I can be a real dreamer. There’s always a book, a media project, a life ambition waiting in the wings. So when BBC Radio 2 asked what my hope for the new year was, my mind automatically went down the path of goals and ambitions. But something wasn't right. There's more to life than career goals... More…

'You reap what you sow' is a powerful principle describing the way much of life works. Plant a seed of goodness, kindness or faith, and a harvest of it will follow later. But the metaphor assumes the seed is sown into healthy soil. What if it's not? What happens when we keep trying to get a harvest from an exhausted life? More…

Our new puppy Rupert Reginald McScruffy is quite the celebrity: people stop us in the street, he’s got fans on social media, and now even the BBC wants to follow his progress. Yes, he's gorgeous. But he does have his foibles; and one in particular that can teach us about what happens when we run to false places of safety. More…

My life has been anything but a straight path. I’ve been nightclub DJ, a youth worker, a radio host, an author, a speaker; I’ve had spiritual crises, burnout, and broken dreams; and life’s curve balls have often landed me where I least expected. It used to trouble me. Until one day, out hiking, I noticed something… More…

My friend Mick works on the Africa Mercy - a floating hospital ship, helping the poorest people in developing nations. When TV crews visit, they shine the spotlight on the ship’s amazing medical staff. Rarely do they point a camera at Mick’s area of work. It’s – ahem - less than glamorous. But without him, the whole thing would stop… More…

When was the last time you had a truly special meal where you left the table changed, uplifted, fulfilled? You came burdened but left lighter (at least emotionally). Your soul was filled, not just your stomach. We need more of these sacred meals. But what is it that makes a meal truly sacred? A few key ingredients come to mind. More…

What a gift it is to do work you love. To get paid for using your talents, and contribute to society. And since we spend so much of our lives working, it makes sense to seek a fulfilling career. But have we gotten things unbalanced? When work becomes our primary source of personal fulfilment—it leaves us vulnerable. More…

In his famous painting ’The Light of the World’, Holman Hunt depicted Jesus in a white robe holding a lantern, knocking gently on a door that represents our heart. With blond beard, flowing hair and serene face, the Saviour is presented as a meek, mild soother of souls. Nice image—but the Holy Week of Easter really messes it up... More…

My Great Grandmother Alice was one brave woman who can teach us a thing or two about facing our problems. Her husband Walter was a good man, but with one vice: he liked his drink too much for her liking. Here’s the ingenious way she dealt with it. More…

When William Paul Young sat down to write a story for his children about a man who meets God in a forest shack, little did he know it would become a publishing phenomenon—and now a movie. In 2008 Paul dropped by the Open House show, to chat about the book’s meaning, the personal story behind it, and to answer his critics. More…