It's that day again. The heart-bearing cards, with mushy poetry, have been filling the shelves of shops for weeks. The advertisements on TV have been encouraging us to book that romantic break, organise that sumptuous meal. All to show that special someone how much they're loved.
It's fun. There was certainly a flurry of excitement in my home when an unexpected Valentine's card landed on the doorstep. Intriguing to say the least! But it's fake. Not because couples don't genuinely care about one another - many do. But because, as a BBC article suggested recently, the phenomenon of February 14th capitalises on a fictional notion of romantic love, rather than true love. It fixates on the rush of emotion, the lie that there's a soulmate out there somewhere who will make life simply wonderful with all other problems melting away.... continue reading
It won't come as a surprise that many of us here at The Good Book Company are avid readers. Good books, or not so good books, we dip in to as many as we can! As we approach the end of another year, we thought we'd share with you some of our favourite titles of the past 12 months. Feel free to add your favourites at the end...
Carl (Senior Editor)
Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel. Brings history to life, brings characters to life, and challenges your own easy assumptions... And it means you can say you read a Booker-prize winning novel!... continue reading
Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21
As the New Year approaches, praise God that he will be sovereign over every day of it.
It's a subject that's taboo. A reality that many find shocking. A fact that some would prefer to deny. But the truth is out there: women use porn too.
Accurate statistics are difficult to source but a quick trawl of the web seems to suggest that about a quarter of those who visit internet pornography sites are female. Some pages suggest that up to 60% of women have used porn at some point in their lives. And while we might prefer to think otherwise, it's fairly safe to assume that some of those surfing such sites will be Christians who are confused, ashamed, addicted or desperate. Indeed over the last decade I've had quite a few Christian sisters confide in me - each convinced that they are the only one. Far from being a solely male pastoral issue, porn is something that affects women too and those involved in women's ministry need to be addressing the subject proactively.... continue reading
Prominent Christian leader Steve Chalke has declared himself in favour of accepting homosexual couples who are in committed same-sex relationships. In an article to be published in Christianity magazine Chalke says that after a long struggle, he has decided to announce his support for faithful same sex relationships. What are we to make of this?
If you’re reading this and you’re in (or would like to be in) a gay relationship, we’re so glad you’re here—and you could be forgiven for being a bit confused. Not about your own feelings, but about the church’s feelings towards you, and (much more importantly) God’s feelings towards you? Does He love you, or hate you?
So, before I begin responding to the Steve's announcement, and his article where he states his support of long-term same-sex relationships, here’s what, if you’re gay and if you’re wondering, you need to know about what God thinks.... continue reading
It's now the day when the sales start, and the big "box stores" try to pull in as many of us as possible to grab our post-Christmas bargains and deal with the flurry of returns and exchanges. But what was the original purpose of this day? And why "boxing" day?
As I grew up the youngest of three lively boys, it was inevitably the day when we started fighting each other over the use or breakage of a treasured Christmas present - the fights were never under the Marquis of Queensbury rules, and I usually lost. But it's not that kind of boxing.
Traditionally it is thought to have come from the Victorian practice of wealthy families presenting gifts in boxes to their household servants, and to tradesmen who had served them well during the year. In other words, a day of expressing gratitude to those less well off. An alternative, but related suggestion is that it was the day the church opened its Alms box to feed and bless the poor and needy of the parish.... continue reading
This is going to sound soppy, but I can still remember the first time my wife, then my girlfriend, said: “I love you”. It meant the world to me.
It still does, of course. But in the twelve years since, Lizzie has told me she loves me so many times that in a way, it has less of an impact than it did that first time (or the second, or third).
But (before you start thinking I’m a truly awful husband), her “I love you” also means much more than it did. Because, the more life we’ve spent together, and the more I’ve got to know her, and the more she’s done for me, the more I’ve come to appreciate that love, the more I’ve come to rely on that love.
So there’s this tension; it means more, but can have so much less impact. I need to just stop and appreciate the old truth: She loves me.... continue reading
Britain has its first atheist church.
It’s in north London, drew over 300, erm, worshippers last Sunday, and offers the chance to sing songs like Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now and Stevie Wonder’s Superstition.
And the “Sunday Assembly” has its own mantra, too: “Live better, help often, wonder more”.
Here are four thoughts, and then over to you for yours in the Comments section:
1. Everyone is religious. We long to belong to a community of fellow believers, with a code for living, and a purpose for our lives. Romans 1 v 25 tells us that humans are wired to worship something—it will either be the Creator, or created things, but it will be something.... continue reading
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favourite things …
There won’t be much chance of escaping it over the festive period – the Sound of Music is as much a feature of many people’s Christmases as turkey, mince pies and the Grinch. But much as cute animals, beautiful plants and presents are to be enjoyed, it strikes us that there are many things far more wonderful about celebrating Christmas with our brothers and sisters in Christ in our local congregations.
So here are some of the things members of The Good Book Blog team love most about Christmas with their respective churches:... continue reading
