Goldfish see what’s in the water, they see what’s refracted through the water, but I assume (I haven’t done the proper investigations) that goldfish don’t see the water itself. And yet there it is. It’s their environment. Universal but invisible. It shapes everything they do and everything they see. But they don’t see it.... continue reading
“Faith is believing things you know ain’t so.” Mark Twain’s definition rings true for many today. It’s common to think of faith as pretending to certainties you couldn’t possibly be sure of. So then, how does anyone manage to have faith? Well, the folk wisdom is that you need to take a leap.... continue reading
When you think about it, joy in suffering makes no sense apart from God’s grace, yet this is the testimony of believers throughout church history. Take, for example, the Christians to whom the apostle Peter sent his first epistle. He addressed them as “elect exiles of the dispersion” (1 Peter 1:1).... continue reading
Queen Elizabeth II has been Britain’s queen for over 70 years, having become queen in 1926 when she was just 25 years old. During her reign she has worked with 14 British prime ministers and met every US president since Harry S. Truman (except for President Lyndon B. Johnson). She has also met chart-topping pop stars, medal-winning athletes, and knew the Bible teachers Billy Graham and John Stott. Her travels have taken her to over 110 countries across six continents, making her Britain’s best-travelled as well as longest-reigning monarch.... continue reading
We could spend all our limited time and energy chasing answers to our questions. It's certainly tempting to think that if we only caught them, we'd be satisfied. But what if God intended our questions to drive us to him—the satisfier of our souls—instead?... 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
How do we rest in the world of frenetic activity? How do we rest in the way Jesus calls us to rest? How do we rest in a way that leaves our souls refreshed, our hearts overflowing with love, our minds at peace and with space for creative thought, and our hands willing to do good works? For me, one answer is the sea.... continue reading
There will be a day when every child of God will be invited to the one funeral that we will all want to attend: we will be invited to the funeral of death.
Yes, it really is true—death will die and eternally be no more. Along with it will die all the grief, pain, fear, sadness, suffering, and loss that death always drags with it. The completely righteous life of Jesus, the acceptable sacrifice of Jesus, and the victorious resurrection of Jesus, all accomplished on our behalf, guarantee that the enemy of everyone living—death—will finally and forever die.... continue reading
One of the best things about longer days and time away is getting to read more. Staycation, vacation or simply living at a slower pace over the summer are all great excuses to settle down with a book you've been wondering about or to dive into a topic you don't normally have the headspace for.... continue reading
As you write out your packing list for your summer holiday, don’t forget to include a few books to enjoy on the porch, poolside or even in the car! Here’s what we would recommend this summer and why. ... continue reading
