1. THE FIRST PURPOSE OF THIS TESTIMONY, IS TO PROVE THAT GOD EXISTS. IF THE READER BELIEVES THAT I AM BEING TRUTHFUL, THEN HE SHOULD, BY THE CONCLUSION, ALSO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT GOD IS REAL.

I WAS WORKING FOR A BRISTOL SIGN COMPANY, AND I HAD JUST LEFT MY GIRLFRIEND FOR THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME. WE WERE CONSTANTLY ARGUING. LIFE WAS USUALLY MISERABLE WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER, AND IT SEEMED THAT WE WERE JUST NOT SUITED.

WE SHARED A SPACIOUS GARDEN FLAT IN A NICE PART OF THE CITY, AND LIFE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPIER. EVERY DAY IT SEEMED WE WOULD ARGUE, AND EVERY TIME WE ARGUED WE WOULD USE THE EXPRESSION 'CRABBY'. "WHY ARE YOU SO CRABBY TODAY?" or "DON'T BE CRABBY WITH ME" etc. etc.

EVEN DURING THE COURSE OF NORMAL CONVERSATION, WE WOULD OFTEN REFER TO SOME THIRD PARTY AS BEING 'CRABBY' WHEN DESCRIBING A PERSON IN A BAD MOOD.

AFTER ONE OF THESE ARGUMENTS I HAD MOVED OUT OF THE FLAT AND INTO A FRIEND'S BED SITTING ROOM, WHICH WAS VERY SMALL. IT WAS A CONVERTED ATTIC, AND MY SPACE WAS ONE OF THE CORNERS, INTO WHICH I HAD PLACED MY CAMP BED AND SLEEPING BAG. IT WAS ONLY POSSIBLE TO LIFT MY HEAD A LITTLE, BEFORE IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE SLOPING CEILING.

ONE MORNING, IN THE OFFICE, I MUST HAVE BEEN LOOKING PARTICULARLY UNHAPPY, BECAUSE DIANE, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, ASKED ME WHAT WAS WRONG. AFTER HEARING OF THE SPLIT, SHE WENT TO LUNCH AND CAME BACK WITH A COPY OF 'THE LIVING BIBLE', WHICH SHE HAD BOUGHT FOR ME.

SHE HANDED ME THE BOOK AND EXPLAINED THAT SHE HAD FELT LED TO BUY THAT PARTICULAR TRANSLATION, BECAUSE IT WAS WRITTEN IN A LANGUAGE THAT I WOULD UNDERSTAND, (NO THEE'S THOU'S & THEREFORE'S) AND THAT SHE HAD ALSO BEEN LED TO INSTRUCT ME AS FOLLOWS:

I WAS TO TAKE THIS BIBLE BACK TO MY ABODE AND ASK GOD FOR THE ANSWER TO MY PROBLEM. I WAS THEN TO CLOSE MY EYES AND KEEPING THEM CLOSED, OPEN THE BIBLE AND PUT IN MY FINGER, OPEN MY EYES, AND READ WHERE MY FINGER POINTED.

NOW AT THE TIME, I DIDN'T REALLY THINK MUCH ABOUT GOD. I WASN'T AN ATHEIST BUT WASN'T SURE ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF A "GOD" EITHER, SO IT WAS WITH SOME RELUCTANCE THAT I ACCEPTED HER GIFT AND AGREED TO DO AS INSTRUCTED. AFTER ALL, SHE HAD MADE A CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENT, AND I KNEW THAT SHE WOULD QUESTION ME, IN THE NICEST POSSIBLE WAY, THE NEXT MORNING.

 I FINALLY GOT BACK TO THE BEDSIT THAT EVENING AT ABOUT 9 P.M. I GOT INTO MY SLEEPING BAG IN THE CORNER, AS USUAL BEING CAREFUL NOT TO BANG MY HEAD. FEELING A LITTLE SILLY, I SAID OUT LOUD "WELL GOD I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE REAL, BUT IF YOU ARE, PLEASE SHOW ME".

