Showing category "Reflections" (Show all posts)

Identity 3 - Our Christian identity

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, In : Reflections

In the previous posts in this series I looked at identity in society and culture and God’s identity revealed to us. In this final instalment we’re going to look at our Christian identity.

What is our identity in Christ?

(i) Uplifting images

These are the ones that are on all the bookmarks, cards and posters. And it’s right that we should delight in encouraging one another with all these wonderful things that are true about us now that we’re in Christ.

Here are some of them:

We are made in ...

Identity 2 - God’s identity revealed to us

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, June 26, 2023, In : Reflections

In the last blog post in this series I looked at identity in society and culture. In this post I want to focus on God’s identity revealed to us.

The importance of names

Pause to think:

What does your name mean?
Is there a particular significance to your name? Did your parents choose it for a specific reason?

In Biblical culture, names (both place names and people names) were very important - you can pick up on some of that from the prominence of genealogies. Biblical names are often really signi...

Have it your way

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, In : Reflections

Burger King tells us to ‘Have it your way’. Radio Disney promises to give us ‘Your Music, Your Way’. As consumers, we’re constantly fed the message that we come first – that our world revolves around us.

We are so steeped in consumerism and we don’t even realise it. That doesn’t necessarily mean having loads of material possessions or even wanting loads of material possessions. Rather it means the belief that the world revolves around me. That I am the most important person in ...

Good things come to those who wait (for bears and God)

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, In : Reflections

On a recent trip to Slovenia, my friend and I booked to go with a nature expert to try and see a wild brown bear. We drove out into the forest, hiked to the wildlife hide, climbed the ladder and took up our positions on the wooden bench, binoculars at the ready, to watch and wait.

After the third hour sitting silently and patiently in the hide, I was getting a bit restless. Despite being on high alert, the only wildlife we’d seen was a shrew. I was starting to wonder whether we should have j...

Intimacy with God

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, In : Reflections

A visitor to my website recently contacted me to ask “What do you mean when you talk about experiencing intimacy with God? How does it feel being intimate with God / Jesus and is it enough?”

I thought these were excellent questions, so here’s my attempt at an answer.

I guess our culture often defines intimacy in terms of sex, or at least physical intimacy. That’s often what we immediately think of when we think of ‘intimacy’. But I think it’s much broader and deeper than that. It�...

Sin and the sunk cost fallacy

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, In : Reflections

I like reading books about economics. One of the things that I’ve always found fascinating is the sunk cost fallacy, “the phenomenon whereby a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they have invested heavily in it, even when it is clear that abandonment would be more beneficial.” 1

We all know the kind of thing: Sitting through a terrible film because you’ve paid for the ticket and so wasting time and money, rather than just money; Pursuing a career that...

Wondering Questions

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, February 2, 2023, In : Reflections

One way to deepen relationships and encourage people to think about their values and beliefs is to ask good questions. I read a book by Doug Pollock called ‘God Space’ and in it he talked about using ‘Wondering questions’ in our conversations. There’s an excerpt on the Cru website here.

To add to that, I’ve compiled a list of questions to help me understand the worldviews of my friends better and help them explore the basis of their beliefs.

If there is no ultimate meaning, how do...

Hiking the trail to the promised land

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, February 2, 2023, In : Reflections

The Christian life is a bit like hiking the trail to the promised land. It’s something we’re called to do together and I’ve had the privilege of sharing the hike with some precious friends over the years. It can be really tough, but we know the effort is getting us to where we want to be and there are some wonderful surprises along the way too.

Sadly, over the years, some friends have dropped out. They’ve found the hike too tough, forgotten that it will be worth it, and have stopped in...

Honesty with God

Posted by Anne Witton on Sunday, January 1, 2023, In : Reflections

How honest can you be with God? Do you feel like you can tell him everything? Or do you feel the need to hide parts of your life?

I sometimes think that our church culture doesn’t help foster real intimacy with God. Often at the start of a church service the leader will say something like, “Whatever’s been happening during the week or whatever is on your mind, put it aside so that we can focus on God”. This can give the impression that God’s not interested in our Monday – Saturday ...

