Ministry > jamesburke
Coronavirus: Who's to Blame
“Why is it happening again? Who’s to blame?”
I’m sure these questions are part of many conversations in New Zealand right now. With the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus dominating the headlines, it’s easy to add one more accusing finger to the blame game.
Perhaps it’s a natural response to a crisis that evokes memories of the SARS crisis in 2003, when…
Coronavirus: Who's to Blame?
“Why is it happening again? Who’s to blame?”
I’m sure these questions are part of many conversations in Australia right now. With the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus dominating the headlines in Australia and the world, it’s easy to add one more accusing finger to the blame game.
Perhaps it’s a natural response to a crisis that evokes memories of the SARS…
Back to School
It’s back-to-school time, when parents either breathe a sigh of relief or reach for the tissue box. Likewise children will either be bursting with excitement to catch up with their buddies, or there may be tears and tummy aches as they nervously wait to see if they can make new friends.
I’ve sent all my children off to school, but each…
Summer of Loss
Australia’s out-of-control bushfires have been raging for months now, and are now described as the worst bushfires in our history. Television presenters spoke of firefighters driving through ‘hell’, even describing the fire front as Armageddon.
So far more than 10 million hectares have been burnt across six states. Twenty-seven people have been killed, about 2,500 properties lost or partially destroyed, as…
Bushfire Crisis
It is hard to understand that a large chunk of Australia has been burning for months now. There are many people and entire communities around our country who have lost everything and are suffering at this time.
Our team has been praying for those who have been impacted by these fires and will continue to pray for safety for all Australians…
My New Year's Resolution
For most of my 20s my number one resolution each year was to become fit. Actually, it was to hit my ideal body weight of 70kg. Being 5ft8 and weighing 52kg at the age of 23, I had enough of being underweight. I started working out, I joined a gym and became invested in my physical appearance. I was at…
Why It's Worth Investing in Christmas with your Young Family
How to be intentional about the Christmas season with your kids.
By Fiona Jeganathan
The Christmas season is upon us! This is only my third Christmas as a parent and while I love the festive season, now that I have a toddler and a baby, to be honest Christmas seems like a lot of work. And besides, they’re so little, they’re…
Letting Go
It happened so fast, in the blink of an eye. It seems like just yesterday I was teaching my son to read in Prep, and he would answer a polite “Yes Mum” or “No thanks Mum” to my questions. Now he has finished Year 12 exams and is yearning for independence. His next goal is to get his driver’s licence…
Once a Gambler
It’s Spring Racing Carnival time in Australia, and we know that because we are being inundated daily with horse-racing promotions and gambling advertising.
I was once a gambler and the Spring Racing Carnival, in particular the Melbourne Cup, used to be my favourite time of the year. It was a time to get dressed up in my best suit, favourite…
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
We all experience days where we feel down, anxious, exhausted or discouraged. Sometimes life doesn’t work out the way we plan, as we face many unexpected twists and turns and ups and downs. Even the happiest and most optimistic people face moments of doubt.
If this describes your life’s journey, you are not alone. There are many instances in…
Caring Not in our Own Strength
My wife has a mental illness. The anxiety disorder and depression that she deals with have been a battle for most of her life, and part of our relationship dynamic for the 14 years I’ve known her. Over that time, I’ve had to learn what mental illness can look like, how it plays out in her life, and how to…
Mental Health Month
Australians are set to embark on a national awareness campaign on mental health, with the launch of the inaugural National Mental Health Month in October.
Mental health is a multi-layered, multi-faceted issue impacting all areas of society. Sadly, statistics show that 1 in 5 Australians are suffering from a mental illness in any given year, and over 45 percent of…
Mental Health Resources
In order to raise awareness of mental health issues and how it affects our society, a new initiative called National Mental Health Month is being launched this October. The campaign is the result of a partnership between government agencies, health services and advocacy groups, and includes education programs and community drives.
To coincide with the launch, Our Daily Bread Ministries would…
Getting Behind the Right Team
The day of 30 September, 2017, is a day I will always remember. It’s the day I watched my beloved Richmond Tigers cruise to a clean victory over the Adelaide Crows in the AFL Grand Final. It was a big moment. Richmond hadn’t won a premiership since 1980 and that was over a decade before I was even born. So…
