Writing

Prayer does not come easily for me. I am easily distracted, and too often ill-disciplined – not setting aside the time to enjoy one of the most beautiful privileges I’m gifted with as a child of God, which is, time in God’s presence. The Carmelite nun, Therese of Lisieux, says, ‘prayer…

It seems like 2025 is both rushing at us and rushing by. Everything seems to be accelerating, the 24/7 news cycle on permanent fast-forward, social media algorithms magnifying a sense of crisis around every corner. Overseas, at breakneck speed President Trump is upending international alliances that have underpinned fragile geopolitical…

Sue and I love to travel. It’s our indulgent joy. For more than two decades we’ve especially enjoyed south-east Asia. We love the food, culture, history, beauty and especially the people across the region. Bali only dropped onto our list of places visited recently. We loved it.  When we travel,…

Captivated by God’s Grace, saturated in God’s Love and empowered by God’s Spirit – followers of Jesus are called to be radically different.  Too often the church is seen as weird for all the wrong reasons – for superficiality, judgmentalism or hypocrisy. But we’re actually called to be peculiar, to…

Dear Friends,  Happy New Year! I hope your Christmas was both meaningful and restful. Sue and I enjoyed a refreshing time visiting with family and friends, returning home excited and grateful for God’s presence in our lives.   I think it was Eugene Peterson who said, reflecting on the narrative arc…

Dear friends, Life has gotten a whole lot tougher for many Australians this year. The cost-of-living crisis and our nation’s housing catastrophe has left many people increasingly anxious, and often desperate. As people needed more help, Wesley Mission’s resources and resilience were stretched and tested, but our commitment to doing…

Dear Friends, I haven’t been very reliable sending you Soft Hearts newsletters in recent times. There’s been a bit happening, especially for me personally. If you will indulge me, let me explain.  After a four-month battle with cancer, my mother, Jill, passed away. As hard as it was to say goodbye…

Dear Friends,  The grief of losing a loved one to suicide can feel like a wound that never heals. It is deep, complex and often full of unanswerable questions. In these darkest valleys, comfort is at hand. Psalm 34:18 tells us that “God is close to the brokenhearted and saves…

Dear Friends, You never know which investments will produce the greatest returns. One of my best investments was made on the number 727 bus commuting to my job as a graduate accountant in the 80s in Adelaide.   I'd while away the journey reading handwritten memory cards. I had about 200 cards…