We Need to Talk About Death

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, In : Reflections

There seem to be an increasing number of adverts featuring cremation companies that offer no funeral and no fuss (no tears?). There’s more of a focus on partying and going on fun bike rides than grieving (see the adverts here).

Whilst it’s right and healthy to celebrate the life of our loved ones, it’s also right and healthy to grieve the loss and to think about what death means. It seems that, particularly in Western societies, we’re trying to inoculate ourselves against death, rather...

Spiritual practices and habits

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, In : Reflections

It’s been a really tough couple of years and I realised that I let other things and people take first place in my heart instead of God. It’s been a long and painful process coming back to him fully, but I realised that the only thing that’s going to replace idolatry in my heart is to pursue Jesus with everything I have and delight in him. That’s not always easy. In fact, I’ve found it very hard, but I’m encouraged that it’s not something I need to manufacture for myself. Even th...

Obsessed with God

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, September 29, 2022, In : Reflections

We tend to think of obsession as a bad thing. It conjures up images of creepy stalkers, or someone whose collection of ornamental pigs has got way out of hand. But what if it’s the object of obsession that’s the problem, rather than the strength of feeling itself? What if obsession with a person, hobby, job or goal is only unhealthy because they’re not designed to be where our ultimate satisfaction can be found?

I’ve definitely experienced unhealthy obsession, often with a particular p...

How much do we want God?

Posted by Anne Witton on Friday, August 26, 2022, In : Reflections

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12: 1 – 2a

I want to have a richly satisfying, intimate relationship with God but at times I haven’t been prepared to put any effort in. I know that I’m saved by grace and that I’m sustained by grace alone and ...

What physical pain has taught me about spiritual healing

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, In : Reflections

There’s a real analogy between emotional pain and physical pain. If there’s something seriously wrong with you physically there’s pain before you have the operation and if you don’t do anything about it it will get worse and worse and make you sicker and sicker. Then you have the operation and you can’t feel it because you’re anaesthetised. And then there’s the pain of recovery. It’s not always easy, but it will get gradually better and better and is leading to healing and who...
Continue reading ...

"A Marathon Not a Sprint"

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, September 15, 2021, In : Reflections

This is something I wrote when reflecting on Abby’s health and that of other friends with chronic pain.

Whenever we face some enduring difficulty, someone will invariably say “It’s a marathon not a sprint.” But actually it’s not a marathon either. A marathon is a set number of miles that you know from the beginning. It’s a long way, but it is finite. In a marathon you can pace yourself. In a marathon you know that if things get tough around 22 miles, you’ve got 4 miles to go and ...

A furry lesson in love

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, In : Reflections

Five weeks ago we got a cat. For a couple of nights before we collected him, I didn’t sleep very well as various thoughts were going through my mind. What if he’s aggressive? What if he shreds all our furniture? What if he’s sick everywhere? What if he doesn’t like us? What if he stinks?

Toby’s a 9 year old rescue cat with kidney disease and skin problems who was waiting to be adopted for two years without success. As we brought him into our home and got to know him, and he became co...

Who will remember you?

Posted by Anne Witton on Friday, June 5, 2020, In : Reflections

I’m working my way through 1 Chronicles at the moment and I must admit I’m finding it quite tedious. A lot of the book consists of a long list of names; fathers and sons, families and daughters and wives - just a long list of people who don’t really mean anything to me. It’s tempting to skip over all these genealogies. After all, none of us really know who any of these people are and, unless you’re a Jewish historian, you probably don’t really care much about who Hazarmaveth or Ad...

Screens, screens everywhere

Posted by Anne Witton on Friday, May 29, 2020, In : Reflections

One of the things I’m finding hardest about lockdown is the increased reliance on screens, not just to do my job, but in order to be able to keep in touch with family and friends. I’d almost rather have no contact than the frustratingly inadequate two-dimensional experience of staring at my pixelated friends (and my own face), complete with audio lag. There’s no room for nuance, body language, hugs, comic timing or companionable silence. It just seems to emphasise our apartness. (For mo...