THEN FOLLOWING DIANE'S INSTRUCTIONS, I CLOSED MY EYES AND PUT IN MY FINGER. WHEN I OPENED MY EYES, MY LIFE CHANGED, BECAUSE GOD HAD PROVED HIS EXISTENCE. MY FINGER WAS UNDER THE FIRST WORD OF PROVERBS CH.21 VS.9 WHICH READS AS FOLLOWS:

THIS CHAPTER & VERSE VARIES IN DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS, AND I HAVE CALCULATED THAT THE CHANCE OF PICKING OUT THAT PARTICULAR LINE OF TEXT FROM A TYPICAL SELECTION OF BIBLES, (e.g. KING JAMES, NEW AMERICAN STANDARD, REVISED STANDARD VERSION, N.I.V. GOOD NEWS, AMPLIFIED & THE LIVING BIBLE) TO BE APPROXIMATELY 6 MILLION TO ONE. BUT OBVIOUSLY THE FACT THAT IT WAS FORESEEN BY DIANE, REMOVES COMPLETELY, THE PROSPECT OF THIS BEING A RANDOM INCIDENT.

IT MUST BE POINTED OUT THAT DIANE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE DETAILS OF MY LIVING ACCOMMODATION, OR THAT THE EXPRESSION "CRABBY" WAS SO OFTEN USED AT HOME. FURTHERMORE, SHE WASN'T ESPECIALLY WEALTHY, THE COST OF THAT BIBLE REPRESENTED A LARGE PART OF HER WEEKLY PURSE MONEY. SHE WAS IN HER OWN WORDS "ONLY BEING OBEDIENT TO GOD", AND IT NEVER ENTERED HER THOUGHTS THAT I COULD FAIL TO RECEIVE A MESSAGE. TO THIS DAY IT IS NO BIG DEAL TO HER.

CONCERNING MY EX GIRLFRIEND, IT IS ONLY FAIR TO EXPLAIN THAT WE WERE BOTH "CRABBY" TO EACH OTHER, AND THAT IN MY OPINION GOD WASN'T CRITICISING HER, BUT WAS ANSWERING MY REQUEST TO HIM, TO SHOW HIS REALITY TO ME.

WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF THIS EXPERIENCE, ROCKWELL SIGNS CAME INTO EXISTENCE. THE COMPANY THAT I HAD BEEN WORKING FOR WERE BANKRUPTED AND WERE CONSEQUENTLY UNABLE TO PAY COMMISSION TO ME, FOR ORDERS WHICH I HAD SECURED. THE POLICY OF THE "RESTRUCTURED" COMPANY, WOULD BE TO CONCENTRATE ON LOCAL BUSINESS IN THE BRISTOL AREA. THE LONDON AREA, IN WHICH I OPERATED, WAS TO BE ABANDONED AND MY POSITION AS LONDON SALES REPRESENTATIVE ENDED. I WAS REDUNDANT.

I STILL HAD FAITH IN THE LONDON BUSINESS, SO IT WAS AGREED WITH MY EX EMPLOYERS, THAT I WOULD TAKE OVER THE LONDON TELEPHONE LINE AND THE EXISTING YELLOW PAGES ADVERTISEMENT PERTAINING TO THAT NUMBER, IN LIEU OF MONIES OWED TO ME, AND THAT INITIALLY, THEIR NEW COMPANY, WOULD MANUFACTURE AT TRADE PRICES, ORDERS SECURED BY THE NEW "ROCKWELL SIGNS"

FOR ABOUT A MONTH THINGS WENT QUITE WELL. MY LINE IN LONDON WAS ANSWERED BY A SECRETARIAL SERVICE, AND I PHONED IN TWICE DAILY TO COLLECT NEW ENQUIRIES AND MESSAGES. WHEN I HAD TWO OR THREE PROMISING LEADS, I WOULD TRAVEL THE ONE HUNDRED MILES FROM BRISTOL TO SERVICE THEM. (IT WAS ONE OF THESE LONDON ENQUIRIES WHICH EVENTUALLY LED TO OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL INC.)

