Rev. Lorna Dreaning speaks about how her faith sustains her

Can you share with us your personal journey of faith and how it has evolved over the years?

I grew up in a Christian home and was sent to Sunday School, church youth groups, etc, and I was very involved in the church as a teenager.

I didn’t always want to be there, the older I got, and quite often I made everyone miserable with my presence, but in my home it wasn’t an option!

When I was 15, and during a youth camp, I realised that always being in trouble and being disruptive wasn’t much fun.

As I began to listen more carefully to something I had heard for many years about Jesus, I soon discovered the real meaning of the Bible and God’s desire for real life through His son, who died on The Cross for our sin.

This message, I had heard often for years, but that evening it penetrated my mind and my heart and I suppose you would say I became a born-again Christian, or was saved from my sin that night.

This changed the course of my life.

At 21, my husband Roy and I went to Faith Mission Bible College in Edinburgh and studied Theology, and trained to be an evangelist.

We were involved in this work for 15 years or so, working in England, Scotland, the USA, India, Albania and Canada, and here in Northern Ireland.

In 2010, I entered into the Methodist Ministry to become an ordained minister. Without my faith, I wouldn’t have the desire to do what I do, or help the people who need it.

What does your faith mean to you, and how does it influence your daily life and decisions?

Being a Christian is not always an easy path, but when we have faith in Jesus, a living God, He becomes the master of your life – not in a controlling sense, but in a dutiful sense of love for Him.

My faith gives me hope in times of despair; it gives me courage to undertake the impossible; it gives me strength to keep going even in the difficult times.

As the Bible tells us – which is the handbook for every Christian – He [God] is a friend that stays closer than a brother, a constant companion.

My faith is an active faith and therefore every decision that I make, I try to make within the will and guidance of God, through prayer and Bible reading.

But we are human – there is no Christian who is not – and sometimes we choose our own pathways in life, which I have done many times, which have perhaps not worked out the way I have expected, and those times have been a challenge.

How do you find solace and comfort in your faith during challenging times or difficult situations?

As I have already said, we are all human; as one lecturer used to quote to us in Bible college, “You are only flesh and bone”.

We experience the same problems and difficulties as anyone else.

I am married, a mother of five, holding down a full-time job, we have bills to pay, cars to keep, mouths to feed, unexpected illnesses and family issues to deal with, etc. I think we all know the score.

As Christians, we are not exempt from problems, but in my experience I take solace in knowing one who calls Himself a comforter, a provider, one who listens, who feels my every pain, one who listens to my every prayer, and so many times listens to the cries of my heart.

I know Jesus is always there, and He has promised never to leave me or forsake me.

It will get better; it’s just a matter of trust and faith. God is the God who does the impossible.

Could you describe some of the most significant moments or experiences that have strengthened your belief in your faith?

In my life and in the different roles, there have been many challenges. We as a family have had bereavements in the past few years; we have experienced the heartache of attempted suicide within the family; mental health issues, and a lot of health issues, so life hasn’t always the smoothest.

As missionaries who lived by faith, there were many times when we didn’t have food in the house.

For many, they might find that hard to believe, but we never seemed to go without, and even if it was a loaf of bread, it showed up on the doorstep.

In recent years, when I felt the call of God into ministry, I was asked to do a degree.

I had left school at 16 with no qualifications and had pretty much no interest in books, but was told if this was the pathway for me, then I needed to study, and by the grace and help of God I completed two degrees with five children.

The most challenging has probably been my own health issues over this past year and a half, when my body decided to close down.

I was left without much power in my right arm and leg and developed brain seizures, which I had never experienced before.

I couldn’t drive for 18 months. I suppose it was a time in my life when I had no choice but to stop and observe, and listen again to the directions of God.

I live every day with mixed emotions, and most likely will never return to the health I once had, but I have had to learn to be thankful and to understand that there are those who are going through much worse.

In each of these situations, even though I have been worn out and weary, and even heartbroken, my faith and belief in Jesus has made the difference in being able to face tomorrow and to remain positive and motivated, rather than lying down under the weight and the burden.

Jesus asks us to “cast our cares on Him for He cares for us”. And it’s in these promises we find hope and strength.

Who or what do you typically pray for, and how does prayer impact your life and mindset?

Prayer is the most important part of a believer’s routine. It is a lifeline that we all have – open access to God at any time, 24/7.

For me, prayer is a conversation I have with my Father in Heaven. I bring my worries, my needs, my family and struggles to Him collectively.

I pray for the church, locally and worldwide; I pray for peace and wisdom with local councils and politicians.

I pray for those who are sick, whether I know them or not, and most importantly, I pray for more people to find the peace of God that comes from having a relationship with Him.

Prayer changes lives. Our prayers change situations that we cannot change ourselves.

As God says, “without me you can do nothing”.

It is a wonderful thing to hear that your prayers have made a difference in someone’s life.

What rituals or practices do you follow in your faith, and how do they contribute to your sense of belonging and connection?

I don’t really have what you would call any rituals or practices; I believe in being led by the spirit of God.

But it is good for any Christian to have fellowship with one another, so you can be encouraged in your continual walk.

Therefore we meet in church every Sunday morning for worship, and oftentimes in the Sunday evening as well.

We meet together in a more intimate setting for Bible study and house groups. We meet together for prayer, and we also try to drink a lot of coffee and have meals or barbecues together.

In my own personal walk, I have a devotion every morning where I read the Bible and pray and follow reading notes.

I have a time at night where I also for 10 minutes sit and meditate, and listen to a recorded reading of the Bible.

During the winter, my husband and I have devotions online on a Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10am, and we have a time of hymn singing at 8pm.

These are times that we connect and listen with each other, but more importantly, connect with God, and grow in our faith, which is at the heart of who we are.

