when Clare and I first were married we used to call in to see auntie Barbara as we only lived round the corner in our first wee house. She always had time for us and we talked about everything she was so open and her smile always greeted us! All those times are a blend in my memory but one stands out and will be forever with me... We walked in one evening and she literally said "you know i was thinking about you the other day" and proceed to recount an event in my life which i never knew about. As a toddler being minded at my nanny's house (her mums), my aunt Sandra, Barbara and my nanny were chatting on the sofa and Barbara told me that one of them noticed that i had fallen into the fire. Barbara looked round and sure enough there i was, hands and head in the fire with flames licking round me, my hands on the hot coals, Barbara rushed across the room to pull me out and get me to a cold tap. However, when she pulled me from the fireplace there was not a mark on me, no burnt flesh, no singed hair, not even soot on my hands! She told me that she knew God had spared me that day as He has a plan for my life. What she didn't know was that at that point I was burnt out doing so much in the church working for God that I had neglected to spend time with God and so my faith was wavering, I was for packing it all in! Most people know about the story of Moses and the burning bush that flamed but did not burn up but there's nothing that reminds me of God's reality and protection than my flaming face that didn't burn! (I still have my dashing good looks) ;) If it wasn't for Barbara I don't know where my faith would be at today and I thank God that she was in my life, both as an aunt who loved and cared for me all those years yet also a friend who shared with me a love for God.