A few brief notes on life over the past week:

• Last Saturday I ran my first half-marathon of the year and wasn’t expecting much. But nailed it to get a new PB in 1:39:18. Nice way to kick off my 50s
• I preached on Romans 15 and the dual value of missions and mercy
• This week we’ve had a team from ID with us
• We’ve started a new season of Welcome to Wrexham and watched The Fast and the Furious. Only like 100 of those to go.
• I finished The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho¹ but I’m slipping badly behind my goal of wanting to read 100 books this year
• It’s still not really warm enough.

You Should Read These

1. Do we need to see ourselves represented?
2. Wendell Berry’s Nine Rules for Evaluating New Technology
3. Why I’m Not “A Feminist” by Dani Treweek
4. Bible Study Tools: Uncover it with colour – yes
5. Explaining the “Strava Tax”. One for the runners like me
6. Disarming AI Sycophancy to Get Real Feedback on Your Writing. I’m making it a habit to ask for the “No holds barred, no sweet talking me feedback”. One it’s hilarious and two it does show you places to sharpen things up.
7. How to Wear a Polo Shirt Without Looking Like a Middle Manager. For someone middle aged like me and who wears a polo shirt, this is invaluable advice.

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You Should Look At This

The colours! Incredible Winners of the 1839 Awards 2025 Color Photography Contest

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You Should Listen To This

I love this sort of chill

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You Should Watch This

Who knew the inside of musical instruments could be so beautiful!

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This Week’s Postings

Uptick. Two Posts

• Sinners, functional atheists & being truly spiritual
• If you’re going to be weird don’t also be dull

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From The Archives

The right, not just to do nothing of value to capital, but to do nothing that anyone else will see or like. To not just work for anyone else but not to live to impress or display to anyone else. It is the Gospel that sets us free – I don’t need to impress anyone because my impressiveness or not has nothing to do with my value and worth nor my salvation. God is my Father and He loves me. Christ is my brother and he rescued me. The Spirit is my guide and strengthens me. What else do I need and who do I need to impress? So I can work hard but I can rest well. I am not a slave but free and I’m freed to rest, freed to say no, free to be weak, imperfect and tired. Thank God.

Busy, exhausted, burnt out

Have a great weekend.

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