January 2009
1 post
Testimony of 'Whatnot'
I’ve just finished reading a booked called Testimony of a ‘Whatnot’ by Elizabeth (Betty) Pritchard. I had a couple of connections to this book which got me reading it. Betty was a missionary in India for 40 years and served in the same part of India that Joy did her medical elective in last year. Betty also retired to Lisburn in the 1970’s with her husband Herbert where...
November 2008
1 post
Trying to know God better
During my church homegroup the other night I was thinking a lot about my need to know God better. We spend a lot of time worry about “things” but if we worried about the one thing that was important, getting closer to God, then the “things” we worry about would take care of themselves. I guess it was a “consider the lilies” type of moment for me. (Matthew...
October 2008
4 posts
Friends in the Philippines
This is an article I wrote for the Friendly Word, an Irish Quaker magazine about my recent trip to visit Friends in the Philippines…
In September, as part of a wider Asian trip, Joy Haydock (Grange Meeting) and myself spent a week in the Philippines. We visited the Quakers there and saw the work that God is doing through the Filipino Friends.
The first Friends meeting in the Philippines...
Photos from The Philippines and Thailand →
This link will take you to photos of my recent trip to Asia. You will need a password to view them so email from the link on the righthand side of this page to get the password.
August 2008
5 posts
Humility in Prayer
I’ve said to a few people this summer that the thing God has been teaching me about most this summer is prayer. I was reflecting on something that was said in a sermon I heard on Sunday about prayer. The speaker was the Children’s Pastor at the church. She was speaking about a time earlier this year when she was struggling in her life. She decided to tell Sunday School class about...
Bluetree - Greater Things
It’s another album review. This time a band called Bluetree who started off in a Belfast church but are now full time recording artists, this is their first album called Greater Things.
I got this album a couple of weeks ago and I have listened to it over and over again. I’ve found it to be musically and spiritually inspiring. It has some of my new favourite songs on it, especially...
Jon Foreman - Spring and Summer
A few months ago I reviewed the first part of a solo project by the lead singer of Switchfoot, Jon Foreman, a double CD called Fall and Winter. Well, now comes the other two seasons namely Spring and Summer.
I really enjoyed Fall and Winter but for me Spring and Summer has taken things up a notch to really show the depth of Foreman’s talent. All of the songs seem to be steeped in...
The City Church Experience
As part of my visiting churches in Belfast I went to the Belfast City Church yesterday. I’d heard good things about it and I have often been to their non-profit making charity cafe that they run in the church building.
My overall impression was that I really enjoyed being there, they are a laidback, informal bunch with a passion to reach all sections of the community. During the course of...
Velvet Elvis Part 3 - God wants you to be you
My final reflection on Velvet Elvis for the moment is a short piece towards the end of the book about God’s purpose for us. It’s one of the most encouraging descriptions I have heard. I don’t want to say very much about it, just let the words speak for themselves…
God makes us in his image. We reflect the beauty and creativity and wonder of the God who made us. And Jesus...
July 2008
6 posts
Velvet Elvis Part 2 - Binding and Loosing
Another thing I have been reflecting on in relation to Rob Bell’s book Velvet Elvis is what he says about the Bible. Many books I have read quote the Bible and tell you that it means a particular thing. In a way Bell is no different but he first explains that someone else talking about the Bible has to be an interpretation whether they like it or not. He shows how he thinks it’s...
Velvet Elvis Part 1 - A wall or a trampoline?
I’ve just finished reading this book by Rob Bell called Velvet Elvis. It’s a book that lots of people have recommended to me over the past year, so I’m long overdue reading it. I’m so glad I did get round to reading it, I ended up reading it in less than a week which is very quick for me, unless I’m on a long plane journey! But, it’s such a rich book and I...
Bluetree - God of this City
Prayer really works
I have been thinking a lot about prayer recently. My time at Moyallon Camp was bathed in prayer. We didn’t do anything without praying about it. There was thanksgiving for things that had happened and prayers of petition for what was coming up. We prayed at every meal time, we prayed before the speaker spoke, we prayed in small groups.
Moyallon Camp is like this every year but this year I...
