Alannah Francis
How can we live in a way that shows Jesus is close?
As Christians, we hope that the way we live our lives will demonstrate to others that Christ lives in us. We follow Jesus' example of how to live and strive to imitate his conduct as we go about our daily lives. It's not always as easy as it seems and we can't do it without calling on Jesus to guide us and give us the strength to do so.
Teaching children about prayer: tips to encourage them to talk to God
Prayer is something that even lifelong adult Christians struggle with or express dissatisfaction about so it can feel like an impossible task to equip children with the tools they need to develop a positive relationship with prayer.
How to put the saint back in your St Patrick's Day
What started out as a feast day commemorating the patron saint of Ireland, St Patrick, is now seen as an excuse by many to get drunk. You may find it hard to believe but St Patrick's Day (March 17) was once a day when people abstained from drinking alcohol because pubs were closed to observe the religious holiday.
5 Bible verses that make change a lot less scary
We hear all the time that change is good but that doesn't make it any easier when we're faced with it. Most of us are creatures of comfort and we find security in our routines and knowing what's coming next. The uncertainty of what lies ahead and a nostalgia for whatever or whoever we're leaving behind can all contribute to us feeling fearful about the prospect and process of change.
Pope Francis to launch his own official Instagram account
Instagram will be able to add another high-profile user to its list when the Pope joins the photo sharing site later this month. Pope Francis who already has a Twitter account, which he began tweeting from in March 2013, will be launching his own Instagram account on the 19 March.
Six scientists on the relationship between science and religion
The argument that to believe in God and to believe in science is irreconcilable is one that believers of every faith are used to (and tired of) hearing. Here's what six famous scientists have said on the subject.
7 songs from popular culture which feature Bible verses
The Bible has a long and wide-reaching history of influencing and shaping music from hymns of the past to pop songs of the present. The inclusion of direct Bible quotes in hymns, worship songs and commercial Christian music is something that we'd naturally expect but the incorporation of biblical references in music isn't unique to Christian culture.
3 ways Christians can use social media for good
We're forever being warned about the dangers of technology and the negative impact that it can have on almost every area of our life and health. It can have a detrimental effect on our physical wellbeing - the disruptive effects that using social media can have on our sleeping patterns have been widely documented.
Should Christians stop trying to be perfect?
If there's one thing that we can all agree on as Christians, it's that we aren't without fault. Grace is at the centre of our faith and it's in spite of our faults that we received it. So if God knows that we're not perfect and that we'll never be, should we stop aiming for perfection?
7 Bible verses which teach us about heaven
What comes to mind when you think about heaven? White clouds, pearly gates, everyone clothed in white, angels? It's not hard to become obsessed with heaven - how we get there, what it looks like, who we'll meet there - and it's not hard to get it wrong when it comes to describing or defining it.
8 Bible verses which remind us of the importance of charity
Most of us consider ourselves to be generous people. Yes, there's always a little extra we could give but between our online donations to our Facebook friends' marathon fundraising pages, our enthusiastic purchase of our colleague's homemade baked goods at the work charity bake sale and our weekly contribution to the offering at church each Sunday, we're not doing to badly. Or are we?
How can we incorporate faith into our working life?
We know we need to incorporate our faith into everything we do and that includes our work. But it can be difficult to see how our faith can fit into our working day, especially if our jobs have no obvious or direct connection to our faith.
Should higher education and religion be kept separate?
Higher education institutes are traditionally places where students have the freedom to express themselves, their interests and explore complex and sometimes controversial ideas. With the wide mix of students and staff members, it's inevitable that religion, a major feature in global politics and everyday life, becomes a central component for so many students.
13 Bible verses which reveal four of God's different attributes
There are a wealth of examples which we can draw upon to illustrate the various facets of God's personality. In addition to other attributes, the Bible teaches us that God is loving, all-powerful, good and omnipresent. Here are some verses which expand on these four characteristics and reveal the nature of the God of the Old and New Testament.
Should Christians watch horror movies?
Some Christians believe that scary movies are the work of the devil or at the very least they open up the door to him. But are horror movies really all bad?
7-year-old's ability to recite the Bible is 'gift from God'
A 7-year-old girl has been recognised for her ability to recite Bible verses from memory on demand. Her unusual talent was first discovered by her grandmother who began testing her Bible knowledge on the way to school when she was aged 5.