Art takes you places and invites you to savour new thoughts and ideas. Recently I came across this picture of Jesus and the Little Children. Painted by Carl Bloch it grabbed my attention. The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But […]
Spiritual Formation
243 posts
Where are you now? Erik Fisher and Jim Woods have just written a wonderful book on goal setting. Erik has a truly brilliant podcast called ‘Beyond the To Do List’. The first chapter asks the question. Where are you now? The point he is making is that in order to […]
What is the most dangerous word in the world? I recently asked this question via my various social networks. The responses were interesting. Here are some. No Yes Can’t If Love For me, I think the most dangerous word in the world is ‘love’. To love means risk. It […]
Right out of the blue some words are spoken and thoughts are triggered. Feelings rush in like a flood. The panic button has been pushed. Panic, heart racing, fear, sweat. Your mind is completely caught up in this moment of drama You trace out the possible future if ‘this’ […]
There are times we need someone to walk alongside and remind us very clearly that we are loved and have value. It might your own thought life that wants to drag you down. It might be abuse from others or stigma. For Francis of Assisi, it was his father. Francis […]
‘I would never have dreamed that I could have done that.’ I think I get my greatest joy in life when I see people achieve dreams that they never thought would be possible. Mental Illness, and disability in general, often robs people of opportunities. Just because a person has depression, […]
What would a Mentally Healthy Spirituality look like? Over my life, I have been involved in many different styles of Christian denominational expression, or Ice Cream flavors as I like to say. Staid conservative Bible fundamentalism, ‘swinging from the chandeliers’ Pentecostalism, social justice activism, and many other ice cream flavors. […]
To be known is to be pursued, examined, and shaken. To be known is to be pursued, examined, and shaken. To be known is to be loved and to have hopes and even demands placed on you. It is to risk, not only the furniture in your home being rearranged, but […]
It was one of those magic moments that will stay in my memory forever, I can still hear the echoes now. The Pisa Baptistery is famous for its perfect acoustics. The guide stands on the other side of the baptistery and sings a few notes, pauses then sings a few more, […]
When you are trying to change a default thinking habit or behavior, it is like learning to drive on the other side of the road. It’s hard work. Whether you drive on the left or the right, changing your thinking is difficult. It must be very frightening for foreign drivers […]