Storms in life describe times of personal trouble, hardship, conflict and suffering that everyone experiences one time or another. They point to chaotic times when it is hard to discern fault lines in the face of unpleasant realities. To be sure, storms in life can be brought on by the poor decisions or wrong actions we made that impact those closest to us. Storms can also be a result of actions by other people that impact our ability to feel safe. Finally, there are storms permitted by God to teach or refine us. 

According to ChatGPT, “main courses are usually the centerpiece of the meal and can include dishes like roasted meats, grilled fish, poultry, or vegetarian options. They are often accompanied by side dishes like vegetables or starches but the main course itself refers to the main protein or substantial dish served”. People linger over the main course or the entrée as they call it in the US. Outside the US, however, entrée refers to starters or side dishes that are served before the main dish. 

When the world was experiencing the prolonged disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, people were forcefully separated from each other when social activities and regular gatherings abruptly came to a halt. Suddenly, the routines and superficial interactions that we relied on to cover up the lack of meaningful connections disappeared. We had to figure out how to make interpersonal connections with each other, or if we even wanted to make the effort. Now, we can say we have arrived on the other side of the pandemic to realities we never imagined possible just a few years ago.

Businesses today are strategic in the deployment of scents in offices, hotels, shops, restaurants and even in clinics to reduce patient anxiety. The use of fragrance is a powerful way to influence how people experience their time in different places.

People today pursue a variety of activities that give them the “dopamine rush”. We experience a flood of pleasure when we get our hands on a desired object in a Pop Mart blind box. It is the momentary feeling of satisfaction when we set out on another expedition or adventure. It is the emotional pay-off for being the ‘saviour’ who once again "picks up the balls" when others slack off. While a good dose of dopamine is good for mental health, we are all vulnerable to the danger of not examining any reliance on quick-fixes for happiness.

Many of us are familiar with common refrains like ‘Not now’, or ‘Not today’. But without saying exactly when, they become tactics that people use to escape an obligation, or avoid doing something important that they are not willing to do. People who view any demand on their time and effort as unwelcome interruptions to their laidback way of life often engage in the same tactic with God. Ordinarily, they struggle to check in with Him on what truly matters before reacting to the demands of life. While declaring their faithfulness to God, there is little evidence in their lives of cultivating Kingdom principles, or yielding Kingdom harvests.

It is funny how bad things seem so permanent and good things seem so transient. Maybe it’s because we tend to avoid pain and associate all pain with negative outcomes. We may ask, what good can come out of an event that decisively disrupts our lives. As believers, we can become prone to using our faith for quick fixes to life problems. We expect instant healing. We activate prayer groups and everyone wants to see undesirable situations turn around quickly. We evangelize with the hope of instant salvations. We believe that powerful testimonies must demonstrate how swiftly God works on our behalf.

When children hear parents and teachers use the word ‘until’, it is often received as a threat that is intended to instill fear and hopefully, result in compliance. When God uses the word ‘until’, it is both a condition and a promise.

The word ‘despise’ means to loathe, scorn, reject and feel contempt towards someone or something. We can despise a person or group of people, ideas and beliefs, some professions, or certain attitudes and behaviour.

We keep our eyes on what's important to us. This includes poll results during an election, the stock market indices, our individual or organisational key performance indicators, our children’s academic progress, suspicious-looking people in our neighbourhoods, the weather when we are planning travel, and the list goes on. We want to watch things and people closely to stay informed and avoid undesirable outcomes. Whether they appear on our device screens or in front of us, we tend to act on visible cues because we simply hate surprises.

David was running for his life, away from a jealous king who wanted to make him disappear from people’s praises and their perception of military leadership. The narcissistic King Saul would not allow himself to be upstaged by anyone – even those loyal to him.

The adage that biblical hindsight is always 20/20 applies not only to Jesus’ followers, but also to many of us today. From Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday, three significant events remind us of lessons that marked the fulfilment of Jesus’ mission on earth.

It is common to see people posting or posing for self-promoting images skilfully crafted with only photos and clever captions. People pay greater attention to photos taken with influential people they meet than they care about their relationships with them. Superficial signs make grabbing headlines because people love optics more than they are interested to discover deeper meanings. It therefore goes without saying that we now run the risk of making misinterpretations because of our over reliance on visuals to understand situations and stories.

Many believers today lead busy lives pursuing individual goals and ambitions. Increasingly, we find the rituals of human connections impractical and unnecessary. If we can help it, we skip in-person celebrations and gatherings. Notably, prominent classical sociologist Emile Durkheim found that there is a moral remaking that takes place when people gather for events like birthday celebrations, wedding ceremonies, and communal events. Such events bring people together in the upholding of shared values, and strengthen our bonds with each other.

SOME PEOPLE PREFER TO TEST WATER before they make an important commitment. In a community, this means they like to take their time to see how well the community supports their goals and aspirations. While it makes perfect sense to put in time to explore our new environments, if we are only ever dipping our toes in the water, we put ourselves in danger of being trapped in our own narratives of what works for us and what does not.

Is it possible that the Christian prayer life has become more like an activity than it is actually a way of life for us? We have all the tools we need – the Bible, prayer guides, prayer journals, faith in the Word of God – but we pray only when we need safe travel, successful deals, and happy personal outcomes. Our prayer life becomes centred on needs rather than relationships, expressed as obligatory “amens” or emojis in chat groups rather than faith-building God-centred words of exhortation. Even earnest prayer requests often turn into a display of prayer one-upmanship with long verbose prayers that sound more like demands with bible citations than faith-infused conversations with God!

Are you among the global travellers who prefer to stick to familiar brands no matter where you go. You stay at the same hotel under the Marriott chain, head to the iconic golden arches of McDonald’s for meals, and to Starbucks for coffee because your past experiences with these businesses have shaped your expectations of service, quality, and comfort? Sociologists refer to this phenomenon, largely driven by globalization, as cultural homogenization where people all over the world are experiencing  somewhat similar lifestyles.

When we read of how Jesus walked along the shores of the Sea of Gallilee, called out to a few fishermen who were preparing their fishing nets, “Come, follow Me!” and how they abruptly dropped their nets and followed Him, it is easy to conclude that Jesus was always calling perfect strangers to join His ministry.

Relationships regulate our behaviour. Whether the relationships are familial, romantic, friendships, or professional, they come with pretty clear social norms and expectations that guide how we should behave. In professional relationships, there are expectations around timeliness, integrity and productivity.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus gave us an open invitation to come to Him for rest when we feel overwhelmed. But we often feel that nothing is ever so bad that we need to respond to Him just yet. Surely, He doesn’t need us to prove our commitment to Him when we are in a bind or a flux. He clearly knows how deeply we trust Him and how much we depend on Him though we hardly ever respond to His invite to rest in Him.