I am sitting here in my own little white cottage in Tregarth looking back on the fourteen days that I was living in the farmhouse at Hafod y Llan – and feeling greatly blessed.

There were a couple of days when I was on my own but, most of the time, it was a busy and bustling place.

Here is a brief summary of what happened:

Friday 11^th – Welcome Meeting – thirteen people settled into the lounge in the farmhouse, where the Revival began in 1817. We watched the official Beddgelert 1817 video (https://youtu.be/joMuajehXXU), and I read my short story, ‘The Spirit of the Mountains’. We then had a time of prayer and worship. It was a very gentle introduction to our fortnight at Hafod y Llan.

Saturday 12^th – Wildfires Revival Conference – around seventy people turned up on a coach trip from the conference. Amazingly, they all crowded into the farmhouse while I shared the story of the the Beddgelert Revival. This again led into a time of prayer and worship. We were also privileged to have the amazing Aija Kim play for us (YouTube). She is a classical pianist, who does wonderful arrangements of hymns – old and new. I did not know that my old keyboard could sound like that.

It was good to be able to share a barbecue lunch with everybody before they headed off.

My love of coincidences was satisfied when one of the people there turned out to have been present when I had first publicly read my story at the Beddgelert Millennium celebration in August 2000.

Sunday 13^th – Snowdonia Christian Fellowship service – as part of the celebration SCF held their weekly Sunday service in the farmhouse – and I had the privilege of being the first man to preach from the spot where Richard Williams stood on the day that the Spirit came in 1817. I spoke from the passage in Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel that he had used. Unfortunately, I cannot report that fire fell again, but we did have a blessed time.

Sunday 13^th – Anniversary Service – This was a bilingual service, and was held in an old, 19th century barn – for the genuine 1817 experience. Around 40 people crowded in to hear the story of the Revival; to hear the John 6 passage read with real power and clarity by Mark Vening; to sing hymns and songs, led by members of the Capel Caersalem worship group (this was the best time of bilingual worship that I have ever experienced); to listen to a beautiful rendition of the revival hymn, Gwahoddiad, sung by Abi Penney; and to listen to a wonderful exposition of Psalm 126, by John Treharne.

I had been a bit anxious beforehand as to how it would all work, but I need not have worried. It was great!

Monday 14^th – Informal time of worship – Mark and Sue Vening, and their team of YWAMers, had stayed in the house (or under canvas) overnight. On a wet Monday morning we were confined to the house and ended up having a time of sharing, worship, prayer, and fellowship. The presence of God was very strong. Everything flowed together in a remarkable way. At the end I was feeling very thankful, and very blessed.

Tuesday 15^th – Anniversary Service – this was a Welsh language service, and was held in the Bethania chapel, which was built in 1822 as a result of the Revival. 27 people came to sing hymns and songs, led by Andras Iago (this included ‘Mae’r Iesu oll yn hawddgar’, a hymn sung during the Revival); to listen to Rhodri Glyn preaching about the Lost Sheep; and to be led in a powerful and passionate prayer by John Robinson.

Wednesday 16^th – Prayer for revival – Fifteen people gathered in the farmhouse for prayer. I shared briefly from Ephesians 6 on the Armour of God, and we looked at the 1817 video before spending time praying for revival in Snowdonia, and across Wales.

Thursday 17^th – Historical Society talk – Thirteen of us came to hear Gwenant Roberts and Margaret Dunn, of Cymdeithas Hanes Beddgelert, talking about the historical context of the Revival. Margaret spoke about the harsh reality of living in the area in the early 19th century, while Gwenant told us about some of the things that happened afterwards – particularly the setting up of schools, and the rise of the temperance movement. .A lively question and answer session followed.

Saturday 19^th – Prayer Team – We were joined by John and Heather Alcock and their prayer team from the Midlands. After some teaching about ‘Praying in the Spirit’, we had a very lively time of prayer in the house before the team went out to pray around the area. We were also joined by Clifton Anderson, from Newport, Gwent, who led us in singing songs of worship.

Sunday 20^th – Beddgelert Songs of Praise – The annual Songs of Praise was held on the Village Green in Beddgelert. The programme, which had a revival theme, had been put together by Hannah Retallick. Gwen Maddison, and the Menai Bridge Intermediate Band, provided the accompaniment. Abi Penney sang Gwahoddiad for us, and led us in the singing of William Williams beautiful hymn, ‘Pererin Wyf’. Despite steady light rain there was a good turn out, and the feedback afterwards was very positive.

Tuesday 22^nd to Thursday 24^th – Prayer Team – We were joined by Daphne Godwin and a team from Ffald y Brenin. Others dropped in and joined us. It was a very special time.

Wednesday 23^rd – Prayer for Revival – Eighteen people gathered in the farmhouse for prayer. I shared briefly, and we again looked at the 1817 video before spending time praying for revival in Snowdonia, and across Wales.

Thursday August 24^th 3.30pm – Ten of us were joined by Dr Eryl Davies, author of ‘The Beddgelert Revival’, he gave a short talk about the revival and answered questions. He also spoke that evening at the Llŷn Bible Week. This was a really anointed talk about the lessons to be learned for today from the Beddgelert Revival. It was very challenging.