Category Archives: hope and love

‘At his age you’d think he would have learned to hate a little more.’

Posted on September 29, 2016 by vincentsmithauthor

In the midst of South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, one of the most respected voices for racial harmony and human dignity was Archbishop Desmond Tutu. But even his closest colleagues were sometimes upset by his moderation and wished he’d be … Continue reading →

Posted in Hatred, hope and love, love, Loving other people | Leave a comment

I believe in the sun even when it does not shine

Posted on March 12, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

A few years ago I visited the site of the Dachau Concentration Camp – a place that was the scene of so much evil. There are now three chapels there, one Jewish, one Catholic and one Protestant – each of … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, God, God in us, God with us, Goodness, Hope, hope and love, Joy | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The anchors of hope

Posted on February 12, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

In the ancient world the anchor was the symbol of hope.The Greek philosopher Epictetus said: ‘A ship should never depend on one anchor.’ The philosopher Pythagoras took this further when he said: ‘Wealth is a weak anchor; and fame is … Continue reading →

Posted in Anchor, Faith, fame, Hope, hope and love, love, Security, Spiritual Insight, wealth | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t hope; decide.

Posted on June 10, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Michael Hargrove tells about watching a man at an airport dropping a bag to the ground to hug two small children. Then he turned to their mother and said, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and then gave her a … Continue reading →

Posted in Decisions, Family, hope and love, Life's journey, love, marriage | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Power of an Encouraging Word

Posted on April 9, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Fifteen year old Douglas Maurer went into depression when he was diagnosed with leukemia and learned he was to have three years of chemotherapy that would send him bald and bloated. To cheer him up his aunt ordered some flowers; … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts of Kindness, Anxiety, Generous spirit, Healing, Hope, hope and love, inner peace, Inspiration, Living Life, Power, Strength, supportive community, tribulation and trouble | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Virus Called Peace

Posted on March 24, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

I once received an email warning me of the spread of a virus called “Inner Peace.” It told me to be alert for symptoms that could pose a serious threat to my usual stable condition of conflict. These symptoms include: … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts of Kindness, Appreciation, Attitude, Awareness, Compassion, Contentment, Faith, Forgiveness, Generous spirit, Grace, Happiness, Healing, hope and love, inner peace, Inspirational, Jesus, Joy, Knowing God, love, Mercy, Personal Growth, Seeing Jesus, Spirituality, thankfulness, Transformation, Unselfishness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The weakness of God

Posted on March 2, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Propagandist, used to refer to Mahatma Gandhi as a fool and a fanatic, because he didn’t have the sense to build a military organization. Goebbels was certain that Gandhi, who was deeply influenced by Christ’s Sermon … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Awareness, Foolishness, God, Hatred, hope and love, Jesus, Life's journey, Power, Power over People, Respect, Spiritual blindness, Spiritual Darkness, Spiritual Insight, Strength, Weakness, Winning | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

I believe in the Sun even when it’s not shining

Posted on February 17, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

It seems hard to believe that someone like Mother Teresa in later life should have written to her spiritual confidants revealing that inwardly her sense of the presence of God, that she had previously found quite overwhelming, seemed absent. However, … Continue reading →

Posted in Awareness, Faith, God, Hope, hope and love, inner peace, Inspirational, Knowing God, Life's journey, Moods, pilgrimage, Spiritual Darkness, Spiritual Insight, Trials and testings, Trust in God | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Only God is Great

Posted on February 4, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

We have become used to hearing some religious fanatics shout the words ‘God is great’ as they wreak death and destruction, and our sense of disgust can easily cause us to overlook the real significance of those words. But in … Continue reading →

Posted in emptiness, Futility, God, Heaven, hope and love, Knowing God, Life's journey, Power over People, Remembrance, Spirituality, Trust in God, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment