My name is Louise and I have Asperger's syndrome. Not many people know what this is, especially those in the church. There are two polar opposite views that I have come across in the church when faced with any mental or psychological disorder. On the one extreme its total denial of the illness or disorder (something can't be wrong with a Christian) and on another extreme its you have demons in you and we need [...]
i have loved the conversations happening on my blog with regards to matters of Race recently. A lot of the posts are specific to South Africa, but i imagine there are themes, ideas and principles that will translate to other contexts around the world and it will be good to get some outside voices as it were to comment as well. What has been particularly exciting to see has been the spirit of engagement that has taken [...]
One of my favourite weekends of the year, when i've been privileged enough to be a part of it [which is quite often!], is the weekend known as October Leadership. i have been part of at least ten of them and spoken on about 8 of those and it has never failed to be a life [and hopefully school etc] transforming weekend. Run by Scripture Union, the purpose of October Leadership has been gathering together [...]
There have been two stories dominating my Facebook feed the last day or so [i'm not even going to touch on the Renee Zellwegger face thing - we created that circus!] and they are both ones i have tried to keep largely clear of. Until now. OSCAR GOES TO... The Oscar Pistorius sentencing saga [because if the Twitterer is to be believed, it WAS that] which has been lurking on news headlines stuck to lampposts, [...]
My good friend, Linda Martindale introduced me to a friend of hers, Nkosivumile Gola at the TRC Re-Enactment meetings we both went to a week or so ago in Stellenbosch. When i heard that Nkosi had a blog i immediately asked him if he would consider writing a piece for mine. Not to give him an easy ride, i posed this topic to him - the fact that for white people who do want to [...]
i saw this on my Australian friend Dave Andrew's Facebook page today and i think it will give us a lot to think about if we take it seriously - if you find it too long then at least read the bolded bit at the beginning and the ten 'commandments' at the bottom [but seriously, just read the whole thing!]: And Now For A Quiet Word With My Fellow Christians: If Jesus Really Is [...]
"Why do you wear those things on your knees?" "Look at Steph, she is so slow. Ha ha!" "Why can't she run and jump like a normal kid?" "Steph you're a freak." These are the refrains that followed me around as a child born with the mildest possible strain of Ataxia, which is a form of Cerebral Palsy. As an adult, I am incredibly fortunate that I now live a "normal" life, have a "normal" [...]
I am 'Mum' to three amazing biological children. Sir J, aged 14, Lady M aged 12 and Little Miss 7. You can stop pulling that face, these are not their real names, just how I refer to them in order to respect their future online identity and privacy. My initiation into motherhood didn't begin with a pretty white dress, two rings on my finger, a Christian husband who'd vowed to love me for life, or a [...]
Being a dyslexic: Hi there, my name is Rebecca Benn, and I suffer (although I find my condition to be a blessing) from a learning disability or syndrome called dyslexia. The dictionary defines my syndrome as a developmental reading and spelling disorder that occurs when the brain does not properly recognise, transmit and process certain symbols, whether these symbols are letters or numbers. What this means for me is that as a 20 year old [...]
Continuing with my share from ‘Revisiting The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Faith Community Hearing' as we look at some of the messages that came out of the second day: FROM THE TWITTERER [Day 1 of 2] While 140 character messages don't capture the whole of what was experienced, hopefully they will help you to catch a bit of a glimpse: #TRC General buzz in the air. Today it is a lot of testimony from [...]