Suffering, like miscarriage, finds us in that space of ungranted petitions, where cynicism tempts us to cease to pray altogether, whispering that God doesn’t care or that praying doesn’t make a difference. But in the example of our Savior we see that prayer is anything but pointless.... continue reading
The suffering of mental-health disorders presents a very particular challenge to anyone considering the question of suffering alongside questions of faith since, if we are afflicted personally with a mental-health condition, our very perceptions, thoughts and feelings are affected directly.... continue reading
I knew when I began this journey that I’d likely hear stories from other survivors too. What I didn’t expect was that over half of them would be male.... continue reading
Where is God? Does God have any relevance in the face of great mountains of human degradation and pain?... continue reading
And while homeschooling is a blessing – and I myself have chosen to homeschool my children – the privacy, the seclusion, and the isolation it afforded created a protective shield for my father.... continue reading
Books on suffering written by academic types rarely connect with people who are actually suffering. I work in Oxford, and I have had the opportunity of studying and teaching throughout my adult working life. In the course of that time, I have found myself drawn to thinking about and reflecting on some of the toughest questions of life. Through all of that, I have come to realise that if Christian faith is worth considering, it needs to be deep enough to cope with our most rigorous human scrutiny and our most heart-rending questions.... continue reading
In an effort to do all the things we’re supposed to make sure to do, we run our children from playgroups to practices, all the while somewhat confused and lost in the haze, wondering, “Am I doing everything I’m supposed to do?” ... continue reading
Proverbs’ wisdom is not just learned intellectually but lived out practically. And it’s not lived out alone. Proverbs’ wisdom is found in relationship with the Lord.... continue reading
In many parts of the Christian church today the Psalms are a neglected treasure: many churches are like a poverty-stricken house with incalculable riches forgotten, neglected, moth-eaten and dusty in the attic.... continue reading
No one has switched God off. Modern humanity has not closed the doors of the world, leaving God on the outside, unable to get in.
So can we expect miracles to happen in the way they did during the ministry of Jesus and the apostles?... continue reading
