I love a good, gritty real-life documentary, the sort of moody TV programme with fly-on-the-wall camera work, following a police investigation team, through all the twists and turns of a seemingly unsolvable case. So I’ll admit, that yesterday in this house, there may have been a bit of binge watching of this kind of thing; […]
Author Archives: Paula Cummings
Learning to do nothing…
I’ve never been much of a hugger. Ok, I should correct that. I really like hugs, I’m just not a fan of long hugs. But coming from a family who is mercilessly affectionate, where cuddles, kisses and ‘I love yous’, were dispensed like sweeties at a fairground, over the years, I’ve learned how to enjoy […]
I am not a good person…
Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble. For the Lord will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them. Proverbs 24:17 I don’t like this verse very much. It’s one of those challenging, meaty bits of Scripture that I’d rather gloss over and pretend wasn’t there. […]
Dear churches…
I grew up in the church. Church has always been my home and my safe place and I knew from an early age the dangers of becoming a ‘church hopper’. There was a frequently used analogy, ‘a coal out of the fire, on the hearth, quickly goes cold.’ And I think that’s true, being part […]
God is not a one hit wonder
Back in November, I wrote about an amazing experience I had, Surprised by God. And at the time, if I’m honest, a little part of me thought, ‘well, that’s amazing…now it’s time to get on with it’. So, I dug deep, found my ‘Dunkirk spirit’, donned my British stiff upper lip and decided to march […]
When your pastor has an affair…
Years ago, I was part of a thriving, lively church, with a lovely pastor, who had an affair. I arrived at church one Sunday morning, all expectant for a great service, but there was an unexpected somber tone to the meeting. At the end, it was announced that one of the pastors had admitted to […]
Keep going…
Over the years, various people in my family have battled their way through different (sometimes chronic) illnesses. To be honest, from a young age, I’ve seen people I love, be limited by health circumstances and as a family, it’s just something we understood and adjusted to. It’s possibly for that reason, as a family, we […]
Don’t wade in the shallow end
Some people go through their whole Christian life, without ever really experiencing what life is like, living with the Holy Spirit. I know, because I’ve met loads of Christians just like it. And if it wasn’t for my upbringing, I’d probably be one too. After all, how do you know to chase after more if […]
A tale of two cars
A few months ago, I realised I needed a new car. The mileage on mine was creeping up and with various rattles making themselves heard (and a MOT due next month), I knew either way, I would soon be spending a chunk of cash. Now, some are going to think this is silly but when […]
It is finished…
“It is finished”. Three words, gasped from the wheezy lungs of a dying man. The three most powerful words ever spoken. I’ve been thinking about those words this week, in the run up to Easter. Easter or ‘the resurrection holiday’ is my most favourite time of year. The solemn quiet of Good Friday with the […]
