Month: November 2023

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4 ESV) REFLECTION  While observing one of my students, I was reminded that even when diligence and discipline are established, there is a great temptation to tether one’s identity to what one does. Despite this particular… Continue reading Cultivate Curiosity

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalms 139:23-24. NLT) REFLECTION  God knows when we are really ready to confront something. And we know too, don’t we? Signs point to… Continue reading Ascending Awareness

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV) REFLECTION  In this fallen world, none of us survive childhood unscathed. A perfect childhood does… Continue reading True Transformation

“… For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” [2 Corinthians 4:18 ESV] REFLECTION  I stood in awe of a series of original paintings by Sandro Botticelli at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and I marvelled at the mastery that had captured such beauty, which still… Continue reading A Collective Calling

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that… Continue reading The First and Greatest Commandment

“Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].” (Hebrews 11:1 AMP) REFLECTION  While in Sanya, southern China, I experienced my first typhoon. There was a stirring… Continue reading Transform through the Storm

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” (Proverbs 18:21 AMP) REFLECTION  There is a word list in my classroom that reminds both me and my students to be respectful, responsible, honest, grateful and kind. But we… Continue reading Taming the Tongue

“In everything I showed you [by example] that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed [and brings greater joy] to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35 AMP) REFLECTION  Years ago, I explored Sanya in southern… Continue reading True Joy

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]. Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.” (Ephesians… Continue reading Into the Light

“Be joyful in hope. Endure trials patiently. Persist in prayer.” (Romans 12:12 EHV) REFLECTION  It was a very humbling experience to go from being one of twelve selected for a literary programme at Oxford, to teaching the fundamentals of basic writing to lots of little people. In time, I began to recognise the immense importance… Continue reading Patience Practice