Remembering Frederick Buechner
Like many, I was saddened to hear of the passing of Frederick Buechner on Monday 15 August. He was 96 and is survived by his wife Judith who he married in 1956. I always think of Buechner as a theologian and preacher, though most remember him as a novelist, justifying their choice by pointing to his 39 books, one of which (Godric) was a finalist for the 1981 Pulitzer Prize – so this is no light weight we are talking about. Ordained as a Presbyterian minister, he never pastored a church, but through the honesty and the depth of insight in his writing he was, in many ways, a pastor to...
Read MoreOn being still, not silent
I recently listened to a fascinating podcast where Alastair McIntosh reflects on Quakerism and unpacks some of its convictions. In a throw away comment he notes that it is often said that Quakers gather together in silence (no drums of smoke machines for them !) but that this is not entirely accurate – they gather together in stillness. He goes on to quote Ps 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God”, which is not the same as saying “Be silent and know that I am God.” Silence or stillness, is there a difference? Most assuredly there is. We live in a noisy world....
Read MoreWhen Belief is Aspirational
Have you ever asked if we do what we believe, believe what we do, or sit in an uncomfortable space of a bit of both, with belief and action sometimes congruent, sometimes not. It’s worth thinking about as it digs into the gap between what we say we believe and how we then live. For example, what are we to make of the simmering resentment we might feel towards another while we continue to happily pray “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Or how do we evaluate ourselves when we have a failure of courage in the face of a challenging situation while we continue to affirm...
Read MoreYours, Mine and God’s: Holding Anxiety Well
I direct the AVENIR Leadership Institute and we recently hosted an exceptional masterclass on Managing Leadership Anxiety led by Steve Cuss, the author of an outstanding book with that title. I can’t remember if it was during the class or in conversation afterwards, but at some point Steve commented that when faced by people working through a problem or facing a difficult issue we need to decide what of the problem is ours to carry; what is theirs to carry and what is God’s to carry. It also works in reverse. When I am facing a difficult situation, what part is mine to carry,...
Read MoreA Cold Dark Night on the Side of Everest: How Expectations Shape Outcomes
I recently enjoyed listening to psychologist Alia Crum speaking on the Hidden Brain podcast about reframing your reality. She recalled a crisis point during her time as a PhD student when she was working in the early hours of the morning in the basement at her University. Feeling overwhelmed by all that was required by her, she was surprised when a friend walked into the room and seeing the distressed look on her face, said simply, “ah. It’s a cold dark night on the side of Everest”, and left. Crum said it took a while for the significance of what had been said to sink in,...
Read More