Children’s leisure time: then and now
I grew up on an unpaved, quaint side street in Ploiești, Romania. After school or during summer vacations my neighbours, M. and C., and I were an inseparable trio. We were almost always outdoors. If it wasn't too hot or raining, you could find us in one of our backyards.
Two false oppositions: reason vs. faith and science vs. religion
"Intelligent, scientifically trained people no longer believe (or can no longer believe) in God."
Reconnecting to the world we live in
What Indigenous peoples have long understood about our relationship with the natural world.
Misleading bridges, and better prayers
Bridges seem to be the emblem of existential stress for Romanians. In the face of a difficult situation, even Romanian folk wisdom recommends: "Make a pact with the devil until you have crossed the bridge."
How to befriend the future
What is the future? The question may seem trivial. But when you think about it, you understand better what St Augustine confessed: "What then is time? If no one asks me, I know; if I want to explain it to a questioner, I do not know".
How to speak to be heard
“The problem with communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished.” (George Bernard Shaw)
I didn’t know that God cries too
In those times when grief accompanies us and we find ourselves alone in the middle of the night, does God shed tears with us?
Simeon and Anna: From waiting to fulfilment
Some expectations dissolve into routine or turn into despair, while others invigorate life. The former are measured in deeds and desires, while the latter are measured in faithfulness and beliefs.
”The coronavirus has been anything but a great equalizer.” The impact of COVID-19 on the world’s poor
A famine of biblical scale is already looming on the horizon, says David Beasley, director of the World Food Program. More than 30 developing countries could be affected by the scourge – 1 million people are already affected. It's not just people going to bed hungry, Beasley insists, explaining that it's a state of emergency where outside help is the only hope.
How to manage “good debt” and “bad debt”
Almost half of Romanians are in debt, while 39% say that they don’t pay their debt on time, and 29% never create a budget. These figures, based on the most recent national studies, reflect Romanians’ values and financial literacy, but they can also represent the starting point of a conversation about "good debt" and "bad debt."
Bevvies without the buzz
As the balmy Australian summer took a chilly turn, I found myself sitting one day in a pub in Jindabyne, New South Wales with a friend attempting to escape the bitter autumn weather. As I took in the ambience, I reflected on what was a largely alien environment to me.
The Jewish narrative context of Jesus’s words
Jesus's words could not have been foreign to the Jewish people of His day. In an eminently oral culture, narratives, stories, parables and metaphors occupied an important place.
End It Now: why violence against women is everyone’s problem
I feel like every time I’ve tuned into the news lately, I’ve heard a story about a woman dying from intimate partner or domestic violence (DV). It is heartbreaking and sickening.
My money versus our money | How to manage finances as a couple
Talking about finances as a couple is not always comfortable; money has often been the cause of marital conflict. Aligning your financial goals and philosophy can be a difficult process that begins with answering a simple question: joint or separate accounts?
Everyone goes through a midlife crisis. True or false?
Up until she was 49 years old, Sue Shellenbarger had been happy with her life. She had a nice home in Oregon, USA, and a good job as the Wall Street Journal's work and family columnist. However, in the space of just two years, she had divorced her husband, emptied out her bank account, and developed a real passion for adventure that landed...


























