Helen Lawrence - Called Before Birth: The Autobiography of Helen Lawrence

CALLED BEFORE BIRTH

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
HELEN LAWRENCE

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2013 by HELEN LAWRENCE. All rights reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse 01/09/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4772-5133-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-8095-7 (e)

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CONTENTS

Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth He has made mention of my name.

(Isaiah 49 verse 1
New International Version.)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

(Jeremiah l verse 5
New International Version)

Sometimes in life we ask the question, Why was I born, what am I here for? The two verses above have been chosen because they express what I believe is true of my own life, and is the reason for the title of this book. Of course, I had no realisation of the reality of this call until many years later. Nevertheless, I firmly believe this is the truth of what God intended for my life. Therefore this book is written in the hope that all who read it will see Gods will being worked out in the life of one of His children. How His plans and purposes are brought about in our lives. How in His love and mercy God overcomes the hurts, the failures, and the inadequacies in our lives to His glory, not ours. Further my hope is that those who read these pages will have their faith and hope in our great God enlivened, strengthened and made sure. Also those who have not yet found faith in Christ will come to see Christ is our Lord and Saviour and the One who gives us the hope of Eternity. This is the hope that the Apostle Peter writes about in his first letter and also the writer of the letter to the Hebrew Christians. 1 Peter 1 verse 3 and Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 1.

I have not achieved great things as many as my fellow Christians. Yet what I have done is not because of any goodness in myself, it is because of Gods grace in my life and in His mercy He called me.

This book is dedicated to Winnie Karsten and Peggie Watson who first introduced me to our Lord Jesus Christ.

There have been so many people down the years who have been a blessing to me. I fear to mention each by name for I am sure to forget someone. Those who have loved me, advised me, remonstrated with me, been a colleague in the ministry, you know who you are. Thank you. I value you and love you all.

My special thanks to Peter and Beryl Pytches for sharing your family with me, and regarding me as a family member.

The Revd. David Lewis who has spent a lot of his time painstakingly proofreading my book.

Early Childhood MemoriesActual
and Received

On the 25 th of June 1930 a new child was born into the world. My Mother told me I was born in Birmingham. That is all I know of that very early period of my life.

There are a few early memories like running on a beach in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex while on holiday. I trod on a piece of glass and was taken to a first-aid post where my foot was dressed. I was three to four years old at the time. I can remember playing with my brother Austin, 2 years older than me. We enjoyed sitting on the small platform on the front of a beach hut and getting splashed by the water that came up through the slats of the platform as the tide came in. These were the beach huts on the sea wall that runs alongside the Golf Course at Frinton-on-Sea in Essex, locally known as the Walings.

My mother told me of something I did while quite small. Getting out of my bed one night I went into my Mothers bedroom and got myself dressed in one of my Mothers stage dresses (Mother was on the stage, she was a singer and a dancer). I then made up my face (after a fashion!) and sat at the dressing table where I was found by our Nanny. She put me back into my bed just as I was so my Mother could see what I had got up to. Because of what I looked like my Mother called me Lady Jane. I do not remember this incident, my Mother told me about it. I do know that I was called Jane at home until I went to school, and then my own name was used.

Jeanette
my lost sister

Austin (6 yrs)
and Helen (4 yrs)

Nanny Austin, Helen, Airedale dog

1934 in the garden
at Ealing
Me at 4 years old

Another received memory is that of my mother throwing a bucket of cold water over me. Apparently, I was prone to getting into a temper. Sounds like the terrible twos to me!! It would appear I had refused to do what the Nanny asked me to do and in a temper banged my head against the wall. Then came the cold water treatment. I never lost my temper again. I can think of many times in my life when I have been angry on my own behalf and on behalf of others, but not lost control. My eldest brother Rex, ten years older than me, did have a violent temper. I only witnessed it once. I was already an adult and Rex was home on leave from the army. I cannot remember what caused him to lose his temper, but I do remember clearly the fury which caused him to punch his fist into the wall and injure his hand.

My clearest memories of my childhood go back to the mid 1930s. We were living then in a large house in Ealing, London. At that time my Mother was performing on the stage. My Father had a sweet factory. He was one of the many people affected by the Slump; he went bust and lost everything. It was at this time my brother Rex joined the army. He went into Middlesex Regiment. He made out he was older than he was and got in. He remained in the army until the end of the Second World War. I can remember we had two Airedale dogs during the time in Ealing. I wonder if my lifelong love of dogs began then?

There are some happy memories of this time in Ealing. It would appear we were pretty well off, but that was soon to change.

My Father had a full sized billiard table in one room. Under this table was my brother Austins beautiful electric Hornby train set. We would sit under the table for hours, Austin getting the trains to move from one point to another, while I sat fascinated watching him and the trains. I had a beautiful doll with real hair that I could wash and brush. I really loved that doll. I have no recollection of what happened to it.