Freedom and fatherhood
Let me begin with a story. It comes from a favourite film, the Shawshank Redemption. It’s the story of an old jailbird called Brooks Hatlen, Shawshank’s librarian. After 40 years of incarceration old-man, Brooks is released into a bright new world of freedom. But his...
Who do you think you are?
Our New Identity in Christ. The news in Scotland this week has been full of pictures of trees in the Northeast blown down by Storm Malik on Saturday then Storm Corrie. A photo in a recent BBC News article showing a picture of thousands of trees toppled like toothpicks...
Blinded by grace
June 2019 saw a historic event occur on the pyramid stage at the Glastonbury Festival. The rapper Stormzy became the first black solo British headliner at the iconic festival. Central to his performance was his hit song “Blinded by your Grace” The excited crowd of...
What does grace look like?
Who exemplifies grace for you? What image comes to mind when you think of a grace-filled person? You might want to ponder that thought as we head to Sunday. In popular thinking, a grace-full person is a doormat, a rollover who is passive and silent in the face of...Grace – it’s Amazing!
The turn of a calendar page makes little difference to reality, nevertheless, the beginning of a new year symbolises change and fresh possibilities for many of us. So how are you launching into 2022? Some of us remain disheartened and exhausted as we continue to...
The Wonder of Christmas
This week I was chatting with a young mum watching her two-year-old mesmerised by a small revolving Christmas tree. She was sadly anticipating the day when her child would grow up and lose her sense of ‘wonder’. This conversation has made me think about the concept of...
What Mary do you know?
Mary, she is either adored or avoided, sainted or airbrushed from history. We often view her as a demure and dainty woman, her eyes coyly bowed in saintly meekness. This Mary points to a Christmas and a kingdom of quiet, passive submission. That’s hardly the Mary Luke...
Comfort and Challenge
I love this photograph …it is of a tree growing, clinging to a rockface, a most improbable place for something to grow, on the side of Ben More near Crianlarich. For me, it is a picture of hope, of endurance, of life against all the odds. I love trees and it gives me...