Ben Nevis Climber Feedback

Jonathan Bellamy

The whole experience of climbing to the highest point in the nation and delivering a live broadcast to the nation was a deeply personal and rewarding one. We truly sensed as a team of 22 climbers that we had been brought together for a very special moment. I do believe that God led us to make a prophetic declaration to the nation that we are at the dawning of a New Day in the nation. That after many years of preparation we have come to completion of a season and a new day has come - a day of increasing fruitfulness, accleration and momentum. The blowing of the shofar to coincide with the beginning of the new Jewish year, and it's symbolism of announcing New Birth/Beginnings, I found profoundly prophetic. Any of the painful challenge to physically scale the mountain was itself a sweet trial as it carried with it a physical sense of what we have been doing in the spirit - persevering, pushing and travailing to see a greater breakout of the glory of God in our nation. I believe it is closer now than ever before.

Laura Alm

I had a great time throughout the whole weekend. It was so inspirational to talk with people from all over the country who have a heart to make a difference in their area, and are so sold out for it! I think everyone found the climb up the mountain quite hard with the cold, wet weather but we certainly knew we'd climbed a mountain.

I really appreciated being part of a bigger picture, with the significance of the walk up the mountain and the broadcast from the top, the blowing of the shofar etc. It was a privilege to be there.

Alastair Watson

Well it was spiritually significant from the word go - the first night was a team meeting and breaking bread which was marked by the presence of Jesus and a prophetic edge.

Up and down was fine, and what was most funny was driving back in the mini bus with Chris Mountford making up Sunday School material for church out of the word 'Unction'; we came up with 'When you come to a junction, follow the Holy Spirit's Unction, this is the way to function, and then you will have peace' which I am patenting.

Worst and best bit was same thing - freezing at the top of the Ben whilst acting as a wind shield for Jon.

Tracey Taylor

What I loved was the sense of comradeship that built up throughout the day, so that by the time we got back to the hotel and all met together, we had a whale of a time bantering and chillin.. It was real family.

The walk itself, well, it just reminded me that we're never meant to walk this life alone. Yeah, there are times when you want to be on your own - to take in the beauty of the hills and views which you can't do if you're chatting all the time. But there was a moment when I just wanted to get off the mountain for shear boredom and found a disheartening coming over me - a wanting to quit. Well, obviously I said to myself - "you can't just get off this mountain! It's either one more hour to the top, or 3 to get down! I know you want a helicopter to appear and whisk you away but this just won't happen!" So I just told myself not to think about it and to keep going. At this point, I saw someone (Gordon Crowther!) drawing near to me and the next thing I knew, I was immersed in conversation. Suddenly everything became bearable again - even enjoyable. I knew I could do it with the encouragment of a fellow walker walking alongside me, to pick me up through enjoyable banter and loud cheers as we reached the top. Boy - the wind as we hit the brow of the hill and the ecstatic shouts from Gordon as he embraced the force - again showing me when life gets at its toughest, we all need a Gordon! Don't be trodden down by the toughness, but get tougher at that point - refusing to give up! For we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (and through the encouragment, strength and hilltop moments of others he draws alongside us at those times to lift us up). There's a scripture for that as well I know. Never let pride say you have to go it alone - it's a lie of the devil.

Gordon Crowther

For me the minibus was an integral part of the pilgrimage. This was because there was opportunity to talk long and deep. God has called us to journey with him in his mission to the nation and he is using us to help each other 'see the way', so I thank God for the insights I gained through talking with the team one-to-one. I think I talked all the way up and down the mountain too!

As we continue in the places God has called us, "let us run with endurance the race God has set before us" (Hebrews 12:1)

Thank you again to all who made this happen and to our Lord Jesus for going ahead of us and for being with us.

