Today on May 21st in Saint Helena Island, the “Saints” as we are fondly called, celebrated the island’s five hundred and eleventh year. This holiday is called Saint Helena Day.When the Portuguese navigator, Juan de Nova Castella sailed into this bay in 1502 there were no smiling faces to welcome him. He was commodore of the Portuguese fleet returning from India when he chanced upon the island. In the years immediately following it’s discovery the existence of St Helena was kept a close secret by the Portuguese.

The island was named after the mother of Constantine the Great, Hellena, upon whose birthday the island was discovered; the spelling was moderated on the second map.

What a beautiful place, my homeland! On this day, Saints living all over the world must feel as I do, ever, ever, ever so thankful to have been born and raised in such a paradise!

So what is it about Saint Helena, that when I think about it I still feel a large lump inflating my throat, and tears welling in my eyes? Is it because I left the majority of my family behind? Is it because I long for the days of stillness and calm when I could walk eighteen miles to the country area to lie under a tree and read? Or is it in thankfulness for my humble beginnings?

 Bruce Wilkinson with David Kopp – The Prayer of Jabez, pg 49: “If seeking God’s blessings is our ultimate act of worship, and asking to do more for Him is our utmost ambition, then asking for God’s hand upon us is our strategic choice to sustain and continue the great things that God has begun in our lives. That’s why you could call God’s hand on you ‘the touch of greatness.’ You do not become great; you become dependent on the strong hand of God. Your surrendered need turns into His unlimited opportunity. And He becomes great through you.”

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

So thank you God for my beautiful beginnings, and thank you for Saint Helena Island.