He must become greater; I must become less

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, In : Reflections

Lockdown is hard and many of us are struggling to feel good about ourselves. As we are all cut off from community and being driven online we need to guard against getting our value from Facebook likes, emojis, and cheap uplifting sentiment shared online. Instead we need to look to God for our worth and value. We are made in the image of the divine creator and that fundamentally shapes our identity and tells us who we are and why we matter.

But that’s not the end of the matter. There is a dan...

Isn’t it all about rule-keeping?

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, January 17, 2019, In : Reflections

This is a question I’ve been asked a number of times recently when it comes to my Christian faith. It is a common perception that Christianity is about trying to be good by following a set of rules so that you will earn a reward and avoid a punishment. Many people see Christianity as a reward-based religion, but in fact nothing could be further from the gospel of grace. All other religions have essentially the same basis - that humans try hard to 'be good' or obey commands and then maybe if...

The Kindness Instinct

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, November 27, 2018, In : Reflections

When something annoying happens, what response comes instinctively to you? I often find that I start the day with the right intentions to be godly in everything I do and then someone cuts me up in the car, or I get stuck behind a slow pedestrian or behind a pensioner trying to pay by cheque in a shop and immediately the grump is unleashed. I’m often ashamed of the first word that pops into my head when I bash my shins on the bath.

The truth is that my instinctive and impulsive responses are ...

"God is your Father, not your boss"

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, October 11, 2018, In : Reflections

Recently I have been experiencing a bit of a dip in mental health. I went to the doctor and he said that I needed to take things easier, so I have been attempting to do that. I've realised that I don't find it very easy to relax and be still. I've even been working hard on trying to get better and trying to feel closer to God, but had been feeling flat and frustrated.

This weekend I was at the True Freedom Trust annual conference and God used it really powerfully to help me. I was apprehensive...

The joy of giving

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, In : Reflections

This morning I was interviewed as part of some research on charitable giving at Northumbria University. I was asked about which charities I give to, how I give and my motivations, which was a great opportunity to reflect.

I haven't always given to charity and for me it's been a process of growing in my faith, trusting God more, appreciating what he's giving me, and realising that what Jesus said is true - it really is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20: 35).

There are a number of thi...

Life in the Fast Lane

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, In : Reflections

I have just had quite a busy two months, what with a work trip to Paris, running training in Birmingham, speaking at two conferences in London, doing a Master’s assignment, going to Granny’s funeral, completing the 3 week summer school intensive for my Master’s in Gloucester and visiting family in Manchester. I’m now home and supposedly having a bit of a rest, but I’ve realised how hard it is to stop.

I have a wooden block by my bed with the verse ‘Be still and know that I am God�...

Are we efficiently miserable? Relational breakdown vs the Kingdom story

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, June 4, 2018, In : Reflections

Sometimes it’s hard to see what the goal of human progress is. As technology develops, we’re doing things quicker and more efficiently than ever before, but at what cost?

We’re bugged by constant reminders and notifications. We have advanced technological systems to keep us in line and ‘on track’ but what’s it all for?

We seem to be advancing technologically at the expense of human contact and community. We've lost the ability to relate to strangers. We can now perform mos...

Rest

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, In : Reflections

This post is based on a talk I did at the Student Life Hub on the subject of rest.

What is rest?

Are resting and relaxing the same thing?
Is rest an active or a passive thing?
Does it mean doing something or is it about cutting things out?

How do you like to rest?

Maybe you like to sleep, watch Netflix, do crafts, sport, music, get out in nature, meditate, read, or do some gardening…

I’ve been trying over the last year or so to be much more intentional about what I do with my downtime so that...

A heart of flesh and a heart of stone (Ezekiel 36)

Posted by Anne Witton on Saturday, March 31, 2018, In : Reflections

Giving what is most precious: Lessons from a young boy and his Easter egg

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, March 29, 2018, In : Reflections

When I was younger, my family and I were often on holiday over Easter. Mum and I had a tradition that we’d always go to the Easter service at the local church, which I really enjoyed.

One Easter, we were on holiday somewhere in Wales and I was sitting in the pew next to a young boy and his mother. As is traditional at many churches on Easter day, all the children were to be given a chocolate egg at the end of the service. The little boy next to me clearly knew about this custom and was eager...

