Author: Vanessa Taylor

“… 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

“Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him], and your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].”(Proverbs 16:3 AMP) REFLECTION  Let’s lean into the Lord’s love, let go of past disappointments and dream with the Lord. Let’s earnestly seek His will and when we take action in… Continue reading His Will

“Then the Lord God took dust from the ground and formed a man from it [there is wordplay between “ground” (adama) and “man” (adam)]. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose, and the man became a living person.” [Genesis 2:7 EXB] REFLECTION  We are first, before any doing takes place, beloved works… Continue reading The Breath of Life

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1 ESV). REFLECTION Have you ever had a hill of difficulty before you that you knew you had to climb to get to where you needed to be, but felt… Continue reading Courage to Climb