This stunning photo was taken while on holidays recently. It was a sight to behold: dazzling colour in the midst of vast stretches of green fields. One could hardly believe that such vivid colours were possible. The air was cool but not cold. There was the slightest hint of rain, and indeed, a few drops […]
Author: Steph Penny
My Island Hideaway
Ps 32:7: “God’s my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.” (MSG) This little verse nestled in the middle of Psalm 32 gives poetic imagery of the rest that God’s children can find in Him. We often talk about resting in God and the peace of God; […]
Countercultural Contentment
Entitlement. It’s the new buzz word of our society. For some it’s a good thing, standing up for oneself and one’s rights; but it can get a bit carried away, even turning ugly and aggressive. Living in a relatively affluent part of Australia (not by any means the most affluent, but then affluence is relative), […]
Write Your Passion
Writer Red Smith famously penned, “There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” Although our modern world has moved on from typewriter times, I believe that the art of writing has not varied in its inherent nature. I used to write a diary. During my emotional […]
Ministry Matters
* When I was growing up, I thought that serving the Lord meant being a paid full-time pastor. I thought being in ministry meant having an official title in your church, along with status, authority and responsibilities. As a teenager, I joined the church band and helped to lead worship. I served during the week […]
Joyful, Joyful
“Joyful, joyful, Lord we adore Thee. . .” This poem written by Henry van Dyke perfectly encapsulates the act of corporate worship. While worship can be a serious, somber, reverent experience, it can also be a joyful one. All too often in our churches we focus on the former and restrict the latter. But I […]
Good Grief
My grandfather recently died and I now find myself wanting to blog about death and grief. Those of you who have been following my blogs for a while may recall that I have previously written about lamentations and joyful grief. This week I will be talking about some of the most beautiful and encouraging aspects […]
The Power of Meandering
“The first sentence of every novel should be: ‘Trust me, this will take time but there is order here, very faint, very human.’ Meander if you want to get to town.” – Michael Ondaatje. This well-known quote from Ondaatje’s novel In the Skin of a Lion speaks not only to the style of writing that […]
The Purpose of Parody
Listening to songs by Weird Al Yankovic has got me thinking about parody songs, their nature and their purpose. For those unfamiliar with Weird Al or with parody songs generally, strap yourselves in and we’ll go for a spin. The world of parody is part humour and part serious. Typically, parodies aim to make comment […]
Worship as a Window
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the nature of authentic worship. It is a mark of courage when one embraces the worship of God as He truly is. Such worship will inevitably bring us toward an encounter with our own true selves. It is an adventure not for the faint-hearted. Worship can act as […]