Alannah Francis
World Recycling Day: Six eco-friendly gift ideas
As Christians, our duty to love our neighbour extends beyond borders. And if we're serious about this, then it means we have to re-evaluate some of consumption habits. One easy way to do this is to change how we shop. To mark World Recycling Day, here are six sustainable gift ideas that will help you to shop in a more sustainable way.
Celebrity Worship: three dangers of looking to celebrities instead of Jesus as our role models
If we look to celebrities to teach us how to react to certain situations, how to communicate with others and what to value, we put Jesus' teaching on the sidelines. Beyonce might sing about how she 'wakes up flawless' but the reality is none of us do, nor will we ever.
What the Bible has to say about life after death in 11 verses
Even though death is something that we will all face one day, many of us are still practically, and more significantly, spiritually unprepared for it. Reminding ourselves that death actually leads to life and better comprehending what this actually means is a revelatory aspect of our journey in faith.
Pets and four other things we often love more than our neighbours
At first glance it might sound ludicrous that we would prioritise the needs of animals over those of people, but many of us do every day. And there are many other things we can unconsciously be loving while ignoring the people right next to us. Here are 5 things that we often show more love for than our neighbours.
Have you made an idol out of marriage? Here are 3 things to consider
While brides-to-be can view their situation as the achievement of a Christian woman's ultimate goal, the single person's desire to find their marriage partner can easily develop into an obsession
Four things we can learn from toddlers about our relationship with God
When we think about the children in our lives, our minds often turn to how much we can teach them. What Jesus says reminds us that we also have a lot to learn from children. Here are four things they're pretty good at teaching us to do.
The Holy Spirit: what is he and what does he do?
As we approach Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit is at the forefront of our thoughts. Christians all over the world are praying to know the Holy Spirit's presence but how much do we know about the Spirit itself?
Pentecost explained: A Lego video explaining Pentecost that your children will love
Perplexed about Pentecost? Confused about how to make it accessible to your children? This video by Fr Roderick Vonhögen will make explaining it child's play. Literally.
10 Bible verses to help you get a good night's sleep
A lot of the time our worries and our desire to be in control of everything impact the quality and length of our sleep. If we trust in God to help us manage our whatever is troubling us and accept that He's fully in control, we're well on our way to getting a good rest.
Friday the 13th: what the Bible has to say about superstition
You may have noticed that today is Friday the 13th. At the time of writing (13:00) #Fridaythe13th is the most popular trending topic on Twitter, with more than 50,000 tweets having been sent using the hashtag. Scared of slipping into a superstitious mindset? Here's what the Bible has to say about it all:
The do's and don'ts of supporting others through grief
It's very possible that 'to be surrounded by people I love' would rank very highly in what we would want during a time of grief or supporting someone through their final days here with us. But stepping up to support someone during such a sorrowful time can be so complex and heartbreaking that some of us put off doing it at all. However, there are some simple things that we can all say - and avoid saying - at such difficult times.
Places to pray for: the countries that could do with your prayers right now
While we can't know everything about every place, the following suggestions can act as a starting point in improving the focus of your prayers for others.
Harry Potter and three other books that Christian opinion is divided on
A headteacher has urged parents to prohibit their children from reading Harry Potter because in his opinion it 'encourages difficult behaviour in children'. Whether you agree or disagree with this headteacher's comments, popular books have long divided opinion among Christians. As well as Harry Potter, here are three other books which many Christians have found controversial.
7 psalms for when you need to ask God for help but don't have the words
Asking for help doesn't come easily to everyone. Whether we see it as a sign of weakness or are convinced that we can manage everything on our own, many of us wait until we're almost at breaking point before we request or accept a helping hand.
As Justin Bieber unveils tiny new Christian tattoo, take a look at the singer's other inkings that represent his faith
This latest piece of body art isn't a first for Bieber in terms of ink or symbolism, he has around 50 tattoos already, a number of which refer to his faith. As he reveals his latest faith related tattoo, we chart his other tattoos which are symbolic of his beliefs.
4 things we often forget about forgiveness
We can often forget that forgiveness is a daily decision. Are there other things that are stopping us in living out this key Christian command?