Jan, a Generous Giving Advisor, went to visit Lynda Wilson after meeting her at a Mustard Seed event. Lynda has completed Stepping Up with Mustard Seed and is member of the team at Westway Open Arms, Eastfield, Scarbrough. Jan is an Ambassador for Mustard Seed and was enthralled by Lynda’s story.
Jan writes:
Lynda told me, “When God wants me to act, my experience is that he takes everything else away from me, so that there is nothing material acting as a barrier between him, me and the task he has for me to do.”
Just listening to Lynda and about how she is freely trusting God with her life is a message for us all to sit up and take notice – she is a testimony of a life overflowing with generous living that enhances all those around her. Lynda has a heart for Eastfield and is a blessing to the community, as they have been a blessing to her. I hope Lynda’s story will spur more of us to bring Christ’s transforming love to the people around us in practical and prayerful ways.
Lynda had three life-changing events in January 2023. She was baptised (and then confirmed by Bishop Paul) at Holy Trinity, Scarbrough, she started the Stepping Up programme with Mustard Seed and the treatment for her dystonia stopped working, meaning that she had trouble speaking. Consequently, she lost her job as a teaching assistant, something that she had been doing for nearly 30 years.
Not being one to sit around, Lynda asked if she could volunteer at Westway Open Arms. Lynda found Holy Nativity and Westway Open Arms has been instrumental in her life for quite a few years, especially alongside the Revd Sam Taylor.
The ‘pull and call’ to worship there had been tangible for quite a few years and Lynda knew that when God wants her to act, her experience is that he takes everything else away from her, so that there is nothing material acting as a barrier between him, Lynda, and the task he has for her to do.
Lynda first used Westway Open Arms as a food bank client, later as a visiting carer for a young man with disabilities who attended the craft group, then as a volunteer. She is now whole-heartedly involved with several ministries led by other volunteers.
Within one session of volunteering, Lynda was introduced to Corrie who runs SENSES (a free playgroup for children with special needs) and began to volunteer for them. She was then offered paid work for SENSES at both Westway and Scarborough Oasis Family Centre. Although not directly linked to SENSES, the Mustard Seed grant that comes with Lynda, will be used to fund a Toy Library for children of SENSES families and open to families using Little Lambs playgroups.
These are so important to Lynda because many families in the surrounding area might not be able to afford new toys for their children. Lynda especially feels for families of children with additional needs because specialist toys sometimes prove to be impossible to buy as they are so expensive. Working with families with children with additional needs had been part of Lynda’s life since she was 15 and is actually something her parents always did. She “really feels that God placed this on my heart in order to make all of those connections.”
The Diocesan Generous Giving Team love to share these good news stories to encourage and inspire us all to bring God’s Kingdom to earth and show how we can respond to his generous love. Please email jan.grey@yorkdiocese.org or phil.mcbride@yorkdiocese.org to share your stories.
