Richard Jones
Family man Richard Jones is talking turkey this Christmas.
But that’s hardly surprising. As butchery manager at the Asda superstore in Gloucester, Richard and his staff of 15 will be selling 10,000 of the birds, plus chickens, ducks and geese, during the festive run-up.
What is surprising, though, is that as Christmas approaches, the 35-year-old father of two is also talking forgiveness for the thugs jailed for putting the boot into his skull in a vicious attack at his former home on the Appledown estate in Newent.
For a very long time after it happened, Richard was consumed by bitterness and anger at the callousness of the mindless savagery inflicted on him when he discovered five youths tampering with his car one night.
In fact, the memories were so raw and painful that he and his wife Pauline, who is a special needs teacher at Newent Community School, had to move with their children, Luke and Cameron, away from Appledown to a home in Kempley.
But now, as a relatively new Christian, Richard has nothing but forgiveness for his assailants.
He says: "Because God has forgiven me for all the wrong in my own life, I am able to forgive them. I don’t hold grudges any longer. I now acknowledge one of my attackers in a friendly, loving way when I see him. And if I could help any of them in any way, I would do so.
"I would never have thought it possible to feel the way I do about them after what they did. But God’s influence in my life has changed me almost beyond recognition."
Yet three and a half years ago, Richard didn’t even know that God existed.
His life-changing discovery came after Pauline announced that she would like to attend a Mothering Sunday service at Gorsley Chapel. Richard, who had been to church only three or four times in his life, protested, but finally agreed to accompany her.
The experience turned him inside out and upside down. He recalls: "I just felt that everything that was done and said that morning was directed at me. It was all so real and riveting that I couldn’t stop talking about it.
"Soon, a spiritual battle was raging in my life. I believe it was a power struggle between God and Satan.
"Then one day, I was sitting in my kitchen when I suddenly cried out 'Jesus, save me.' The moment I said it, I felt Christ come into my life and the influence of Satan leave me. It was then that I knew that I had found what I had been seeking since I was in my twenties.
"As far back as that I knew there had to be more to life than what I had. I was searching for something real and meaningful, but I didn’t know what it was. The last thing I expected it to be was God. I didn’t even know that He existed.
"But now I know for sure that Jesus is alive. His presence in my life is real and, as a result, I am more relaxed, a better family man and a totally different manager at work. I now have time for people and their problems. I have a real concern for everyone and I just want to share the good news of Jesus and his love with them all.
"If only I’d heard the Gospel when I was younger, I wouldn’t have had so many wasted years.
"But, thank God, I am now making up for lost time."