pulled out of the pit my story of faith

DEDICATION AND INTRODUCTION

Dedicated to the ones I love

My precious Saviour and Lord Jesus, who has pulled me out of the pit

My Precious wife Helen, who love, care and prayers bless me each every moment of every day

My precious Daughter Sherry, who is the cherry on top of my cake, you are my angel

My beloved son in law Peter, who is such a blessing to me

To my beloved Chinese brothers and sisters, you are an inspiration



Thanks to the following dear friends, who have blessed my life

I have sat under several very anointed Pastors, such as David Green, Richard Scholes, Mark Johnstone and Zanmei, you have moulded my life through your preaching.

To Victor, Andrew, Kevin and Mike, who were instrumental in bringing me to faith and growing me in faith.

Thanks also to my late Parents, Eric and Rita and my dear Brother Peter, you are loved, remembered and treasured every day.

To my special and dear friend Ash, who has kindly translated this document


Introduction

Every one has a bucket list, things they want to do, before they kick the bucket!

One of the things I Have always wanted to do is to write my life story.

So why should you read this book?

It is the story of my life, telling it in my own words, experiences I've had and people I've met

Told with humour, honesty and a twinkle in my eye.

This book tells the story of an ordinary person, who has the one true God as his Saviour, Guide, Redeemer and Best friend.

This is not Keith's story, but God's story. It is the story of God's power to change one person's heart.

I hope you will enjoy the stories, the good and bad experiences, I have been through, may these words bring glory to God and lead you to the one true Saviour

Jesus Christ.


PART 1


Chapter 1

PSALM 139

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

In the sound of Music, Julie Andrews sang " Let's start at very beginning, a very good place to start".

Keith came into the world on the 5th March 1959, born at home at 247 Cooper lane in Bradford Yorkshire UK.

He was the third son of Eric and Rita Hobkirk, he had two brothers, Philip and Peter, he was closest to his middle brother Peter, who sadly died in 2017.

My parents were hard working people, they tried to do the best for this very small person, who was quiet all day but screamed at night.

Later, I found out that I was only born, because my mother had a miscarriage of a baby girl, my father wanted a girl, but he got me, much later I was told that I was not really wanted.

Has this been your experience?

Maybe you have been told, that you were unwanted or have been abandoned by your parents.

But you aren't.

You aren't a mistake. God saw you, he knew you even before you were born.

His love is more than any human mother and father.

I do not hold any bitterness towards my parents, they did their very best for me, but it was and is the true love from God and of course my dear family, that has transformed my life.

I can't remember much about my early life, the first memorable event, was me moving to Morecambe, where my parents were to take over the operation of the retirement home run by Bradford council.

Before I left for Morecambe, I had an eye operation to correct a squint in my left eye, all through my life I have needed to wear glasses.

So at age 5, I was moved to the sunny seaside town of Morecambe, life was about to change in a big way.

So off to Morecambe we went, a whole new adventure.


Devotional Thought

People today are seeking for value, one of the major causes of suicide is that people lack value.

Some of you who are reading this, feel unwanted or even deserted by their parents, some of you were born in very dubious circumstances, maybe you were the results of rape or sexual assault.

Whatever you situation, however and wherever you were born, God was there, he saw everything.

As I said earlier, you are not a mistake, I was told that I wasn't wanted, yes I was loved, but not wanted.

Only when you come to Christ, can you find your real value, only in Christ, can you find the true love of God the father and be filled with the pure indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Verses to Ponder

Ephesians 1:3-14
Jeremiah 29:11-13