I’m tired. The house is a mess. I’m scared of strangers. I don’t want to feel guilty. It’s raining. I don’t think I need it. I can do it at home. I like (my) routine. I’m fine as I am. These are some of my reasons for not doing things. Scary group activities that require me to leave my couch. Zumba lessons. Learning another language. Going to church. I will never be a member of Fitness First. But I need …Read More
Sunday morn I was teaching the kids about Jacob and Esau. I’d done my prep, (praying and amazing Jacob cut-outs with stick-on hairy chests). So I started to tell the story: ‘Last week’ says I, ‘something very exciting happened to Jacob. He was lonely and he prayed. God listened to him and answered his prayers by giving him a wife called Rebekah’. (gulp of industrial strength coffee) ‘Jacob and Rebekah loved each other very much. And they wanted to share …Read More
Aaah Halloween. Seems to be everywhere right now: my favourite being the Gregg’s ‘scary’ pasty. (Basically a bog-standard pasty with the word ‘scary’ in front). If like me, you tend to hide behind the sofa when trick or treaters call, then here’s an alternative. Load ’em up with percy pigs (one for you, three for me…) and this little flier. Halloween Video Card – it’ll take them to the Halloween Video. (Be warned – the scariest thing is the guy narrating …Read More
Guest post by Glen: “I know, I know…” she said, “I just need to find my identity in Jesus.” She seemed certain that this was the answer to her problems. She also seemed to despair of ever achieving the feat. Many people have spoken to me of their burden to “find their identity in Jesus. It’s the subject of countless conferences, sermons, books and blogs. But when I try to picture exactly what finding my identity will look like, I draw a mental …Read More
I’m meant to be writing a follow-up book to A New Name. Meant to, because I’m still at the planning stage. There’s different reasons for this. I’ve done some speaking and blogging. IVF has occupied most of this year – and I haven’t been able to face it. Also there’s laziness and sheer, unadulterated fear. I’ve had a couple of ideas floating around. The stuff I know about is eating disorders – so it would make sense to do something …Read More
Suffering is not an opportunity to prove yourself – or a problem to be solved. optimism is not enough positive thinking is not enough better self-esteem is not enough trying harder is not enough looking within is not enough being nicer is not enough I am not enough and you are not enough either. Only Christ is enough. enough hope to sustain you, tho the worst has come true enough light to live by, when everything’s …Read More
I was giving my testimony – and afterwards, someone came up to Glen. ‘Funny thing’ he said. ‘As your wife was speaking, her voice reminded me of a girl I used to work with. She was from Northern Ireland too. About the same age – except she was horribly disfigured.’ He paused, then continued. ‘Half way through the talk – I realised. It’s the same girl’. This is not an isolated incident. Last week, I bumped into someone else who knew …Read More
C asked a great question in the last post: ‘what does it mean to meet Jesus?’ (Your comments have been stonking: thank-you). Here’s my tuppence; No-one goes away from meeting Jesus, unchanged. Sometimes (and these are normally the testimonies we showcase at special events), there’s a kind of deliverance: a moment, when lives change, very obviously, for the better. Sometimes it’s gradual. And outwardly at least, life appears much the same. But quite often, meeting Jesus messes everything up. It …Read More
Guest post by C: Picture of Jesus by Ariakne, aged 8. Click for source. There’s a song we used to sing when I was younger, called ‘Turn Your Eyes Upon a Jesus’. I believe it was written by Helen H. Lemmel. These are the words: O soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Saviour, And life more abundant and free (Chorus) Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look …Read More
For millions of readers, the Vogue model represents the pinnacle of femininity. But what we see as ‘beauty’, can be very disordered indeed. Former Vogue editor, Kirstie Clements, has written a book, (‘The Vogue Factor‘) about her experiences. Here’s an extract: ‘I was dressing a model and…noticed scabs on her knees. When I queried her about them, she said nonchalantly, ‘Because I’m always so hungry, I faint a lot’. She thought it was completely normal to pass out each day, …Read More
