Elaine Macdonald is a member of The Bridge Church, Cardiff. Influenced by her experience as a UCCF staff worker in the early 1990s, she is passionate about one-to-one discipleship. She is currently a member of the Evangelical Movement of Wales management board.
1. How did you become a Christian?
By my mid-twenties, I’d arrived at a place of believing in a creator, sustainer God, but had no sense of a personal, redeemer God. My upbringing had given me a clear sense of right and wrong, and I thought that if I lived as good a life as I could, all would be well in the end. I became a high school teacher, and a colleague who had become a good friend invited me to church (there was something different about her, and how she handled life). Someone preached on Psalm 139, God’s Spirit revealed to me who He was, and who I was. I was amazed that such a God would be interested in such a one as me. He became my rescuer, and His right hand holds me fast.
2. What lessons have you learnt since that you would want to pass on to a younger Christian version of yourself?
This is going to be tough. There will be times when you will wonder what God is up to, but He will be up to something and He will be up to something good. You will be frustrated with others, you will be more frustrated with yourself and sometimes question whether you’ve grown at all. Run the race He has set before you. Your race will look different to others, but ask them to help you persevere and to remind you to fix your eyes on Jesus. Be that for them too. It will be worth it. There will come a day when we will see Him face to face.
