Crazy love coupled with fierce determination fuelled my motivation to win the approval of Julianne’s (my wife) parents when we were ‘going out’ as teenagers. As Catholics, they didn’t have much time for Lutherans, especially the one who had a keen eye for their eldest daughter. Desperate times called for desperate measures, so in an
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16 “A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was
Have you ever had your breath taken by an amazing sunset? Or been driving and wondered about that huge glow on the night horizon only to realise it was an enormous moon rising? Or, have you heard a beautiful piece of music that gave you goosebumps? These are all moments when you feel the emotion
In Chapter 14 of John’s gospel, Jesus says, ‘Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.’ Have you ever thought about the gravity of this statement? Did Jesus really say that we
I have spent the last weekend getting out the Christmas lights as our little street in Hahndorf prepares for a shared display for the enjoyment of the wider community. As we go deeper into November and the beginning of Advent, the focus upon Christmas becomes to sharpen, albeit with differing lens depending on the purpose
As my aging father transitioned from a three-bedroom apartment to a nursing home, we had to do a lot of clearing out. Almost every time we picked something up to pack away, dad had a story to tell about the item. Some of the stories were interesting, some we had heard before, but one story
When you hear the word Compassionate what do you think of? Would you say that you were a compassionate person? What does this look like and feel like in your learning community? I think we can have a perception that it means being kind, caring, empathetic. To some degree this is accurate however it is
There are some questions in life that require a very personal response. The question that Jesus put to the disciples was one of those. He began by asking them who other people thought he was, but then he drove it home by asking them directly, ‘But what about you? Who do you say I am?’
Amongst the range of purposes of our learning communities is to support our young people in contemplating the next stages of their lives beyond school. Predictably, consideration of future career prospects and pathways is part of this contemplation. Things like meaning, purpose, enjoyment, work/life balance, financial security and professional development are tied up with the
As we come to the end of another semester, it is an opportune time to pause, reflect, and give thanks to God for his faithfulness and guidance. As we look back on the past semester, we may recall moments of joy, challenges, growth, and perhaps even some struggles. In all of these experiences, God has
