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To begin again
In his new solo album, “Self-Titled”, Marcus Mumford, the frontman of Mumford and Sons, makes known for the first time the sexual abuse he suffered as a young child. In his first song away from the band, “Cannibal”, he tells the story of what happened to him when, as a 6-year-old little boy, he was…
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Trusting in the promises of God
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix has enjoyed an outstandingly successful summer. The 17-year-old British diver won three medals at the Commonwealth Games, including 2 golds, and last week won another gold medal at the European Championships. Yet earlier this year she felt “terrified of diving” and came close to giving up. In a radio interview she said, “I…
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The scapegoat
Many people play the blame-game. When things go wrong, we blame other people. The water shortage is the fault of the water companies. The increase in the cost of living is the fault of the government and President Putin. It’s the school’s fault I didn’t get the grades I needed to go to university. It’s…
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God’s free gift
The book of Genesis describes the creation of the world and all life on earth, including human beings. The first man and woman, Adam and Eve, lived in the garden of Eden and enjoyed blissful fellowship with God. Adam cared for the garden and he and Eve ate all that the fertile ground produced. But…
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The Lord is my shepherd
The Bible is a source of comfort and strength to people all over the world. In the Bible God speaks to us. He reveals his own heart and character and speaks to our hearts. Psalm 23 was written by David and is one of the best-known passages in the Bible. It has been a help…
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Overcoming evil with good
How would it feel to sit in front of the man responsible for the murder of your son? The one who took his freedom, crushed his spirit, and then took his life, circulating the evidence as part of a grotesque PR stunt? What would you say to him if you had the chance? Could you…
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God’s work-life balance
The summer holidays have arrived, and families are beginning to go away on holiday. For many it’s the first opportunity to have a holiday for 3 years because of the pandemic. Children are looking forward to 6 weeks when they don’t have to go to school and will have no homework. They will be able…
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It was the right thing to do
Józek Walaszczyk has died at the age of 102. He was Poland’s oldest living “Righteous Among the Nations” – a title given by Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial and museum, to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Józek saved 53 Jewish people and has been described as “the Polish Schindler”.…
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The rebirth is real
A few years ago, Matthew Parris, a former MP and a distinguished journalist, visited Malawi, where he had lived as a child. He was impressed by the development work of Pump Aid, a small British charity, helping rural communities to have safe water. But, to his surprise, something else impacted him: “Travelling in Malawi refreshed…
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I let the blame and bitterness go
In 1995 Fernando and Elizabeth Jimenez came to England as Christian missionaries from their native Costa Rica. In 2017 their 24-year-old daughter Maria was killed in a car crash on the A3 dual carriageway near Guildford. The car, which belonged to Maria, was being driven at 100mph by her friend Nick when he lost control.…