The majority of life is made up of one mundane moment followed by another. Occasionally, we have exceptionally exciting events, but then, as surely as autumn follows summer, ‘normal life’ kicks back in. Floors need sweeping, plants need watering, food needs cooking and messages need responding to. I wonder, which are the moments that truly …
This series on words is coming to end. However, we would be wise to never stop seeking to improve how we speak. As the Bible says: “We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.” (James 3:2) Speaking without fault might …
Gentle words can turn away anger. They can make a person feel welcome, bring healing to the hurting and hope to the shamed. Yet, in our culture, gentleness is often associated with weakness. In fact, one of the definitions in the Oxford dictionary for gentle is ‘not strong’. In 1 Peter 3:4, Paul says that …
One way we must use our words daily, is when disciplining our children. Discipline is a difficult process for both the person disciplining and the person being disciplined. Having to decide on and set clear expectations, and then come up with reasonable consequences for when those expectations are not met, is no easy task. Add …
My husband and I have an unusually large number of children (5 in a country where the average is about 1.9[i]). This is highlighted by the reaction people have when we meet them in the street. Rarely can I go out without at least somebody stopping to ask me: ”Are they all yours?” We have …
In early 2020, before the first lockdown, I was at a comedy club, with a couple of good friends. One of the comedians performing that night was from Malawi. He joked that he needed to go back home to see what a stable government looked like! The Malawian government is not known for its stability, …
God can bring about good, from even the worst situations. In the last blog, I looked at Joseph. Joseph was forced into slavery, unjustly imprisoned, and still God used those 13, seemingly wasted years, to bring about good. Through them, Joseph learnt skills that helped him to lead Egypt through a national famine, saving thousands …
Apparently, bumble-bees were once called humble-bees. Darwin, and others, referred to them as humble-bees simply because, as they fly, they hum. ¹ Over time, the use of the prefix bumble became more popular, partly with the help of Babbity Bumble’s appearance in Beatrix Potter’s ‘Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse’. Was it the advent of Potter’s notorious …
“Ask the green plants of the earth and they’ll teach you… Who among all of these doesn’t know that the LORD’s hand made them, and that the life of every living thing rests in his control.” Job 8-10 ISV Did you know, the soil in the rainforest is not actually very fertile? Because of …
We’ve had a Jubilee-themed week, which started on Monday morning with this lovely book. It covers some of the important moments in the Queen’s life, and how, through it all, her faith in Jesus, has been her anchor. In the evenings, I shared the story of Queen Esther, from the Bible, with my two …