Year Of Love

I am a product of multiculturalism and grace. The grandson of an Imam, the son of a Muslim and the cousin, nephew, uncle, and friend to many other Muslims. I am also the…

2015 was my Year of Love. That was the theme, the focus and foundation. I wrote about it, thought about it, was challenged by it and used it to guide my decisions.…

How would you rate your appetite for risk? A) Risk averse. Nothing ventured, nothing lost. B) Rational risk. Let’s weigh up all the pro’s and con’s and determine the likely benefit and…

When our youngest child, Jireh, was born and we received a diagnosis of Down syndrome our involuntary and instant response was shock and fear. The 15 minutes that followed were one of…

In the prayer Jesus taught His disciples, He instructs them to pray this (Matthew 6:12 ESV): And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Have you ever considered…

I was listening to a radio interview with Rosie Batty, the 2015 Australian of the Year. In that interview she explains that she has forgiven her ex-partner for killing their son, and…

As a parent I am increasingly aware of the power of my words over my kids. What I say and how I say it, can have a profound impact. I am also…

Have you ever tried to put a two year old down for a nap? Maybe this is not your stage of life. Maybe you’ve been there, done that. Maybe this is your…

One of my favourite movies of all time is The Princess Bride. I’m not sure what that says about me, but there it is. One of the classic scenes in the movie…

When was the last time you invited yourself to someone else’s place for a meal? Have you ever done it? If yes, was your self-initated invitation with someone you know, or a…

Last night I had a dream. I dreamt that I invited people of many cultures, ages, stages of life and experience to come and dine at my home. To enjoy a meal…

Patience. Just the act of typing the word brings the opposite response. Impatience. Patience is a concept and a practice that is fading in a society that seems to get faster and…

I’ve never been a great fan of the Stephen Stills song Love the One You’re With. It’s catchy enough and has a nice hook to it, but I’ve always found the message…

In the course of any single day there are numerous doors of opportunity that I can choose to walk through, or not. Some are obvious open door opportunities. I can get out…

Have you ever run out of petrol? I almost have, and on more than one occasion. Mostly when I was a student and every cent and every drop of petrol mattered. I…

The Apostle Paul makes a seemingly simple statement towards the end of his first letter to the Corinthian church. Four words. “Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:4) It begins to get…

I like order. My ideal morning routine consists of waking at 5.30am. Wandering into an ordered kitchen. Grabbing ground coffee from an ordered cupboard. Taking the milk from an ordered fridge. Carrying…

Most things fail. Some would argue that everything will fail, eventually. I often fail. I fail to meet deadlines. I fail to achieve goals. I fail to remain focussed when people are…

Consider this: before time, before creation, before the universe, before earth, before humanity, God was. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NIV) In the beginning was…