by Australian Christian women. Since September 2015

I confess: Easter is actually my favourite holiday in terms of Christian symbolism and sometimes I think Christmas festivities can often overshadow the importance of the Easter story. I mean, at Christmas, we seem to focus on baby Jesus, which is cute, totally. But all the excitement happened over the three days of Easter, right? – a crucifixion, a resurrection – how action-packed! But when I return to the account of Jesus’ birth in the Gospels, I realise the great cause for

Christmas is the most hopeful time of the year. It sits between the end of one year and the beginning of the next. We take time to celebrate with friends, give gifts of great love and remember the coming of the Christ. It brings together the most crucial messages of life: friendship, generosity and faith. And tells us that no matter what has happened in the passing year, there is another year coming. And it will bring a new set of opportunities, challenges and experiences. Bu

I have always been captivated by Christmas. The anticipation, the glowing lights, the warm air, and the delicious food. I have always celebrated ‘Advent’ with books and calendars, marking a slow countdown to a day of generosity, laughter, and uninterrupted time with family. Christmas has always felt like a day suspended outside of reality. A farewell to a long year. Twenty-four hours of magic. When I became a follower of Jesus, I was struck by the theology that lay behind the

The day begins early when the sun is just peaking over the horizon and you hear it…that noise that can bring so much joy and so much terror at the same time…the kids are up! You savour the last few moments before the tribe come scrambling onto your bed and jump relentlessly on your bladder until you finally give in and get up. The mornings are always crazy, no time to stop, there are mouths to feed, lunches to make, hair to be done, fights to break up, bags to pack, and that’

Israel in the decades of Roman oppression had known 7 centuries of oppression - the horrific Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Greek influenced Ptolemies, the Greek influenced Syrians, the Romans. And yet they have hope. From the period of Roman rule we have an entire copy of the Isaiah scroll. It includes these words. Isaiah 52:7-10 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who an