Chapter 2: Read All About It

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV): “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Dear Readers – whether there is only a solitary follower, perhaps 10 or 100 – this is all in God’s hands now. The page of Chapter 1 turns. I have told the story of how, in a conference room in East London, I experienced the most important day of my life, and I really am not being dramatic when I say that on that day, I was saved.

That was in September 2023, and I am writing Chapters 1 and 2 in September 2025. This is no coincidence. It is all in His perfect timing – September is biblical for the birthing month – the ninth month – and it was all meant to be.

There is much to cover about what has taken place over these last two years, but there will also be occasions, like now, when I need to listen to the new voice I am learning to hear and write something in the present. That is what this Chapter is.

Learning to hear this voice is like learning a new language. After a decade of false belief and constantly questioning myself, one of the new attitudes I am learning is to have faith and trust God. There are occasional doubts, but I treat those doubts now like a misbehaving child – clamouring for attention and trying to drag me back to the dark place.

So, as I finished Chapter 1, one of those dark thoughts came. As I continue down this road of writing these stories and my testimony – with no U-turn – I found myself questioning whether what I really know to be taking place is actually manifesting. But through reading daily devotionals by some powerful men of God (who will be introduced via Jo Bloggs in the future), I have learnt to rebuke that fear. I professed in the Name of Jesus: if what I was doing was not God’s path for me, then He should close this down now and make it abundantly clear – clear enough that even a two-year-old would understand it!

Suddenly, a thought came to mind. A song from 2012 that had once spoken to me all those years ago but which I hadn’t played or even looked at the playlist that it was in for years, even though when I first heard it, I remembered I played it over and over again and sang my heart out to in my not-so-great singing voice.

It was “Read All About It” by Emeli Sandé, performed at the Olympic Closing Ceremony. I can still remember how I felt listening to the words. I invite you to take a few minutes and listen for yourself. Back then, I had no idea what my story would be, but when I sang those opening lines — “You’ve got the words to change a nation, but you’re biting your tongue. You’ve spent a lifetime stuck in silence, afraid you’ll say something wrong.  If no one ever hears it, how we gonna learn your song?  So come on, come on, come on” and then “You’ve got the light to fight the shadows so stop hiding it away”, “So put it in all of the papers.  I’m not afraid. They can read all about it”.  

Now fancy hearing that song back in 2012, just as I was about to enter my decade of pain, and having such a jolting reaction to it — as if this song were sung only for me and about me and then completely forgetting about it during the years of pain!

So, when I opened my mouth and asked God about publishing these Chapters and my story, telling Him it was all in His hands, to then suddenly be reminded of that song … can you really say that this wasn’t God Himself talking?

I’ve listened to this song a few times now, and when I heard it again I couldn’t help but well up with emotion and I haven’t stopped giving thanks to my God for hearing me and answering so clearly.

I don’t know — and have never looked up — who or what Emeli was singing about. With some songs you don’t need to; they have spoken to your heart.

In the words of Emeli:

“I wanna sing, I wanna shout, I wanna scream ’til the words dry out. So put it in all of the papers, I’m not afraid, they can read all about it.”

In September 2023, everything started to make sense. Memories keep coming back and I go, “Oh yeah! Of course that was supposed to happen,” or “Of course I had to go through that to learn this.” So much has fallen into place now and I know there is lots more still to come.

So, unless I hear a different instruction, Chapter 3 will start filling in the gap to bring you up to the present day and tell you all the adventures I have been on — and am about to embark on.

Until then, dear Readers……. All Glory Goes to God