“What helps you to pray regularly?” This was a question someone asked me after a talk recently. How would you answer this question? My first thought is that praying with others helps me to pray regularly. From praying daily with Juliet to praying weekly with groups of people, praying with others helps me to ‘turn up’ when it comes to …
A close friend shared this conversation they had with God recently. I was struck by their honesty with God, “I don’t feel very loved”. I was also impressed by the way God’s Spirit brought truths from the Bible to mind that my friend knew. Me: “God, I don’t feel very loved.” God: “But I am love” (1 John 4: 8 …
Recently I talked with a couple who have faithfully shared friendship and the message of Jesus with their neighbours. While being attracted to the quality of relationship these neighbours see in my friend’s lives, they have rejected invitations to learn more about the source of this life. The lack of response and fruitfulness is discouraging for my friends. I was encouraged …
When it comes to trusting God and taking steps of faith do you tend to hold back or charge ahead? My tendency is to hold back. I need to work at taking initiatives, even small ones, as I trust and obey God. Recently I have been encouraged by the story of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem. …
I watched our cat wandering around the other day. It struck me how self-contained it is. It has no pockets, no bag, nothing extra. In the winter it grows a bit more fur for warmth, and in the summer it loses it (all over the furniture). And someone else provides the food! Wherever it goes, it has everything it needs, …
Some of the fruit trees in our garden produce more than one variety of fruit. It’s amazing to take a bud from one desirable tree and graft it onto a another compatible tree, and in time harvest fruit from this new variety. There is actually no limit to the number of varieties you could have on one tree! As believers …
It’s a teenage pregnancy, and the fiancée isn’t the father. The birth happens in a farm ‘lean-to’ rather than in a good family home with the best of midwifery care. The baby lies wrapped in cloths in a feeding trough, rather than in suitable babywear in a new basinet. The angels announce this ‘centre of history’ moment to low paid, …
Today we have so much data and information available to us, more than we can cope with. So, we simplify, summarise, generalise. This may help make things more manageable for us, but something important gets lost in the process: specificity. Specific details are important. They add colour, context, and concreteness! Life is not lived in generalities, but in the specifics. …
Black Lives Matter. This powerful movement protests against the devaluing and ill-treating of people just because of the colour of their skin. But once we’ve fixed our racism, is that enough? Maybe I’m no longer racist, but do I have a gender bias? Perhaps I’m not racist or sexist, but do I think those with higher academic qualifications are somehow …
If you are like me it takes courage to talk about Jesus, even a small comment that identifies us with Christ. We are in good company. The Apostle Paul reflected to the Thessalonians that it was with help from God that he ‘dared’ to tell them the Good News about Jesus. I think the danger for me is to either shrink back from …
