Like Jazz musicians, church leaders need to become masterful at holding tension and refrain from resolving it prematurely. Rather than encouraging others to strictly preach victory in Jesus, perhaps we need to make space for people to find their own voices and speak their hurts or cry out to God.
The therapeutic response to chronic illness or disability is usually rest and pacing. However we live in a society where that is increasingly discouraged, if not impossible. Most people’s temptation is to change their circumstances or to find solutions quickly, rather than trust that God will provide what is needed. Instead, Mary conveys a sense of peace from the beginning. It is this sense of peace which comes from God, and trusting in God, that I think empowered Mary and can also empower us to respond to whatever we face thoughtfully and prayerfully.
Adolescence is a challenging time for many young people, and with today’s complexities – in part due to rapid technological advancement and 24/7 connectivity – it has only become an increasingly tricky season of life to navigate. Add to this the potential social stigma, barriers, and support needs that come with visible and invisible disabilities and mental health challenges, and it is no wonder that youth pastors and practitioners are hungry for relevant training and resources in this area.
At the Life to the Full conference we will hear from insightful speakers and have the opportunity to talk about the themes of Ability, Belonging and Community. I will be facilitating a panel there as one of the workshops. I would love to meet you, and hope that you won't miss this unique and valuable opportunity!
The focus of the conference is to educate, equip and encourage Christian leaders, teachers, volunteers, families and people with exceptional needs with tools and resources to help build communities of belonging in their local faith communities.
In only a few weeks, from June 5th-8th, the Canadian Association for Parish Nursing Ministry is holding their 16th Annual AGM and Conference at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, ON. Please take a moment to view the poster: CAPNM 2014 Conference Poster It promises to be an excellent event. My understanding is that the guest speakers listed [...]
It is March. It's hard to believe, but the Building Communities of Belonging Conference is only a couple of months away. For the month of March only, though, you can register online for $25 and bring someone else along for free! The conference, hosted by Harvest Bible Chapel in Oakville, Ontario, will feature speakers such [...]
