Resilient Souls Blog

Take note:  The reflections in this blog touch on themes of death, grief, loss, and the uncertainties of life. For those in the midst of grief, the idea of dreams and hopes might feel distant. While this reflection may cause some discomfort, it’s not meant to be insensitive, but to inspire you that, when the time is right, to dream again—even though that dream may look very different than you thought it might. I was at the end of the bed as my daughter sat close to her husban

One day, something came on television, and it triggered some powerful emotion in me. It was sudden and unexpected, and it hurt. Over the years, I’ve had many of those moments. It can be a song that comes on the radio, a smell that's familiar, or a photo that pops up on a feed from a time long ago. Recognizing Emotional Triggers Does that feel familiar to you? Something happens that suddenly brings on those often-uncomfortable emotions that seem to come from nowhere? What’s th

A Shift in Perspective Without Any Toxic Positivity This week on the podcast, I was reminded of something I learnt a number of years ago. Back then, I was single and feeling deeply lonely, so I went for a walk around the local duck pond. I hoped that getting out into nature might distract me — maybe even bring a bit of peace. But instead, something unexpected happened. It all started out with good intentions — fresh air, the sound of birds, movement. But it wasn’t long before

I think deep down we all might want to leave some form of legacy after we’ve gone. Something that we feel has contributed to the community or the world around us. It’s seems hard wired into our DNA. I was travelling around Italy last year, and saw first hand the legacy the Romans left the world. There’s a constant throng of tourists who pay good money to experience the impact of this great empire. I have a sneaking suspicion that at least some of those tourists may find thems

Choosing to See God at Work—even When He’s Not Working the Way You Hoped I know that God is real and at work in this world. I also know that’s a big statement, but I believe it with my whole heart. That doesn’t mean I haven’t wished He was more at work at times—or at least, at work earlier in the journey I was on, or in the specific ways I’d asked Him to be. But even with all that, I can still point to moments in my life where I know—undeniably—that He stepped in. That He did

How slowing down helped me notice what I’d been missing all along. I was driving from the mountains above Byron Bay one morning, heading toward a beachside town to have a break. It had been a long, full week, and this was my first moment alone in a while. The sun had come out. The sky was that brilliant kind of blue. I rolled the windows down and felt the warmth on my skin. I had nowhere to go, no one to see, nothing really to do. For the first time in days, I felt myself bre

How to Trust God When Life Doesn't Make Sense A good friend of mine once said to me, “Brother, there is a lie out there that life is what you make it. People rarely get to make it what they want. The truth is that life is how you take it because it comes at you in a rush, and you can’t always control it.” I know he’s right. Things happen in life that we don’t want, we can’t control, and we can’t always stop. These are things we didn’t plan, couldn’t prepare for, and would ne

When I first became a Christian, I quickly discovered the importance of the Shepherd. It was spoken about often in church and we had it drummed into us that shepherds love their sheep. I learnt that in biblical times a shepherd had an intimate relationship with their sheep. They knew them by name, tended to them carefully, and protected them. I love this idea and understand the concept of a caring shepherd looking after a small flock. It brings me warmth and comfort. You only

I’d been away down the coast on my own for a couple of days when I woke up to go for another walk along the cliff tops overlooking the ocean. This morning was different. The sky was still blue but this time the temperature had dropped, and it was really windy. It was the sort of wind that makes you want to wrap your jacket tightly around your body and pull the hood over your head to protect your ears. As I continued, I felt uneasy—this wasn’t what I’d been hoping for when I s

Navigating Faith Without The Spiritual Acrobatics When my wife was battling her illness, the hardest part wasn’t just the pain or the uncertainty—it was the well-meaning advice that came from so many directions. It felt like people couldn’t bear the idea of unanswered questions, so they grasped for explanations, often resorting to what I called the ‘Cirque du Soleil approach.’ It felt like they were performing spiritual acrobatics to absolve God of responsibility, as if His g

Take note:  This post deals with difficult topics including death and unanswered prayers. If you or someone you know is navigating...

I’ve wanted to write for a long while and I know I’ve had a book in me for a number of years, but many things have conspired to stop me following these dreams. I could point to any one of those things that have side swiped me over the years, but to be honest, it hasn’t been any external things that have been the primary reason I haven’t stepped into my passion. Confronting fear—Embracing the calling in you It’s been something much deeper inside of me. I’m going to name it ‘f