Thoughtful Ramblings

What a beautiful morning here at Colour Conference 2. It's been a blessing to be able to attend both of the conferences. Reminds me that sometimes there are things ahead that we come across unexpectedly. I wasn't  expecting to be at both conferences  but God knew I'd be here again. I've received so much and even though their may be things ahead that will cost us something (Colour and accommodation twice is not cheap) if we lean in to God we find that in return God speaks in amazing ways and directs our paths. Have an awesome day.

Every so often and more often than I would like, I'm confronted by misunderstanding around Domestic Violence. By now, most of us understand that it's not just physical abuse but it can also be emotional and/or financial abuse. Any abuse is damaging because it is a result of a power imbalance.  Intimate partner abuse is so damaging because it is soul destroying for those who are living it. For those in these relationships, the partner with the power controls the other and removes the power . Sometimes the other partner will push back and people will say "Oh, they give as good as they get". But what is actually going on? An equal relationship allows the other to have freedom to choose, to live, to have choices and share mutual benefits. In an unequal relationship the partner with the power controls what is happening, who they meet up with, how they spend money, how much they have to spend. They will hide assets and mismanage money for their own ends. Sometimes the pa...

The last few days have been sad ones as we contemplate the loss of so many lives in the attack on Muslims at prayer in a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. In a place where they should have been safe, and able to practice their faith in peace, someone with warped thinking has completely shattered the lives of innocent people. It's hard to get our heads around the idea that one human being can commit so much evil. This is not the first act of this kind. I wish it was the last. But as I heard someone say recently: in a world where we can contemplate travelling into space we don't seem to be able to  work out how to live peacefully with each other. Unfortunately our world is not a safe place. We know that people who were given places of trust have violated that trust in the worst possible ways, (our recent inquiry into institutionalised abuse is a stark reminder of this.) Wars and atrocities continue to happen and political interference in other countries grows. Where does al...