Alannah Francis

3 common habits that prevent us from drawing closer to God

Without identifying the habits that are standing in our way, we can't work to break them. So take a look at our list of bad spiritual habits and see if you can see yourself somewhere in them!
Waiting on an answer to your prayer? 9 Bible verses to assure you that God hears you

Let these Bible verses fill you with the confidence to ask God for anything and seek his help whatever the situation, knowing that he hears and answers.
What to do with your worry: 5 tips for seeing the best in a bad situation

We all worry about things from time to time. The consequences of choices we've made, or ones that we're about to, often send our minds into overdrive. But there are a few simple steps that we can all take to reduce the power that worrying has over us.
10 Bible verses on setting yourself apart from the crowd

If you're feeling tempted to conform and pursue a path that cannot be compatible with the one that God wants you to take, these 10 Bible verses can help bring you back on track.
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 VonhÃ¶gen will make explaining it child's play. Literally.