Have you ever had a panic moment, when someone asks if they can visit and you look around and your home is a mess? I had one recently and woke up in super energised cleaning mode to see what could be done before the impending afternoon visit. So, I dusted and wiped, polished and vacuumed…

Read: ‘When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers’ (Psalm 8:3) Think: Three weeks ago, I reflected on the extraordinary effect of a solar eclipse on the natural world. For a few moments, the familiar became strange: light faded, the air changed, and creation seemed to pause. Such moments remind us how little…

Last week I wrote about the early life of Thomas Clarkson, who became convinced of the evils of slavery while writing an academic thesis, and dedicated his life to campaigning for its abolition. I continue his story today. It is one thing to become convinced that something is wrong, but a huge challenge to then…

Some Bible commentaries suggest that Barnabas means “son of encouragement” or “son of consolation.” Which came first might be open to speculation (or fact), but the man who accompanied the apostle Paul is often considered to be an excellent example of the definition. Recently, I attended a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of a…

In March I went to the funeral of a very good friend who died after a 6-month battle with cancer. She was clearly loved and had touched the lives of many people judging from the numbers who attended. As we left the church we were all given a packet of wildflower seeds and bulbs. I…