ONE MORNING I TRIED TO PHONE IN TO COLLECT THE MESSAGES FROM THE PREVIOUS AFTERNOON. THE LINE WAS UNOBTAINABLE. WHEN I MADE A FAULT ENQUIRY I WAS TOLD THAT THE LINE HAD BEEN CANCELLED BY THE SUBSCRIBER, MY FORMER EMPLOYER. (APPARENTLY THEY WERE UPSET BECAUSE BOB SKUSE WHO HAD ALSO WORKED FOR THEM, HAD JOINED ME AS A PARTNER IN ROCKWELL SIGNS).

I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO THE TELEPHONE COMPANY BUT THEY WOULD ONLY TAKE INSTRUCTION FROM THE OFFICIAL SUBSCRIBER, AND REFUSED TO RE- INSTATE THE LINE, WHICH OF COURSE MEANT THAT ROCKWELL SIGNS WOULD GET NO "YELLOW PAGES" ENQUIRIES AND WOULD DIE AN EARLY DEATH.

IT WAS BY NOW ABOUT 8.45 a.m. AND I DECIDED THAT I WOULD CONTACT A SOLICITOR AT 9.00, WHEN SUCH PROFESSIONALS USUALLY START WORK. MEANWHILE I DECIDED TO DRINK A COFFEE IN THE GARDEN TO KILL THE 15 MINUTES.

I WAS REALLY CONCERNED AND I COULDN'T SEE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. AS I WALKED THROUGH THE KITCHEN TO THE GARDEN I PICKED UP THE BIBLE THAT DIANE HAD GIVEN ME A FEW MONTHS BEFORE. I SAT DOWN AND WITHOUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT, I ASKED GOD WHAT I SHOULD DO. LIKE BEFORE I CLOSED MY EYES AND PUT MY FINGER IN. THIS TIME I HAD PLACED MY FINGER ON JEREMIAH Ch51 Vs 36, WHICH READS:

FOR THE SECOND TIME I HAD EXPERIENCED SOMETHING SPECIAL FROM GOD, A BIBLE MIRACLE, TELLING ME A TRUTH AND GIVING ME GUIDANCE ABOUT MY SITUATION; AND, BY 10.30a.m. OUR BUSINESS LINE WAS RESTORED.

I HAD REMEMBERED THAT WHEN MY FORMER EMPLOYER HAD FAILED TO PAY A BILL MONTHS EARLIER, I HAD PAID IT, ON THEIR BEHALF, WITH MY OWN PERSONAL CHEQUE. THE TELEPHONE COMPANY WAS ABLE TO VERIFY THIS AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS "AGAINST THE RULES", DECIDED TO "HELP ME ON THIS OCCASION".

OF COURSE I KNOW THAT IT WAS GOD WHO HAD "PLED MY CASE", HE HAD STEPPED IN TO "BE MY LAWYER" JUST LIKE HE SAID THAT HE WOULD IN THE SCRIPTURE, WHICH MY FINGER HAD FOUND LESS THAN TWO HOURS EARLIER.

BOB & I, CONTINUED TO RUN THE BUSINESS , BY SERVICING ENQUIRIES FROM LONDON AND BRISTOL. GRADUALLY THE BRISTOL AREA BECAME MORE FRUITFUL, SO WE EVENTUALLY DROPPED THE LONDON AREA ADVERTISING. WE HAD BY NOW SECURED WORK FOR THE ST. MARTINS PROPERTY CORPORATION WHICH IS OWNED BY THE KUWAITI ROYAL FAMILY, AND WE WERE WORKING FOR A SIGN MANAGEMENT BUSINESS CALLED BRISTOL SIGNCRAFT (PHIL & ROSE HUGHES) AS SUBCONTRACTORS FOR NURDIN & PEACOCK, WHICH WAS THE SECOND LARGEST FOOD WHOLESALER IN THE COUNTRY.

THE GULF WAR PUT AN END TO THE ST. MARTINS WORK, BUT FORTUNATELY WE WERE VERY BUSY WITH THE WORK FOR N & P, AND BY 1996 WE HAD COMPLETED OVER 2 700 JOBS FOR THEM, RANGING FROM SMALL TEXT CHANGES COSTING £80, TO PREMIER SITE ILLUMINATED INSTALLATIONS COSTING £3K AND UPWARDS. THIS CONTRACT WAS BY NOW ACCOUNTING FOR 92% OF OUR ANNUAL TURNOVER, SO WE HAD ALL OF OUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.

