Leaving church
On grief, belonging and learning to tell the truth about the places that shaped us.
Learningsfaith · church · healing
Growing up
I was hanging out with a three year-old last week. He came into the kitchen to make an announcement. In a manner that my choir director calls excited in a…
Learningsadvent · bell-hooks · Faith · God · incarnation · interruption · jesus · love
The Art of Crying
I borrowed a short zine book from Kristin to read on the train the other week. Called "The Art of Crying", it's a series of observations around the role and…
Learningsconnection · crying · emotion · tears
Advice for writing about the improbable
There is advice available for writing about the improbable. The more improbable something is in real life, the greater the set-up should be in your writing…
Learningsbooks · life · poetry · writing
Staring into the abyss as a core life skill
The philosopher L.A. Paul talks about "the vampire problem" i.e. how do you choose whether you want to become a vampire when you can't know what it's like…
Learningsdecisions · life · philosophy · writing
Using joy to undo fear
Joy can be disarming. I've just been reading a book about trauma-informed teaching, and it introduced me to the PACE model: Playfulness, Acceptance…
Learningscreativity · fun · joy · play · playfulness
100 more lessons for life
Discover 100 insightful life lessons, blending humor and wisdom to inspire personal growth and deeper understanding. Embrace them today!
Learningslife lesson · reflections
Lessons from the humble breadstick
I spent part of the weekend in the presence of a 16 month-old, who as well as being a master of nose-scrunches, roars, and pointing, also managed the deft…
Learningscreativity · spirituality · surrender
En-joy-ment
I'm sat writing this sentence at close to 11pm, eating a bowl of cereal, because I am ravenously hungry and also over-tired. I've had a delicious past couple…
Learningsdeath · existentialism · time
Becoming more
No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man Heraclitus Change is what a story is. A life well lived is a…
Learningschange · create · emerging · grief · growth · letting go · story
How to make a tradition
An excerpt from Fateheart: A Starless Seaquel How to make a tradition. You will need the following ingredients, some of which may be difficult to come by…
Sailing the Starless Sea
"This feels like a fitting testament to my influence on you" So says Kristin, peering over her desk and across the hallway at me. I am sat on a stool, legs…
Learningsadventure · Erin Morgenstern · story · The Starless Sea
Chaos and kindness
I will not be quick to forget yanking off the wood under the kitchen cabinets to use as levers for manoeuvring a washing machine into place. Nor will I forget…
Learningschange · house · kindness · moving
Travelling East
At an event I was at over the weekend a man spoke of losing his 13 year old daughter to a brain tumour. He was, he said, still in a "world of pain". He spoke…
Learningsdiscipline · grief · pain · suffering
Lost & Found
In 2009 Jan Souman tracked volunteers using GPS monitors as they attempted to walk in a straight line through the Sahara Desert and Germany's Bienwald forest…
"Good Gardening Stuff!"
In church this week, Debbie told us that her Grandma Emily used to exclaim "Good Gar-dening stuff!" in place of swearing. Aside from being obviously pleased…
Learningsdisappointment · fallow · waiting
Ordinary time
I've recently been reading 'The Culture Map' by Erin Meyer. Where some cultures work with linear time, others work to flexible time, scheduling their day by…
Learningsrest · time
The Relay to COP26
What's 1,200 miles long, takes 20 weeks, and involves a couple of thousand people? ...The outworkings of a mad idea to walk from Cornwall to Glasgow to…
Learningsclimate · COP26 · journey · leadership · pilgrimage · Relay to COP26
100 Lessons for life
Explore 100 mindful tips to anchor your life while navigating challenges, promoting growth, hope, and genuine connections during tough times.
Learningsadvice · life · personal · reflections
The Three Graces of Chronic Not-Wellness
Sharing these words from Naomi. The thought I've been dwelling on this week is the idea of not having 'a spirituality borne of functionality'. So often my…
the things dreams are
stories we tell about who we are, tethered to now, they sing of tomorrow their being is here, telling of there. As far as word association goes, 'future' is…
Learningsdreams · future · hope · narrative · story · vision
I am making choices
Small metaphorical alarm bells sound in my head on Wednesday evening as I find myself at community group struggling to keep focused. If there is such a thing…
Learningsbusyness · choices · decisions · Faith · grace · responsibility · rest
What is the nature of hope?
half-baked thoughts on the metaphysics of hope
Learningsactuality · fear · hopefulness · uncertainty
"If you keep doing what you're doing,
...you'll keep getting what you're getting"
Learningsbravery · change · miriam swaffield
What would have been
Our choices are important, but they are not foreclosing of what is most important.
Learningschoices · counterfactuals · freedom
Wonder - Julian
Wonder points us to God not just in the Christmas story, but in the Bible, the world and the universe we live in. It also lets us all be little kids again - enjoying a moment.
