EXPLORE
Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Alfie, that God will help him start a new life when he is released from prison. The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.
j
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. 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
Team talk
talk
Team talk
‘
Claire Brine gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters
Do we want the exact same life?
" Tick one or more of the options below, complete the coupon and send it to
a
War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN
Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army
Looking for help?
Contact details of a Salvation Army minister Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International
12 • War Cry • 20 June 2020
’
AFTER weeks in which people have had to live without them, non-essential shops in some parts of the UK are beginning to open for the purchase of items that suddenly seem essential again. An easing of lockdown conditions also means that zoos, safari parks and drive-in cinemas are opening their gates. It’s perfect timing for the thousands of children who won’t be going back to school until August or September. But while some families will be enjoying the freedom to visit tourist attractions, others simply can’t afford to. People who have lost income while coronavirus has swept the nation may have no choice but to stay at home. Again. Better not put Buckaroo! back in the cupboard just yet. Last week, the BBC highlighted toys that have ‘saved lockdown’ for families with children. Monopoly and Dobble were among the top ten bestselling games. So was Swingball. The online article quoted Dr Amanda Gummer as saying that ‘playing is a great distraction’ from anxiety caused by the pandemic. The founder of the Good Play Guide organisation also said that ‘families communicate better when they are doing something together’. While I have found that spending weeks at home has at times been stressful, depressing and boring, I can’t help but wonder if it has also been good for me – and others too. Some parents who might previously not have had much time to play with their kids suddenly had tons of it. Instead of learning in a classroom, children were free to learn in their homes and gardens. There was the opportunity to be creative. To talk and listen. To be still rather than dash about. As the high street gradually wakes up in time for summer, I get a sense that things are slowly ‘getting back to normal’. But my question is: Do I want that? Do we want the exact same life we lived before? Or do we want normal to look a bit different now? Lockdown has prompted me, like many other people, to reflect on my life and consider what I want from it. But so far, thinking is all I’ve had to do. The next few weeks are about whether or not I make those thoughts my new reality. If I want my future to be less cluttered than before, then I need to make sure I leave plenty of room for what I consider my new essentials.
Name Address
Or email your details and request to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk
