Thoughtful Ramblings

What if? I've been thinking about the 'What ifs' of being followers of Jesus. And how for decades the church, instead of including has excluded the most vulnerable. Instead of loving and caring and listening to the narrative of lives, we have tried to push our solution, our desired way of behaviour onto others. So here's some thoughts. What if Instead of shaming women, the church embraced them, listened to them and loved them. For years, the church has shamed those who fell pregnant before marriage, pushed them away, stood them aside. What if Instead of shoving our beliefs in their face, we stood with them, carried them, had love and compassion, created an environment of acceptance and built community, not walls. We have shamed the outspoken woman, called them emotional and derided their sense of purpose. We have treated them as objects, commented on them 'adding beauty' to the team, denying true value. (To the men - We want to be acknowledged for the wisdom and...

Tomorrow Tomorrow will be a better day A day where I achieve my goals, Love others well Be loved Not listen to crap from others Tomorrow will be a better day When I have enough sleep When I have no pain Feel relaxed Not waste time Tomorrow will be a better day My thinking will be free from anxiety I will be emotionally strong Alive to the senses Ready for anything Tomorrow will be... But Tomorrow never comes For it is always today.

Marriage and DV As a pastor, I often talk to people and coach people through situations that occur through marriage. I value marriage highly and believe that the covenant of marriage is a special relationship.  As in all relationships, positive marriages grow when both partners are willing to grow in their personal lives and are willing to live and love in a way that honours their partner.  When relationships struggle, I know that something needs to change. Not just one person, but both people need to address their own issues. We can coach couples through these situations and see really positive results and relationships based on equality and equal partnership where power is shared for the common purpose. .  Having said that, I am completely aware that not all marriages have this equal partnership. At times, I see where one partner is abusive towards the other, exercises their power over others. When this happens in relationships where narcissistic behaviours are involved...

As I was flicking through my Bible today, as I was tidying up my room - ok - it was under the bed,  but it started me thinking again about how we can truly be Love in Action. Love in Action This is the motto of Citylife Women, and we undergird this with: She Loves,  She cares, She Does, She is the Change. True inclusive love is unconditional, (not one that allows others to walk all over you or take advantage of you, but love that is strong) and is considerate and kind towards others,  and does not use others for personal gain.  A love that cares about people, and is willing to listen without judgement, not give unnecessary advice, but take the time to hear what life is like for others.  It is a love that does - it puts action with words. It puts into practice what has been learned. It supports people towards what is best for them. It finds out what others need and seeks to support them as they pursue their hopes and dreams.  It is a love that changes the wo...

I know it's frustrating when we can't find food for our families. This is a new situation for many of us. So maybe we can choose to be grateful that this is a new situation for us and that we are not struggling to provide for families for years on end in bombed out cities, or living in tents in foreign countries as refugees trying to find a safe place or roof over their head, or find food and schooling for their families. We are so blessed in so many ways in this country. Sure it's not perfect, but lets stop criticising everything and be proactive where we can.  What opportunities are there to meet neighbours, support an elderly or at risk person, give to a homeless person, and behave graciously towards the people  serving us in the shops. This is new for them too and they are doing what they can to keep our shelves stocked.  Give a thought too to the incredible logistics that are involved everyday even a normal day just to get food on our shelves. It's not as simple as...