The former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev has died at the age of 91. Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended the Cold War without bloodshed but failed to prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union, has died aged 91, Russian hospital officials say. The Central Clinical Hospital said in a statement that Mr Gorbachev died after a long illness. No other details were given. Mr Gorbachev’s office said earlier that he was undergoing treatment in hospital. – ABC News I once shared a stage with Mr Gorbachev. When I say ‘shared a stage’ what I really mean is that we were both on the same stage at the same ..read more

We’ve all been let down. People close to us have hurt us. We’ve been disappointed by those we thought we could depend upon. Have you ever come to a moment of great need and found yourself alone? Have you had to face trials on your own while those who have previously pledged their friendship and loyalty have scattered? That’s the kind of thing we remember on Good Friday. Imagine facing the following scenario on your own. So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away inside the pal ..read more

The title of the book ‘Ascent, Crest, Perspective: The Making of a Bamboo Camel’ is anything but ordinary, but its author, Dr Ross, James has had an anything but ordinary life so far. The book is a memoir reflecting on his years as a journalist, academic and researcher, as well as the personal battles he has faced. Ross is a storyteller who uses personal journals and correspondence to tell the story of what happened after he left a family funeral business and yielded to the leading of Providence. Ross explains an Ascent, a 20-year period of preparation as a journalist, academic and researche ..read more

Donna Patrick is a speaker, award-winning author, musician, choir director, worship leader, writer, radio host, and podcaster. She has been teaching and leading for over 35 years. Donna is passionate about helping people discover and live out their purpose. She is an excellent communicator with a real gift of teaching. It was my honour to chat with Donna recently for the latest episode of my podcast, Bleeding Daylight. You can hear our conversation wherever you listen to podcasts or click play on the audio player below. Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Donna Renay Patr ..read more

Wendy Cunningham is all about gaining perspective and looking more deeply at not only the ideas and beliefs that we hold but where those ideas and beliefs are formed. Wendy is a wife, an author, an entrepreneur, and a homeschool mom of three. She also hosts the Gaining My Perspective podast. Her current book, What if You’re Wrong? explores a massive change in her own thinking. As an atheist who critically thought her way to faith, Wendy Cunningham believes it’s important to evaluate where our beliefs about God come from as we consider where we might be mistaken. This is Wendy’s first solo bo ..read more

Kim Sorrelle is an entrepreneur and the director of a humanitarian organization. She splits her time between her home in Michigan and the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In a world that uses the word ‘love’ to describe our connection to everything from people close to us to our favourite food or TV show, Kim decided to look more deeply into what love truly means. Her book, ‘Love Is’ tells the story of her year-long experiment of truly living out love. The minute you want something in return for your love, it is no longer love. It is something that you’re doing because there’s ..read more

Can you spare me three minutes to watch this video? I don’t know what goals you have for 2022 but mine are fairly huge. I want to invite you into those goals. Once you’ve watched the video, if you want to accept that invitation, you can follow this link. Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Three Minutes to Change the World? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks ..read more

We’re living in an age of delay, interruption, deferral, postponement, and cancellation. The things we want to do are often out of reach. Travel, spending time with those we love, gatherings, concerts, sports events. They’re still being disrupted due to a pandemic that many of us thought would be gone a few months after it started, and yet, here we are. One of the biggest consequences for me has been the necessary yet heartbreaking decision to postpone Ride for Compassion Coast to Coast. This Saturday, I should have been joining around 30 other cyclists and an amazing support crew to begin a ..read more

It’s R U OK? Day. It’s the day that we’re encouraged to ask friends, family and colleagues if they’re OK. It’s an acknowledgement that a conversation could change a life. Of course we’re encouraged to ask the question more than just once a year and this year we’re being asked to dig a little deeper to ask if others are ‘really’ OK. I wonder though, how would you react if someone you asked admitted that they weren’t really OK. What if you asked if they were OK and they said, no? Would you know how to help or at least walk with them towards some kind of help? Do you know how the people in you ..read more

From being the girl to struggled to learn to read in school, to the woman who has read thousands of books and authored over a dozen of her own, Marnie Swedberg is remarkable. Marnie Swedberg is an international leadership mentor, the author of 13 books, the host of her own radio talk show, a media expert, and a keynote speaker for organizations around the world. Fun and fast-paced, yet peaceful and approachable, her history includes fires, floods, a tornado, car wrecks, business set-backs, a burglary, lightning strike, ambulance rides and more. She models come-back behavior, possibility thin ..read more