Mike Staples (Trailblazers)

Although the weather could only be described as 'appalling' it only seemed to add to the sense that the team had that what they were doing was for the greater good and had a bigger purpose. I got an overwhelming sense of team spirit that was jovial in the face of extreme and uncomfortable conditions. I can honestly say that I'm proud to have been involved with your challenge and am delighted that it has positively impacted on so many people. Keep up the good work!

Wil Feasey

I met up with the rest of the group at The Spean Bridge Hotel - a hotel you can't miss...owing to the colour scheme! (The food was great though):-)

After a good feed, we had introductions and Jonathon prayed for us individually as we took communion. This was a special time for me, and as he spoke about new beginnings I felt there was something significant indeed about what we were doing. I feel that there are new beginnings in the church in this nation. For me personally too, there will be the arrival of my 3rd child in the next few weeks!

Following a very good sleep - for most I think .... the day arrived. It was obvious from the outset that any ideas I had of 'bounding' up the mountain in shorts & T-Shirt were wrong, and we all geared up ready for our walk up into the clouds. It was great just to spend time talking with different people whom I had never met until the night before. We started at a brisk pace, although I think people realised that we needed to slow down a bit...enjoying the journey , being as important as getting to the top!

Eight hours later we were back down - wet & tired, but very happy. We had achieved what we had set out to do!!

For me the weekend was something I felt I was supposed to be a part of. On the morning of the walk I opened my Bible to read something and it fell open in Isaiah 43 - some of which I have quoted below.

5: Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
6: I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
7: Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

I really enjoyed meeting new friends, and look forward to whatever God has for us as a people and for our nation in the days ahead.

Mike Davies

"I said to the group on Friday evening:

1) Ground would be taken in the physical, through each step that we took, and then in the UK spiritually because of the weekend (1 Corinthians 15: 46 "However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual").

2) Christian Media was moving from a position of hope to a position of realisation in the UK (Romans 8:25 "But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait it with perseverance").

3) I expect to see the advancement of the Kingdom through this weekend. After the weekend to keep a focus on the spiritual taking, and re-taking of ground (1 Corinthians 2:5 "that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God").

4) 1 Corinthians 15:23 "But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming"). We know that Christ is the first fruit which guarantees the harvest. After the physical climbing of Ben Nevis I believe, in the spiritual, many mountains being taken within the next two years.

Some funny memories for me are of Martin Dyckhoffs' various renditions of musicals and Alastair's idea for OAPs to travel on their bus passes from Jon O'Groats to Lands End."

Chris Bourne

"Why did I go, well, not only do I enjoy the mountains but this was for a spiritually significant reason as well. It was as though you at Cross Rhythms were the vehicle that God enabled to cause this event to happen and that the sponsorship/fundraising aspect was simply an add on matter.

As the day turned misty, wet and cold. I was sure, and still am that "We walk by Faith and not by sight" was important for us to understand and accept with regard to this venture. We may never know what is to be accomplished in the Spirit realm for the UK, but I am sure that what is important, is our positioning and trust in the living God.

In the fulness of time God will reveal to us what we need to know and understand, the fact that we really couldn't see very much at all on top, is a true natural picture of the spiritual in this entire challenge, and as the wind carried the sound of the horn, so the Spirit of God will carry the impacting nature of the day into the spirit realm over the UK, flooding down across the land as the oil that was poured over Aaron's head.

I said to Mike Staples when he asked me what I thought of the Challenge, "That its just another mountain," which of course it is, BUT in the Spirit Realm I couldn't even dare to attempt to quantify the forthcoming consequences.

It was a great day of adventure and that coupled with the two days of travel either side, will have resulted in the widening of God's Kingdom and the building of new important friendships.

Thank you for being faithful and drawing this prompt of the Spirit into reality."

Rob Thompson

I feel privileged to be working with the guys and girls at Cross Rhythms who really have a heart for God. To go away for the weekend with some of them and also with friends of Cross Rhythms was very special. There is a real sense that God is going to use Cross Rhythms more and more in the future and this is really exciting. Climbing Ben Nevis was not only great fun but it was very symbolic of this time. Jon (Jonathan Bellamy) has been sharing with us so many things that make this a significant time, but I’ll let him share more about that.

