And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV)
The two words that jump out at me immediately are: and God. It’s like there’s more to come … God has it all in hand … already.
I came to Kalgoorlie in 1983 with my husband and two young children aged four and two. My husband had a two-year contract with the then Probation and Parole (Justice) System. Before leaving Perth, people asked, “What are you going there for? Everything is rusty and there are no trees … you will be back in no time”.
Arriving in Kalgoorlie … there was only one set of traffic lights! Our house was on the last street on the map, with bush beyond … and God has it all in hand … already. To our delight there was a government three-bedroom brick house on a quarter acre. A little bit of lawn out the back and some garden. Trees bordered each of the three sides of our back yard. Inside it was newly painted. This was our new home!
Thank you, Lord. No rust, and there are trees!
A few days later, I found the Christian Bookshop. I asked the woman about churches in Kalgoorlie. She started listing them. There were lots …
Church of Christ was the first church mentioned, so the next Sunday I took my two children. I was invited and welcomed into a Playgroup and joined a weekly Bible study group … and I was able to take the children.
I had experienced showers of blessings since my arrival in Kalgoorlie. That is how I still see God’s blessings in my life in the Goldfields.
In 1984, our daughter started school and we had another little boy, then our eldest boy started school 1986, and we had another baby. Life was pretty busy!
I was able to be at home with all my children in their formative years. Looking back: truly a blessing from God. One wage … we had sufficient … we were blessed.
I was “mothers’ help” at the Primary School my children attended for nine years. I could take my youngest with me. I felt blessed yet again.
In 1992, when the youngest was starting school, I was offered a part-time office job at a school as Registrar. Another blessing: working school hours … having the school holidays off too!
After being at the school for a few years, the student population changed from mostly white children to mostly Aboriginal children. I was there to love the children, comfort them, and be a mother to them.
Then … another and God moment. People confirmed those very words, to love, to comfort and to be a mother to the children at the school. God is good! I was in the right place.
When our two eldest children reached their teens, they were right into sport. So was my husband. He was still playing soccer. I wanted to support them all, so Sundays were now filled with sporting activities. I didn’t go to church for some years. I thought it was important to be with my kids in their early teens. I was involved in their sports. I was coaching one of the Primary School netball teams and was secretary of one of the Junior Soccer Clubs. Our club had 12 teams. I kept scores every Saturday for Tee Ball games. Later, my husband and sons played in the same soccer team. That was exciting.
However, even though I still prayed and read my Bible, something was missing.
In December 1998, a flyer arrived in my letterbox. A new church was starting up in the New Year at a Primary School close to where we lived.
God has it all in hand … already!
On arriving at this new church on the first day of its opening, I was greeted: “Welcome Kerry, this is a New Year, this is a new beginning”. A blessing of welcome back.
After more than 13 years, 15 principals and over 650 staff passing through the school where I worked, I retired.
I took the mail from the school to be posted at the Post Office. When I told the Manager (the Licencee) it was my last day, he offered me a job. A couple of weeks later, I was in the Post Office.
I started work in 2005 and have been there ever since … and God …
God has blessed me in this job, and I have had time off when needed to attend to family concerns and “Aglow” events. “Aglow” is a Women’s Ministry for Women. I have been part of “Aglow” for nearly 17 years. God has surrounded me with loyal, caring people who nurtured and supported me with his love.
We now hold our meetings in the hall at St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie. What an absolute double, triple blessing.
(And) God has abundantly blessed me and my family here in the Goldfields.
God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (MSG)
Adapted from a talk given by Kerry Atkinson at the 2021 LWWA Convention, Kalgoorlie, WA.
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