Why Jesus Would Welcome Refugees…& Eat With Donald Trump

By author | February 8, 2016 |

I’ve always been reluctant to blog about politics. Because politics can be so divisive. We’re all entitled to our own political perspectives and opinions, and I’d never want to force anyone – or even be seen to be trying to force anyone – to agree with me. Nor do I want to create an “us v them” mentality. That’s just unhealthy and deconstructive.

We’re all in this together. Whatever our beliefs.

I have no interest in being divisive. I’m for reconciliation, community, inclusivity – with those I agree, and disagree with.

Today there’s something I felt, to be true to who I am, I simply had to share. So if you disagree with this post, I’ve got no problem with that. We’re still friends.

All of which brings me to the topic at hand.

Donald Trump, prospective Republican candidate for President. And why I believe that – despite his politics of fear, exclusion and, frankly, hate – that as Christians, we should be willing to eat dinner with him.

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Fear Can’t Dictate – Love Always Wins

By author | November 23, 2015 |

I didn’t blog last week. In light of recent events in the world, I felt it was right to be silent, out of respect of the days of mourning set aside for the victims of the violence – in France, and in Lebanon too.

I felt a particularly strong sense of despair at these attacks. For a number of reasons – the more vulnerable place I’m at in my journey, having a good friend who lives in Paris. Like many of us, I needed time to process it all.

As I reflected, two words keep coming up for me in light of those attacks.

Fear. Love.

And right now, fear seems to be winning.

But I choose to say something different today. I say that love wins. And ultimately, it always will.

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Spilling The Blood Of Our Wounds (#OutOfSortsBook)

By author | October 12, 2015 |

Do you ever feel out of sorts?

The feeling that underneath the veneer of ‘togethered-ness’ you give to the majority of the world around you, you are ready to fall apart.

And that sense that all the certainty of what you believed – whether atheist, agnostic, or someone of faith, something doesn’t make sense? That there’s more than the certainty you once knew.

Or maybe, if you’re a Christian like me, that all the rigid rules, doctrines and beliefs you once held sacred just don’t fit with the material reality of your life?

Me too.

I’m pretty good at the whole, “I’ve got it sorted” routine. Sometimes, even, it’s a little true. But in the last few years the veneer of certainty has gone.

The more I’ve spoken about the way my faith is evolving, the more voices of disagreement I hear.

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A Day Which Proved Love Wins

By author | July 6, 2015 |

Friday 26th June 2015. A day which will go down in history. A day which will become many LGBT couple’s wedding anniversary.

This was the day the US Supreme Court ruled that same sex marriage was a legal right across the US.

I can’t tell you the joy I felt, as a straight ally, as this news sunk in. The freedom this gave to so many. A right which had been denied for so long, finally made legal.

In some ways it’s tragic that we should celebrate this day with such enthusiasm – because this should never have been an issue up for discussion. Each of us should always have been free to make that covenant relationship of marriage with another. To commit to be faithful to someone before God for the rest of their lives.

But the reason this gave me so much hope, was simply because it proved again to me one simple thing.

Love wins.

Love always wins.

It sometimes takes patience. It sometimes takes sacrifice. It might meet resistance. It may have to battle it’s way through lots of boundaries.

But, in the end, love wins.

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Why Authenticity Can Require Sacrifice

By author | February 1, 2015 |

One thing which keeps me blogging is the opportunity to interact and build relationship with you, my readers. As regular readers will know, one thing I am passionate about is authenticity. For us all to be true to who we really are, to discover our true identity & calling.

Maybe it’s because of my own past – a victim of bullying, feeling an outsider, growing up in a broken home & losing my Mum relatively young, and being shy & introverted – but I’ve always felt a passion, a desire to speak out for minority groups. For those oppressed, rejected, outside, misunderstood, either by church or culture, or both.

For me to be true to who I am, to practice what I preach and be authentic in my writing, at least some of my writing is going to involve speak out for some of these groups. This is what’s led me to speak up & blog about gender equality in church. And it’s what’s now leading me to speak up on one of the most contentious issues in the Christian church today.

A topic which is divisive, and which makes this one of the bravest blog posts/series I’ve ever written.

Because the group I’m speaking out for is the LGBT community.

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Why To Begin 2015 With Grace – Not Plans or Goals

By author | December 31, 2014 |

I’ve lost count of the posts I’ve seen in the last week about ‘making the most of 2015’, or ‘reviews of the year’ or ‘setting goals for the next year’ or a topic related to it.

There’s nothing wrong at all with these.They can be useful – and many of them have challenged and inspired me. It’s good to make plans and set goals with a new year coming.

But to me there’s something else we need to do first.

My biggest challenge to you all for this coming year, is before you execute any plans, goals or anything else,

to begin with grace.

To realise your true identity, your true self, as you are right now, with all it’s complications, mess, and difficulties

is enough. Already.

It’s healthy and important to make plans and set goals for our year – I’ve been doing some of my own – but remember whatever the outcome of your plans, whether you achieve your goals or not

you’re already enough.

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The Oxygen Of Solidarity

By author | December 22, 2014 |

I hadn’t planned on posting something by myself today. I did have another guest post lined up – which you’ll now see next Monday. You see, this morning something happened which changed my plans. An experience, a story, I knew I had to share with you today.

As I write, it’s 7.26am on a cold Monday morning, three days before Christmas. I can hear the rustling of the wind outside, the quiet hollows of a force so much more powerful. But this force of nature feels as nothing right now, against the power of the many noiseless but resounding voices of support I’m feeling through social media.

The oxygen of solidarity. Shining a glimmer of hope.

And I understand in an instant the power of two of the most powerful words in the universe:

“Me Too.”

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Finding Grace – Guest Post by Rachael (@Raishimi)

By author | October 16, 2013 |

Hi everyone. Today I’m delighted to welcome a new guest poster to the blog, Rachael (@Raishimi). I’ve encountered her writing more and more and been in contact with her over the last few months. She is poetic, honest, writer who is not afraid to speak the truth as she sees it. She writes in a…

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Why Hope Never Dies

By author | July 5, 2013 |

(Picture: Paulo Gamba through Creative Commons) Ever watched a sports game and your team seems to have everything go against it? Like there are some outside forces, beyond our control, deciding the destiny of our team? Or you see a film, or read a book, and you just ‘know’ what is going to happen? Like…

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