Before I came to Cross Rhythms, every time I prayed about working here, I really felt a sense of excitement, which bemused me slightly, since I didn’t know too much about the work and I started to sense that God was excited about Cross Rhythms. When I came to see Jon, I noticed on the wall some words of encouragement/prophecy that read “I have a sense of how excited and enthusiastic you all are... but God is excited too”. This sums up the growing sense at Cross Rhythms of what God is doing and going to do through this ministry.

A funny moment of the climb was when we thought afterwards about all the other people on the mountain who had pressed on through rain and mist and cold and toiled to get to the top, only to see a strange scene of Jon blowing the Shofar (rams horn) from the summit.

Barry Elks

It was a great experience to climb with the gang. For me it was all about a journey both up the mountain and the hard bit of coming down. I can only describe, what at times felt like a crawl to the summit of the Big Ben Nevis.

The climb was for me about taking ONE STEP AT A TIME and when the going got tough, taking time to stop and look up and see the things that were around me which include not only the views but the great people I climbed with. For me in life, when the going gets tough, I need to take my eyes off the mountain and just look around at the great things that God has put before me, the people in my life, friends, family and all the things we take for granted each day.

On reaching the summit it was a grey place with lots of rocks and stones and extremely cold, but I was happy to not see a Starbucks or a McDonald's yet. We only had a short time there, which at that point I was grateful for. It was a sufficient time to eat and drink and then to focus on the journey down.

Coming down the mountain at first seemed very easy, but as time went on, you could feel the pain in the legs and knee joints. There was a sense of achievement at reaching the summit, now it felt like I just wanted to get down.

It seemed to take a long time but at least I could talk and listen to my fellow climbers. The views were breath taking. I realised at this point how grateful I was for the preparing I had made. I was still dry and fairly warm and my sticks kept me up right and mobile. This was a tough climb, tougher than I could have imagined but at least I had prepared. This reminded me that in life I need to prepare for the rain of God. This is only the beginning, a great day, friendships built, mountains conquered but an even greater journey lies ahead. Well done everyone, what is next.

Bring it on!

Tim Coleman

"For me personally the climb was as significant as I think it was for us all corporately and for the U.K. Sarah and I had been given a prophecy last year that 2007 would be our year for "going over the top". The challenge of Ben Nevis was the obvious symbol for this and to have conquered it signifies a new season for us spiritually and the ability to see some of the challenges we have faced over the last few years also conquered. We said at the start of 07 that the end of the year would look completely different from the beginning and we are already beginning to see this fulfilled, so praise God for that!

In terms of funny stories, there was a wry moment when I was handed Jon's mobile for a live interview with Mike Rimmer. In the driving rain, I had to slip it inside my hood to be able to hear him and as I did so, it dropped down inside my jacket. So, there would have been a moment on air, when all you could hear was me rummaging in my jacket to find Mike! And I have to say that the bath I took when we arrived back to the hotel was the best and most soothing I can ever remember."

Alan Chesters

It was a privilege to be invited to take part in the Cross Rhythms Ben Nevis Challenge and then literally to take the steps required. A big plus was the fact that almost all those taking part were new to me and coming from different areas geographically and in ministry and, of course, fully behind and guiding the vision and prophetic ministry of Cross Rhythms. The most uncomfortable part of the climb was the loss of proper use of my hands, even with gloves, in the bitter cold wind chill well before the top. I'd forgotten to ask the preparers of the sandwiches to toast my gluten-free bread to hold it together and so I was struggling to eat powdery crumbs and ham at the summit!

You won't find me in the photo of all the climbers after completing the challenge. I was still in the toilet block at base, using the warmth from the dryer on my hands!

A lady in Devon was thrilled to hear that the shofar had been blown from the top of Ben Nevis.

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