Blog
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Devotional of the week – Redemptive suffering (4 in John 15-16 series)
“They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.” John 15:21 In the West we currently enjoy religious freedom, and take for granted the ability to meet with other believers to pray and worship together. This freedom is not enjoyed by many brothers and…
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A Holy Week Poem
Holy Week. I feel busy this week. Too busy. But I offer this poem that I wrote some years ago to remind myself to stop and consider the grand story of redemption being played out this week. O Jesus of Nazareth, Thorns we twisted and turned Upon your head we placed, Crowning you King of…
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Devotional of the week – The Royal Family (3 in John 15-16 series)
Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ John 15:20 My son has had a fascination with the British monarchy over the years, and I’ve learned much about kings and queens as we’ve visited royal palaces and read biographies. I simply cannot imagine one of these exalted persons lowering themselves…
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Review of Cross Roads, follow-up to The Shack
My review from the Woman Alive book club, originally published in February 2013, shortly after the release of the follow-up to the massive hit, The Shack. Many anticipated Cross Roads, Wm Paul Young’s novel following his huge success with The Shack. Me? Not so much. I reviewed The Shack in the Woman Alive book club in 2008,…
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Devotional of the week – Heavenly citizens (2 in John 15-16 series)
As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. John 15:19 I have two passports – one from America, the land of my birth, and one from Britain, my adopted country. I will always have divided loyalties, whether in which sports team to support or…
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Life in the UK – The No-Name Rule
“Oh, you’re never supposed to give your name in early conversations,” my fellow American-living-in-London friend said. “I was given a copy of Watching the English, which explains what’s behind it. Mainly a class thing, I think.” She’d lived in the UK for fewer years than I, but she had stumbled onto an area where I’d…
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Review – Blue Like Jazz
Here’s one from the archives, inspired by a reader review in the Woman Alive Facebook group. It’s my review in Woman Alive (from 2006!) of a book by a then relatively unknown author. I used to feature a book one month – complete with discussion questions – and then follow it up a few months later with…
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Thoughts for writers – writing to sow seeds
Recently a vicar (no, not that vicar) asked me to contribute a sermon on proclaiming the gospel message through writing. Happy to be asked, I said yes. Then I wondered whichever passage I would preach on. “Of the making of books there is no end”? Jeremiah’s “Eat this scroll”? My husband suggested looking at Colossians,…
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Devotional of the week: Strength in Persecution (1 in John 15-16 series)
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. John 15:18 If we come to Christ as a new convert, we often enjoy a lovely honeymoon period. So to hear these words of Jesus can be a shock and a surprise – is this what we signed up for? Some background…
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Review: Alister McGrath’s biography of CS Lewis
Like many American Christians, I’ve long been fascinated by the writings of CS Lewis. I’ve visited the Wade Collection at Wheaton College in Chicago to see the famous wardrobe and Lewis’s writing desk. I’ve enjoyed his haunts in Oxford such as the Trout and the “Bird and Baby” (the Eagle and Child pub). I even…