Why I agree with the atheists: 9 reasons I’m pleased that Christendom is crumbling

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, March 22, 2018, In : Reflections

You may have seen a recent Guardian article with the headline “'Christianity as default is gone': the rise of a non-Christian Europe.”

Lots of vocal atheists are hailing this as good news, and there are 9 reasons why I agree with them.

But first, a (very short) history of Christendom. Christendom can be defined as simply the global community of Christians, but that’s not how I’m using the term here. Bishop Curry in ‘Farewell to Christendom: The Future of Church and State in America’...

Loving God

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, March 13, 2018, In : Reflections

“Jesus replied, ‘“Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

(Matt 22: 37 - 38)

What does it mean to love God? Maybe some of us would struggle to answer that question.

When I was younger I used to be taken by my Gran to see my great Auntie Nellie. I used to love going there because I knew that at the end of the visit I would be given 20p spends. Did I love Auntie Nellie? The truth is that I didn...

What's wrong with the world?

Posted by Anne Witton on Friday, February 2, 2018, In : Reflections

The word ‘sin’ isn’t used much these days is it? We talk about making ‘mistakes’ as if it’s accidental. We talk about ‘inappropriate’ behaviour (a bit like wearing ‘inappropriate’ shoes for a night out). We talk about ‘misconduct’ as if someone wasn’t paying attention in deportment lessons and has been presenting themselves is a sloppy manner. We say ‘oh well, nobody’s perfect’ to excuse lying, selfishness, being deliberately horrible to people, holding grudges...

4 reasons to memorise Scripture (and 6 apps to help)

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, January 15, 2018, In : Reflections

In the 'olden days', most children went to Sunday school where one of the things they would have learnt is to memorise Scripture. These days, many of us are growing up with a poor knowledge of God’s word and relying on our Bible apps on our phones. And yet memorising Scripture is vital. Here are 4 important reasons why:

(1) Warfare

We can become complacent and forget that we’re engaged in spiritual warfare and yet the Bible says ‘Resist the devil and he will flee from you’. Je...

Bamboo toothbrushes and justice for the poor

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, January 1, 2018, In : Reflections

Christians - especially evangelicals - are sometimes rightly criticised for being environmentally irresponsible and simply not caring enough about living sustainably on the earth. It’s hard for church to be attractive to my ethically aware friends when they’re confronted by hundreds of disposable plastic communion cups. And I must admit that for a long time I thought of environmentalism as an ‘optional extra’ rather than an integral part of my obedience to Jesus.

It’s clear right fro...

BCE: Is it really time to erase Christianity from history?

Posted by Anne Witton on Sunday, October 29, 2017, In : Reflections

It seems there’s more and more pressure to erase Christianity from history to avoid offending those of other faiths or of a secular worldview.

A recent investigation by the Mail on Sunday found that more schools using BCE and CE instead of BC and AD to avoid offending those of non-Christian faiths.

This strikes me as ridiculous for three reasons:

(1) The terms BC and AD are hardly used in a proselytising way. They’re just a convention in the Gregorian calendar and I’m sure that lots of p...

How can I love people I don’t like?

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, October 5, 2017, In : Reflections

It’s hard to love everyone. It’s almost impossible to like everyone. Yet, there are ways that we can develop a more Jesus-like heart towards those we find difficult.

God has been challenging me about loving my enemies.

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”
Matt. 5: 44 - 45

I used to rather piously think I didn’t have any enemies. Perhaps it’s true that there’s no one who’s trying to k...

God’s moral law

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, August 16, 2017, In : Reflections

It seems that we’re living in a post-truth world, surrounded by fake news in a post-modern culture of extreme moral relativism. How many times have you heard someone say, ‘Well that might be true for you, but it isn’t true for me.’ or ‘This is my truth’?

A difficulty with moral relativism is that right and wrong become simply a matter of opinion. There is no intrinsic rightness or wrongness and no substantive or qualitative difference between 'Don't drive through a red light' and ...

