Today has seen 3.5 miles walked, another extraordinary meeting and further inspiration given. I wanted to find a good local church for us to attend on Christmas Day in the hope that within the congregation Mum will find some new friends as she settles in to her move to Evesham. Out of the window and across the fields I could see a church tower. I borrowed a map and took a bearing. It was a church with a tower in Hampton. I grabbed my kit and set off along the bridle way towards Hampton. Hit the road and turned left for the church. There she was but was sadly locked up. I peered through the gate in to the porch searching for a notice about Christmas service timings. Everything else. A busy church but nothing about Christmas services. How odd and frustrating but then another notice caught my eye stating that the parish office was reached by blue railings next to the vicarage. I had no idea where the vicarage was but hoped it might be close. Stepped back and wandered around the sides of the church. Some couples were paying their respects on this wet and windy day in the graveyard. Then I caught a flash of blue through a hedge. Wandered back round to the other side and saw a feint desire line through a gap in the fence. I followed it and sure enough found myself at the bottom of the parish office steps. A lady popped her head out asked if she could help then invited me up. I asked her about the church and services for Christmas Day. This lady could not have been more helpful as she explained how the four parish churches worked. She asked if I would like to see the church to which I of course replied yes please but then felt a very strong urge to tell her about the challenge. It had started to pour with rain so now seemed like the right time but I had brought no flyers. I asked this lady if she could write something down for me. She of course replied absolutely and wrote down Beat the Beast Challenge. I started to explain using a cup of tea as this lady did not drink but the patter works just as well. We even looked it up briefly on her computer to confirm we hit the right page. Job done we dashed across to the church just to have a look but this lady was determined that I should find out about John Martin. A benefactor of the church. She showed me his plaque but I did not read it so she showed me his window. I found out that he was a farmer but still hadn’t made the connection. So she gave me a postcard of his window to take home and still I did not make the connection. I had taken too much of this lovely ladies’ time who only had limited time to share between four churches so asked if I may pray quickly before leaving. She of course agreed and I thanked God again for all of his gifts to me. Time to go and as I was putting on my kit the lady asked my name and we introduced ourselves. Janet let me out, we said farewell and thank you and went our separate ways. I had left my map in her office!! I turned and ran after her and caught up as she was approaching the steps to her office. Not wanting to startle her I called after her and apologised. Janet invited me up and we as we went up the stairs I discovered that her daughter had, like me, epilepsy. It was controlled by drugs but, as I well know, can be hugely frustrating so I very much hope that she finds my simple writings on the challenge a source of hope, inspiration or encouragement for when times get tough. Again I felt that I was meant to come and introduce Janet to the challenge both for her daughter but also as someone who seemed keen to help me raise awareness. Once home, as I unpacked my walking kit, I found the postcard Janet had given me and was encouraged to Google John Martin. I then understood why Janet seemed to be so determined to make me aware of him. John Martin established various trusts demonstrating his desire for children and young people to have a Christian upbringing, a good education and to help those in need. It was an inspirational story of a man whose good works in the 1700s were still having impact and improving people’s lives today but I was not sure why God chose to reveal this to me today after such a great day yesterday. Then I understood it. While back in Evesham to have a look at the Abbey Tower my stepfather, Gam, and I went to Costa Coffee for a Mocha to celebrate a good day. The team in there were full of life and celebrating Christmas. It was great but then suddenly, out of nowhere, another partial seizure hit. Not as powerful as before but strong enough to take me outside to pace up and down the street desperately seeking some relief from the hive of bees that were working their way up my body again. It passed quickly, left me feeling weak and with the nasty, sweet pungent after taste of honeycomb in my throat and back of my nose still there as I write this. I went back inside and collected the Mochas, invited the lovely ladies serving in Costa Coffee to enjoy a glass of wine with a video called ‘welcome to Beat the Beast Challenge’ and being well received it was time to go home. A little shaken but refusing to lie down as Gam drove me home I was struggling to understand the implication of today. Then I was reminded of a reflection that has inspired me on the challenge and which I carry around with me on my prayer card. ‘What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.’ Despite feeling a little rubbish this evening and perhaps even starting to want to lie down and feel sorry for myself all was clear. The challenge continues.