ALTHOUGH WE WERE VERY BUSY, WE WERE SUBCONTRACTORS, AND AS SUCH WE DID NOT GENERATE ENOUGH CAPITAL TO ALLOW FOR EXPANSION, OR INVESTMENT.

AT THE END OF 1996, NURDIN & PEACOCK WAS BOUGHT OUT BY BOOKER, THE LARGEST FOOD WHOLESALER IN THE COUNTRY. THE BOOKER ORGANISATION WAS HAPPY WITH THE SIGN SUPPLIER THEY WERE USING, AND ALTHOUGH WE PROVED OVER THE FOLLOWING SIX MONTHS THAT OUR SERVICE AND PRICES WERE BETTER, WE WERE UNABLE TO SECURE ANY WORK FROM THEM.

WE VERY SOON BEGAN TO FEEL THE PINCH, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO RE-BUILD THE BUSINESS WITH ONLY 8% OF OUR PREVIOUS TURNOVER. WE SERVICED EVERY ENQUIRY, HOWEVER SMALL OR DIVERSE. ONE OF OUR FRIENDS WAS INVOLVED IN REPLACEMENT WINDOW MARKETING. HE ARRANGED FOR US TO HAVE THE VERY SMALL LEADS WHICH HIS COMPANY HAD REJECTED. WITHIN A MONTH WE HAD STARTED "ROCKWELL REPLACEMENT WINDOWS". THIS WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL AND WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SURVIVAL.

DESPITE THE NEW WINDOW VENTURE, WE WERE STILL SLIPPING FURTHER INTO DEBT. WE OWED RENT ON OUR BUSINESS PREMISES, ALL OF OUR BANK ACCOUNTS WERE VERY OVERDRAWN, AND WE ALSO HAD CREDIT CARD DEBTS AGAINST US.

THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT TIMES THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY MUCH PRAYER; AND BOTH PENNY (MY WIFE) AND DIANE, EXPERIENCED SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING OR EXCITEMENT AT THE MENTION OF 'SPRING'.

BECAUSE OF THIS, AND BECAUSE BOOKER HAD STARTED TO GIVE US SOME WORK, CORRECTING THE MISTAKES OF THEIR REGULAR SUPPLIER, WE FULLY EXPECTED TO WIN THEM AS A MAJOR CLIENT BY THE COMING SPRING. BUT SPRING CAME AND TURNED TO SUMMER, WE FAILED TO SECURE ANY MORE BOOKER WORK, AND THE FINANCIAL SITUATION WORSENED.

I DECIDED TO CASH IN AN ENDOWMENT POLICY, WHICH MY INSURANCE AGENT TOLD ME WOULD REALISE ABOUT £1 800. THEN THERE WAS A FINANCIAL MARKET CRASH WHICH CAUSED THE POLICY TO DEVALUE TO ABOUT £1 600. MY AGENT TOLD ME TO WAIT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, FOR THE MARKET TO RECOVER, WHICH IT DID. THE VALUE OF THE POLICY WENT BACK UP TO ABOUT £1 700. BOB ADVISED ME AGAINST THE SURRENDER, BUT MY BANK WAS PRESSING. THEY CALLED AND ASKED IF I INTENDED TO CASH IN THE POLICY, AND I AGREED TO COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION THAT AFTERNOON. WITHIN TWO HOURS I RECEIVED A CALL FROM PHIL HUGHES (BRISTOL SIGNCRAFT). HE SAID THAT HE HAD RECEIVED A TAX REBATE, AND THAT HE AND HIS WIFE, ROSIE, HAD BEEN PRAYING FOR US, AND FELT THAT THEY SHOULD HELP US FINANCIALLY. I WAS OBVIOUSLY VERY PLEASED TO RECEIVE THIS NEWS, BUT AMAZED TO HEAR THAT THE AMOUNT WAS £1 700. THE POLICY IS OF COURSE, STILL INTACT.

