Busyness is a Bully, Comparison is a Tyrant. I Say, Enough
Busyness is a bully at the best of times, stomping around, wanting the playground to itself, chasing peace away first, then patience, kindness, joy, and self-control. But this bully becomes a tyrant when it teams up with comparison. Here's how the two work together. Let's say 'enough!' to their lies.
Marry Your Trial with Your Talent to Bring Something New into the World
I made a number of discoveries while writing The Making of Us, one of the most impacting being that the trials of life can release our best gifts into the world. All it takes is some creative merging of those trials with our God-given talents. In this short video I unpack the idea with some
Leather-Clad Preacher to Outlaws: The John Smith Interview (1942-2019)
In recent days the world has lost a great hero of the faith. John Smith, legendary Australian preacher, commentator, evangelist and founder of the God's Squad Motorcycle Club has died after a long battle with cancer. He addressed the United Nations, nearly faced execution in the Philippines, and followed a radical call to reach outlaw bikers
The Making of Us Audiobook
What makes us who we are? How do we adjust when things don’t go as we hoped? Can we recover if we make a choice that’s less than perfect? In The Making of Us I explore these questions and more by telling a story of two friends walking through the rugged beauty of England’s north.
The Hand That Spins the Galaxies Wants You Here. Introducing The Creed
One autumn morning not long ago, I walked to an Oxford cafe, took a window table, and pulled out my journal. I wanted to craft a statement - a creed of sorts - that would pull together what I'd learned while writing my new book The Making of Us. Something that captured what matters most in
Life has Three Journeys. The Second is the Hardest, But it Can Transform You
In his insightful little book The Second Journey, Gerald O'Collins divides life into three phases. The first is from childhood to adulthood, the third from old age to death. In between is the 'second journey': a path of great restlessness, questioning and even disillusionment that can nonetheless transform us for good. Here's an overview of
When You Stop Repeating the Lies and Start Believing What God Says About You
A troubled home life. Feelings of insecurity. A longing for love. Self-hatred. For Malcolm Duncan these feelings developed into a destructive morning mantra he would repeat in the mirror throughout his earliest years. Then one night he had an experience that changed everything. Malcolm's moving story shows what can happen when we stop repeating lies
A Simple Tool to Help You Make Sense of Life
According to the experts, writing in a journal can help you reduce stress, increase creativity, solve problems, and manage conflict. I’ve also found it to be an incredibly helpful tool for making sense of our personal histories. In this season of New-Year reflection, here are four key themes a journal can help you track to
What Was That First Christmas Like? This Might Give Us a Clue
I was struck with wonder recently on a cold, rainy night in London, when I came across a dozen angels—made of thousands of pulsing lights, hovering above Regent Street. It’s the most jaw-dropping Christmas display I’ve seen. It got me thinking about what that very first Christmas was like, and the sense of awe that’s
Why Believe? In the End, Christianity Rises or Falls on These Two Things
Some days I wonder why I’m a Christian. In a secular age, it isn’t great for your career; in some countries, following Jesus can sign your death sentence. With so many spiritual alternatives, why believe? I got thinking about this recently. A memory of a close call in the Dominican Republic helped bring my reasons