A Very Different Mothers’ Day

I spent this past Mothers’ Day just outside a township in Western Cape, South Africa. I was asked to speak at a church and give “a Mothers’ Day message”. All good, not a problem … until the pastor told me that there were three mothers in the congregation who’d lost their sons – killed in gang violence – since last Mothers’ Day.

A Happy Mother’s Day?

All the advertising and hype that surrounds Mother’s Day – well, it’s about soft fluffy slippers, pink dressing gowns, happy, well-adjusted children bouncing in on Mum’s bed on Sunday morning, with the very present that she’s been wanting. And that’s all great. But what if … your relationship with your mother ain’t all that the advertising industry tells you it should be?

Christmas – A Family Affair?

As we head to Christmas, New Year and for us in the Southern Hemisphere, summer holidays, our thoughts turn very much to spending time with our families. All the ads on the TV use happy, well-adjusted families as the backdrop – smiling kids and teenagers; happy mums and dads, silver-haired grandparents – as their backdrops to advertise everything from Christmas hampers, to BBQs to suntan lotion.

5 Essential Life Skills to Help You Thrive (Not Just Survive)

The other day, I met a young lady called Emily. She is 5 years old. The life skills that this child displayed impacted me profoundly. Not just because they came from one so young, but because they were, at the same time, extremely well developed.

So, here are the 5 essential life skills that she demonstrated, that will help any person of any age not just survive … but thrive:

Why Can’t We Agree on what the Bible Says About Homosexuality?

If there is one issue that divides Christians, perhaps more than any other, it is that of homosexuality and same-sex marriage. It’s a hot topic these days and yet, we can’t seem to agree on what the Bible says about it. Why?

Teenagers, Facebook and Self-esteem

An article reporting some research on the impact of Facebook on teenagers’ self-esteem in my local newspaper caught my eye recently. And to be honest, it confirmed everything we old fogeys had suspected all along about the impact of social media. The question is, what do we as parents and grandparents, aunties, uncles and friends do to help our young folk?

The Smart Way to Avoid Unnecessary Arguments

Some conflict is inevitable. Psychologists will tell you that it’s even necessary – not so sure about that. Whenever I hear a shrink spout that line, I ask myself – How much conflict is there in the Trinity, hmm?? How often to Father, Son and Holy Spirit have a falling out?

Okay, so in a fallen world, some conflict is inevitable. That may well be true. But it seems to me that 99% of it is both unnecessary and avoidable. So here’s one smart way for avoiding unnecessary arguments.