THINGS WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE, AND BY MID 1997, WE WERE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE. WE TRIED HARD TO SELL OUR SERVICES TO BOOKER, AND WE EVEN DISCOVERED EVIDENCE (BUT NOT PROOF) OF CORRUPTION WITHIN. WE HAD ALREADY LAID OFF OUR STAFF AND NOW WE HAD TO VACATE THE WORKSHOP THAT WE HAD OCCUPIED FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE WERE SERIOUSLY IN DEBT AND IT NOW SEEMED POSSIBLE, THAT WE COULD EVEN LOSE OUR HOMES.

WE DID, HOWEVER RECEIVE HELP FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS; ONE OF THESE, THE FELLOW WHO HAD ARRANGED FOR US TO RECEIVE THE WINDOW LEADS, ACTUALLY GAVE US FOOD MONEY, EVERY WEEK, FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS. WE ALSO HAD LOTS OF PEOPLE PRAYING FOR US.

SO WITH THE GOOD WILL OF OTHERS, AND THE LIMITED SIGN AND WINDOW WORK, WE CONTINUED TO SURVIVE.

ONE SUNDAY, PENNY AND I, TOGETHER WITH OUR TWO BOYS, VISITED A NEW LOCAL CHURCH, THE BRADLEY STOKE EVANGELICAL. WE WERE NO LONGER HAPPY AT OUR USUAL CHURCH, AND WE WERE 'LOOKING AROUND'. THE SERMON THAT DAY WAS ABOUT PAUL'S JOURNEY TO ROME AND THE STORM AND SHIPWRECK IN ACTS Ch.27. AT THE END, THE SPEAKER SUMMED UP BY SAYING "SOME OF YOU MAY BE FACING A STORM, BUT LIKE THE SAILORS IN ACTS 27, YOU WILL BE SAVED, NO ONE WILL PERISH".

WE DIDN'T JOIN THAT CHURCH, AND WE HAVE NOT RETURNED SINCE, BUT THE MESSAGE WAS FOR US.

ONE OF OUR LONG STANDING CUSTOMERS WAS THE HEATHROW RAMADA HOTEL. WE HAD BEEN MAINTAINING THEIR HIGH LEVEL NEON SIGNS FOR ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS. WHEN WE WERE ASKED BY THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, TO QUOTE FOR THE GRAPHIC CONVERSION OF THE HEATHROW HOTEL AND TWO OTHER HOTELS IN THE SAME GROUP, FROM THE 'RAMADA' BRAND TO THE NEW 'RENAISSANCE' IDENTITY, WE THOUGHT THAT THIS COULD BE THE START OF THE RECOVERY OF OUR BUSINESS. MAYBE 'SPRING' WAS FINALLY ON ITS WAY. SO WE SURVEYED THE THREE HOTELS AND SUBMITTED OUR TENDER.

THE PRICE THAT WE QUOTED WAS VERY COMPETITIVE, AND WE FULLY EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL THIS TIME, IN SECURING SOME SUBSTANTIAL WORK. EVEN THE LAW OF AVERAGE SUGGESTED THAT OUR FORTUNE WOULD CHANGE SOON.

BY NOW WE HAD SETTLED IN A NEW 'FREE' CHURCH, AND IT WAS THERE THAT A LADY (WHO WAS AWARE THAT WE WERE STRUGGLING BUT KNEW NONE OF THE DETAILS MENTIONED ABOVE), APPROACHED PENNY AND SAID, "PENNY, THE LORD HAS TOLD ME TO GIVE YOU THIS SCRIPTURE, IT IS SONG OF SOLOMON Ch 2 vs.11 & 12".

ON OUR RETURN HOME, WE READ THE SCRIPTURE, AGAIN USING THE LIVING BIBLE. WE WERE DELIGHTED AT THE CONTENT:

THIS OBVIOUSLY RE-ENFORCED OUR EXPECTANCY THAT GOD WOULD SAVE US, BUT IT STILL SEEMED TO US, THAT IN REALITY, WE WERE FACING FINANCIAL RUIN.

CHRISTMAS CAME AND PASSED. WE WERE STILL HANGING ON AND HOPING THAT SOMETHING WOULD MATERIALISE, BUT BY NOW WE WERE ON THE LIMIT.

