Hi there.

My name is Sheila Hobson and I am a part of God’s family in Gateway Church, Leeds.  Born in 1933, at the ripe old age of 53, I was born again - when I finally took the safety chain off the door of my heart and asked the Lord Jesus to come in and take up residence.

Hallelujah.  It’s the best decision I ever made.

 

As was the custom, I was christened as a baby and educated for the most part at a Church of England School.  Upon reflection, I am grateful to God for the daily helping of scripture when, during Religious Education, I was spoon-fed from the Bible for 1 hour by the Vicar.

Later I realised that a precious seed had been sown in my soul - the faith-giving word of God.  Meditating on Psalm 46 as a child got me through tough times when my dad was away in the RA..F.

 

My teenage years started as the war ended and I rebelled against everything.

Arrogantly, I thought I knew all there was to know about God and the Bible and that if I tried to keep the 10 Commandments, this was all that was expected of me.  I completely ignored the fact that Jesus, His Son, had died on the cross for sinners like myself and that only through Him could we have the hope of eternal life.

 

On holiday, in 1986, I was walking on Beachy Head remembering all those precious lives lost in the wars when suddenly I was startled by a life-size picture of Jesus on the cross.  A lump came in my throat and I asked God to forgive me for running away.  I immediately felt the warmth of His love wrapping around me like a blanket and later as I prayed with one of my Christian daughters, I asked Jesus into my life.  Joy bubbled up within me as I praised and thanked God for everything.

 

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