How is the weather in your soul?
I didn’t know I needed it until I had read it. But what a gift it was, and the 'weather in my soul' changed because of it.
Latest
Happy Christmas!
What a gift; God has chosen to be here, in ordinary times amongst ordinary people in ordinary places.
God doesn't wait for space to be made.
God arrives in the middle of tired, stressed, ordinary, surviving, day-to-day lives. I love it.
What about the poor beautiful butterflies?
Anchored and free. Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Paul show the beauty of spiritual discipline.
The Advent 'walk' might include a skip.
It’s okay to feel wonder and to be childlike and to say, “Christmas is coming". God’s not threatened by our joy. God’s the source of it.
Advent is not a dash down Oxford Street
It's a steady, deliberate, meaningful walk in the light of the Lord.
If Jesus was coming tomorrow, how would you live today?
We know he's coming, because he said so...
The 'Holy Gasp' of Psalm 8
I'm not sure Psalm 8 is a soft, wedding-day psalm but a psalm of awe, astonishment and surprise.
Portfolio Reflections
It's been exhilarating and exasperating, testing, humbling and thought provoking; it has been a ‘significant piece of work’, probably the most significant piece of intentional work I have ever produced, but I think it accurately represents me.
Mission Week in The Western Dales; Christianity for Today.
Coming along to an event is as exciting as stepping on to a plane, and requires significantly less faith.
Lights, camera, action...action...action.
Here I go...intense portfolio production, half term, an Open Day at Queen's Foundation, some chance encounters and some really special moments of Grace...
Holy Shift: Word Cloud Studio
As I look to be 'creative' for certain sections of my candidating portfolio I got a bit distracted and 'vibe coded' a very cool (I think!) word cloud generator.
Faith
Do not spread fear, develop agility, think different.(ly)
For all of us, the invitation is to anchor our lives in Christ, and then live with the confidence and flexibility His love makes possible.
Challenge
The extravagant, excessive, reckless love of God.
Like radical hospitality, the love of God is extravagant, excessive and reckless by our standards. It is not sensible. It is not cautious. It is not concerned with reputation. It risks the raised eyebrow, the criticism, the whisper of disapproval.
Faith
The Past, Present, Future
Whether we’re saying, “I hate this,” or “I can’t wait,” the truth is the same. God is already there. And that makes new beginnings not just something to survive, but something to step into with hope.
Faith
We're all in 'The Club'
Yesterday was International Left-Handers Day, today is A-Level Results Day. A left turn, can still lead to the right destination.
Preaching
Are we living lightly enough?
Have we left room for The Kingdom? We don’t have to strive, we don’t have to store up. Calvary is enough.
Faith
God calls us back not to limit us but to free us
Sometimes, the most radical thing the Church can do is not run ahead but kneel.
Faith
There's Room for Both
The spontaneous sigh towards heaven and the carefully crafted liturgy. The 2am outpouring and the service book handed down through generations. There's room for both.
Faith
The Church Has Never Stood Still
From Henley Festival to Cliff College via Chesterfield. It's been a bit 'full on'. But the 'God moments' just keep coming. Oh, and I 'flicked through' John Wesley's Prayer Book...and saw a crooked spire.
Faith
The Quiet Revival
This quiet revival isn’t just a statistic. It’s a movement of the Spirit. And each of us has a part to play.
Services
I was creative, but...
My service themed around patience went well. Is there any such thing as a perfect formula for such things? No.
Faith
Saint Thomas Day
Thomas. The risk-taker, the challenger, the brave. It was Thomas who said "My Lord and my God!".
Challenge
Be Creative. OK, erm...
Writer's block is definitely a 'thing'. Overcoming the same when crafting a whole service and creating a portfolio...urgh.