ONE OF OUR WINDOW CUSTOMERS, AN ACCOUNTANT, ADVISED US TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF AN INSOLVENCY PRACTITIONER.

A MEETING WAS SET UP AND WE WERE ADVISED THAT WE COULD "COME TO AN ARRANGEMENT" WITH THE INLAND REVENUE AND THAT WE COULD PROBABLY GET AWAY WITH PAYING ONLY 70% OF THE TAX OWED. FURTHERMORE, THERE WOULD BE NO INTEREST, AND WE COULD PAY THE REDUCED AMOUNT, OVER A PERIOD OF 3 YEARS.

THIS OPTION SOUNDED VERY ATTRACTIVE TO US, AND WE DID CONSIDER IT, EVEN THOUGH IT WENT AGAINST THE GRAIN A LITTLE.

A FEW DAYS LATER, BOB, DIANE, PENNY AND MYSELF, MET TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION. WE PRAYED A PRAYER OF AGREEMENT, IN WHICH WE AGREED THAT ALL OF OUR DEBTS WOULD BE PAID IN FULL, AND THAT OUR BUSINESS WOULD SURVIVE AND THAT OUR HOMES WOULD BE SAFE. WE AGREED IN THE NAME OF JESUS THAT WE WOULD BE COMPLETELY DEBT FREE AND THAT GOD WOULD MEET OUR NEEDS.

IT SEEMED A LOT TO ASK FOR, BUT OUR AGREEMENT GAVE US STRENGTH. WE WERE STILL VERY CONCERNED FOR OUR FUTURE, BUT BY PRAYING THAT PRAYER OF AGREEMENT, IT SEEMED THAT WE HAD DONE ALL THAT WE COULD DO; AND WE STILL HAD THE CHANCE OF SECURING THE GRAPHIC CONVERSIONS OF THE THREE RENAISSANCE HOTELS.

THROUGH ALL OF THIS PERIOD OF WORRY, WHICH HAD LASTED FOR OVER A YEAR, WE HAD SUPPORTED EACH OTHER WITH OUR FAITH, GIVEN EACH OTHER ENCOURAGEMENT, AND HAD SHARED THE COMFORT THAT WE HAD GAINED FROM OTHER PEOPLE. WE OFTEN REMINDED EACH OTHER THAT AT LEAST WE WERE HEALTHY AND BETTER OFF THAN SOME; AND THAT THE BIBLE TELLS US NOT TO WORRY (MATTHEW Ch.6 vs.25-34)

HOWEVER, I CAN REMEMBER SITTING IN THE LOUNGE, DESPERATE WITH WORRY. WITH MY HEAD IN MY HANDS I SAID TO PENNY "I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US". I WAS THEN FLOODED WITH A FEELING OF EXTREME PEACE AND I KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE RESCUED FROM OUR SITUATION. THE FEELING PASSED, BUT I COULD AND CAN EVEN NOW, SOMEHOW CALL IT BACK TO COMFORT ME.

EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL IN OUR OLD WORKSHOP, EXCEPT THE STAIRCASE WHICH HAD NOT BEEN THERE BEFORE. IT WAS STRAIGHT WITH PLAIN WALLS EACH SIDE AND AFTER ABOUT TWENTY TREADS TOOK A SHARP TURN TO THE LEFT. THE NEW FIRST FLOOR ACCOMMODATED A BUSY DENTAL SURGERY WHICH WAS IN A MUCH BETTER CONDITION THAN THE GROUND FLOOR. I WALKED THROUGH THIS LEVEL TO A PASSAGE AND UP A FEW STEPS TO ANOTHER LARGER LEVEL. HERE I WALKED THROUGH BEAUTIFUL WORKS OF ART, PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURE AND OBJECTS OF GREAT, INDESCRIBABLE BEAUTY. THE WOODEN FLOOR WAS CURVED LIKE THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH, AND THE VASTNESS OF THIS LEVEL ALLOWED FOR EVERY OBJECT TO HAVE ITS OWN SPACE. THERE WERE MORE LEVELS WITH MORE AND MORE COMPLEX TREASURES.......

