Tag Archives: read

Combining Church and Business

We’ve talked about ways that volunteering and community service can be a boost for business, but I haven’t really thought or written about how some people combine church and business. A couple weeks ago, I was talking with a real estate agent who confessed that he gets some of his best referrals from his church congregation. I couldn’t help but wonder about what is the best and “nicest” way to combine one’s home business interests and church… I suppose in many ways, church might seem like a perfect networking place (although some of us go to church to get way … Continue reading →

Examples of Encouragment

Yesterday I wrote about words of encouragement. Yesterday and today, I had several examples of that and I know what a difference that encouragement has made to the start of my day. Two were regarding my writing. The first was an initial response from an experienced fellow writer and reader regarding the new manuscript I’m working on, which I’m looking forward to getting more detailed feedback on at the SCBWI conference in Sydney next month. The second was from a group of Australian children’s writers that I belong to, asking some questions about the structure of my novel due to … Continue reading →

New Arrivals

A new arrival has come to live at our house – a bundle of cuteness wrapped up in fur. And interesting the way it came about. For months I have wanted another dog but with the move and lots of things happening that required frequent visits to Sydney it was impractical. Then today, I decided to take the local newspaper with me in the car, which I never normally do. I saw an ad in the paper from someone selling Maltese Terrier cross Shih Tzu puppies. Every other time, I’ve mentioned the prospect of another dog my husband has been … Continue reading →

Bringing Joy

Sometimes it is so easy to bring joy into lives. I’ve just come back from singing with the choir at a Nursing home at Basin View, which is part of our local area. Yes, I know I’m on about singing again because it is something I love to do and it is so easy. We sang a selection of Christmas carols and songs as well as a number of popular songs from the years when the elderly residents were young- Songs like You made me Love You, If you were the only girl in the world, and Beer Barrel Polka. … Continue reading →

Is Your Church a Lifeboat?

Recently in Jervis Bay, a boat was capsized by one of many whales stopping off in the bay on their way back south with their calves. Ideally a lifeboat would have been handy to scoop them up and take them to shore. But there wasn’t one around. However, the fishermen were able to swim to shore and safety. Back in June this year Andrew Heard, pastor at Central Coast Evangelical Church visited the church I was part of at the time. This is the question he asked our congregation, ‘Is your church a life-boat that saves those who are drowning?’ … Continue reading →

Single Young Adult Wards

I’ve heard single young adult wards compared to meat markets. I’ll admit, there is a certain amount of looking around that goes on. For some, that’s a major turn-off, and for others, that’s why they come! But I’d like to talk about some of the other benefits and some of the disadvantages of single young adult wards, as well. When I was seventeen, I lived in a stake that didn’t have a single young adult ward. My friend invited me to attend a ward with her, and so each Sunday morning I’d drive for about fifteen minutes to go to … Continue reading →

Top Ten Articles You Will Never See In the Ensign

Posted on by

Every month, we have the opportunity to have a wonderful magazine delivered to our doorsteps. Inside, we can find uplifting and inspiring articles to help us on our spiritual walk. We can read stories of how people applied the gospel in their day-to-day lives. We can find talks to help us with our Sunday School and Relief Society preparation. We can learn about the church around the world. But there are many things we won’t find in the church magazine. Here are just a few titles that you may as well not send in, since we will never find them … Continue reading →

Strange Attitudes Towards Children’s Ministry

Children’s ministry can evoke strange attitudes. In some churches the attitude seems to be anyone can undertake children’s ministry. After all, how hard can it be to keep them amused for the time their parents are in church? If they learn something at the same time so much the better. This attitude is likely to stem from the idea within the church leadership that children’s ministry is secondary and less important than teaching adults, and therefore anyone should be able to do it. When my husband took over as superintendent of our Sunday school years ago, he stopped the practice … Continue reading →

Peer Pressure in the Church

Are you under pressure at your church to take on roles and jobs you feel ill equipped for? Do you cave in to church peer pressure and undertake a task even though you don’t feel called to it? Should you do this? Or should it be a case of it there’s a need someone should do it and you feel pressured that into giving it a go. Following on from my blog about children’s ministry and whose responsibility it is to teach children, I received an e mail from a woman remarking on the pressure she is put under by … Continue reading →

LDS Family Week in Review: April 29-May 5

Posted on by

This has been a fantastic week in the LDS blog. I’m still working on getting back up to speed in the Gospel Doctrine and EQ/RS Lesson categories following the arrival of our new little one, but was able to write some. We’ve also had some other fantastic blogs! Gospel Doctrine In The Rich Young Man, we talked about how the youth in the Sunday School lesson eagerly embraced Christ – until he found out what the Master required was his all. In Give As Ye Are Able, we reviewed ways the Lord expects us to give. And in The Root … Continue reading →