Praying for camp
It’s nearly time for Moyallon Camp again. I am getting quite excited for camp this year. My anticipation of what God will do there is based on my experience of God moving among people at camp in amazing ways ever since I first went to Moyallon Camp. Quakers aren’t supposed to see some places as holier than others but Moyallon really seems to be a place where God’s presence can be...
June 2008
2 posts
Follow the Lord your God
My daily Bible reading notes have taken me to the book of Joshua, one of my favourite books in the Old Testament. I have got as far as Chapter 3 and I was admiring the intention of the Israelites to follow God directly despite the strong leaders they had from Moses and Aaron and then Joshua. The children of Israel are instructed in verse 3 to follow the ark of the convenant across the River Jordan...
Visiting the Vineyard
Yesterday my fiance and I went to the Belfast City Vineyard Church for the first time. Some friends of ours go there and it’s about a ten minute walk from my flat so a visit there was long overdue. It’s all part of a quest to find a good congregation that we can feel comfortable in and that will help us in our relationship with God individually and together. Since I returned from...
May 2008
4 posts
I'd rather be a name in heaven than a name on...
I heard a sermon recently on the story of the Rich man and Lazarus that Jesus tells and is recorded in Luke 16:19-31. It is a really powerful message from Jesus about what happens after we die and how what we do now affects that. In the passage Lazarus is a beggar who lies at the rich man’s gate hoping for a few scraps from his table. The rich man is painted as a high society gentleman who...
I'm Engaged!
The good news with me is that I asked my wonderful girlfriend (now fiance) Joy to marry me and she said “yes!” It’s so great, I’m really enjoying being engaged and can’t wait to start planning a brilliant wedding and then getting to spend the rest of my life with Joy! One of the best parts of getting engaged has been phoning round lots of family and friends to tell...
Come as you are
I was at a meeting yesterday where I heard two friends, Maurice and Joyce McDonagh speaking on Mark 5:21-43. In this passage a local synagogue leader called Jairus comes to Jesus because his daughter is dying, he asks Jesus to come to his house and place his hands on her so she would live. As Jesus is heading for Jairus’ house, a woman who has been hemorraghing for 12 years sneaks through...
Running
I have been inspired by a few people this week who have been running. My girlfriend Joy was in a relay team who ran the Belfast City Marathon between five of them. I’ve been doing some running with her in the build up and it’s been really good fun and a good and cheap way of keeping fit. I was struck by how psychological running is, you have to be mentally prepared to keep running even...
April 2008
6 posts
Moyallon Camp
The new website that’s been designed for Moyallon Camp is up and running and they have a link to my blog on it! So I thought I better return the favour and give them some advertising. Moyallon Camp is actually two different camps. Junior Moyallon Camp is a weekend in June for 10-14 year olds and Senior Moyallon Camp is a week long camp at the start of July for 14-18ish year olds. They are...
The Story of Stuff
I was reading my friend Wess’ blog and he had a post on the video below, called the Story of Stuff. It’s 20 minutes long but it’s really worth watching. It makes you think about how much you are consuming and how unaware you can be about where things have come from and where they go before and after you consume them. There’s a few interesting comments on it on Wess’...
WatchVideo about the Celebration of Hope
Celebration of Hope
It’s Monday and I’m reflecting back on last weekend where the main event in Belfast was the Franklin Graham lead Celebration of Hope. Franklin Graham is, of course son of Billy Graham and has taken over his father’s evangelistic ministry since Billy’s retirement. I was able to get involved in the Christian Life and Witness courses which I have blogged about before and...
Vienna Gathering 2008 Photos →
I haven’t blogged in a while but I have set up a Flickr account to share photos online. My first album is some photos from the Europe and Middle East Friends Gathering in Vienna at Easter.
February 2008
5 posts
Fall and Winter by Jon Foreman
I’ve just bought two EPs by Jon Foreman called Fall and Winter. Foreman is the lead singer of one of my favourite bands, Switchfoot so I was eager to hear what his solo project was going to be like. I’ve been pleasantly surprised, there are none of the high tempo air guitar inducing songs from Switchfoot but a more thoughtful collection of acoustic ballads. It really brings out the...
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my...”
