This is my Story -Matt Brown Interview UCB Radio:
1. What was the early years like?
Peaceful Ulster. Christian home. I became a Christian (age 9) knelt and prayed invited Jesus in. Attended a Quaker school Friends School Lisburn, celebratiung 250 years since formation this year (2024). I was active in Sport. Attended School Christian Union. Christian Teachers eg Miss Burgess and Christian friends eg Brian Hanna encouraged me to stand firm.
Mums accident - broken neck. Then Healed in 3 days. Mother in healing ministry and travelled widely in the 1970s - Praying for the sick. eg with Frances McNutt in USA.
2. What about the Troubles?
Troubles: It was normal to have road checks, bomb hoaxes at school. On 2/11/71, Christian Teacher Miss Burgess was shopping in Boyd’s Clothes shop in Belfast when IRA planted a bomb without a warning. Miss Burgess awarded OBE 1.1..2000. She was a survivor 1000 stitches, Right leg amputated.
3. Then you left Northern Ireland for University?
Studies and sport at Uni Manchester. Hockey success Nationallly - UAU champions (University Athletic Union).
4. After University, what did you do?
First job in Accountancy in Wakefield in 1977. Found a church and quickly settled into life of being a young 21 year old Christian sportsman in Wakefield.
Many teens and twenty’s around my age at that time. Fellowship and hospitality was good. Trained hard for hockey, played for Wakefield 1st X1. Aspirations for GB selection. Working in Accountancy. Studying to be Chartered - part qualified at the beginning of 1979.
5. Something significant happened in that year 1979, can you share that with us.
A week away with Christian friends in Lake District. Hiking climbing swimming. Honister climb Buttermere Fell Buttermere lake Hindscarth. Camped by the river at Grange. Honister pass…car crash. Crushed. God with me my darkest time. Heard the words of the Lord from Matthew 28:20 ‘I am with you always.’
Felt supported throughout the eight months of recovery and after - the Christian fellowship and Bible verses every day: 1 Pet 5:10 ‘and after you have suffered a little while the God of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore establish and strengthen you.’ 1 Pet 1:6 in this you rejoice even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials so that the genuineness of your faith being more precious than gold that is tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. Isa 58:8 ‘your light shall break forth like the dawn and your healing shall spring up quickly ………the Lord shall be your rear guard.’ All things work together for good…. Rom 28:20. Remembering Miss Burgess – a survivor, prayed that I could wear this disability like her - glorifying God alone. Comntinued my training, sent to train for Accountancy finals on Isle of Wight.
6. What is the Lake of Tears all about?
After about 10 years, lot of prayer for healing, prophetic words about healing. Francis McNutt at Wakefield Cathedral, wounded and bruised by brutal ‘words’ from the Lord giving by well meaning but insensitive . Time of self pity, putting on a show, that all was OK. But lost sight of personal Lord, every day God.
Alone in bedroom. Praying ranting at God. …..had a vision of a Lake of Tears… soaring over crater lake. Ps 56:8 ‘You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.’
7. Tell us about Jennie.
Jennie attended Bretton College for her PGCE teachers training certificate after 3 years in Huddersfield University. Met Jennie at St Andrew’s church, knew she was the one. A Godly sister, best friend, wife, soul mate and repairer of fences (this morning). Married in St Andrew’s Church where we met and where I was youth worker and where I would eventually become minister. We have 3 daughters and 2 granddaughters.
8. You retrained for the ministry in Durham and ended up in Hospital Chaplaincy.
Scraped through training at Durham, spent time on the beach with our young family. It was a good time for the family, not just about me studying. I was ordained 1999 in Wakefield Cathedral. Curacy at St Peter’s Stanley, training incumbent was Bill Henderson - he was excellent.
Became a time Chaplaincy at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, a was great place to start as chaplain - it was a large team diverse, multi-faith team. Camaraderie good. Moved to Isle of Wight and became lead Chaplain at both the Hospital and Hospice. Special encounters with many. Empathy with patients who knew that I had been through adversity myself.
9. Why did you decide to write Lake of Tears?
I was encouraged to write after several writers courses including one at Lee Abbey about 10 years ago. Wanted it to be a testimony rarther than a memoir - Lake of Tears.