I WOKE UP OF COURSE AND A FEW DAYS LATER I WAS TALKING THROUGH OUR SITUATION WITH THE PASTOR OF A SMALL CHURCH IN BRISTOL. HE ASKED ME IF I EVER HAD DREAMS, AND EXPLAINED THAT THE PROPHETS OF OLD USED TO RECORD THEIR DREAMS, AND DATE THEM. I TOLD HIM THAT I DIDN'T USUALLY DREAM BUT THAT I HAD, A FEW NIGHTS EARLIER. WHEN I OFFERED THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION, HE CRIED "PRAISE GOD, THIS IS A PROSPERITY DREAM. THANK YOU JESUS"

I HAD NOT RECOGNISED IT AS SUCH, BUT THE INTERPRETATION PERCEIVED BY THIS MAN, WITNESSED TO MY SPIRIT, AND RENEWED, FOR A WHILE, OUR EXPECTANCY OF SURVIVAL.

IT WAS NOW MARCH. BOB AND I STOOD IN THE KITCHEN AND I ALMOST ADMITTED DEFEAT. WE HAD NO MEANS OF PAYING OUR WAY NEXT MONTH AND WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE FINISHED. WE WERE OWED A FEW THOUSAND POUNDS, BUT THIS WOULD ONLY PAY OFF HALF OF THE BUSINESS OVERDRAFT. IN ADDITION, OUR PERSONAL DEBTS AND MORTGAGE ARREARS WERE SERIOUS.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK WE HEARD FROM THE 'RAMADA' ENGINEER, THE HEATHROW 'RAMADA' TO 'RENAISSANCE' SIGN CHANGE OVER HAD BEEN PLACED WITH ANOTHER SUPPLIER. THE TWO OTHER HOTELS WERE PUT ON HOLD, PROBABLY TO THE END OF THE YEAR.

THE SITUATION WAS NOW SO GRIM THAT WE HAD NOTHING TO LOSE, AND THE ONLY COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO CONTACT THE DECISION MAKER AT MARRIOTT HEAD OFFICE, IN ORDER TO TRY TO GET THINGS REVERSED.

THE PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR, JUDY UNDERHILL, WAS VERY SYMPATHETIC, BUT IT REALLY WAS TOO LATE, THE CONTRACT HAD BEEN PLACED ELSEWHERE, BUT SHE SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RE-TENDER FOR THE OTHER TWO HOTELS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

JUDY THEN ASKED IF WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN CHANGING THE SIGNS ON SIX HOTELS IN GERMANY. MY IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS NEGATIVE, WE COULD NOT POSSIBLY SURVEY AND QUOTE FOR

THIS WORK, INCURRING MORE EXPENSE, UNLESS WE HAD SOME ASSURANCE THAT WE WOULD BE RECOMPENSED.

THE NEXT DAY, I CALLED BACK AND OFFERED TO SURVEY THE SIX HOTELS, SO THAT THERE WOULD BE A UNIFORMITY ABOUT THE WHOLE PROJECT, BUT ASKED FOR A GUARANTEE THAT WE WOULD BE CONTRACTED TO CONVERT TWO, AT LEAST OF THE SIX HOTELS.

JUDY AGREED TO HAVE THIS CONSIDERED, AND ASKED ME TO CALL HER AGAIN, ON THE FOLLOWING DAY.

I FINALLY MANAGED TO SPEAK WITH JUDY, QUITE LATE, ON THE NEXT EVENING (PROBABLY ABOUT 10 p.m. HERE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN 5 p.m. IN WASHINGTON). JUDY HAD THE GOOD NEWS WE HAD BEEN IN NEED OF FOR SO LONG; "WE WANT YOU TO SURVEY ALL SIX HOTELS, BUT, WE ALSO WANT YOU TO CARRY OUT THE WORK AT ALL SIX HOTELS.

THIS WAS WONDERFUL NEWS, BUT WE WOULD NEED SOME ASSISTANCE FROM OUR BANK, AND IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THIS HELP, WE WOULD NEED SOMETHING IN WRITING FROM MARRIOTT.

JUDY AGREED TO SEND US A LETTER OF INTENT, WHICH WOULD OUTLINE THE DEAL, AND WHICH WE COULD PRESENT TO OUR BANK.

