…in our weakness we can learn certain strengths: humility: suddenly, the plug is pulled. You’re not who you thought you were; and it hurts. You can’t think yourself out of it or get your act together. But with it, a savage freedom; a letting go – because it’s been taken from you. And in your emptiness, a new understanding of grace. God does it all – He always did, but now you see it. dependence: to survive, you must learn …Read More
My daughter is obsessed with the story of ‘Beauty and the Beast’. In fact, it’s now the soundtrack to not just my waking, but my sleeping hours. Along with some great songs, it’s another window on the truths of the gospel. Here’s a brilliant video from Go Chatter that explains why… Share…FacebookTwitterTumblrPinterestGoogle+StumbleUponDiggemail
Thanks for all of your prayers and messages of support for us over the next few weeks and months. Thanks too for reading this blog! I realised today, it’s been nearly nine years. So to celebrate, here’s my very first post… I’ve finally caved in. I am now ‘a blogger.’ I’ve been holding out against this for a long time. My husband’s been nagging me to blog ever since he started 3 years ago. I’ve always called myself a …Read More
It’s Autism Awareness month, so here’s a few misconceptions… It’s an illness. ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is not an illness or disease but a group of symptoms and behaviours that affect how people experience and react to the world around them. If you’ve got it, you can’t ‘cure’ it (you’re born with it, though it might be diagnosed in later life) – but you can learn ways of managing some of the issues it raises. It’s a new condition – …Read More
What am I here for? What makes me special? How should I spend my money and my time? Great questions; with a million possible answers. Go on a retreat. Declutter your home. Start a business. Meet your soul mate. Buy something you’ve always wanted. Move to the country. These are good things; but not enough to give life meaning. And that’s Christianity 101, right? Life is about getting to know Jesus more; and making Him known to others. But what does this …Read More
This week, Glen is on mission. He tells people about Jesus; and sometimes, as he talks, lives are changed. Eternal lives, as well as earthly. Hope and help, in place of pain and despair. A+E for the soul. What a job! What a responsibility! It must take a very special person to be an evangelist. … It does. In fact, it takes hundreds. But most of them you can’t see. Sometimes when Glen is speaking, he asks the church to …Read More
It’s not OK to be me. It’s not OK to be weak. God doesn’t want to hear from me. My friends don’t want to hear from me. If I try I will fail. No-one else struggles like this. God can’t use me. Definitely not right now. Having needs makes me pathetic. Naming my desires is too dangerous. I must have what she has. I should be where he is. I know what they’re thinking. They should know what I’m thinking. …Read More
1. Know that God doesn’t hate you. Self-hatred is not God’s plan for your life. He is not calling you to focus on all the reasons why you’re odd or rubbish or stupid or shameful. He’s not waiting in the bushes with a long lens to capture your mistakes. He’s not scowling at the front of class or sniggering behind your back. He is not condoning the critical voiceover that punctuates your waking moments. Think of how you feel when …Read More
The warnings: crying at almost everything. Choosing what to wear. Spilling sugar. Opening the blinds. Talking to another human being. Putting the duvet cover on. Finding the right change. not being able to cry. Or feel much of anything. Everyone and everything is behind a thick pane of glass and their words are muffled and you’re too tired to keep shouting ‘WHAAT?’… and anyway, your words are slow and not joined up and folks squint at you when you …Read More
My daughter loves wearing trainers, so I took her to buy some new ones. The sales assistant offered her three options in her size. Purple ones (with glitter), green ones (with a robot trim), and finally, navy ones. They all fitted – (and they were all fabulous), but she wasn’t keen. ‘No, no, no.’ It was late and the shop was closing, so I asked, ‘Are you sure?’ ‘Yes. None of these.’ ‘Ok,’ I said. ‘If you’re not going to wear …Read More
