Peniel - Our Story

Peniel - Our Story

Welcome to our page. We want to give you a backdrop to our recent journey. It will give you some understanding on why we called this page ‘Peniel’.

About a year and a half ago we took a spiritual Sabbatical (A time of rest.). After the tragic loss of our son, we needed time without the pressure to perform or do anything. We had no agenda nor a fix timeframe, other than to rest in God and allowing Him to heal, restore and recalibrate us. We both still had our weekday jobs, Brian running his Courier business and Jeannette as Homehelp for the elderly.

Some six months into this time, of praying and reading God’s word together while resting in His promises, God began to whisper.

Brian- “While I drove around the country delivering goods, my eyes were drawn to church spires. As I looked at them more purposely, I heard God whisper ‘Look up. Look at me!’ Responding to His words by looking up, I prayed; starting by praying for myself to come closer to God, which led to prayers for the churches, for the people in the churches, etc. As my prayer increased so did the presence of God right there in my van. I shared what God said to me with Jeannette and she too began to look up to God.”

The fog that had surrounded us started to lift. Not only did we sense a change in ourselves but a hunger, unlike before, was stirring in our hearts. A hunger and thirst that could only be satisfied with more of God. More of His presence, more of His word, more of His working in us. The beautiful and loving glimpses of God we were beginning to experience became like the treasure in the parable of Matthew 13:44.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

It caused us to go deeper, spend more time in prayer, switching off any of life’s background noises that could distract us and like Jacob in Genesis 32 we wrestled with God. Wrestling for more of His presence in us. Not out of a selfish desire but a longing to live in the fulness He has for us.

During one of these times God led us to get on the road at weekends and drive through villages to build on Brian’s prayers for those living in the countryside. This also enabled us to meet people, pray at specific places and churches.
God is impressing on us that he needs us to be living out of the fullness of His word. For His word, Christ, is the saving light of the world. Spiritually, the days are growing darker, signs of the soon second coming of Christ are everywhere, “… on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear…” Luke 21:25-26 to name but a few. Jesus spoke of these signs, “Now when these things begin to happen, LOOK UP and LIFT UP your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Like Jacob, God is blessing us. Jacob called that place: Peniel – meaning Face of God.
We have made it our daily aim to look up and see God’s face.

This is only a sketched outline of what God has been doing, speaking and leading us to but we believe now is the time to raise the banner to encourage and stir others to look up and see God.

Brian & Jeannette