It is the World Cup, 2014. Tonight England played Italy and (spoiler alert) they lost. According to research published by Lancaster University this week, that means that incidents of domestic violence will increase by nearly 40% this evening, and 11% tomorrow. Women's Aid Northern Ireland highlights "This doesn’t mean that football causes domestic violence –... Continue Reading →
Good days…
Just when I was thinking that I just couldn't handle all.the.things, life has thrown me a bar of chocolate and a warm duvet. The last couple of weeks have been full of good conversation, cuddles with my gorgeous children and praying and thinking out loud with others walking the road of "we don't know what... Continue Reading →
Being a parent
Today has not been such a successful day in our household. It has been fraught with arguments and "scwabbles" with my dear children, and I've suddenly understood why some parents send their children to boarding school: you love them so much that your heart could break as you watch them sweetly sleeping at night, but... Continue Reading →
Talking sex…
"Watching porn is a good way to learn new tricks and stuff. Its educational." (16 year old girl from London) DH and I are running a Romance Academy course for our church youth group, and the youth group of another church from south London. Not all of the young people are Christians, and the course is... Continue Reading →
Unexpected good-ness
I really did not want to have church in our house last night. I had been in Birmingham the day before (on a day-course on church and gender post-Christendom - interesting stuff) and I still had Halloween costumes to make (!), so I really could have done without church. But one faithful soldier turned up... Continue Reading →
Multi-body part expression church…*
Catchy, no? Today I was hanging out with the Mennonites and Anabaptists who were co-hosting an event entitled “Multi-voiced Church”, led by Sian and Stuart Murray Williams who co-authored a book with the same name. I have read the book and enjoyed both the style and content, so today seemed like a good opportunity to... Continue Reading →
Looking for wisdom
I found this lovely little piece of writing while researching for my talks at Fleet Camp this weekend. It is an ancient story, told by the author and spiritual leader Joan Chittister: "Where shall I look for enlightenment?" the disciple asked. "Here," the wise one said. "When will it happen?" the disciple asked. "It is... Continue Reading →
Doing it wrong…
As I get back into my normal 'working' week after being away in Northern Ireland with our friends visiting DH's family, I read this post from Jamie Wright and it really resonated. The picture of church that Jamie paints of kids running everywhere, people chatting (I mean, really telling you how they feel) and general... Continue Reading →
Diverse people, various beliefs, one country. A reply to Guy Walters.
(I am aware that there is a campaign to discourage people from visiting the Daily Mail website as they can charge more for advertising the more visits they get, but it is hard to engage with the article without reading it. Read as quick as you can, over someone's shoulder.) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2332998/One-country-religions-telling-pictures-The-pews-churches-just-yards-overcrowded-mosque.html This is a guest blog... Continue Reading →
For the love of Prague
I arrived in Prague in the sweaty heat of August 2006. DH and I had been married just over a year and we were here to try to figure out what we should be doing with our lives (obviously that was going to only take a year or so!) I began my Masters in Applied... Continue Reading →
stumbling hopefully in the right direction 