‘I came face to face with God …’


View all Faith Stories

“As a child, I was sent to a strict Catholic boarding school in Wales. There were 40 of us in a dorm. You could hear people crying. We had church every morning, but it seemed to me that if God was real, he was distant and impersonal, so I put my ear plugs in and walked away.

The good thing about the convent, though, was sports. In my first year, I played netball, hockey, running, horse riding. I excelled at it, and it gave me confidence. People looked up to me! I soon became hooked on skiing. In 1980 I became a ski instructor in Europe. Then in 1984 I graduated to speed skiing. It’s a crazy event – you ski straight down for 1km, at 160km/hour. It’s a bit like free falling out of a plane, without a parachute. You don’t even touch the snow. You need total focus. I loved it. I ended up competing for Great Britain, and in 1986, I was Ladies British Overseas Champion.

The next year, 1987, I was competing in the World Cup qualifying race in France. I knew the track really well. I started off in the egg position, travelling at 100km/hour… and my right ski came off.

I was in shock. I put my heel down and my leg shattered in nine places. I could see the bones coming out of my suit. I was covered in first degree burns. I passed out.

At the hospital, they said I’d never play sport again. They put 28 metal screws in my shattered leg. I felt like I had died. If I couldn’t play sport, who was I? The recovery process took 18 months and I fought against the loss. But I can also remember feeling God’s hand on it. One of the physiotherapists invited me to a Bible class and I went along and listened. It was amazing. Jesus was real! The people were so loving and non-judgemental.

But afterwards I walked away from Jesus again.

My identity was in sports. As soon as I was physically able, I jumped back into competitive sports and found a new obsession. I joined the Irish equestrian team. For the next eight years I competed in all the major international events. My husband and I moved to France with 19 horses. I was chasing the next success or conquest.

In France, though, I met a radiant Christian couple who walked and breathed Jesus. They led me back to him. We did the Alpha [evangelistic] course together and in 2006 I finally understood the Gospel. It was wonderful. I realised that God had never let go of me. At the same time, though, I was still racing. I didn’t realise that my racing was more important to me than Jesus. I was studying the Bible, going to church, praying – but I never, ever let go of the controls of my life.

My identity was no longer in what I achieved or did. I was unique and loved by my Creator.

In 2010, I went to a qualifier in Portugal for the World Games in the US. I’d qualified every other time. But the day before I was due to race, my horse got really sick and I couldn’t compete. I lost it. Something inside me died. I’d never failed before, and I cracked open. It felt like God had abandoned me. My whole life had been obsessed with winning and I hadn’t even realised it.

The Christian couple brought me food. They prayed for me. The next night I cried and told God that I didn’t understand. But in the morning, I read my Bible and came face to face with God. He hadn’t left me. He loved me more than I had ever known. I needed to let go, and hand my life over to him. As I did, I experienced sudden, overwhelming peace. I cried tears of freedom and joy. I gave up the burden of being an amazing athlete and my identity was no longer in what I achieved or did. I was unique and loved by my Creator.

Afterwards, I undertook a three-year online course with a Californian Bible college. I got baptised in a paddling pool in Dubai. My husband and I moved to Northern NSW and we started an outdoor church service on the farm. It’s growing! I know I’m still competitive but I want to use it for God. Every day, I wake up and realise God is saying to me, ‘Come and follow me. Come and see what I can do.’

Iona’s story is part of Eternity’s Faith Stories series, compiled by Naomi Reed. Click here for more Faith Stories.

Read More


Understanding the goodness of God, his mercy, and love in the midst of war 


A Year of Challenges and Blessings for Arab Israeli Bible Society. The Arab Israeli Bible…

Finding Hope, Faith, and Support


“Our days were spent in fear and danger, and we never knew what each day…