Learnings2018 · advent · sacred values · wonder
Compassion - George
It is what I want to put out into the world and what I try to search for in it.
Learningsadvent · compassion · ideology · sacred · sacred values
Integrity - Katherine
Integrity is the value which I most cherish in the people that I love, and the one I most long to cultivate in my own life.
Learnings2018 · advent · integrity · Joseph · sacred values · undivided · wholeness
Optimism - Shobi
Optimism reflects a hopefulness and confidence for the future- the idea that good will always prevail over evil.
Learnings2018 · action · advent · courage · hope · optimism · reflection · sacred values
Generosity - Rachel
Fundamentally, there is something delightfully unnecessary and inexpressibly and outlandishly beautiful about the generous; it speaks to me of something greater.
Learnings2018 · advent · generosity · sacred · sacred values
Assertiveness - Poonam
My value of assertiveness has come from how transformative it has been to be able to own my beliefs, understanding of the world and the relationships I have.
Learningsassertiveness · culture · family · sacred values
Forgiveness - Naomi
The king, Tirian, says this to his dearest friend, Jewel the Unicorn: "If ever I offended against you in any matter great or small, forgive me now." Jewel’s response: ‘“Dear King,” said the Unicorn, “I could almost wish you had, so that I might forgive it.”
Learnings2018 · advent · failure · forgiveness · Naomi · reflection · sacred · sacred values
Purposefulness - Amy
I hope everyone who reads this will use the coming New Year as an opportunity to reflect on what gives them purpose, and to identify what they wish for their 2019 that will bring a greater sense of purposefulness to their life.
Learnings2018 · advent · purposefulness · reflection · sacred values · usefulness
Thankfulness - Chris
My sacred value is thankfulness: it is what I am holding to at the end of a difficult year.
Learnings2018 · advent · sacred · thankfulness
An Advent Series: sacred values
I've asked some friends if they would be kind enough to spend some time reflecting on what they think their most sacred value might be and why.
Learnings2018 · advent · preparation · reflection · reflections · sacred · sacred values
Respect - Freya
There are many reasons why respect is my most sacred value, but it boils down to the honest, understanding, and equal relationships that mutual respect can…
On Disagreeing Well 2.0
This past week I have been listening extensively to 'The Sacred' Podcast on the recommendation of my colleague Naomi. The premise of the podcast is that…
Learnings2018 · conflict · disagreement · offence · outrage · politics · public discussion · sacred · toleration · truth · values
On Disagreeing Well
it is very difficult to fight with someone who is not proud.
Learningsdebate · disagreement · discussions · fight · james · politics
On ways to use your words better
No silver-linings!
Learnings2018 · admiration · communication · encouragement · engagement · look · proud · recognition · silverlinings · words
Do your thoughts reflect fullness of life?
I want a mindset that is a stronghold for God's purposes and equips me for that.
Learnings2018 · battle of the mind · meditation · mind sets · mindset · reflections · thinking · thought-patterns · thoughts · winter
Reflections on Change
On living in season, changing, goodbyes, and the end of relationships.
Learnings2017 · autumn · break-ups · change · Faith · heartbreak · joy · personal · reflections · relationships · seasons · thoughts · time
Two Posts I love from Anne Lamott
I ask, "Is anyone here wearing one green and one orange shoelace?" and a very tell and shy girl will raise her hand, and I will say, "Honey Bear? You are loved and chosen. As is, here and now and always. This is a come as you are system." The girl (who had just gotten arrested for drunk and disorderly) smiled, blushed, and dipped her head like a swan.
Learnings2017 · community · death · Faith · grace · grief · love · spring · truth
When the Cracks appear
So let the cracks appear. Let the worst of us bring the best. Let our lives be like Laura's music - glorious mixes of grief and hope, mourning and joy, brokenness and strength. And where our cracks are our grief, mourning and brokenness, may hope, joy and strength shine through.
Learnings2016 · autumn · friends · fun · hurt · Laura Mvula · music · university
Week 5 happy
Naomi, Umang, Lucy, Katherine, Siân and KT Tunstall. All the best people :)
Learnings2016 · autumn · Cambridge · fireworks · friends · friendship · Granchester · Union · university
I want to say thank you
A look back on some old family photos.
Learningsfamily · gratitude · memories · old photos · personal · reflections · thankfulness
On Breaking-Up
My reflection on what I felt I learned from all that happened in the time after breaking-up. "That’s the thing about heartbreak. It’s the smallest of worlds ending. Everyone goes around you smiling, like it’s nothing to close a door."
Learnings2016 · autumn · break-ups · ex · heartache · heartbreak · hurt · jesus · missing · personal · reflections · relationships · staying friends · thoughts
