climbing hiking camping

Did you know there is such a thing as ‘philosophical walking’? You do now. There’s even a group in Yorkshire who arrange such walks, complete with a friendly walking philosopher. But if we think for a moment, all walks can be philosophical – especially those away from our daily routines. We see new things, we plan to get somewhere, we consider routes, we observe the new things around us. All that adds to a philosophical walk. I’m just back from one of my favourite places – Dolgellau, just south of Snowdonia. Walking in the foothills there is invigorating, uplifting, challenging, tiring…. all these things and more. One day I went out on my own on what is called the ‘bird sanctuary walk’- basically climbing half way up a hill and walking through a nature reserve. The only bird I saw was a crow! But there was plenty to enjoy, consider – even meditate on. Those that know me will know that for me there is a ‘God connection’ too. To appreciate the creation made by God is special. There’s a f...

I’ve been pondering God’s grace a lot lately, and came across this passage in my daily Bible reading today: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11: 28-30, The Message Version) If our faith is in religion, we will get burned. If our faith is in meetings, we will tire. If our faith is in leaders, no matter how good, we will wear ourselves out. But faith in God is something else entirely. As we keep company with the one who made the stars. As we speak with the one who spoke first. As we walk hand in hand with the Son Who Came, we are refreshed. The Hebrew word for grace in the Old Testament is ‘Chesed’. It has the feel of being delivered from our enemies, of being prote...

These are the final lines of a poem written in 1938 by Robert D Abrahams. He is reflecting on wars around the world whilst he and his wife, safe at home,  drive to a game of bridge: Tonight Shanghai is burning, And we are dying too. What bomb more surely mortal Than death inside of you? For some men die by shrapnel, And some go down in flames, But most men perish inch by inch, In play at little games. The words are a challenge to every one of us. Will we allow ourselves to die inch by inch? Or will we determine to live for a cause? Will we allow others to play little games with our lives? Or will we ignore the fear of shrapnel and fight? May every one of us reading these words determine to live; and to live for something great, something lasting, something meaningful.

In musical terms, I’m a child of the 70s. I grew up on the heavyish rock of Argent, Led Zeppelin, Free and Deep Purple. And when I’m feeling nostalgic, that’s still where I return. So you won’t be surprised to learn that I never really got into Rap, didn’t particularly get along with Punk and as for Garage, Grunge and Grime… it passed me by. That was, until four months back, when the artist Stormzy appeared as a guest on X Factor on TV, and sang Blinded by Your Grace. I’m told he’s a Grime and Hip Hop artist. What I heard was pure Gospel. In fact, for me, one of the best Gospel songs I’ve heard in many years. If you’ve not heard it yet, here’s a link: As I watched, I found myself worshipping: Lord, I've been broken Although I'm not worthy You fixed me, I'm blinded By your grace You came and saved me... You saved this kid and I'm not your first It's not by blood and it's not by birth But oh my God what a God I serve ….. Now I'm in a better place No longer afr...

He's smartly dressed in a business shirt and suit trousers. And he's just offered me a cup of tea. John is a warehouse supervisor during the week. His accent gives him away as coming from the Black Country. And today he's a volunteer at a hospital, making tea's and coffee's, helping with meals and washing up. Imagine that. Five hard working days in the warehouse and then giving your Sunday away to care for the sick. Wow. John's not the only one. Jo and Judith are the nurses on duty today, on the men's ward at Burton hospital. Their love, care and attention help these largely older men maintain a degree of dignity and decorum in the most difficult of circumstances. And that's why I'm here. Dad's had a fall and the care from John, Jo and Judith is helping him make it through. Could the NHS be better? Sure. Does it need more money? Of course. But because of selfless giving and compassion, it's one of the best and most inclusive healthcare syste...

This is not the usual short blog from me- you’re going to need patience to read it, but there’s a REWARD if you get to the end. I don’t go in for too much reflection on these pages, but 2017 was a life-changing year, so here goes. I’m so grateful for such a wonderful wife. My youngest daughter constantly reminds me that I managed to secure a beautiful woman- well beyond everyone’s expectations! And to have four children and two kids-in-law, all of whom love God is an amazing blessing. As for the two grandkids, don’t get me started! As I REFLECT on the year, it was mixed, with doors closing and others opening. To be dropped from the lead team for our Leicester church was a real sadness. We remain leaders in various capacities at ‘home base’ in Peterborough and will continue to support Leicester as much as we can. But other doors opened. Not least with the Leprosy Mission and Mission24. To be Chair of the Leprosy Mission England & Wales is an immense privilege. This often forgotten a...

Over the last few months, I have had the privilege of interviewing three great men of God in preparation for books to be published. I have found the experience thrilling. The way that God has used these guys is awesome. Men of faith, ready and willing to be used by Him; having a good effect on the world around them. But their story is our story too. Every one of us has a story to tell. Every one of us can have a good effect. It may not make a book, but it makes a life – in other words, each one of us has the ability to change the lives around us for good. Martha Graham says ‘ There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost.’ The Bible says ‘God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.’ ( 1 Peter 4: 10, NLT ). The Psalmist says we wer...

As we approached the New Year, I posted the following on Facebook. Its simple statements obviously hit a chord as many 'likes' and 'shares' followed. So, with thanks to the original author, Julie Baumgardner, it's posted here. May it be true for all of us, all of the time.

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz. She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I ... 'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralysed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable o...

