Posts from September 2018
What if the Worst Happens?
“I found myself growing fearful. Not a heart-stopping, all-encompassing fear, but the kind of constant gnawing that occurs when you look at the discouraging trends of the present and assume things will never change. When you think about the future and wonder, “What if the worst happens?” What if. I’ve spent a lifetime considering the “what ifs.” Those questions have a way of unsettling me, destroying my peace, leaving me insecure.” Read more…
What Church is like for a person on the Autism Spectrum
“Like most people on the autism spectrum, I need some structure and predictability. Surprises are challenging. Unwanted physical exchanges can be difficult. I often can’t sustain eye contact. Some weeks I can’t participate in activities that fall in the category of fellowship. No one expects you to walk on eggshells or get everything right. Just aim for greater knowledge and empathy. Listening to our stories—including reading pieces like this—is a great start.” Read more…
Take the Long View
“Now politics is one thing, our lives are another. I wonder if as Christians we’re in danger of exactly the same sort of short-term thinking? What would it look like if I held Jesus to the same standards that I demand from a Prime Minister? I reckon I’d be calling for a leadership spill far too often. But that would only be because I had utterly unrealistic expectations about what should be happening. Yet I wonder if our increasingly short-term…
Is Reading the Bible a Chore or a Delight?
“How is the Bible to you at the moment? A page turner or a turn off-er? So, here’s a question worth answering: is there anything we can do to trigger a moment when reading the Bible stops being a chore and becomes a pleasure? In a dry spell, is there something that will foster some new spiritual energy? When reading has become a chore what, if anything, can shift us away from duty and toward delight?” Read more…