And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, […]
Richard
During my working life, I have been employed as a Teacher, a Civil Servant, a Headmaster and a Minister of Religion. This website is as much the product of my reflections on the Psalms as it is of my reflections on my suffering.
To God, alone, be the glory.
Lent: Preparation for Lent – Friday
Background: Why Fast? What is fasting? Simply put, it is to go without food and water for a set period. Many doctors and dietitians agree that fasting is good for the body as it helps us to get rid of harmful chemicals that the body, for whatever reason, has stored and not removed. The length […]
Lent: Preparation for Lent – Thursday
Background: Why 40 days? The Oxford Dictionary of the Early Church tells us that the first mention of a forty-day fast, almost certainly Lent, was in the Canons of Nicaea in 325 AD. Nicaea is the name given to a council of churches who met to settle differences over the church’s teaching about who Jesus […]
Reflections for Lent
Lent: Preparation for Lent – Ash Wednesday Lent Reflections with Sinclair Ferguson For the season of Lent this year, I have decided to read Sinclair Ferguson’s To Seek and to Save. I hope to post a very brief summary each day of the chapters of this book with the occasional comment of my own. I’m […]
Psalm 1 (Part 1)
“….they are blessed who apply their hearts to the pursuit of heavenly wisdom….” Calvin, Commentary Upon the Book of Psalms) Shortly before I suffered my first major episode of depression, I was reading the Epistle of James. There were several reasons why I chose that epistle at that time, but the bottom line was that […]
My Love-Hate Relationship with Walking (1)
In my experience, one of the first things that a mental health worker will tell someone suffering from depression is that exercise is important. And I am sure that they are right. But, when getting out of the house seems like an insurmountable problem, the quest for exercise can take on very negative connotations. My […]
Psalm 3:5
“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.” I’ve been reflecting on these words since September of last year when I read Psalm 3 while on holiday in West Wales. By turns, they have intrigued me, inspired me and haunted me – mostly haunted me. As someone whose lifelong insomnia […]
“Peace on earth!”
We live in an uncertain world. We see this in many different ways. Politically, the so-called developed countries of the West seem to have lost their social and moral moorings and, in the name of progress and inclusivity, have even denied the pronouncements of the last great arbiter – Science. Our communities seem more fragmented […]
An Advent Reflection
I have just walked back from visiting my dad in the hospital. I’m so glad that he is making some progress but he is still a long way from well. I’m grateful to God for the thirteen years He has given my father beyond the three-score and ten. But the experience of seeing him so physically […]
A Word from Chris
Richard has asked me to write a short piece for the Fell of Dark website. I have known Richard since 1986 and he is my oldest friend. What has happened to him is a catastrophe and it breaks my heart. His tenacity and courage, and his continued sense of humour in facing the darkness of […]