family
I haven’t been this excited about a birthday since I was a child. Today I turn 60 years of age. “What?! How can that be exciting?!” Good question. I’ve been trying to answer it. Part of it might be something I see in myself, as I relax into a fresh freedom, with less striving. Part…
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“Well, Well, Well. I thought you had disappeared from the blogosphere.” “Yes, I know. It’s been the longest gap between posts in 15 years. With changes in regulations, my own blog had become inaccessible to me. Rather awkward! But then I’ve been on the road (almost) since the last post. But now I’m back home…
READ MOREIt was my grandmother (my father’s mother) who gave me a love for John Baillie’s Diary of Private Prayer (see posts here and here). Grandma would read these prayers aloud to us and, even more significantly, include extracts from the prayers in letters to me. Somehow – let’s assume it happened honourably – I ended up with…
READ MOREOver this past weekend my (working) life has flashed before my eyes. Barby and I arrived in Penang (Malaysia) on Saturday evening for a little holiday. The legacy of being a former British colony can be seen everywhere, like in the name of the main city – George Town. On arrival we went for a…
READ MORE45 degrees outside. The electricity was failing regularly. Even when the air-conditioning was succeeding, it was struggling to pull the temperature below 35 degrees inside. It was so hot. Next stop? The UK. We stepped into a season of glorious weather. Mid-high 20s. Bright, blue sunny skies. The breeze was so cool, it felt like…
READ MOREJust at the moment it might be better if you didn’t talk to me about how God’s timing is perfect. My much-loved father-in-law (hitherto known as ‘Dad’, as that is who he was for me) died on the first day of this week, the biggest week of the year in my Langham work. As today…
READ MOREThe other night it was Brooklyn, an emotionally-charged movie about an Irish lass immigrating to the USA. After a long day I love relaxing with a movie with Barby, just the two of us. Midway through this movie, however, I glimpsed a notification on my phone. Billy Graham had died. I told Barby. Barely a minute…
READ MOREIn my childhood the home was filled with the sound of music. My father was a child prodigy on the piano who later added a celebrated baritone voice to his repertoire. His mother kept scrapbook upon scrapbook of his achievements in music. Flicking through them as a child, I suspect intimidation mingled with admiration more…
READ MORESadness and grief at-a-distance carries its challenges. Two years ago it was cancer that took the life of my best buddy from childhood – as well as being Best Man at each other’s weddings. This past week it was the death of Denise (once again to cancer), a precious friend and mentor whose orbit of…
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the art of unpacking
After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.