I recently had a great experience of prayer. A group of friends came over and prayed for my illness. Guess what? They didn’t pray that I would be healed. They didn’t assume what I wanted. Instead, they listened while I articulated my prayer needs. Then, gently and sensitively, they prayed as the Holy Spirit led […]
God
Is Singledom A ‘Season’?
‘Don’t worry, your singleness is just for a season,’ my friend reassured me. ‘Why don’t you use this season to work on yourself?’ Ugh. There is so much in these two seemingly innocuous sentences that irks me. Beyond the misconception that once you work on yourself the right partner will magically appear, summoned by your […]
Keep Calm and Keep on Writing
I sit alone on the park bench, watching the world go by. Nearby walkers pass in and out of my field of vision, but I am not watching them. Their chatter, and the chatter of birds, dimly registers in my consciousness. There is a rose garden to my left; from here, I can see the […]
What is ‘Real’ Strength?
‘God said this once and for all; how many times have I heard it repeated? “Strength comes straight from God.”’ – Psalms 62:11 (MSG) The life of chronic illness is one of perpetual fatigue and weariness. I constantly feel physically weak, as though weights are attached to every part of my body. Everything from throbbing […]
Praying Through Infertility—Faith Renovations
‘When we start from the foundation of knowing we are loved, rather than demolishing our faith, times of pain can lead to faith renovations…’ – ‘A Firm Foundation’, Katherine Gantlett, from Praying Through Infertility. This quote for me sums up the entire message and tone of Praying Through Infertility, the 90-day devotional for men and women struggling […]
Swansong: A Reflection
I recently reread Jo-Anne Berthelsen’s new book, Swansong. I had already read it as an endorser, but when I received a paperback copy hot off the press, I just had to read it again! (Ah, the tactile pleasure of reading a tangible book. Who’s with me?) Berthelsen’s exhortations toward words of affirmation resonated with me. Many […]
You Mustn’t Let a Little Thing Like ‘Little’ Stop You
I really enjoyed watching the new Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical. One of the catchiest songs for me was Naughty, in which the eponymous Matilda, a plucky young girl, sings: You mustn’t let a little thing like ‘little’ stop you! The song is about how you can be brave and take matters into your own hands, even though […]
Reflecting on Stories of Life
I recently read the 2023 Stories of Life anthology, Terracotta Travellers and Other Stories of Life, and I found myself deeply moved by the tales I absorbed. Each narrative described unique ways of meeting God, like facets of a turning kaleidoscope. Some were mundane (not that there’s anything mundane about God), some were extraordinary and some […]
The Pressure to Marry (and Become an Instant Baby-Making Machine)
‘So, when are you guys gonna have kids?’ My friend’s question hit me square between the eyes. To say I was surprised would have been an understatement. I was freshly engaged, not yet married. Was it normal to be pestered by baby-related questions the minute one got engaged? Unfortunately, I am not alone in my […]
Random Acts of Kindness
Sickness can be lonelifying. Not to mention depressing. So it goes without saying that simple acts of kindness in the midst of sickness can go a long way. I’ve been sick for the past few weeks. This week, while resigning myself to another lonely week of persistent nausea (I’ve got enough nausea to light Sydney […]