It is almost two months since my new book Beauty in the Ashes: Learning to Lament was released. I have tried to start this blog post a number of times since then, but the emotions have been so large, and the words have been so elusive that it would not settle into anything cohesive. Like … Continue reading Some thoughts after releasing a book
I have spent this weekend with an amazing group of women on a writing retreat. We all arrived at the tiny monastery town with our journals and our laptops, our fears and our expectations. We spent the weekend writing, chatting, and walking around the beautiful peace-filled grounds of New Norcia. And then on the last … Continue reading Beauty in the Ashes
The trees are darkand closing in You don’t know howyou found yourselfhere but you did You are tiredyou stumbleand overcome by exhaustionslump to the ground The reality of lifeis overwhelmingthere is no clearpath aheadjust this placein these woodsin the gloom May you knowthat it is okayto find yourselfhereon the forest floor May you not rejectyour … Continue reading In the midst
August is almost over and the rain is still here. This winter seems never-ending. We get tantalised with glimpses of spring, but then feel even more dejected when they don’t last. We feel like we’ve been tricked into believing spring is coming. The thing is. Winter will end, eventually. Spring will come. It always does. … Continue reading Present with us – The ever present father
One of the joys of my life as a young mum was watching my babies as they slept. The days were filled with feeding, and playing, and consoling, and, of course, trying to get them to sleep. And yes I did enjoy my days with my babies. But I cherished the times when finally, they … Continue reading Present with us – The protective father
In times of great distress and pain we can sometimes feel that we are the sum of our emotions. Emotions that are overwhelming and hard, emotions that seem to take up our whole being. In these times conversely, we can also feel that God is distant, that he doesn’t understand the extremes of our emotions … Continue reading Present with us – the emotional father