It was another gorgeous day in Southern California. Bright, warm sunshine. Cloudless blue sky. God was in his heaven and all was right with the world. Or was it?

As we arrived for our meeting, joyously greeting one another in happy anticipation of another opportunity for fellowship, we knew nothing of the message contained in the bulletin that was handed to us on arrival. There had been no warning, no thoughtful words of comfort to cushion the blow. Just a stark, black and white insert telling us that a pastor whom almost all of us knew, loved and admired, had been given three months to live following the diagnosis of cancer. And there would be only one opportunity for us to say goodbye before the pastor went abroad for such treatment as remained possible.

I left the meeting feeling greatly troubled. Shortly afterwards, a friend from my church came to see me. Pleased that I was reading a prayer book morning and evening, he said it was nevertheless no substitute for 'the word'. He urged me to read the gospel according to St John, go back to the first book of Moses, called Genesis and proceed to read the whole bible right through to the Revelation of St John the Divine, chapter 22. As I did so I was to watch the blessings flow. They have not stopped since.

My reading began on Monday, May 6, 1996; it ended on Wednesday, October 29,1997. During that time the idea occurred to me to highlight every verse that I found especially comforting. Long before I had finished, my troubles vanished and peace took their place.

I wanted to share this blessing with everyone and to do so in a very tangible way. I wanted a slim volume that anyone could refer to at any time, in any place, whether in a fleeting moment for instant reassurance or for more detailed reading of about an hour, not more, when seeking a greater measure of comfort. This book is the result: it is intended to be at once uplifting, inspiring and yet very practical, the order in which the verses appear being all important.

Thus chapter one begins with an invitation to unburden ourselves and to find rest unto our souls. Intentionally devoid of any negativity, chapter two reminds us that our sins, however grievous, can not only be forgiven, but not even be remembered. In chapter three there is teaching and instruction in the way that we should go - a blueprint for living, fed back in chapter four by personal acknowledgments of God's unfailing goodness towards us. The last chapter recites the conclusion of the whole matter and reminds us that we are never alone.

'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.' These words from John 14, verse 27, comprise my prayer for you; also that your life from this day forth will be all that God had in mind for you when He first thought of you.