happening. Then as the
elastic band came back towards my body I knew I had been released and
forgiven and I experienced a wonderful sense of peace. It was extremely
dramatic and totally life changing. Alison ended the evening telling me
she thought God had great plans for me as she anointed me.
God’s great plans for me
That is how I come to the position I am today – just about to
take over from Sharon Grossman as the Administrator for ReSource. I
received a phone call one evening from Roger Morgan asking me if I
would consider the job. I had just returned from Spring Harvest where I
had re-contacted a charity that I had been in touch with the previous
year. It seemed that this was the organisation with which God wanted me
to get involved. But suddenly all that was turned around by a single
phone call! The more I researched ReSource the more excited I felt
about the work it is doing and I told Roger and Alison that if they,
Martin Cavender and the Trustees wanted me I would happily join them.
A chance to start again
After over 40 years in the Leicester Diocese I have put my house on the
market, started packing my belongings and I am off to Wells on what I
feel sure is going to be quite an adventure. I couldn’t be
more grateful to God for healing me and for giving me the desire to
serve Him. I know that through His grace, in the power of the Holy
Spirit, I have been given a second chance, a new life, new
opportunities and I couldn’t be more glad!
About the writer
Christine Treanor is delighted to be back in the Bath and
Wells Diocese
where her father was Vicar of Lansdown, Bath. She will also be nearer
to her younger brother as he begins his curacy in Tavistock. Christine
has three daughters all living and working in London.
