Here are the full student testimonies that I couldn’t squeeze into my tiny newsletter!

The Every Nation student weekend is one of the most exciting and the most mind-blowing experiences I’ve ever had in my life. It was like a complete explosion and expansion of the way I saw God and His plans. From the very moment our relationship with Him was separated because of the first sin, He already had everything planned, to give us Jesus Christ to bring us back to Him. His love for us is that great and I thought, how crazy and wonderful is that? It completely blew my mind and it made me realise that there is nothing to worry about because all is God’s plan. All I have to do is take that step and tell God, “Here I am”. A.O. Continue reading →

Every chapter of my life has been marked by an ache. In the good stories it casts a small shadow, in the bad stories it becomes one of the central characters. Loneliness isn’t the mere lack of a friend, it’s the desire to be truly understood. More than that, it’s the desire to be united with the one who understands. I have a suspicion that much of this ache will remain until earth gets swallowed up in eternity and I get to know just as I am known. That said, the Author is full of suprises. Occasionally I turn the page over and stumble into that sense of belonging. Continue reading →

Every Sunday morning there is one ritual I observe almost without fail. I’m not talking about going to church (although that’s usually where it takes place). Each week I walk through the door knowing that a certain someone is waiting somewhere inside. As soon as we spot each other, we fling our arms out wide with silly grins and get ready for the best hug of the week.

This is no sissy-split-second-pat-on-the-back hug. These epic hugs last at least thirty seconds. You know the point where most people start to feel uncomfortable and awkward? We blast gleefully past that point. At some stage one of us will ask the other, “How are you?” and the reply follows: “Better now!” Almost fourteen years old and a few inches taller than me, my friend’s daughter knows instinctively what Neuroscience is now telling us is fact: touch is essential for our well-being. Continue reading →

God put Adam in the garden and told him to work it
But my success rate with green things is zero.
Flowers delight me but shrink from my touch. So, ‘fallen,
I hunker down, hand hovering ‘til I find what I’m looking for. Continue reading →

Last month I got stuck. My work pace slowed from a crawl to a standstill and I didn’t know how to get moving again. Thankfully, God knew exactly what He was doing and pre-arranged for me to participate in the School of Empowerment. For two whole weeks I breathed in God’s presence during times of worship, Word, and wonder. I travelled home inspired and promptly found myself stuck. Again. Continue reading →

The dentist was late. Again. And I was thankful. The eighteen minutes gave me space to awaken and assure my soul. As the dental nurse sorted and trimmed dental x-rays she asked me what I do for a living. I tend to hesitate at questions like these. They present me with two options: fob someone off with the standard “I work for a church” reply or answer in a way that invites engagement. This morning I opted for the latter. Continue reading →

Nine weeks ago a dear friend decided to begin teaching me how to cook. Our first dish? Schnitzel!

https://instagram.com/p/4SDWKnJqlt/?taken-by=aoifekeegan

Dust the meat with flour, dip into the beaten egg mixture, and press in the flavoured bread-crumb mixture before frying in butter… delicious! My favourite part comes before all of this though: covering the meat in clingfilm before beating it with a meat hammer. There are few things more satisfying than the rhythmic thump thump thump of the hammer pounding the flesh into a uniform thickness.

Life feels a bit like that sometimes. No escape from the relentless thump thump thump of circumstances. Last week our leadership team had to tackle a difficult situation which required wisdom and outside help. It brought me back to events five years ago that battered my heart so hard it took years for it to dare come out of hiding again.

I was surprised at how readily those old fears and anxieties came flooding back. Continue reading →

Wake up eyes open phone beeping new notification- oh crap- 8 new notifications bleary eyed reading before I get out of bed into shower reading phone as I head down the stairs pause on the last step to answer an email breakfast can wait porridge in the microwave empty the dishwasher microwave beeps phone beeps can we postpone our appointment what appointment? the appointment due 2 hours ago oh Lord… head like sieve apologise profusely eat cold porridge check all the boxes who do I need to call back? who do I need to double check appointments with? where’s my passport? write new prayer update can’t remember what’s happened, check calendar- was that last week? it seems like yesterday and months ago simultaneously what’s next what’s now what’s- new message please pray urgent hopeless pain tears confusion why, God, why- Continue reading →

I posted this quote recently. If the number of “likes” is any indicator, it touched a lot of hearts.

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.” Henri Nouwen Continue reading →