Occasionally somebody comes into our lives and leaves an indelible mark on it. We may not realise it at the time, but from that moment on we are different—better—than before. At its heart, this is what the “Life Lessons” series, compiled by Tracy Ruckman and Suzanne Williams, is all about. In these four books we read true stories of people who have played a part in shaping someone’s life, be they a parent, grandparent or teacher. Continue reading
Last week I heard a 12 year old boy called Richard give a talk about his own experience of having Aspergers. I was at a two-day conference organised by Autism South Africa, where there was the usual line-up of speakers with long lists of letters behind their names. Yet—amongst all these highly educated and well-spoken adults—this courageous young boy’s talk stands out for me. Continue reading
Faith. Jesus spoke a great deal about it. He commended people who had it, and reproached those who didn’t. Faith, the Bible tells, is the requirement to be saved. But more than that, it must infuse our daily lives, for the just shall live by faith (Rom 1:17). Continue reading
Some advice I hear over and over again—at Writer’s Conferences; in blogs and books; in discussion with fellow writers—is that journaling is a powerful tool for a writer. Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with my writer’s journal. Continue reading
Today I feel discouraged. Maybe I should switch off my computer and climb back into bed, but unfortunately I have this thought that loops through my head—must post blog on Monday—and as you may have noticed, it’s Monday. Continue reading
I struggled to free myself of the tight grip on both my arms, pulling me through Jerusalem’s narrow streets. My thoughts whirled wildly, trying to make sense of what had just happened. One moment I had been warm and safe in Eli’s arms, and the next I was being dragged from the bed by men with leering eyes. I turned to look for Eli; surely he would come to my rescue? But there was no sight of him; all I saw were the disdainful glances of people pressing forward to catch a look at me. And I heard a single word rippling through the crowd: adulteress. Continue reading
In March I went on a Christian Writer’s Conference hosted by A Rocha and MAI. It was a turning point for me as a writer as I came to realize that, in God’s hands, my writing can be a tool to reach others with His message of love and salvation. This was where I heard about MAI’s writing contest with the theme “Blogging for Global Impact.” There were several question prompts to kick off your 300 word entry, one of which was “Why is it important that more Christian authors in your country write and get published?”
This is my entry called “South Africa’s Big Five.” Continue reading
Recently I found a truly remarkable document. Do you want to see it?
Are you sure?
Maybe you should sit down for this.
Ready?
Okay, here goes…
(Drumroll)
Ta Da! Continue reading
“It’s not much, Reuben. It won’t go far,” Mama had said this morning, pressing the small basket of bread and fish into my hand. But how very wrong she had been. Continue reading
I bend down and feel for the money bag at my feet. It’s heavier than normal for this time of the day. I’ve had the usual quota of ‘poor harvest’ stories, of course, but generally people know I mean business. Pay your taxes or suffer the consequence, that’s my motto. There’s the odd person who comes in and tries to play the ‘we grew up together’ card. Yet, I always remind myself of how they treat me once I leave this booth. To them I am the scum of the earth. Continue reading
