Author: sean

Isolation. It’s a word that many of us are growing familiar with at this time.  Whether we are isolated because of health reasons or, isolated because of the circumstances at the moment. Phone calls and social media contact are good, but they do not take away the feelings that isolation brings with it I know […]

My immediate response to that a question like that should be; “of course, in time, everything will get sorted out.”  But, in the depths of the night, when my mind is turning somersaults, I find myself feeling less confident.  I have looked at some of those warm phrases on social media, and found myself comforted […]

There is no escaping the fact that Coronavirus has had a massive impact on life. The way in which we live life has changed dramatically in the last month. We have seen the panic buying, the strangeness of “social distancing” and now, we are living with the “new norm”. But, I have a problem… You […]

There are some words in the book of Joshua that have, recently, been coming back to mind.  The people of Israel are about to enter the promised land.  Joshua instructs the people to follow the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God’s presence with His people, as it is carried into their new land.  […]

I wanted to share with you some thoughts from “behind the scenes” from, what has been, one of the most heartbreaking and difficult times of ministry that I have known. I have been really privileged to be part of a wonderful Church community in Clacton-on-Sea since the end of 2007. I have a great team […]

Have you ever felt like punching the air and shouting “yes!” when a writer presents something that has really touched you deep inside? It happened to me this morning. To be honest, I was avoiding some dreary admin form which was asking me the same question multiple times in multiple ways. I’d had enough. So, […]

I have noticed it in myself and I have noticed it in others. Irritability It tends to sneak in at those moments when I am over busy.  When I try to keep all the plates spinning at once.  When I am under pressure and feeling unappreciated.  Something just seems to snap inside. Irritability The mouth […]

I spotted a wonderful verse in the book of James this morning :- Do not be deceived (James 1 vs. 16) Those words sound like a really good warning.  There are an awful lot of phone scams doing the rounds at the moment advising me that my bank has spotted a fraud; I owe the […]

This morning, I was reading a story of one of the Desert Fathers, Abba Antony. There was once a hunter who was travelling through the desert and he saw Abba Antony relaxing, laughing and joking with the brothers.  The hunter was shocked.  Abba Antony was an important Holy Man and it was inconceivable that he […]

It was the perfect moment. There, in front of the whole Synagogue, Jesus was in a no win situation.  If He healed the man with the withered hand, He was breaking the law.  If He ignored Him, then He did not care about the “rabble” that were beginning to follow Him. Whether the Pharisees had […]