Author: John Stuart

When I first started in parish ministry, I made some house calls to an old man who had no family, no property, and hardly any possessions. He lived in a council house, and all that he had was a sofa, … Read more

At this time of year, the green fields of Scotland are full of lambs that are usually leaping and jumping into the air, as if they were on emerald trampolines. It's a pretty sight to see, and one that I … Read more

There's a new coffee shop in town called "Ja Verde". It's situated on the west end of Middlebrook Pike, and its grand opening took place on Saturday, March 27th. I was there on one recent morning, having coffee with a … Read more

I can remember taking an anxiety attack several years ago. One night, I woke with shortness of breath, and my heart was racing. I didn't know what was happening, and I feared the worst. I had no chest pains, and … Read more

Perhaps instead of Holy Week, we should call this the start of Truth Week. "Holy" seems to set it apart from everything else that's going on in the world, and I guess that's what it's meant to do, but by … Read more

One of my fondest memories of Easter morning took place at the seashore. It happened when I was pastor to the Scottish fishing village of Dunure. At 8:00 a.m. each Easter, the villagers gathered outside the Kennedy Hall to praise … Read more

Many years ago, I was a leading a Bible study in Scotland in someone's home, and the house group was looking at this passage from Scripture. During the meeting, it struck us that Christ's strategy for ministry was totally encompassed … Read more

One of the most remarkable things that I have seen over the years is the amount of faith people possess, even in the most tragic and trying of circumstances. I can remember one old lady who didn't have a lot … Read more

I can remember when I was at college walking down the street with a few of my friends. We had just taken an exam, and we were all carrying on. I guess we were relieved to have finished the test … Read more

I don't know what I did that was so wrong, but the headmaster at my elementary school didn't like me. I must have been impertinent or had gotten into trouble for something. When a substitute teacher came to look after … Read more