I saw the cold, inflexible dryness of correct doctrine… now I see a God who will not be restricted by what I believe. I cannot believe that I settled for cold and dry for so long, when the warm rivers of relentless love have always been there. I saw the barrenness of religious duty andContinue reading “I saw… but now I see”
Author Archives: Papa
I thought you were joking!
I’m a bit slow. It had been about two years, maybe three or four times a year; phrases like, “Shall we become foster carers?” “We could do fostering.” Only this time the thought stuck and the penny dropped: “You’re serious, aren’t you? I thought you were joking!” And so began the exploration. I needed time.Continue reading “I thought you were joking!”
Heroes
Hero = noun, plural he·roes; for 5 also he·ros. a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character: He became a local hero when he saved the drowning child. a person who, in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities and is regarded as a role model or ideal: MyContinue reading “Heroes”
Speechless
I have always been speechless… well, most of the time. As long as I can remember I have had a stutter; or is it a stammer? Or maybe both? I quickly learned that participation in lessons at school were an invitation to be mocked and bullied, so as far as I could I stayed quiet…Continue reading “Speechless”
The River
“Come to the River, all who are thirsty.” We Are The River! We are your refreshment, your restoration, your rest, your cleansing! Not… Nothing or Nobody Else! Just Us! I stand on the river bed, a bed of pebbles and stones and dried wood. The plants of the river are long dead. I am notContinue reading “The River”
Unforced Rhythms
It’s 4.45 in the morning. I’m already up. My sleep patterns are shot to pieces. I get a text from upstairs; the little one is awake and not going back to sleep. That’s not unusual. He is what we affectionately call our latest “drugs baby.” No one response works more than a couple of times,Continue reading “Unforced Rhythms”
Of Straight Lines and Boxes
At the grand old age of sixty, I have been launched into a landscape that I have never seen before, and rather than it being frightening, it is exhilarating. The opportunity for exploration and discovery and adventure has invigorated me in my journey of faith. I have seen it in my own life, and moreContinue reading “Of Straight Lines and Boxes”
Rubble at my feet
How I got here is a very long story. It includes reading, music, movies, walking, talking with those who came to be so helpful and significant. It includes tears, many tears, and pain in the heart that took so long to fade. It has been a journey not travelled very often in broad daylight, butContinue reading “Rubble at my feet”
Welcome to the Journey
I am a son, a husband, a father, a friend. I am, a recently retired, local authority foster carer, now a “Lollipop Man” at the local school, a sometimes churchgoer. I am a pilgrim, a traveller, an explorer, an avid reader and novice writer. And I am wounded and scarred, broken and damaged. And yetContinue reading “Welcome to the Journey”
The Papa Journey 