How has your faith community played a role in supporting and nurturing your spiritual beliefs?

I believe, first of all, in having a relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives.

It is Jesus who shapes and forms my beliefs, as I read the Bible daily.

I grew up in the Methodist Church and am a Methodist minister, but I’m not tied to any denomination or faith community, apart from those who have a firm belief in the living God.

When we are of one mind, then we can share the same vision in the work God has called us to do.

I have connections with each and every denomination in this town, and can rely on most of the evangelical ministers for support, prayer and confidentiality.

Can you recall your earliest memories of faith and how they have shaped your understanding of spirituality?

My earliest memories of faith were from Sunday School in our local church in Lurgan.

I had a strange picture of God – not as a very loving one, but of a judge who judged me every time I did wrong.

Therefore I was afraid of God, and felt every time I did something wrong, I was going to be punished and die.

I also knew I was a sinner and needed to be saved, and that was imprinted on my mind from an early age.

But it was in my teenage years when I began to question the Bible and this impression of God that I discovered how much I am loved by a wonderful and loving God, who created me and formed me to be who I am.

I know that sin will be punished, but first and foremost, I know that Jesus died for me because He loves me just as I am.

That changed my life, and the emptiness that I had at that time. It filled the void in my life.

Has there been a particular event or encounter that profoundly impacted your faith journey?

There have been many events and encounters with God along the way over my life, from when I was 15 to now, including leaving home to be a missionary and giving up a family business, to hearing the call of God into ordained ministry at 40.

But a real turning point for me was after I experienced post-natal depression after the birth of my third son.

I felt completely lost and in a very dark place; somewhere I had never been before.

It was very unknown territory, and there were many losses along the way, but it was during this time in my life when I discovered complete reliance on God for a future.

Because I couldn’t see one, I saw nothing from the people around me, only criticism and embarrassment, and so God became my only crutch.

This experience made my faith real and I developed a no-nonsense faith where I began to realise that faith is not just words or preaching, but living our lives out in the midst of people who are crying out for help and are suffering.

Christians need to get real and show real concern for people who are hurting.

How do you navigate the intersection between your faith and the modern world, particularly in matters of ethics and morality?

Navigating Christianity at the moment is quite a challenge. But my convictions are not my thoughts and feelings, they are centred on the Scriptures, as are many other faiths.

They are my guidelines for what I believe to be true and openly direct us in the ways that we should live.

I suppose many people are ignorant of the scripture which is seen in our Sunday School attendance.

Many people feel it is out of date and irrelevant, but the evidence of the Scriptures are still visible today.

We see lives changed, people healed through prayer, situations turned around, and therefore, as a Christian, the values I hold to are still from the Bible.

It is a lamp and a light. I am not here to judge – God is judge of all the earth, but I am here to be a witness to Jesus and to be able to tell of the hope He gives us, and the difference He can make in their lives.

I am here to help people carry their burdens and bear the load that many are carrying, regardless of who or what they believe.

The morality and ethical problems will and have always been with us from the beginning of time. It’s what the Bible called sin, and will be until the Lord calls time on the earth.

We live in a world where there are many voices, many opinions, which sometimes I don’t find beneficial, and as a Christian and a minister, I find it all the more necessary to listen to the voice of God through His word and prayer, to change where we need to, to look at our values and to re-evaluate our priorities when needed.

But we cannot compromise on what we believe is truth. The church has been persecuted, and in fact, many individuals burned at the stake down through the centuries for upholding their beliefs.

I have no doubt we will continue as a church and Christians to face persecution for making difficult decisions which go against the flow or thought pattern of society.

Are there any specific scriptures, texts, or teachings that hold deep significance for you? If so, what aspects resonate most strongly?

There are many scriptures which are significant to me, mainly promises where Jesus promises to sustain and provide for us, to protect us, and prevail with us through the good and bad.

One of the most popular texts is Psalm 23, which the majority of people could recite off by heart, but also Psalm 139 which reminds us always of the Lord’s presence with us, no mater our circumstances or location.

Verse 17 of that passage reminds us of how precious we are to God – a thought which is reiterated over and over again.

John 3:16 Romans 5:8 reminds us that even when we have no love for God, He still loves us, and loved us enough to sacrifice his son Jesus to be our saviour – something as a mother not many of us would be prepared to do, or even consider doing.

And in John 10:10, we are reminded that Jesus actually came to give us a better life and not to destroy it.

The Bible was written for us to embrace a better way of life with richness and encouragement. Friends come and go, as many of us know over our lifetime, but Jesus never changes.

He reminds us that “He is a friend that stays closer than a brother”.

How has your faith influenced your perspective on life, purpose, and the greater meaning of existence?

I believe that God has a plan for everyone, if we allow Him to be a part of our lives.

We so often chose paths ourselves which turn out to be disasters for us, or we even direct our children in ways which are not beneficial to them.

I think we only have to look at the mental health of our young people today and accept that the world has us conditioned to a way of life that we must live.

For many, this is not the suitable or beneficial path for them to take, but is the norm. God’s word contradicts this.

Jeremiah 29:11says, “I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.

How many of us seek hope and a future? How many of us want this for our children and families?

This is the meaning of existence that God wants for us.

It’s not all about money or material items, or even careers for that matter – it’s about joy in times of trouble, it’s about foundations we build our lives on, it’s contentment knowing Jesus is about life with a deeper meaning and understanding.

Life is not all about our problems disappearing, but knowing there is someone there to help us along life’s journey, and pick us up when we fall and encourage us to keep going.

God is all about life, not just dragging ourselves through it, but knowings its fullness and richness, not just physical life but spiritual life of peace and joy.

Because I know Jesus in a personal way, I know that no matter what happens here, things I may or may not have, I know that there is a better place, a home awaiting me where I will want for nothing.