A GOSPEL MINISTRY
FROM NORTHERN IRELAND

I live near Portglenone in Co. Antrim N. Ireland. I am married to Marlene with two grown up sons, Steven and Gregory. My main hobby is gardening but I also love to paint landscapes and write poetry. I also like to video with my camcorder and some of my films appear on this website. I am the wrong side of fifty and the right side of sixty and that is all I am going to say about that! Thank you for taking the time to visit here and I hope you enjoy your stay.  Now please meet the other Poets........!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Almighty God for the privilege He has afforded me in enabling me to write poetry to His praise and glory.

If you choose to read some of my poems I am sure you will be able to tell that I neither learned nor studied poetry but a few years ago writing poetry was something I felt led to do.

The first poem began to come to mind as I was walking across a field, I shared it with my husband Eric and together we finished that poem, we put a known tune to it and we have sung it on several occasions.

Eric & I have eight “children” and in order to increase our farm income we took on sidelines. I did home baking for eight years until I took pneumonia. While in hospital I believe the Lord told me to give up the home baking and make bread of a different kind. This I could not understand at the time but I was convinced this was God’s word to me. I recall writing a poem of thanks for a nurse at that time and I felt this was of significance but little did I know what was to follow.

Later as I was standing in my kitchen words and a tune came to mind, I remember thinking, what is that, that’s not something I know, I had better write it down. To my amazement I was able to go and play the tune on the piano, something I had never been able to do without music.

Shortly after I was prompted to send a poem that I had written to a friend who was ill in hospital. I was about to send other Christian literature when I believe The Holy Spirit said, “send what I gave you to write, that is what you got it for”.  I firmly believe if I had not done so I would not have received any more.

When I had written 6 poems, again while walking in a field I thought, I must have everything written about now, but before I reached the gate another full poem had come to mind. What amazed me again was that I recalled it all and was able to write it when I reached home I remember thinking could I possibly have 100 poems in a year, on the night of the year I was wakened with 2 poems to make the 100.  How awesome is our God. I was amazed then and I still am as I have about 600 poems written to date for which I sincerely give God the praise and glory. Because of necessity I take the printing costs from my book sales, all remaining money I give to The Lord’s work.

I have recently also written “The Jigsaw Puzzle” which I believe is my record of God’s revelation of His purpose in allowing times of difficulty and trial in my life and that of my family.

P.S......Copies of Olive's books will be found in the MINISTRY STORE for sale!

Robert is from near Lisburn in Co. Antrim

Ruth is from Dromore in Co Tyrone