Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THE LORD TOOK HOLD OF BUGBROOKE
‘These Jesus People must be miracle workers!’ she thought,
and decided to go along to a meeting. Bugbrooke, she imagined,
was a barn in the country full of turned-on Jesus Freaks.
But not so. One guy was over forty, sporting a big red tie,
braces and long balding hair. ‘A typical eccentric Englishman!’
she thought, as he approached her down the aisle just before
the meeting. It was Noel. He said a few friendly words but in
this atmosphere of holiness she felt exposed, and was lost for
words.
The meeting began and soon they were singing in strange
languages. Suddenly she was aware of the presence of God
and in a flash she saw the meaning of the gospel. Jesus had
died for her! The Bible was true! She could receive the Holy
Spirit!
Mary talked with Rufus into the early hours, and he told
her she must give God her heart and love Jesus supremely. It
was a simple choice of surrender, and Mary decided to give it
a go. In the morning she hitched a lift to London and Jesus
was the sole topic of conversation all the way! She packed up
some essential things and gave the rest to her flat mate. Paintings,
tapestries and writings were left unfinished. She said
goodbye to London and returned that day to a new lifestyle —
a sleeping bag on Rufus’ floor!
Others friends got converted and moved in, and the little
house was bursting at the seams. What with mattresses and
sleeping bags, the baby, the dogs, and the frequent visitors,
the new community hummed with life. Jesus People, bikers
and freaks — converted, unconverted, or semi-converted —
all sat where they could. Ralph and Mary cooked sausages in
the kitchen, to Rufus’ continued horror. But when he checked
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