Tag Archives: anxiety

Losing one’s perspective

One stifling summer day in San Antonio, Texas, a baby was accidentally locked in a parked car. The mother and the aunt ran around the car in near hysteria, while a neighbour tried to unlock the door with a clothes … Continue reading

Posted in Gratitude, Ingratitude, Life, Life's journey, Perspective | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The world on our shoulders

Bruce Larsen was for many years a counsellor in New York. Sometimes he would take over-stressed clients to the RCA Building to see the famous statue of Atlas holding the world upon his shoulders, barely able to stand under this … Continue reading

Posted in Atlas, Faith, God, God in us, God with us, God's faithfulness, Sleeplessness, Storms of life, Strength, Stress filled life | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Helping us laugh again

Researchers say that children laugh around four hundred times a day, whereas adults, on average, only laugh fifteen times a day. Why is this? Do we stop laughing because we are old, or do we get old because we stop … Continue reading

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Not escape, just quiet confidence

When I was very small the best feeling in the whole world was to lie in bed on a stormy night all tucked up snug and warm, listening to the wind howling outside. Most of us have memories like that. … Continue reading

Posted in Confidence, Escape, Peace, Peaceful Sleep, quietness, Spiritual Insight, Stillness, Storms of life | Tagged | Leave a comment

Everything good begins in silence

Most of us will do anything to avoid sitting alone and quietly confronting our own inner selves, which is why Pascal, the French philosopher, said: “All men’s miseries come from their inability to sit quietly and alone.” The Danish philosopher … Continue reading

Posted in Boredom, Calmness, Contemplation, inner peace, Rush, Silence, Stillness | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Allergic to ourselves

Bill Flick, a columnist for The Pantagraph, reported the case of a man in England who, for thirty five years, had been robbed of restful sleep because he sneezed several hundred times each day. Over the years various doctors had … Continue reading

Posted in Faith, Peace, Peaceful Sleep, Rest, Restlessness, Sleeplessness | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The anchors of hope

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

Which way did he go?

There’s an epitaph on a headstone outside an English parish church that says: ‘Behold all you who pass by, for as you are so once was I; and as I am so you will be; prepare yourself to follow me.’ … Continue reading

Posted in Death, Eternity, Judgement, Kingdom of God, Knowing God, Life's journey, Spiritual Insight | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Feeding the wolves

A native American grandfather, talking to his grandson about the terrorist attack of September eleven, said: ‘I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is vengeful, angry and violent. The other one is loving … Continue reading

Posted in Anger, Forgiveness, Hatred, Justice, Peace, Renewed Minds, Revenge, Terrorists | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The ingratitude of tropical fish

Philip Yancey is right when he says that keeping tropical fish requires a lot of effort. ‘You have to feed them three times a day, change the water filters, monitor the water temperature and regularly test the nitrate levels. You’d … Continue reading

Posted in Fear, Incarnation, Ingratitude, Jesus, Lack of understanding, love, Revealing God | Tagged , , | Leave a comment