We'll I am back, refreshed and energized, it was a little difficult not having my mobile or laptop for a couple of days, but I soon settled in to a good place. Totally enjoyed it, we went canoing twice, horse riding, high ropes, vilo rail, played frisbee, boule and watched Wimbledon.

We also celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary whilst away, had a very nice bottle of pink Moet Chandon!

On our last day I was lying in bed, when a fly kept landing on my face, in my half awake state i kept trying to swat it off, then a phrase popped into my head. "he's like a lion not a fly" I felt this was a very clear reference to 1 Peter 5: 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Just got to thinking about how we sometimes can underestimate the badness of the devil it made me feel a little uneasy. Then about 20 minutes later I heard a scraping noise outside our window so I went and pulled back the curtains, out side pecking on the glass were two black crows, they instantly flew off.

So we got up and went on a 12 kilometre canoe journey, it was pretty wild because it had been raining, safe but wild. We had life jackets and crash helmets on.

Along the river Ellis said to me "look at those two crows!" I had a weird feeling...

We then came to a tight rapid, not dangerous, but Ellis and I misjudged the current and got pinned against a rock, this was okay as you just shimmy about and get yourself sorted but as were doing this Tracy and Dan came a little early in their canoe and hit us. They capsized and Tracy got dragged under the canoes by the current and Dan got washed down the river. Tracy couldn't get up the current was pinning her under. Dan was screaming as he got washed away. Ellis was now clinging to the rock. There was no-one about. It was horrific. I lifted the canoe of Tracy she managed to swim to Dan, and they got to the shore. I told Ellis to swim for the shore but he said "I love you I'm not going to leave you" so he climbed around on my back and then into our canoe and I pushed us to shore. In the end we were all safe but it was horrible, we got home and all seemed well. But I was overcome with a real sense that this had been something thrown in to rob us of our rest. I went to bed that night and I don't do this often, but I sobbed. In the end I could only get to sleep by saying "JESUS" over and over in my mind.

The incident didn't rob us of our rest, but it reminded me of the spiritual intensity of what we are involved in. I need to raise my game be self controlled and alert.

The devil is not a Lion, he is like a lion, there is only one lion, the lion of Judah, bright morning star, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the victor but I mustn't be complacent.