Merry Christmas To the bodies that let us down At the most wonderful time Of the year. *** Merry Christmas To the illnesses that strike During last-minute shopping, To the last-minute doctor’s appointments, To the hope that this is nothing serious. *** Merry Christmas To the cancelled plans, Disappointed relatives, Uneaten food. *** Merry Christmas […]
Born to Die
In the lead up to Christmas, I’ve been thinking not about Jesus’ birth but his death. I suppose it’s because you can’t have one without the other. It’s also because Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was to die for our sins, and the purpose of his death was to rise again. This makes Jesus […]
Flares, Flowers and a Big Pile of Manure
I had a flare-up this week. Before you ask, everything is OK, but at one point it was so bad it landed me in hospital. Flares can be scary. Chronic illness is painful enough, but when your symptoms flare from smouldering into flame, or when terrifying symptoms strike out of nowhere, it can bring your […]
I’m Childless—And Unashamed
There seems to be a lot of social media shaming childless people at present. They mock us for ageing alone. They point out how selfish we are. They bemoan the future of the Church, saying its decline is imminent without procreating couples—as though the Church were on the fragile precipice of implosion and childless people […]
Travel Diaries of a Sick Girl—It Still Sucks, But the View’s Amazing: Part 2
In our last episode, I have been struck down with pain in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, making it difficult to walk. Read on to find out what happens next… The pain slowly eased off after about two weeks and I was able to manage most walks—and even stairs. I had another brief bout of […]
Travel Diaries of a Sick Girl: It Still Sucks, But the View’s Amazing! – Part 1
I recently went traipsing through Europe. I ate German sausage in Bavaria, walked over the mountains of Switzerland and shopped in Austria. I did other things too (in case you were wondering) but the food and the mountains were the highlights. And shopping at Swarovski. I was pretty sick while overseas. For those of you […]
Creativity is Inefficient—And That’s a Good Thing
As a kid, I loved to daydream. I would sit for hours, staring through my bedroom window into the backyard, imaging all sorts of characters going on quests and having adventures. My toys and LEGO constructions mirrored these daytime fantasies, and I enjoyed books that took me into other worlds too. I started writing stories […]
Is Writing Cathartic?
‘How wonderful to express your pain through writing,’ people often enthuse. ‘It must be so cathartic!’ Yes—and no. On the one hand, I find it helpful to get my feelings onto paper or screen. Seeing things in black and white can give me clarity about my problems, not to mention perspective. Sometimes, when I write […]
It’s Conference Time!
Tonight the 2023 Omega Christian Writer’s Conference begins. I’m just a tiny bit excited about this. Why? It’s not just the opportunity to think more creatively, learn about the business and art of writing, and spend time actually writing. It’s not just the inspirational talks, the information and resources, and the practical help offered by […]
A Vocation of Existing
I had big dreams as a kid. I loved singing, acting and being on the stage. I wanted to do something musical and creative with my life. Then, as a teenager, I encountered God in a radical way. I had always known God, but he took my life and rearranged it, in the way a […]