“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” says the Chinese proverb. Although there is much truth behind what is said, in my house long journeys often begin with a check to see if I’ve picked up my keys and wallet, or if we have the remembered the postcode of our destination, or, perhaps most importantly, whether we have all visited the toilet!
Throughout most of my adult life when things have seemed confusing and I needed space to think I would head to the beach. A walk along any seafront at any time is the space where I have been able to process my thinking: from dealing with big decisions, attempting to make sense of difficult news or simply to clear my head the beach has been the place. It is a place where I think and pray and attempt to find some perspective. A place that reminds me of God’s eternal sovereignty.
I wonder whether you have made any New Year Resolutions this year? Over the years I have made lots and broken nearly as many. They often have involved running more and eating less – though it is clear looking back I have often mixed these two up.
One particular year I set myself the resolution to read more fiction. As a teacher at the time I read a lot but not always for pleasure, so I decided to read a book a month. When Boxing day arrived, I thought I had one to go, so selected a short novel and read it quickly, only to realise that I missed a book off my list and had in fact managed thirteen...