Katie McMullen, better known as Catherine Cookson the authoress, was born into ‘abject poverty’ at Tyne Dock in 1906. At the age of 44 she published her first book and since that time she has written over 80 volumes. Her first 16 books were written out longhand! Though born into poverty, she became very rich as her books sold by their millions. The Bible speaks of One who was rich, yet became poor for our benefit! That Person was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich’. This poverty is not a material poverty. It is the absolute ‘poverty’ He experienced upon the cross when ‘He poured out His soul unto death’, and this poverty can make us rich with the ‘so great salvation of God’. This is something that money cannot buy!
After leaving Newcastle, the route heads south over the famous Tyne Bridge and then turns due east towards South Shields. The finishing line is on the green overlooking the cold North Sea. We are told in the Bible of another great run. It was the occasion when the two disciples, Peter and John, ran to the tomb where Jesus had been buried. They learnt a wonderful truth that day as they entered the tomb. The tomb was EMPTY! The angels said, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’"
The work on the John Reid Road started in 1963. It was named after the Borough Engineer who had given 30 years of dedicated service to the local authority. The opening ceremony, where Lord Lingren officiated was halted by 200 protesters who were demanding a safe subway crossing for pedestrians. The council conceded and at a cost of £18,000 the subway was built. The local residents were delighted to get ‘safe passageway’, but it came at a cost. God has provided at great Personal cost, the means for us to ‘get to the other side safely’. ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’
Jesus said -
MATTHEW ch.16 v.26
The Great North Run is one of the UK’s annual sporting highlights. Over 40,000 competitors
from every corner of the country descend on the city of Newcastle to run in one of
the world’s biggest half-
