Story from Matthew 15 and Mark 7 The number of people gathering outside the modest villa on the coast was growing by the minute.  People from all over Tyre and Sidon had heard that a Jewish Rabbi who had healing powers had snuck into town. In the midst of all the noise and commotion, a…

A story based on my reflection of events that take place between Mark chapters 4 and 5 The lightning cast long shadows on the back of the small cave and the howling wind drove big drops of rain onto the weathered face of the man huddled inside. Storms like this were not uncommon over the…

This is a story about a man who knew what isolation was all about. Forced to quarantine so he didn’t contaminate others, he lived his life on the edges of society, cut off from his family and his community. He wandered the dusty roads between the towns and villages, spending his days scrounging for food…

A first person account of the story found in John 2. The wedding feast was well under way and the guests were enjoying themselves as they danced and sang and celebrated with the groom and his new bride. As I moved through the crowd, filling cups and serving food, I noticed that one particular guest…

I love the story of Jesus ditching his parents in favour of hanging out in the temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-52). Jesus’ parents had set off home towards Nazareth, thinking that the young Jesus was travelling somewhere in their group with the rest of their family and friends. Unbeknown to them, Jesus had stayed in…

Every time I come across the story of Jesus calming the storm, I find myself wondering about the disciples’ response to what Jesus does.  In particular, I have been confounded by the shift from fear to terror.  When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the…

A longer story that I wrote over a decade ago, but one that feels more relevant to me now than ever. Everyday, come rain or shine, a man takes a walk around a vineyard. He walks slowly, carefully, his eyes continually scanning the vines. As he moves along the rows, his hands raised, he gently…

Rewritten from a post first published June 2015. Sometime between AD 15—20 Saul began his studies of the Hebrew Scriptures in the city of Jerusalem under Rabbi Gamaliel, in one of the the most prominent rabbinical schools of that day, founded by his grandfather, Hillel. Gamaliel was also the president of the Sanhedrin, a position…

I love a big blue sky and sunny days. It’s part and parcel of living in Australia. But I love bad weather days even more. Not that I think there is any such thing as ‘bad weather’. As a landscape and severe weather photographer, getting out into the natural environment on a stormy day has…