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Ambition and Humility

Ambition and Humility

The Apostle James tackles the issue of God\'s Will in his epistle, James 4 verses 13-17 . James initiates this section by reciting common sentiments of the day, as it is today: \"Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.\" .

  • The little boat called hope

    After a very difficult and challenging year, we decided to have some time-out during the holidays by taking our little sailing boat on the river for some short runs. My husband had spent a good part of the month restoring the little \'Mirror\' sail boat. He\'d carefully mended it, cleaned it and painted it. He skillfully crafted the artwork for the name, the \'Esperance\' which means \'to hope\' or \'in expectation\'. It was ready to go and we were very excited to take our little boat on it\'s m

  • A house the size of a pea

    "Mum, why is our house so teeny tiny?" our five year old queries recently. As if the question didn't quite get through to me well enough, he proceeds to hold his fingers close together as if showing me the size of a pea.

  • Clay Target Shooters has Chaplain - Eyes on the target!

    Reverend Dr. Mark Tronson birthed a new ministry in Australia over 30 years ago founding Sports Chaplaincy (1982-2000). What better way to reach a sports mad nation than sports chaplains. From the Australian cricket team, to AFL clubs and V8 Supercars, sports chaplains have brought Christ's grace and mercy to many.

  • (Re)Imagining Heaven

    Several days after Christmas, my parents returned from their time in America with several suitcases bustling with gifts. I suspect that the quantity of presents largely reflected their guilt for spending Christmas abroad without their (beloved) children, or more likely it reflected a strong Australian dollar and an affinity for shopping. Either way, my sister and I were more than willing to accept these gifts from my parents (aka an admission of their guilt).

  • Great television - cannot judge what you cannot see

    I have recently enjoyed watching a show on Foxtel called \'Storage Wars\'. In this show various owners of pawn stores (as in pawning your possessions for cash) and second hand stores, go to storage locations across Los Angeles and bid for abandoned or reclaimed storage sheds.

  • Rock N Riding to Mental Illness

    So, Big Day Out has been going around the country and this year to make it special Rock N Ride has begun. What is Rock N Ride? It\'s a chance for (mostly minor) celebrities to get on their motorbikes... and for a good cause too. If you didn\'t know, it\'s for Headspace (the national youth mental health foundation).

  • Rowland Croucher reviews "Phillip Adams, Bedtime Stories: Tales from my 21 years at Late Night Live"

    The Pastor\'s Pastor Reverend Dr Rowland Croucher reviews Phillip Adams latest tome. Adams is Australia's No 1 auto-didact / public intellectual. To that add: premier raconteur, acquaintance of more-interesting-people than anyone, kingmaker (eg. during Bob Hawke/Bill Hayden saga), most-listened-to radio interviewer by people who love ideas, rather than wallowing in the superficialties of those who are 'famous for being famous' etc. etc.

  • Children are being exposed to pornography – Our response?

    Our children will be exposed to pornography is some form or another.It is a sad but true reality and this is when the words of Jesus become so real. In John 10:10 Jesus says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full." The thief steals our children's innocence and often kills their witness for Jesus and destroys any possibility of happiness in the future.

  • The challenge of simplicity

    The past year seemed to pass quicker than the last; a feeling that I am told occurs increasingly with each passing year. The busy Christmas period is now over, the school year is about to re-start for 2013, and holidays that have been full to the brim are coming to an end. With another busy year hurtling towards us I wonder amongst the busy-ness of the season if there had truly been enough time to pause, reflect and refresh. Sound familiar?

  • Embrace the Ordinary

    When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus

  • Pastor's Pastor Rowland Croucher reviews: Joan Chittister: The Monastery of the Heart: An Invitation to a Meaningful Life

    The Pastor\'s Pastor the Reverend Dr Rowland Croucher of John Mark Ministries says that when people whose judgement I respect (Richard Rohr, Brian McLaren et. al.) keep suggesting we read Joan Chittister, I sit up and take notice. Others apparently agree: Google has 339,000 references to her (there can't be too many with a name like that!), beginning with her beautiful website (benetvision.org).