Stories of Hope

The lovely Sue and I recently led devotions with 30 Salvo leaders at the river in Philippi where Lydia was baptised in Act 16. Not in a church - by a river! Jesus did life significantly with folks on the road and in the marketplace as did Paul. So can we!

Nathan Rowe is a brilliant musician and has a beautiful heart for people from all walks of life. He is a leader with the Salvos in Geelong and has a dynamic and interesting take on life and the challenges of being wired in a way that is a little out of the box. He is married to Jenny and he has two children.

We all have to make decisions and most of them are made based on logic. For example should we cross Northbrook Gorge on a rainy day. Probably not! But our decisions to prioritize sacrificial love come from the deeper more mysterious places of the Spirit.

Viv Callander has been beautiful friend to the lovely Sue and I for over 30 years. Not always in the same city, but always close. Viv and her husband Ian are retired Salvo officers and have three wonderful daughters and 6 grandchildren. They have served in the Salvos for over 42 years and even did a stint in Moldova. Viv shares her story in this episode and it will do you good to l

In ancient times Circumcision was an important rite of passage for many cultures and religions. Paul had Timothy circumcised so that the message he wanted to get across to his Jewish listeners would be without controversy. He was prepared to do whatever it took. Australians absorb information and find credible truth through authentic relationships and the modelling of a healthy and

Joycelyn McIver had a challenging childhood, but in the midst of this, was beautifully loved and cared for by families within the Salvos. Her story is rich with the human experience. Courage in the face of hardship, gratitude for her many blessings and a deep and enduring faith and confidence in the goodness and provision of God.

We all do well to re-assess every now and then. In acts Chapter 15 the early church leaders made epic decisions about how to manage the new realities of the timnes they were living in. The lovely Sue has been re-assessing how romantic I am and has initiated a new dating system. I really hope I don't annoy her too much!

My friend Kris Halliday takes over the mic and interviews me about my recent 800 kilometre pilgrimage accross Spain. I walked the Camino Francis and we chat about the scenery, the people, the challenges and of course the many I times I found myself "Encountering Cheesus"! My jouney brought me to places of authenticity about myself, the church and of course the lovely Sue!

The lovely Sue and I were delighted to visit Rachel and Paul in Greece recently and the camaraderie we felt was amazing. People always need encouragement and support, especially if they are a long way away and this was true for the early church and is still important for local community groups and even people in hospital today.

Ashish was born in India to parents who were brought to a salvo orphanage as babies and who grew up to be salvo officers. He married an Aussie girl and now, an officer himself, has had appointments in the UK, Australia, USA and even exotic tropical islands. His love and confidence in God is real, as it was formed authentically through seasons of doubt and trouble. It's an inspiring