As a small child I was raised in a tiny Baptist Church. We met in the freezing CWA Rooms of the beautiful mountain town of Tumbarumba. I sensed the presence of God here, but soon after I turned six my parents drifted from the church, as they struggled to come to terms with the birth of my baby brother who was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome. I recommitted my life in my mid-teens ....
We lived in a nice house in leafy suburbia, and had plenty of money for food and clothes. I was in my mid-twenties and had two healthy children with my husband, Nick. I adored my family. I was a housewife, and my fulfilment came from being the best wife and mother I could be. After all, that was my childhood dream. However, I did everything I could to tear it all apart. I was d....
I grew up in a very committed Roman Catholic family in Bolivia. Religion was a big part of our life and our culture but the focus was much more on ritual and expectations than relationship with God. When I was 19 my older brother became a Christian. I had been unwell for many years with a series of chronic illnesses and so he invited me to attend a large evangelistic mee....
I had never experienced the ‘glass ceiling’ until I moved to Australia 15 years ago. Growing up in Brazil I always believed that anything was possible for me. My parents were my greatest encouragers. From an early age they taught me that no matter whether I was a man or a woman, I could achieve anything that I put my mind to and our Catholic belief system reinforced the not....
It started at a prayer meeting. We were sitting in a circle of plastic chairs in the back room of our church. All the regulars are there: Laurel and Patricia – our praying matriarchs, Daryn the worship leader, our senior pastor Melinda and another dozen or so from church. We’d sung a few songs, listened to a devotional – we were halfway through. It came as a ra....
