The 19 November 2020 is indelibly etched on my mind as the darkest day in my life. It’s the day that my brother Stuart died by suicide at the age of 51. Having just gone through another Christmas season without Stu (pictured on right), I would say that this has without doubt been the most… Continue reading Finding hope amid devastating grief – by Andrew Ryland
Category: Personal
What I learnt from the barbed wire tree – by Lucy Horitz
I took this photo while out walking my dog Claude, a couple of weeks ago. At first glance, it’s a pretty normal autumnal scene: an old tree, covered in lichen and ivy, surrounded by fallen leaves. But look closer and you’ll notice something extraordinary. The tree has a barbed wire fence, consisting of three separate… Continue reading What I learnt from the barbed wire tree – by Lucy Horitz
Taking the hand-brake off
Photo by shoreline vehicles on Pexels.com Last summer Ben Stokes took over a failing England cricket team and went full-throttle in pursuit of a completely different way of playing. It has been a dramatic turnaround and the new, hyper-attacking approach is like nothing seen before in the history of Test cricket. England have broken numerous… Continue reading Taking the hand-brake off
Learning from difficult times: 9 lessons in leadership
This post is adapted from a talk I gave recently for Homeless Link to a group of CEOs and senior managers who lead homelessness charities. In the winter 2014/15, I went through a difficult time in the charity I led. We hit a crisis in one of our main residential services due to some… Continue reading Learning from difficult times: 9 lessons in leadership
Jumping out of the boat – by Danny Kuhrt
Based on a talk given at the Lee Abbey Youth Camp, August 2022 on Jonah 1: 6-16 Can you think of a time you’ve run away from something? Last night I felt something at the bottom of my sleeping bag. I grabbed it expecting to find my torch. But it wasn't a torch. It was… Continue reading Jumping out of the boat – by Danny Kuhrt
The freedom of commitment
I have lived in Streatham, south London for almost 20 years. Over this time, I have spent many hundreds of hours on Streatham Common: playing with my kids, running a football club, volunteering on Love Streatham fun days, walking my dog and talking with friends. I even held my 40th birthday there which included a… Continue reading The freedom of commitment
Marrying grace and truth
In summer 2001, my wife and I left church together as a newly married couple. This picture of us walking into bright sunlight is my favourite photo from that day. In the months before the wedding, to help us get ready for life together, we enrolled on a Marriage Preparation Course. Two aspects of the course made a… Continue reading Marrying grace and truth
They ain’t heavy, they’re my brothers…
People's faith commitments can never be completely separated from their experience of family life. Our character, perspectives and world-view are hugely affected by the beliefs which surround us as we grow up. For some, the experience moulds them and provides an enduring framework to understand the meaning and purpose of life. For others, it creates… Continue reading They ain’t heavy, they’re my brothers…
What 10 years of blogging has taught me…
Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com Yes, that’s right, this blog is 10 years old. In April 2011, I wanted to create a space where I could think aloud and reflect on issues of faith, social justice and transformation. Since then, I have published 512 articles, so roughly one a week. The process of writing… Continue reading What 10 years of blogging has taught me…
My friend Stuart Ryland, 1969-2020
Today was the funeral of my friend Stuart Ryland. Stu was a great friend and Christian brother and his passing has devastated me. Stuart’s younger brother Andrew has been one of my best friends since I was 7, so for many years I saw him mainly as ‘my mate’s big brother’. Stuart was always nice… Continue reading My friend Stuart Ryland, 1969-2020
Grace + Truth 