Ministry > jamesburke
Love - All the Difference
“Write something about love,” said my editor.
Oh sure. That’ll be easy (extreme sarcasm). Should I write about how I’ve failed in love? Or how I’ve been disappointed by it? Take your pick. I’ve got a lot of material to draw on.
This isn’t to say I don’t have a loving family. I do. It’s just that despite appearances, my life is…
Get Up and Walk
Accra, Ghana, situated on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, is vibrant and growing. An integral part of the city’s bustling scene is its street vendors. They’re everywhere! It’s how business gets done. Representing (mostly) legit entrepreneurs, these hawkers sell just about anything that could be sold in a traditional store; they just do it by the roadside. Once…
Christmas in a Pandemic
COVID-19 has struck again, this time in New South Wales, throwing Christmas travel plans and celebrations into disarray.
The short window of open borders, family reunions, and no quarantine period for many travellers is over, and parts of Australia are set to return to the ‘new-norm’ of restrictions, lockdowns, border closures, and self-isolation.
The global pandemic is certainly making it difficult to…
Competing to Win
This weekend will be a feast for sports fans with two grand finals on consecutive days—the AFL on Saturday and the NRL on Sunday. Four teams battling it out to win the main prize and be crowned 2020 champions. Years of hard training, commitment, and sacrifice come down to just one game.
Does the Bible have anything to say about sport?…
A Mum's Lesson from Lockdown School
It's now been over five months since our family (and many others) commenced the era of perpetual staying at home. We work from home; order everything but our groceries to be delivered at home; leave the house only to exercise within five kilometres of our home; and day after repetitive day, we educate our children at home.
Home education has been…
God Sets the Times
What a trying time we are in! Just as things appeared to be getting better, life just got challenging again.
In Melbourne, the lockdown restrictions and curfew have been extended, and those who have been clinging to the hope of returning to work will have to wait that little bit longer. Businesses which have been hanging on now face the very…
Stand Still And Wait For God
Do you find it hard to stand still? To wait upon the Lord? As a mother of five, I’ve always dreamed about standing still, or sitting still. But when I do have to stand still, to wait upon God, I get restless.
Right now, many of us have lost jobs, or we are now working from home, and we can’t visit…
Christ in a Curfew
by Jon Coombs
Our city has now been under a curfew for a week.
What an amazing sentence to write.
I’ve always figured that to be under curfew would mean I was living in a country under martial law or something similar; where there would be the threat of violence and war.
Even living in the Middle East for a couple…
The Elderly and COVID-19
The COVID-19 statistics look grim for the elderly, not just in Australia, but worldwide. How should we respond as Christians to this danger? Former pastor David Roberston, shares his thoughts about his elderly parents, and as someone who has underlying health conditions.
The question came: “Could you write an article about what it’s like to be over 60 and concerned about…
5 Unexpected Lessons COVID-19 Taught me
COVID-19 is a difficult but masterful teacher. On March 29, my wife and I tested positive for the virus. When our doctors called us with our test results, we experienced a wide range of intense emotions: sadness, discouragement, and fear. As I brooded over my coronavirus experience, God taught several unexpected lessons.
It started when our middle son, Micah, came home…
How Motherhood is Changing Me
I went to an all girls high school where the focus was definitely on getting a career. From there I went to university and pursued this goal further. I had my life all mapped out in my mind. Job till early 30s, then marriage, then children in my late 30s. Everything revolved around me pursuing this path. Everything revolved around…
Con Campbell: Uncovering 1 John
Starting on April 15, join us on the Our Daily Bread Australia Facebook page, as Con Campbell takes us through the book of 1 John.
Each Wednesday evening at 8pm AEST, Con will share and teach his way through John's first letter over the coming weeks. Be sure to like our Facebook page to be notified when he goes live!…
Reading the Bible During Self-Isolation
I am now half way through my self-isolation after returning from Malaysia nine days ago, and I’m taking advantage of this opportunity to read books which have accumulated, unread, on my shelves.
Last year, the mens' group I belong to studied Knowing God by J.I. Packer, reading a chapter each fortnight. I was challenged by our studies, so I have chosen to…
