psalm 15 is a short and schweet psalm and the message i got from it is to live well. the psalmist gives some examples of what living well looks like - 'speaks the truth from their heart', 'utters no slander', 'does no wrong to a neighbor', 'casts no slur on others', 'keeps an oath even when it hurts', 'lends money to the poor without interest', and 'does not accept a bribe against the innocent' with [...]
The 18 August 2009 is the day that life changed for Mike and I. It was the day that we saw our baby on the sonar screen for the first time, but instead of tears of joy, tears of indescribable sadness flowed as we saw our quiet, lifeless baby on the screen with no heartbeat. At home that evening Mike and I sat very quiet on the couch, staring at the tv feeling completely numb. [...]
so i know my latest blog series on Taboo Topics has been difficult for a number of people to read, both those having gone through it and also those who are on the way to having their first child... i do think they are extremely valuable for those people the are meant for though and so will continue to post them but in the meantime for everyone else [and also those people] i thort it [...]
Shaun and I had been married for a couple of months and decided to start trying for a family. Imagine our excitement as we found out I was pregnant. At about 8 weeks things didn't seem to be quite right so found a gynae and went for a check-up. I had terrible pain and was bleeding a little. After some scanning and much to our surprise the doc couldn't find any indication of a pregnancy [...]
and on to psalm 14: 'The fool says in his heart, "There is no God!" [vs.1] as Mr T's B.A. Baracus from the A-Team would say, "I pity the fool!" and that's an apt combination of thoughts. and 'pity' has such strongly negative connotations where what i feel when i look at friends lives who do not know God and are going through stuff and trying to carry it all by themselves is totally a [...]
My second daughter, Zoe, was stillborn at 37 weeks on 24th March 2007 in London, UK - we had no warning, one day she was well, with a strong heartbeat, head down, ready to come into the world, and two days later, she was dead. It turns out that Nicole has a blood condition that pre-disposes her toward clotting, and the best guess is that there must have been sudden clotting in the placenta/umbilical chord [...]
this series of blog posts has been on my heart and mind for well over a year and i am excited to finally be at the point of getting started on it. there are a number of incredibly important, life-transforming, heart-breaking life events that happen to huge numbers of people that no-one, or very few people, ever seem to talk publically about - and so for the most part there are hundreds or thousands of [...]
two things about this short but delightful psalm 13: which begins with, 'How long, O Lord, Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?'[vs.1] but first a quick recap: 'O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!' [psalm 3.1] 'Give me relief from m distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.' [psalm 4.1] 'Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my [...]
another short psalm but a lot in it, although the part i want to pick up on is the last line: 'You, LORD, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.' [vs.7-8] this is quite a tricky one and i won't go deeply into specifics, but i see this line as a warning for us who [...]
psalm 11: 'In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain."' [vs.1] i love it. i have spoken on this very topic on many occasions. i call it - "Trust God, but have a backup plan." and it is how i see so many christians living their lives... say you are trusting God but just in case God doesn't come through, make sure you [...]