IT WAS, BY NOW, APPROACHING MIDNIGHT, SO WE DRANK SOME MORE COFFEE AND WAITED FOR OUR MIRACLE, A LETTER FROM MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED, CONFIRMING AN ORDER FOR ABOUT £250K. IT ARRIVED, AS PROMISED, FROM JUDY, AT 1 a.m.

WE WERE SO EXCITED AND RELIEVED AND AMAZED AT WHAT HAD HAPPENED DURING THE PRECEDING TWO DAYS. BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET THE FEELING I EXPERIENCED, AS MY WIFE POINTED TO THE PAGE IN HER DAIRY '20th MARCH SPRING BEGINS'.

AT 1 a.m. ON MARCH 20th, THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING 1998

WE WERE FURTHER BLESSED, WHEN WE READ THROUGH THE CONTRACTS FOR EACH HOTEL, AND REALISED THAT ONE THIRD OF THE CONTRACT SUM WAS PAYABLE TO US AS A DEPOSIT.

WITHIN A MONTH WE RECEIVED A PAYMENT OF £70K. OUR PRAYER OF AGREEMENT WAS ANSWERED AND THE PROSPERITY DREAM BECAME A REALITY. THERE HAD BEEN A STORM BUT NO ONE HAD PERISHED. BUT ABOVE ALL SPRING HAD ARRIVED, JUDY MUST HAVE BEEN COMPOSING HER LETTER TO US AS SPRING (IN THE U.K.)

WAS TURNING.

SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD MORE WORK FROM MARRIOTT, WE HAVE COMPLETED GRAPHIC CONVERSIONS AT NINE OF THEIR HOTELS, (INCLUDING THE TWO IN ENGLAND, WHICH HAD BEEN POSTPONED IN EARLY MARCH 1998).WE WILL SOON OPEN A GRAPHIC STUDIO IN BRISTOL TO SUPPLEMENT THE BIGGER CONTRACTS WHICH WE ARE TRUSTING GOD TO DELIVER.

IF THE READER ACCEPTS THAT I HAVE BEEN TRUTHFUL, THEN CLEARLY THERE HAS BEEN MORE THAN A LITTLE INTERVENTION BY GOD, IN BOTH MY PRIVATE AND BUSINESS LIFE.

THE FACT THAT THIS SEQUENCE OF 'MIRACLES', IN PART, HAS INVOLVED BIBLE READINGS, (THE WORD OF GOD) WHICH HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY ACCURATE TO EACH SITUATION, SUGGESTS THAT THE WORD OF GOD IS ACCURATE AND TRUE THROUGHOUT. MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT JESUS IS GOD'S SON, THAT HE CAME TO SHOW US HOW TO LIVE AND THAT THE ONLY WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN, WITH GOD, IS THROUGH HIM.

IF YOU THINK THAT THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH IS LOGICAL, THEN YOU MAY AGREE THAT THERE IS NOTHING TO BE LOST BY CHOOSING TO FOLLOW THE NEXT FEW STEPS.

1. TRUST JESUS, APOLOGISE FOR YOUR WRONG THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS AND ASK HIM IN TO YOUR LIFE. (YOU DO NOT NEED TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING FULLY TO BE ACCEPTED. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS EVERYTHING BUT THINGS BECOME CLEARER AS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD PROGRESSES.)

2. TELL ANOTHER CHRISTIAN OF YOUR DECISION, THAT PERSON SHOULD ENCOURAGE YOU AND PRAY WITH YOU AND FOR YOU.

3. FIND AND ATTEND A CHURCH WHICH BELIEVES FULLY AND ONLY, IN THE WORD OF GOD AND THE RISEN, LIVING CHRIST.

4. BE WARNED, THE DEVIL IS ALSO REAL. HE WILL SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU ARE BEING DECEIVED. HE WILL TRY TO TURN YOU AGAINST GOD. RESIST HIM AND HE WILL GIVE UP, AND BOTHER SOMEONE ELSE.

5. KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN PRAYED FOR. JESUS PRAYED FOR FUTURE CHRISTIANS ALMOST TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO.