Introducing Sophia Amy Roper

Sophia was born on Saturday 7 March at 3.13pm, weighing 7 lb 13.5 oz. It was a water birth and I think I did really well with great support from my wonderful husband and fantastic midwives. Isn't she lovely, Isn't she beautiful?...

Walk This Way

The last few weeks have flown by as we have been getting ready for the baby and trying to sort out a new laptop. I am still working things out, but there has not been much opportunity to post on here. The baby is now 2 days overdue and it is testing my patience - come one little one, we can't wait to meet you! To take my mind off things, I thought I would share some words of Thomas a Kempis. The quotation is an extract from 'Walk this Way 40 days on the road with Jesus', which is the new book from Paternoster/Spring HArvest/Thinking Allowed:

'What use is it to argue cleverly about the Trinity, if you lack humility and so grieve the Trinity? Get this: clever words don't make a saint or even a Christian! No, God is pleased with people who live well. I'd rather feel my sin and shame, not understand it. You might know every word of the Bible, and have degrees and doctorates, but all that gains you precisely nothing without the love and grace of God.'

The book was launched at a training day that I went to a few weeks, also called Walk This Way. It was a good day, looking at the way that Jesus taught and we learn. There was a focus on deep learning, and how this is lacking in our schools and churches. The general consensus was that we all learn best in small groups or 1-1, rather than large conference settings. Ironically we were in a large conference setting... Will post more on this when I find my notes and remember some more details - my pregnancy head means that my brain is a bit of a jumble! I was initially disappointed that the tie-in book doesn't unpack the training content, but is instead 40 days worth of readings. As I have begun reading it, though, it has turned out to be rather good and a great resource for Lent.