Philip and the Ethiopian: Lessons in evangelism

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, July 31, 2017, In : Reflections

I recently preached at Kelvin Grove church in Gateshead and my text was Acts 8: 26 - 40. I’m not going to recreate the sermon here or go into the background and exegesis of the passage, but I did want to highlight 4 things we can learn about Philip’s approach to evangelism:

(1) Relying on the on the Holy Spirit

Clear that Philip relied on and was directed by the Spirit (v.26, 29, 39). He was open to going where God told him to go in the power that God gave him, and we need to do the same. W...

The C word: Why is celibacy so misunderstood and undervalued?

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, July 3, 2017, In : Reflections

Celibacy is like a dirty word in our culture - something to be ashamed of. People don't know how to react when I say I'm celibate (but it ranges from embarrassed silence to pity, to disbelief, to thinking that there must be something seriously wrong with me, to being intrigued or impressed). It may be misunderstood in our culture, but celibacy is liberating, demanding, exhilarating and above all, a gift from God.

Part of the problem is that our society equates intimacy with sex and treats sex...

Letting God Drive: Pain, prayer and the Holy Spirit

Posted by Anne Witton on Sunday, May 21, 2017, In : Reflections

I suffer from Bipolar Disorder and have to be careful about my routine in order to keep my mood stable. I definitely overdid things in the first few months of this year, which led to me feeling burnt out and struggling with low mood. The doctor signed me off work so that I could rest and recuperate and my colleagues and friends have been very supportive in recognising this need to regroup.

The first few weeks were very difficult and I didn’t feel capable of much, but I very clearly felt held...

Repentance 101

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, January 9, 2017, In : Reflections

I have been challenged recently that I’m not repentant enough in my walk with God. Sometimes I find it too easy to just say a blanket ‘Sorry for all the bad things I’ve done’ without really thinking about it. But I want to be better at being honest with God about specific areas of struggle and allow the Holy Spirit to change me to be more Christlike.

I searched for some stuff to help and couldn’t really find any step-by-step prompts that I could work through every day, so I decided...

Allowing our Father to clean up the mess

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, December 8, 2016, In : Reflections

Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

The other day I saw a little boy running along and he tripped and fell flat on his face. He was covered in mud and gravel with blood all over his knees and snot and tears all over his face, but his Mum scooped him up and hugged away the pain, getting covered in blood, snot, mud and tears in the process. He wasn’t embarrassed that she saw him in that state. He didn’...
Continue reading ...

Amazing grace

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, November 7, 2016, In : Reflections

This term has been really busy so far and it's got to that point where we're all feeling pretty tired. I've been finding it really important to remind myself that God is the one who sustains me and that I can't do ministry in my own strength. It can be very tempting to think that once God has done his work of salvation, it's then up to us to live up to his standards and become better people.

Most of us would probably agree that we don't need to prove ourselves to God or earn his love, but we c...
Continue reading ...

Who matters?

Posted by Anne Witton on Friday, October 28, 2016, In : Reflections

Here’s a quiz for you. You don't have to actually answer the questions.

Just read it straight through, and you'll get the point.

Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
Name the last five winners of the Sports Personality of the Year.
Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
Name the last five Entrepreneur Of The Year winners.
Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
Name the last decade's worth of Premiership winners.

How did you do?

The ...

4 Thoughts on Evangelism

Posted by Anne Witton on Sunday, August 14, 2016, In : Reflections

At church today we were reminded that as saved children of God we're all on mission. Our church banner says "Word, Community, Mission" to remind us that sharing our faith is an integral part of living as Christians in our world.

So here are 4 thoughts about the privilege and responsibility of sharing our faith:

Evangelism stems from our own walk with God.
Peter of Rheims, a French Dominican friar, said "Anyone who is not burning will not be able to set anyone else on fire."
We're all qualified fo...

How long does it take to become a mature Christian?

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, May 19, 2016, In : Reflections

In today’s culture, we so often want quick fixes and instant results. We’re told that attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. The window of opportunity for catching someone’s attention in a YouTube clip is 5 seconds. We buy on credit because we don’t want to save up. We get impatient if we have to wait more than 5 mins for a bus. So often we want something instantly without having to wait at all.

In contrast, maturity is something that develops over time and with perseverance....
Continue reading ...

