Category Archives: New Life

Reflect on the ‘Maggies’

Posted on December 20, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Hidden away in a Dublin park is a bench with a plaque that says: ‘To the women who worked in the Magdalen laundry institutions — reflect here upon their lives.’ The Magdalen laundries, named after Mary Magdalene, belonged to an … Continue reading →

Posted in Compassion, Forgiveness, Judgementalism, New Life | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Transferring rights and privileges

Posted on November 5, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Robert Louis Stevenson once gave a rather odd gift to a friend’s daughter, Annie, who had the misfortune to have been born on Christmas, and every Christmas complained that she never got to have her own birthday party. So Robert … Continue reading →

Posted in Incarnation, Jesus, New Life, Privilege | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

He can make something out of you

Posted on October 30, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Some years ago, Mohammed Ali, arguably the world’s greatest boxer, was asked by a kid from a city ghetto whether he should quit school and start a boxing career, since he had such bad grades. Ali smiled at the young … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, God, God in us, God with us, Life, Life's journey, New Life | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Pick yourself up, dust yourself down.

Posted on June 26, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Do you remember that song that Fred Astaire sang to Ginger Rodgers in the old movie, Swingtime? It went like this: ‘Nothing’s impossible I have found, for when my chin is on the ground I pick myself up, dust myself … Continue reading →

Posted in Abundant life, Encouragement, Failure, Faith, God with us, God's love, New Life, Overcoming, Second chance | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Turning beer into furniture

Posted on June 6, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

One of the most memorable characters I ever met was a man named Snowy Royal. When I knew him he was an evangelist, but in earlier times he had been a prominent member of the Sydney underworld, a violent alcoholic … Continue reading →

Posted in Conversion, Jesus, New Life, Salvation, Seeing Jesus, Spiritual blessing, Spiritual growth, Spiritual Insight, Starting afresh, Transformation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The way God would paint our portrait

Posted on March 10, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s a story of a homeless man sitting across the street from an artist’s studio. The artist saw him and thought he’d make an interesting portrait. So from a distance he painted this man – but not with downcast eyes … Continue reading →

Posted in God, New Life, Salvation, Second chance, Seeing the best in people, Seeing the possibilities | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Purification by proxy

Posted on January 28, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Every twelve years, millions of Hindus flock to Allahabad to bathe in the River Ganges, believing that they will be cleansed from sin. Sadly, scores of pilgrims regularly get injured in the crush as the crowds rush to the water. … Continue reading →

Posted in Forgiveness, New Life, Purification, Salvation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Better than any spa

Posted on January 28, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

According to The International Spa Association the number of hotels or resorts offering spas has multiplied over the past few years. Spas are offering exotic treatments indigenous to their location, including “lava rock massages in Hawaii, papaya scrubs in the … Continue reading →

Posted in New Life, Second chance, Spiritual blessing, Transformation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Touching the untouchable

Posted on January 4, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

One of the greatest men of the Twentieth Century was Mahatma Gandhi. Most people know him for having led India in its struggle for independence and for his advocacy of non violent protest. But Gandhi did other great things too. … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts of Kindness, God in us, God with us, Justice, Living Life, Losers, Love of Christ, Mercy, New Life, Regeneration, Spiritual blessing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Why does everybody call me ‘Fruit stand.’

Posted on January 4, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

When the San Francisco hippie community started to move to cheaper areas down the coast, pre-schools in Santa Cruz got an influx of children with names like Frisbee, Moonbeam, Timewarp and Precious Promise. The strangest one, however, was a little … Continue reading →

Posted in Life's journey, Mistakes, New Life, Parental mistakes, Starting afresh | Tagged , , | Leave a comment