I love this post from Glen… The frown, the pout, the head cocked, the bottom lip thrust out… who teaches toddlers how to sulk? It’s not a look we’ve tried to inculcate. It must be some kind of primeval muscle memory. Down the generations, identical whinges have emerged from three year olds, like secret lemon juice messages becoming visible under the iron. Children are marked with the sulking signature. When the heat is on, out it comes. Sometimes, if it’s …Read More
I know it in my head. The bible tells me. My church preaches it. I sing about it. I even tell myself. I’m loved by God – but I don’t always feel it. And if I don’t feel it, then what’s the point? There are plenty of alternatives. I down a coffee and can take on the world. I buy toys for my daughter and instantly feel better. I press ‘play’ and the real world disappears. I hit ‘send’ and …Read More
One of the hardest things about doubt is admitting it’s there. Like inviting a flood; if I don’t believe this, then what about this and this and this? Does God hear my prayers? Does He care? Is He even there? It’s all well and good if you’re a self-proclaimed atheist. In this situation, the only way is up. But what if you’re the leader of a home group? What if you teach the children Sunday school? What if you’re employed …Read More
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, a learning curve, a journey and a million other cliches that try – and fail to capture the reality. Nappies, stitches and sleepless nights, I was prepared for. What I hadn’t anticipated was the heart surgery. The fierce and painful emotion that courses, hot, through every vein. Love, I suppose. But not like I love my cats or I love books or I love mashed potatoes. Something else – primitive and frightening. I’d die …Read More
As human beings, we’re made to have feelings. And, expressed rightly, those feelings, (even the “bad” ones), are good. But it’s hard to get the balance right. Do we let them lead us and tell us who we are? Or squash ’em and pretend they don’t exist? How does A Christian process emotion – loud and proud? Or masked and mute? First of all, it’s worth recognising that all sorts of factors determine how we feel about our feelings: Family. Growing up …Read More
Guest post from Glen: Hope is a good thing, right? But hope is also hard. This struck me as I read the atheist, Julian Baggini’s reflections on hope . Baggini seems to have four problems with hope. He argues that: First, it’s groundless. How do we know “the sun will come out tomorrow”? It might not. Second, it breeds inactivity. In common parlance we say “we can only hope” when there’s literally nothing else to be done. It’s a feeble and enfeebling …Read More
An email I received recently, (quoted with permission): Dear Emma, It’s 5am and I am writing to a complete stranger. .. I apologise for taking this liberty but I have been reading your blog and I think you will understand. I will not be ruled by lies any more, but they shout loudly tonight. Alone, unprotected, unloved. Single women, particularly single women with a history of mental health problems aren’t taken seriously in evangelical churches. Or perhaps I am immature …Read More
Shout for joy to the Lord Come before Him with thanksgiving Praise Him in the dishes and the rumble of the bus Praise Him in the stillness and praise Him in the fuss Praise Him in the sounding of the car horn and the kettle Praise Him with the plastic and the nylon and the metal Praise Him in the muesli and praise Him in the Marmite Praise Him in the sunshine and praise Him in the firelight Praise Him …Read More
Emotions are like muggers. They creep up on you from behind. They steal your lunch. They’re knock you to the floor and cling to your neck. Anger ‘overcame’ me. Anxiety ‘attacked’ me. Guilt ‘ate me up’. Fear ‘paralysed’ me with its scary laser gun. The trick with feelings, is to squash them before they squash you. Sit on them or poke them in the eye. Stuff them in a drawer and ignore the rattles. But whatever you do, don’t give …Read More
Glen and I are arguing thinking about whether or not you should go to bed on an argument. He’s giving me some Ephesians chat about sunshine and anger but I dunno. You’re arguing and you’re tired. No point making a hasty truce when you’re not thinking straight – right? Much better to get some kip so you can go at it properly in the morning. Ok, maybe go with the Bible on this one. But seems to me like there’s twaddle …Read More
