Biblical Validation: Guest Post

By • May 7, 2020 • Blog

In another thought-provoking guest post, Sharon Hastings asks, ‘what is ‘validation’ and why is it biblical?’ Thank you so much, Sharon… Mourning With Those Who Mourn A Near-Crisis I suffer from schizoaffective disorder, a severe mental illness with symptoms of both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and between 2015 and early 2019 was hospitalised fifteen times with psychotic depression.  In the year since, I have been relatively functional – writing, keeping up to date with housework, attending my appointments, and maintaining …Read More

Out Of Touch

By • March 26, 2020 • Blog

Today’s guest post is a blinder – and it’s from a very dear friend, Jeanette Howard. It struck a chord with me; and I think it will with you too. Jeanette writes; I am single and I live alone.  I am now into my 12th day of no physical contact with another human being. Not that I’m counting. Much. I don’t even have a pet to connect with; something that breathes and moves and takes notice of your presence. Feeding and …Read More

Redeem or Replace?

By • March 13, 2020 • Blog

This question rattles around my head like loose coins in the washer: “What are the bits of me that God wants to change, and what if it feels like those bits are the very core of who I am?” Take my desire for order and routine. It’s been a part of me since I can remember. From the toddler policing the sand-pit; to the adult who can’t sleep till she’s unpacked her case… I cannot imagine a me that does …Read More

This week….

By • February 11, 2020 • Blog

Whatever lies ahead, here’s what we know for sure… We have a loving Father who is working all things together for our good. Sometimes we’ll feel angry or sad or overwhelmed or unsafe or crazy.  These feelings are not the truth and they will pass. Our circumstances will change. Suffering has a “used by” date and there is hope. Only Jesus’ future is forever.  Whatever mistakes we make, there is always more grace in Jesus than there is sin in us …Read More

Restless, till we find the right kind of restlessness

By • January 31, 2020 • Blog, blogging

by Glen We were talking about singleness but we could have been talking about anything. “Finding someone” was the way into the conversation but the way out requires us to set aside “finding someone”. Hopefully we’ll be able to do that in this post, even though we’ll begin with that issue. Really I want to talk about “satisfaction in Christ” and “finding your identity in Jesus” and all that stuff that trips off good Christians’ lips. What on earth does …Read More

No-one expects..the Podcast Inquisition

By • November 27, 2019 • Blog

James Cary is Mr Podcasts and I was fortunate enough to be inquisitioned (is that a thing?) by him for The Inquisition Podcast. Listen in here as I talk about my story and the difference Jesus makes. And do subscribe to the Inquisition — a fab new podcast. Share…FacebookTwitterTumblrPinterestStumbleUponDiggemail

The One Who Is Comfort — God the Spirit

By • November 21, 2019 • Blog

It’s the last in our series on the Trinity.  And to round it off, here’s a wonderful guest post from Glen… “Remember guys,” said the youth leader, with wide-eyed, hyper-Haribo, youth-leader enthusiasm, “the Spirit is NOT an it. It’s a He!” The lesson the youth leader wanted to teach is the lesson he needed to learn. He knew that the personhood of the Spirit was important. Technically. But that didn’t change the way he related to the Spirit. He knew he should call …Read More

‘What did you do today?’

By • November 5, 2019 • Blog

Glen comes home to find me, face-down on the sofa. The house looks like we’ve been burgled. The kids are hollering and trying to find a comfortable sitting position on my spine. ‘How was your day?‘ I mumble into a cushion. ‘Yeah, fine.  Couple of meetings.  Finishing scripts for new Christmas videos.  Skyped someone in the States.  Wrote my talks for the conference and sent off a manuscript. Sent off the funding applications and did a session on Trinity with the …Read More

The One Who Is Grace — God the Son

By • November 2, 2019 • Blog

In the last post we thought about how God is not primarily a law-giver or an abstract ideal of goodness. He’s an eternal Father. We know this because Jesus — in all His grace — reveals Him to us. Here’s how: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9) Loving Fathers give their children gifts. But the gift of Jesus is unlike any other. He’s given to us in …Read More

The One Who is Love — God the Father

By • October 22, 2019 • Blog, blogging, BPD

Out of all the members of the Trinity, God the Father is the one I’m most wary of.  Sure, He’s called Father. But my mind runs to some authoritarian Dad from the Victorian ages. Perhaps He doesn’t want relationship. Instead, He looms behind His friendlier Son; Don’t make too much noise.  Obey the rules.  Go through the proper channels. And always, always refer to me by my proper titles: Creator,  Ruler,  Enforcer. Dad…? You must be joking. In some ways, this …Read More