Connection. If you’re like most of us, you think about connection in the context of our digital age—connected via social media, gaming, video platforms and even the electrical grid. Always on, always going. Disconnecting is what everyone is screaming about, as they post waterfall photos to show the rest of the world just how unplugged they are. But what if connection is something we need? I don’t mean with thousands of strangers via social media. I mean with our kids. ... continue reading
There are many reasons why a parent might be the solo discipler in the home. Maybe you’re the only parent. Maybe you’re the only parent who follows after Jesus. Maybe your spouse is deployed, or their job requires them to be away for long periods of time, or you are widowed, or your child’s other parent has never been present. Whatever the case may be, family dynamics are much more complicated than neat little demographic boxes we tick on a registration form. And that complicates not only our lives, but our discipling relationships with our kids. ... continue reading
If your schedule looks anything like mine, it can make a person uninitiated in the realm of colour-coded calendars dizzy. There’s a colour dedicated to this kid, a colour dedicated to that kid. One for work stuff, one for family stuff, and even the dogs have their own special colour on the calendar. Ok, so the dogs don’t have a lot of appointments, but once you go down that colour-coding rabbit hole, you just can’t leave them out. Or maybe you’re more of a non-calendar person and sticky notes are your thing. Whatever your method is, if you have kids, you’re probably busier than you want to be.... continue reading
I found attending church after miscarriage an uncomfortable experience. Women would make their way to my wife to express their condolences and ask how she was doing. Most men simply gave either a greeting or a handshake, engaging in conversation as though nothing had happened. A few expressed their sorrow for our loss. Only one man hugged me.... continue reading
My weekend paper had a recent feature: “A bloke’s guide to summer”. It opened by saying, “Guys, remember when all you needed to do when the sun shone was break out a Hawaiian shirt and put some beers on ice? Now, so much more is required: ribbed abs, tight trunks, waxed torso—and expert barbecue skills”. Yet my guess is that even as the writing bemoaned that fact, all of the photos accompanying the article had been edited.... continue reading
In and of itself, there’s nothing wrong with planning ahead. John Wesley, the great evangelist, even used to plan out his day in twenty-minute segments, ensuring that a third of an hour wouldn’t pass without him addressing himself to matters of God’s kingdom. But in these verses, James offers a word to men and women in every generation who are addicted to their calendars, who clutch at their phones, and who live with the impression deep down that the world will stop turning if they get off track.... continue reading
In Scripture, mountains are often places where people meet God. Mount Zion, for example, is both a real place—the mountain on which Jerusalem (and the temple) was built—and an idea: a term to describe how God meets with and lives among his people. It’s also called Mount Moriah (Genesis 22)—the place where God provided a sacrifice in the place of Isaac.... continue reading
I’m sure there are many reasons Jesus said, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). But surely one of them had to do with a child’s capacity for experiencing amazement?... continue reading
“My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing that he cannot do.”
It’s too easy to ruin this beloved children’s song. One friend of mine is in the habit of singing, “My dog is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing that he cannot do (woof woof)”. That friend has a lot to answer for (and a disappointingly small dog)—once you’ve heard his version it’s hard not to sing it by mistake.... continue reading
Most of us love to eat. Away from home we explore different foods, take more time over meals and treat ourselves. In our family, we have various traditions around food on trips away—taking it in turns to cook, going out for breakfast and several others. Personally, I love ice cream, especially on a beach, in a cheap cone with a chocolate flake. To me that’s the taste of sun, freedom and childhood.... continue reading
