Joe Bloggs Becomes A Christian

By Michael Prentice

“This is a fascinating little book which I am glad to commend. The author is an intelligent and able man. It is an autobiographical account of Michael’s life and tells of his time as a police officer in London facing a number of traumatic experiences, including attacks on his life. These, in turn, lead to a period of illness which brought him back to Devon where he became a devoted Christian.
But the story does not end there; it continues with a description of how Michael returned to London in order to ‘bury the ghosts from his past’; of how he was helped to overcome all his past difficulties … and much more.
I imagine that some of those who read this book will identify with one or other of Michael’s experiences and find help in seeing how he came through them. I particularly enjoyed reading about the ‘93 pence Bible’. This is just one of the adventures recounted here which formed part of Michael’s unusual and exciting spiritual pilgrimage. This is a book which you will find enjoyable and encouraging. It is a book to buy and a book to give.”
                                                              Revd. Cyril Tennant
                                                              St. Philip and St. James Church, Ilfracombe, Devon

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Nov 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781398457799

Michael Prentice

Michael Prentice lives in North Devon. He grew up here and has returned in recent years. Having spent a large part of his life away, attending Warwick University, living in the West Midlands; living and working in London for 12 years and a year respectively living in both the USA and in Spain – he has finally returned to roost! Michael is also currently having his next two books published by Austin Macauley – these are entitled Antiques Antics and Corruption in the Met and he is currently just completing his fifth book which is a novel entitled The Canterbury Express. So look out for these soon!

Book preview

About the Author

author

Michael Prentice was born in 1961 in the heart of the Devonshire countryside. As a young man he attended the Tiverton Grammar School at the end of which he spent a year in the USA on a cultural exchange program. It was here that he first developed his taste for writing – producing regular articles for his local High School Journal.

Returning to England the following year he took up a place at Warwick University gaining an Honours Degree in Social Sciences in 1983. After this he gave up his place on a Master’s Degree to take up a job in restaurant management in London. Two years later he entered into the Police Service serving almost eight years before getting injured as is described in the book, prompting early retirement.

Michael returned to his native Devon which he loves so much in 1995 and settled down with his wife and had three children. He has had many articles published in newspapers, periodicals and poetry but Joe Bloggs Becomes A Christian was his first book. His second book entitled Staring Death in the Face which is about him being extremely close to losing his daughter through anorexia has come out at the same time as this book, published also by Austin Macauley Publishers.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my sister, Juliet, and to Mr Peter Bartlett of the Buckland Trust Christian Ministry, Taunton, Somerset, whose influences were my guiding lights in my time of need and along the pathway into eternal life. To you both I give my deepest thanks.

It is also dedicated to Tim and Judith Hardcastle. Tim, my best man, and me yours, and Jude who was also required to resign from the police service through post-traumatic stress disorder and an injury. Being also from the West Country we share much in common.

A special thank you to Claire whose endless patience and understanding has contributed greatly to the completion of this book in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Last of all and most importantly, it is written with the thousands and thousands of broken and hurting people of the world in mind, like Dee, in the hope that it may be of some help to someone, somewhere. I’ll pray that it proves to be.

Copyright Information ©

Michael Prentice 2022

The right of Michael Prentice to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

All of the events in this memoir are true to the best of author’s memory. The views expressed in this memoir are solely those of the author.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398457782 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398457799 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2022

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

To: Anne Barclay and Lesley of Anne Barclay Enterprises, Newton Abbot, Devon; special thanks to you for your patience in typing, changing, typing, changing ..

Good luck out there on the moors!

To: Reverend Cyril and Chris Tennant of St Philips’ and St James’ Church (Pip & Jim’s) in our harbour home. You gave us ‘a warmer welcome we couldn’t imagine’. I shall continue to ‘Womble’ with pride!

To: My friends, Melanie and Margaret Burdett, for such support during hard times. God bless. I often reflect to you both and to Billy – what a star!

To: Olivia, Sarah and Sam – beacons of life, love and hope.

Preface

Joe Bloggs is Joe Public. It could be you or me. Mike Prentice, as a very fit and healthy university graduate had entered into a promising career in the police service, a life ahead of him just waiting to unfold. As a young man he was a thinker, always searching for something – that extra something beyond immediate thrills and spills. That extra something finally came to him in his deepest, darkest moments of despair after a series of harrowing personal attacks and shocks which could just as easily have happened to anybody.

God spoke clearly into Mike’s heart after several such violent personal attacks including a stabbing attempt on his life at his workplace as a London policeman, but also at his home through a violent suicidal fiancée and a pair of armed burglars. He was twice threatened with knives. Exceeding all tolerable levels of traumatisation, Mike became quite ill through post-traumatic