Priorities

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, April 12, 2016, In : Reflections

I used to work at Northern Rock as a mortgage advisor. Once I had a customer who had a £300,000 mortgage and obviously had a good job, nice car etc. and he was haggling over £2.70 that he didn’t think he should pay. It got me thinking about priorities and how sometimes we have such a warped view of what’s important. Everything in society tries to tell you that your worth as a person is measured by your bank balance, your salary, the car you drive, your marital status, your children and ...

Love each other - John 15

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, October 20, 2015, In : Reflections

Lessons

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, August 31, 2015, In : Reflections

Today I wanted to share with you a lovely poem written by my friend Lindsay Reid from her collection 'Certain Joy':

Lessons

I saw in Him a light that was unfading,
I saw in Him such power that demons fled,
I saw in Him a truth beyond all knowledge -
Oh teach me Lord, I said.
He bent and poured some water in a basin,
Washed His disciples' feet. They don't deserve
Such treatment Lord! I told Him but He answered
First you must learn to serve.

I saw in Him a future shining brightly,
I heard in Him a voice ...
Continue reading ...

Why Ben Folds made me cry (And other reflections on emotion)

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, July 2, 2015, In : Reflections

I’m quite an emotional person and find that there’s something cathartic about a good cry. And I don’t just cry when I’m upset. I sometimes cry when I’m angry or frustrated, or every when I’m bowled over by joy.

I went to see Ben Folds performing with the Northern Sinfonia at the Sage last year and it was so jaw-droppingly sublime that I found tears of happiness rolling down my cheeks. I felt alive!

When I became a Christian, it was drummed into me that feelings may or may not foll...

The Prodigal Son [Guest Post]

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, April 14, 2015, In : Reflections

One of my friends and mission partners, Susanna (or Constable as I call her, rather ridiculously!), has recently written a very thought-provoking reflection on the prodigal son and has kindly allowed me to repost it here. She writes from the point of view of the church and the LGBTQ community as that is her area of ministry, but I think it's applicable to anyone who has felt less than welcome in the church, for whatever reason. It captures the spirit of how we're trying to connect with studen...

New Staff Training Retreat - Heroes of Faith

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, January 12, 2015, In : Reflections

Last week I was at the lovely Shallowford House for the New Staff Training Retreat, along with the other first year staff and interns. It was a great time of learning together, praying and having some retreat time to seek the Lord.

One of the things that we did was look at the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, so it was fitting that that was the passage I'd chosen to do my devotional on when we arrived.

Here's what I shared:

Hebrews 11 gives an account of men and women of God who have accomplished ...

Enjoy the silence

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, November 24, 2014, In : Reflections

"Be still and know that I am God"
Psalm 46: 10

Our world is full of noise. Everywhere we go there’s background music, ‘special offer’ announcements on the tannoy, big screen sports and stuff clamouring for our attention. I was waiting for Abby at the doctors the other day and the TV was on showing Jeremy Kyle with people shouting at each other. What an unrelaxing environment to sit in when you’re already feeling ill! In the summer, they even put huge screens up in public spaces outside ...

An antidote to worry

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, October 8, 2014, In : Reflections

I have just returned from a brilliant Christian conference where I got a chance to hang out with some amazing friends and be challenged by some excellent teaching.

The focus of the Bible talks was the Sermon on the Mount, and one of the sessions that really spoke to me was the teaching on worry in Matthew 6: 25 - 34.

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clo...

Reflections on a broken window

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, July 1, 2014, In : Reflections

Yesterday I got home from a great team prayer meeting to find that the lounge window had been smashed. It looked very much as though someone had shot it so my first thought was "I wish I had one of those laser things they have in CSI so I can trace the trajectory of the bullet." Then I realised that I live in Gateshead and not Las Vegas, so I carefully examined the crime scene for forensic evidence of avian damage but could find no blood or bird carcass.

Then the reality sank in that it would ...
Continue reading ...

« Back to posts

Blog Archive

Subscribe to this blog

"Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers." - VoltairE

Showing category "Reflections" (Show all posts)

Tags

Categories

Recent Posts

Blog Archive