Saying Goodbye to Ali, Thanking God for His Gifts
Merryn and I lost a friend this week. We first met Ali as she was battling ovarian cancer and watched her fight with remarkable perseverance, cheer, even cheekiness. And at first it looked like she'd won. But on Friday Ali left us. Here's the remarkable story I will probably most remember her for.
What Makes You Happy? Whatever it is, it Points to Something Greater
What makes you happy? The smell of baked bread, seeing adversity overcome, viewing the world through a child's eyes or sinking into soft pillows at the end the day? Here are a few things that make me happy, and why I believe everyday joys like these point to something greater still.
This 7th-Century Saint Can Help You Discover Your Gifts
Saint Hilda was a woman ahead of her time. A profound teacher, patron of the arts and spiritual guide to both peasant and king, the story I love most about her is her interaction with a farmhand named Caedmon. As Hilda helps Caedmon test his unexpected calling, we too can learn how to discover our
Where is Home for You? It May Not Be Where You Live
Where is 'home' for you—that place where you feel you most belong? Is it the house where you grew up? Is it your current home? Is it just being with your loved ones, wherever you are? As you'll read and hear, when the topic of 'home' was given to me by Radio 2 producers, it
This Christmas Child
'Watch him. Watch this child, who grows into a boy, who grows into a man, and is found to be so much more. Watch as he is born—with angelic visitations and bright lights in the sky. Watch as he grows—in favour and stature, and pursues his calling from heaven.' As 2014 ends, I wish you
Advent: A Window on Our Lives
The period leading up to Christmas is traditionally called Advent. Advent is a time of waiting and preparation as we 'wait' for the Messiah's birth and prepare for his promised return one day. A recent experience helped me see that Advent also reflects the whole of our lives.
An 11th Commandment?
We all know the 10 Commandments. Well, this week the producers of BBC Radio 2's Pause for Thought segment asked me to come up with an 11th Commandment. I came up with this, but not before discovering an endearing fact about early morning presenter Vanessa Feltz!
A Christian Take on a Jewish Festival for Secular People
Here was my task on BBC Radio 2 this morning: to speak as a Christian about a Jewish festival to a secular audience. No pressure! As Jews around the world observe Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, this weekend, I suggested this Jewish holiday has value for us all. Here's the audio and transcript.
Still Waiting for God to Heal You? There’s Hope. Get Your FREE eBook Now
Why do some get healed through prayer and others don't? Why do some receive instantaneous cure while others wait? Today I release a new ebook on how to respond when our prayers go unanswered. It doesn’t answer every question, but I hope it offers help. It's available FREE for you now.
Hollywood’s Hidden Christian Past
We know Hollywood as a place of glitz and glamour. But that's not how it started. When Harvey and Daeida Wilcox bought 160 acres of Californian valley in 1885 their vision was to create nothing less than a Christian utopia. Here's what happened next.