– Psalm 139:13-14 (NLT)
God made you and he knows how to fix you
I recently attended the second class in the Christian Life and Witness Course series. The pastor taking the class told us a story about a fellow who lived in a small town in the USA at the beginning of the 20th Century, we’ll call him George. He was the first person from that town to get a car, a Model A Ford. George drove it around the town very proudly showing off this amazing contraption...
Bible Study
At the moment I’m taking the Christian Life and Witness Course. It’s a four week course and in the first class we talked about “the effective Christian Life.” I found it really helpful as it made me think about how the way I orientate my life affects the way I see God and the way people see God in me. One particular phrase I will take away with me was about the Bible. The...
January 2008
3 posts
Safe in God's Love
I’ve just finished reading a book by John Ortberg called Love Beyond Reason. I have read a few of Ortberg’s books before but not for a year or so. Every time I read one of his books it always leaves me feeling really good about how great and mighty God is. What is difficult is remembering that every day. I tend to forget it rather too hastily and start to worry about things I’m...
Internet shoppers' guide to going green →
Found this useful website, which I wish I’d found before I tried to buy all those Christmas presents! It has links to loads of websites selling eco-friendly and carbon neutral products from a bar of chocolate right up to eco-tourism holidays!
Christmas Present Buying
One of the things I wanted to blog about over Christmas was how I got on with trying to buy only Fairtrade and charity presents this year. It has taken me to get snowed in at my house to get round to writing about it! I woke up this morning to 15cm of snow and I haven’t attempted to drive my car today. So back to the presents, I actually found it more difficult than I thought I would. One of...
December 2007
2 posts
Silly Season
Apologies to those who have looked at my blog in the last few weeks eagerly anticipating a new post! December really has been “silly season” not just with Christmas but with all the other things going on in my life, new job, new house, new course deadlines etc. Not to mention not having broadband! I can’t believe Christmas has been and gone. I will get back to more blogging again...
Transition
I haven’t had a chance to blog for a while as I’ve been in transition back to Belfast and started at Belfast City Airport. It all went relatively smoothly. Joy flew over to accompany me on the long drive and boat journey back to Ireland, which I really appreciated. I have been finding my feet in my new job for the past four days, all seems pretty straightforward though. It’s amazing looking back...
November 2007
9 posts
Last day at work today
Today’s my last day at work in London. I had to write that down as I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. I’ve never done the same job for more than 3 years before, it’s even longer than I was at University for, so it’s bound to feel a bit strange after a few days or weeks when I realise that I’m not going back to it. I had a leaving party after work on Monday...
A charitable Christmas
I know what you’re thinking, “it’s a bit early to be thinking about Christmas?” Well, I would be inclined to agree with you, however today I ordered my charity Christmas cards on the internet marking my first step towards Christmas. I’ve always bought charity Christmas cards and in recent years have made more steps towards charity donations in lieu of presents but...
Getting out of town!
I’ve got less than 2 weeks left in London and I’ve been experiencing some “last time” moments. Some of my friends from work have been heading off on holiday or on courses so I’ve had my last day working with them. I attended my last Ealing meeting this past Sunday. I’ve had my last trip to the theatre in London (as a native anyway!). I’ve been in London...
Forgiveness
Probably because it was Remembrance Sunday today I was thinking about what I can do to stop all the war and conflict in the world. I was thinking about how to live in the life and power that takes away the occasion of all war as the early Friends put it in the Peace Testimony. When contemplating this issue in meeting I began to see how forgiveness plays such a crucial role in this. I ended up...
Take up your Cross and Follow Him
I was back in Ireland over the weekend. It was not the weekend I had envisaged as I ended up attending the funeral of my mum’s cousin, David died. He was a keen cyclist and tragically died in an accident while out on his bike. When someone dies suddenly like that it really makes you think about the thread that separates life from death. It was a reminder to me to live life to its fullest...
October 2007
4 posts
Blackle
You will have noticed that my blog has a dark background, I didn’t realise until recently how environmentally friendly that makes me. The US department of Energy claim that a computer displaying a white screen uses 75 watts of power, while a black screen uses 59 watts. So they set up Blackle which is a black version of Google. It doesn’t have all the features that Google has, but for a...
“For God can be found. There is a last rock for your souls, a resting-place of...”
– Thomas Kelly, 1941