Listen to the Music

What purpose does music and singing serve in church? To some people it may seem a pointless exercise. I mean how many other places do people gather together and sing? At a football game when passions are aroused or possibly at a karaoke night if that is your thing. So it’s not common for people to get together and sing these days, so why do it at church? Some people think it’s to set the mood. But music does more than that. When it is done properly music can set the whole tone of the service, it can reinforce the … Continue reading →

Something for Nothing

These days everyone wants something for nothing it seems. This is the theory behind why supermarkets and shops offer coupons and reward cards. And I have to admit to being part of it. Not only have we managed to get a few helpful items through using our reward points, but I am one of the featured authors in a free book give away. To promote her new book The Listening Land, due out soon, Anne Hamilton is running a giveaway of 1111 books by Australian Christian authors. The list includes children’s books, poetry, non fiction and fiction. 3 of mine … Continue reading →

Words That Stay with You

Never underestimate the power of music in your Christian life. I find it is a great help in reinforcing Christian truths. Last week, as our music group practiced the songs for Sunday, one of them was The Potter’s Hand. It was one I hadn’t been familiar with until I came to my current church after we moved house but the words of the song have stayed with me throughout the week like a daily prayer. Have a look at the words here and see if maybe you might want to adopt them as a daily prayer perhaps to start the … Continue reading →

The Creator and the Created

This week I’m going to tell you about a book I’ve recently read. It has been published since 2006 but I only just now caught up with it courtesy of the library. The author wasn’t one I was familiar with but having read this book I am likely to read more of her work. The Novelist by Angela Hunt is about Jordan Casey who has written a number of Rex Tower novels. While teaching a writing course at a local community college she is challenged by one of her students that she is not investing enough of herself into her … Continue reading →

Trusting God Despite Hardship

Fiction reflects life to us, I believe. I’m an avid reader though not usually of Christian fiction. However, recently from our library I picked up ‘All the Days of My Life’ by Jo-Anne Berthelsen, published by Ark House Press. This is the third book I have read by Ark House Press and they have each been very different but all interesting. Although written as fiction, it was ‘inspired by the real-experiences of a post-war Czech immigrant to Australia.’ The book was also a sequel to Helena which I hadn’t read. It didn’t matter. I quickly became interested in the story … Continue reading →

Waiting for Writers and Readers.

Sometimes we chaff at how long it takes for things to happen, for God to answer our prayers. In the life of a writer a lot of time is spent waiting. Waiting for characters to be fleshed out. Of course we may still be writing at the same time and getting to know our characters. Waiting for a cooling off period after a draft of a manuscript is written, before going back to edit and revise. Then, when it is finally off to a publisher waiting for their response. Waiting for the postman to come with the good news of … Continue reading →

Without a Song

In the forum we’ve been talking about favorite hymns and church songs. Valorie commented she liked the old hymns because the theology is so rich. I agree. There are important bibles truths come out in some of those old hymns and so beautifully expressed. How could I have forgotten ‘Be Thou My Vision,’ – an absolute gem, though I like the version with the words, ‘Be thou my dignity, thou my delight,’ rather than some of the other versions that omit these words. When I was doing the music in my previous church I always specified we use these words. … Continue reading →

A Disease of Epidemic Proportions

There is an epidemic in our society. A severe disease threatens our society. You might think cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and yes, they all exist, but none of them are the disease I’m talking about. It’s one that affects people of all ages. This disease is probably one you or I have experienced at some point in our lives. Maybe even at the present time. The disease which has reached epidemic proportions is loneliness. I’ve been reading Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll recently. He says ‘many people are lonely and lack the community gathering points in which they can make … Continue reading →

Using God’s Gifts

On Friday, less than an hour before a concert at a nursing home where our choir was singing, I received a phone call telling me another woman from our choir died, suddenly. She’d been in hospital a while. But last we heard she’d been getting better. I didn’t know the woman well as I’ve only been a member of the choir a short time, but others had known her for years and been quite good friends. So to say the news hit everyone in the choir like a mallet to the head would be an understatement. As part of our … Continue reading →

Stubborness Can Be an Asset

All of us in life need to learn to make responsible decisions. We all need to be alert to the peer pressure that comes from family, friends, work colleagues and a society that, on the whole, doesn’t know the Lord and follow His ways. It can also come from those who are Christian. So how do we handle such pressure? ‘The Competitive Edge – how to win every time you compete,’ is a helpful book for getting us on the right track with decision making and living with integrity. The book is filled with interesting anecdotes like the stance taken … Continue reading →