I hit a metaphorical wall a week ago. Just couldn’t face leaving London to sit alone up north participating in tedious fights with corrupt bureaucrats. Felt the burden of injustice and uncertainty dragging. Tired of financial stress. Upset by a relationship mishap. Unable to reconcile my spiritual leanings with my crazy urbanite life.

Didn’t have a good week. Won’t relay the gory mess. A very low point was when I denied myself grace and mercy for my follies. I felt hopelessly permanently defined by my less wise choices. Decided I was doomed to eternal failure in some aspects of life, especially having a life partner. Just wanted it to end. “Screw this stupid war, give me fun and do it now!”.

Am still here. One magical moment. As I headed off to do something inadvisable, a man stood outside Tower Hill tube preaching how the Bible says we are innately sinful and drawn to unrighteous things. He could never have known which passerby would be tuned in to what he said.

But I was.

Good morning, my friend! You are in good company here, Martin.....we have ALL been fighting something, including ourselves, most of our lives! The GREAT thing about AU is that HERE, we "champion" each other, regardless of strengths or weaknesses, we pick each other up, dust each other off, and get on with things! We are all "gifted" in one way or another.....some of us STILL don't know what the hell we're "gifted" with, but be that as it may, we are all HERE for a reason! We may NEVER know why, but God does and HE is running this show! It is mind-boggling to me that this many people, of every color, race and creed, from every walk of life, across this country and beyond, have gathered HERE , NOW, in this place, together to be part of and witness history in the making! This is the ONLY place I have found where there is no negativity.....everyone on here has a story, from "gory messes" to "heavenly interventions, but the common thread I see in everyone is KINDNESS! Love you all!