The influence of Mill Beach stayed with us during January as we, as a team, pondered the significance of Gerry’s physical reaction to the land. It felt a confirmation of the Lord’s words about this second section “It’s going to be a battle” but in preparing our hearts to seek the Lord, I felt the Lord add “…but it’ll be worth it!” I held on to that as we resolved to spend time praying together before we walked again. Meeting for several hours on Friday 13th to pray, his powerful yet sanctifying presence filled the room as we sought to consecrate ourselves before him. In Ezekiel 39, the Lord talks about cleansing the land three times - always a sign of emphasis - we definitely didn't want to carry anything that was not of him onto this land if it was going to be a battle.
On Monday 16th February, the three of us set out again from the Mill Beach Hotel, positioned on the north side of the Blackwater, along the tarmac of the sea wall past the huge caravan park. Leaving Maldon and its surrounds behind, the rather large Osea Island loomed mistily as we rounded the zigzag of the river coastline. In the photo below, the tide is in but as we walked, we saw the booms of the car-wide causeway across to the island – inhabited and farmed – and later, several cars crossed it, as you’ll see when I get home to post the pictures. On our left, Goldhanger village peeked over the horizon as we tramped the now-grassy sea wall, passing several walkers and bikers on this half-term Monday.
On Monday 16th February, the three of us set out again from the Mill Beach Hotel, positioned on the north side of the Blackwater, along the tarmac of the sea wall past the huge caravan park. Leaving Maldon and its surrounds behind, the rather large Osea Island loomed mistily as we rounded the zigzag of the river coastline. In the photo below, the tide is in but as we walked, we saw the booms of the car-wide causeway across to the island – inhabited and farmed – and later, several cars crossed it, as you’ll see when I get home to post the pictures. On our left, Goldhanger village peeked over the horizon as we tramped the now-grassy sea wall, passing several walkers and bikers on this half-term Monday.
This coastline looks as if it has been cut out of cardboard when viewed from a satellite image, neatly edged to fit into a jigsaw without the additional pieces. The Google Earth pictures are spectacular!
Completing our first objective, we leapfrogged in cars and set ourselves to complete the section beyond Goldhanger. As the three of us walked together we sang ‘How Great is our God’ and wondered at the winter barrenness. We were pleased to see sheep grazing, returned to the marshes as they originally were over a hundred years ago – their presence tied into a text and verse (from two separate people) that highlighted the importance of shepherding. We managed five and a half miles and came off the sea wall pleased to have achieved so much on a first day, with little warm-up after five weeks other than stretching!
Tuesday started with a text from Gerry at 7.19 am to say she would not make it to walk with us as she was dealing with some issues at home. Between that time and 10 am, I was on and off the phone to her and Linda as we prayed and got increasingly 'stressed' about the day’s walking. This left Linda and I feeling rather overwhelmed; it was compounded by other events - a sad phone call to her and sudden changes in transport arrangements for me. However, by the time we arrived at Tollesbury, we had calmed down and were aware of the Lord’s peace around us and so felt to push on as much as we could.
Our prayerwalking friend, Kathy, from Grays had texted me a couple of key verses which I passed on to the other friends praying for us – Jeremiah 31.10: Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands; ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd’ and Ps 78.72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skilful hands he led them.’ Both of these were a great encouragement to me – both personally and because we later saw the sheep grazing on the land. Avril also texted that she wondered if ‘they need a new shepherd’ – this thought became clearer as we walked onto the land near Tollesbury.
Below is a Google photo of where we walked and the intimidation disappeared as soon as we were walking the land…it welcomed us! However, Linda did sense that there were false covenants on the land and we felt this may be why they needed a new shepherd - Jesus. This is something we will be praying into as we walk and over the next few weeks.
Below is a Google photo of where we walked and the intimidation disappeared as soon as we were walking the land…it welcomed us! However, Linda did sense that there were false covenants on the land and we felt this may be why they needed a new shepherd - Jesus. This is something we will be praying into as we walk and over the next few weeks.
It was good to feel the land welcome us - despite a potentially nasty run-in with a local farmer – he was angry we had mistakenly walked on part of his private land – rightly so! We apologised and eventually, he forgave us as we had actually turned back, indicating, as he encouragingly informed us, "we could read!"
It turned out to be a God-directed encounter after all, because if we had continued along that path, we would have gone the wrong way. He actually showed us the correct direction.
As soon as we reached the sea wall, we felt at home, stopping for lunch on a cold concrete pillbox positioned directly opposite Bradwell Power Station, looming like a great funnelled ship on the other side of the Blackwater, before making our way towards the Fellowship Afloat Lightship moored in Tollesbury Harbour a little to the north. At the harbour, I re-acquainted myself with David Hillyer, the Director of Fellowship Afloat, whom I had met a few years earlier. I already knew David was acquainted with Steve Lowton (http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/ ) and his wife, Kathy, with whom I had walked part of the way from Whitby to York in 2005 and in Wales in December 2007. After asking a few questions of his two rather strange mud-covered visitors, David kindly showed us around the Fellowship Afloat office and gave us a couple of leaflets!
Linda and I returned to the Lighthouse coffee shop in Tollesbury to fortify ourselves for the journey home with tea and biscuits. Our next walk may not be until the Easter holidays – only six or so weeks away!
As soon as we reached the sea wall, we felt at home, stopping for lunch on a cold concrete pillbox positioned directly opposite Bradwell Power Station, looming like a great funnelled ship on the other side of the Blackwater, before making our way towards the Fellowship Afloat Lightship moored in Tollesbury Harbour a little to the north. At the harbour, I re-acquainted myself with David Hillyer, the Director of Fellowship Afloat, whom I had met a few years earlier. I already knew David was acquainted with Steve Lowton (http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/ ) and his wife, Kathy, with whom I had walked part of the way from Whitby to York in 2005 and in Wales in December 2007. After asking a few questions of his two rather strange mud-covered visitors, David kindly showed us around the Fellowship Afloat office and gave us a couple of leaflets!
Linda and I returned to the Lighthouse coffee shop in Tollesbury to fortify ourselves for the journey home with tea and biscuits. Our next walk may not be until the Easter holidays – only six or so weeks away!
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