Every now and then when I am talking with someone, in the course of the conversation, they will mention their 'secular job'. I always pause and think about that statement. It actually grates me. Why is that? Unfortunately, many people have created a division between the “sacred” and the “secular”. This dualism is a product … Continue reading Do You Have a ‘Secular’ Job?
Freedom from Depression
Depression has been called "the common cold of the emotions". Depression simply means "low mood". Every one has time when they feel down or experience low mood but sometimes those feelings can linger for days, weeks, even months at a time. This can be quite debilitating, especially when others around you don't fully understand what … Continue reading Freedom from Depression
New Podcast
I am excited to announce a new podcast of my teaching messages. This podcast is available directly from Podbean (including on their mobile Apps) or from Apple's iTunes (including all iTunes Apps) or from within Spotify (if you are a subscriber). It is not possible to publish podcasts on Google Play from Australia yet. Every … Continue reading New Podcast
The Blessing of Giving
Jesus said and did many things, a lot of which is recorded in the four Gospels of the New Testament. But not everything Jesus said and did was written down (see John 21:25). The apostle Paul rarely quoted Jesus, but one statement that must have been passed on to him through 'oral tradition' (it's not … Continue reading The Blessing of Giving
Learning to Retreat
A few years ago, TIME magazine published an article stating that distraction was the pre-eminent condition of our time. Not only are we busy, we are pulled in multiple directions constantly by distractions of all kinds. The antidote? Mindfulness. Mindfulness is about taking time to be still, to reflect, to meditate, to contemplate, to be … Continue reading Learning to Retreat
Decisions – How to Know God’s Will For Your Life
Many years ago, when Nicole and I were working for my dad, Kevin Conner, who was then the Senior Minister of Waverley Christian Fellowship (now CityLife Church), we had a number of people advise us to consider moving away for a few years. They thought it would be good for me to get out from … Continue reading Decisions – How to Know God’s Will For Your Life
A Hot Air Ballooning Adventure
Back in 2014, Nicole and I had the opportunity to be part of a tour of Turkey and Greece. It was a fascinating experience and we loved exploring the history of these iconic places. One of the highlights was a visit to Cappadocia in central Turkey. Cappadocia is an ancient name which means 'land of … Continue reading A Hot Air Ballooning Adventure
Discovering Your Life Purpose (Part 2)
As you take time to discover your life purpose (see part 1), here are a few ideas to help in your exploration: Your Desires Ask yourself: What do you enjoy doing? What do you get excited about? What energises you? What makes you angry? What annoys you? For instance, if you get irritated by disorganisation … Continue reading Discovering Your Life Purpose (Part 2)
Discovering Your Life Purpose (Part 1)
Take a moment to think back to when you were a child (for some of us, that is a little further back than for others!). Question: "What did you want to be when you grew up?" Maybe you dreamt of being an astronaut or a scientist or a movie star? We all had ideas of … Continue reading Discovering Your Life Purpose (Part 1)
Is Our View of Retirement Still Working?
"Retirement" - what does that word mean for you? Maybe you are young and retirement seems a distant, mysterious world for you. Or maybe you are working your butt off right now and can't wait to finish? Or maybe you are already there. In the insightful book Playing Life's Second Half, author David J. Powell notes … Continue reading Is Our View of Retirement Still Working?
Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 4)
Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, once noted that we are the first generation to have two lives - a first half and a second half. Over a hundred years ago, many people lived to only 45-50 years of age. Now, as we have seen in this series of posts, many people are living … Continue reading Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 4)
Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 3)
In part 4 and 5 of this series of posts on the possibility of living to 100, we will look at what longevity could mean for our lives. What does a life of significance, rather than mere success, look like? How do we break free from the conventional view of the three-stage life: education, vocation, … Continue reading Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 3)
Could You Live to 100 years of Age? (Part 2)
Today we continue our series of posts on the possibility of living to 100 years of age. Areas on the planet where people regularly live to over 100 years of age today are often referred to as “blue zones”. Dan Buettner (Twitter @bluezones) has been a National Geographic researcher and explorer for over 20 years. … Continue reading Could You Live to 100 years of Age? (Part 2)
Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 1)
One of the best gifts you can give those you love is to live a long life, Yes, why not plan to be around for a while. Of course, none of us control the number of our days nor do we know how long we will live. But there are things we can do that … Continue reading Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 1)
Beware: Impulse Buying!
I remember early on in our marriage shopping for a new BBQ. The store had a sale on so I bought not only a whiz bang BBQ but also a heap of extras to go with it. In the end, I had overspent and busted our budget plans. It took a few months to recover … Continue reading Beware: Impulse Buying!