When I was a babe and wept and slept, Time crept; When I was a boy and laughed and talked, Time walked. Then when the years saw me a man, Time ran. But as I older grew, Time flew. Soon, as I journey on, I'll find time gone. May Christ have saved my soul, by then, Amen. 'Times Paces' by Henry Twells, adapted by Guy Pentreath

David Brooks wrote a beautiful article in the New York Times . His proposition is a simple one. Do we want to build our virtues as reflected in a career résumé, or do we want to build virtues in our life that might be remembered after we are gone - what Brooks calls a Eulogy Virtue. Here's a quote from the article: "Many of us are clearer on how to build an external career than on how to build inner character." And again: "You (can) live with an unconscious boredom, separated from the deepest meaning of life and the highest moral joys. Gradually, a humiliating gap opens between your actual self and your desired self, between you and those incandescent souls you sometimes meet." I appreciate my résumé. My success in the world of work has taken me a long way. But if I want to go further - beyond this life - I need to add the kind of virtues that may be talked of at a funeral. I don't expect for a moment that anything I do to build my inner life will be of the ...

When you drive to the polling station on Thursday, your way will not be blocked. Your children will not be kidnapped whilst you are out. There will be no indiscriminate gunfire as you queue. No one will take you into the booth and force you to put a cross by a certain name. We live in a free democracy. But we need to keep it that way. Don’t assume for a moment that your vote doesn’t matter. No vote is wasted. It’s a statement that we’re free. Free to vote. Free to choose. Far beyond our own political views, beyond the choice of a candidate or the success of a candidate, is the fact that we are free to vote in the first place. A privilege many in the world today do not have. Don’t squander the chance. Don’t throw away your right to vote. Don’t stay home. Go to the polling station. Put your cross on the ballot paper. Vote on Thursday.

‘I’m here between the bookends of everything that was and what will be’ It’s a quote from an Amy Grant song. Every one of us is on a journey. We have no idea of where we are in the journey between those two bookends. In a sense, there is little or nothing we can do about that. But what we can do is ensure that where we are right now is as effective and life affirming as it’s possible to be. To give our all. To live to the full. The Apostle Paul said ‘God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!’ That’s true for every one of us. There’s a life worth living, a life worth giving. If I’m between the bookends with no idea at what particular point, I want to make my life count. So for me, with apologies to Amy Grant for changing the lyrics, it’s not ‘what will be’ but what, with God’s help, CAN be.   All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are...

I must admit it had passed me by. Black Friday that is. It was only on the actual day that I noticed it, so I guess I can be grateful that I managed to avoid most of the hype. Apparently, it’s the day after Thanksgiving in the States. I’m pretty sure we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving over here, so it’s sad that we decided to import the day after. Or did we? Of course, it’s not ‘our’ import at all - ‘us’ being the Great British population. It’s the retailers. Another opportunity to make some money. Another ‘sale’. And sadly, we fall for it. I much prefer Red Friday. Instead of needless taking, it’s about selfless giving. One man who gave all. Black Friday? Bad Friday. Red Friday? Good Friday.

We moved house on 10th June. It took Severn Trent Water a day to change our contract. Scottish Power - a day. Sky TV - two days. Driving licence change - a week. BT broadband? 91 days and 4 hours. Incredible incompetence, a lack of customer care and an Openreach operation out of control meant we went around in circles for a long time. All BT seemed able to do was the equivalent to switching an appliance off at the mains, and then back on again, hoping against hope that it works next time around. I'd like to record here my thanks to all my friends who helped me bombard BT with tweets. Over 200 tweets were sent and I'm sure that was one of the main reasons we got somewhere in the end. It doesn't seem right that Openreach can dictate what company we use either. We started with Sky, because of the good deal they had. But a month in and a few 'failed connections', Openreach said that they were 'unable to support' another provider. So I had to move to BT. Twice th...

Just met an amazing friend for coffee. He's recently lost his wife and continues to care for two wonderful daughters, one of whom is severely challenged with learning difficulties. It reminded me of a blog from 2012, which I re-post in his honour: Her name is Rebecca and I saw her on Saturday. She is maybe 9 or 10 years old, but I guess with a mental age of an infant. Her chair was amazing. It kept her body from twisting and held her head upright. There was a big smile on her face as her father teased her and tickled her and cheered her on as she ate. Her name is Jessica and I saw her on Saturday. I guess she’s in her 20’s. Her race was amazing. She pulled away from the opposition to win the heptathlon gold. There was a big smile on her face as the crowd cheered her achievement. Jessica has her gold medal. One day so will Rebecca.

A new survey out today highlights the happiest and most unhappy places in the UK. It seems that contentment does not come with riches but with simplicity. The Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland are the places to live for a happy and worthwhile life. Such out-of-the-way places point to the simple enjoyment of the outdoors, amazing scenery and a lifestyle unencumbered by over reliance on modern appliances, supermarkets, television and speed of travel. In the same article, my own city of Peterborough sadly topped the poll for being the most anxious. Not all of the city is like that though. Come along to KingsGate Church where on an average Sunday you will find around 1,800 people who would not in the least fit into that ‘anxious’ image. With 58 different nations represented and a number of different church services to choose from, this is Positive Peterborough. And the reason for the lack of anxiety? We know where to ‘cast our cares’!

Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Hate less, love more; And all good things are yours. Swedish Proverb

There was a very cautious man Who never laughed or played He never risked, he never tried, He never sang or prayed. And when he one day passed away, His insurance was denied, For since he never really lived, They claimed he never really died. Anonymous poem  from Developing the Leader Within You by John C. Maxwell.