keeps ahead of the game after 45 years
WAR CRY
Garden views
RHS Chelsea Flower Show blooms into life
‘Having ADHD doesn’t mean I am broken’
What is The Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.
What is the War Cry?
The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.
CRY
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major
Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow
Staff Writer: Emily Bright
Staff Writer: Claire Brine
Staff Writer: Ewan Hall
Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk
Graphic Designer: Mark Knight
Graphic Designer: Natalie Adkins
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk
The Salvation Army
United Kingdom and Ireland Territory
1 Champion Park London SE5 8FJ
Tel: 0845 634 0101
Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org
Founders: William and Catherine Booth
International leaders: General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham Territorial leaders: Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main
Editor-in-Chief: Major Julian Watchorn
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From the editor’s
A dramatic crime wave has hit TV and streaming platforms. Whether it’s the cosy feel of clerics solving mysteries or the gritty storylines of inner-city murders investigated by detectives battling their own demons, viewers can’t seem to get enough of whodunnits. In this week’s War Cry new series of ITV1 police drama Unforgotten, where Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan have more cases to solve.
With billions of people living on Earth, it’s amazing to think that each of us is different in our interests, the way we look and the way we think.
Experts say, however, that there are ‘typical’ ways in which people’s brains process information – although it’s estimated that up to one in five are neurodivergent, meaning that their brains process information differently. Neurodivergent conditions include autism, dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In this week’s War Cry we speak with Tamara Rosier, who received her diagnosis of ADHD 17 years ago.
Perhaps the popularity of these crime dramas is explained by the satisfaction that viewers gain from seeing wrongs put right and the guilty brought to justice. Often the shows’ wrong’uns are bad to the core and have deliberately chosen to follow a life of crime.
‘Having ADHD means that I have intense emotions. All the time. About everything! And my working memory is poor,’ she tells us.
As well as discussing how ADHD impacts her everyday life, Tamara reveals the ways in which it has interacted with her Christian faith.
However, according to people who work with offenders, the reality is often far more complex. After becoming a prison chaplain, the Rev Tracy Sickel quickly realised that various factors played a part in women becoming inmates.
‘I sat down with women in their induction interviews on their first day in prison,’ she tells us, ‘and it was the same things I was hearing continually: lack of self-esteem, abusive relationships, trauma, unforgiveness and addictions. Often they were victims themselves.’
‘The problem that I faced for a long time was the belief that I wasn’t good enough. Yes, I loved God, but I thought that, because of my ADHD, I wasn’t loving him “right”,’ she says. ‘It has taken me a lifetime to learn, but I believe that I’m God’s creation and, as a result, I bring him joy. I see myself as loved.’
This week’s issue also includes an interview with singer-songwriter Lydia Dicas, who has lived with chronic pain for years.
While Tracy never dismissed the implications of the women’s crimes, some years ago she grew disheartened at seeing women returning to prison after their release. So she established a Christian charity, Imago Dei, to support them once they had completed their sentence.
As well as offering practical help, Tracy wants to show the women how a relationship with God can help them.
Like Tamara, Lydia is a Christian, and she explains how she has wrestled with her belief that God is good and heals people, while she herself continues to experience chronic pain.
‘We work with people of all faiths and none in prisons,’ she says. ‘We build relationships, placing value on the women and helping them see themselves as the Lord sees them... We then allow the Lord to step in and do what only he can do – transform lives.’
‘Although God is faithful, and he will come through for us, sometimes we have to sit in our pain,’ she says, adding: ‘But as soon as you start singing the name of Jesus … you lift your gaze up to Heaven. And it changes your perspective.’
God’s offer to transform lives is for us all, no matter who we are or what we have done. If we allow him space in our heart, we’ll detect changes in our character that we couldn’t have possibly imagined.
Christians are not immune from experiencing challenges. But they know that, if they keep close to God, he can always help them, whatever they may be facing.
INFO INFO
Cultivating serenity
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show aims to demonstrate the calming qualit y of gardens
Feature by Ewan Hall
Spring has sprung – and tens of thousands of gardening enthusiasts have certainly sprung into action by heading for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Chelsea’s prestigious reputation as a go-to show for florists, specialist nurseries and garden and landscape designers has grown over time. Having started off in 1862 as the Royal Horticultural Society Great Spring Show at Kensington, the show eventually found a perfect place to put down roots when it moved to the Royal Hospital Chelsea in 1913.
Since then, the horticultural highlight has been staged nearly every spring, though it was interrupted during the two world wars. The 1917 and 1918 events were cancelled because of conscription and because a flower show seemed frivolous in the circumstances. And when the Second World War arrived, the focus turned to feeding the nation rather than fostering flowers.
By the 1950s the UK’s nurseries had
recovered sufficiently for the shows to bloom into the colourful events which they are today – and which attract visits from celebrities and members of the royal family. Those high-profile guests join with the 160,000 members of the general public who every year catch up with the latest horticultural trends, make use of the expert advice on hand and view the show gardens and other displays.
One of the small show gardens this year highlights something that many green spaces have in common. The Addleshaw Goddard: Freedom to Flourish Garden, designed by Carey Garden Design Studio, aims to be an oasis of calm that pushes back against the idea of ‘being too busy’ in life.
Inspired by the Norfolk saying ‘Slow you down’, the garden invites visitors to pause and relax. Its plants mimic a Norfolk saltmarsh landscape – and, perhaps less expectedly, a slow-rising water feature cuts off access to the garden and leaves a hidden overgrown exit as the only way out,
encouraging people to linger longer than they had planned.
Finding space for peace and quiet can be difficult for many of us, especially in life’s hustle and bustle. We may feel overloaded by work, family commitments or the search for solutions to our worries –and we don’t have the chance to stop and smell the roses.
In tough times, though, Christians turn to Jesus, who provides them with the opportunity to break away from it all and reset their minds.
He let people know that – no matter how chaotic their lives seemed – they need not carry their burdens alone. He assured them that they had access to a source of solace and strength. He invited people who heard his words of assurance about God’s love for them: ‘Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28 New International Version). If we choose to put our faith in Jesus, he will give us peace and tranquillity – and will show us how to flourish again.
Design work of the Addleshaw Goddard: Freedom to Flourish Garden
Although the idea of living for ever on this Earth doesn’t really appeal to me, Helen Coffey’s article describing her investigation into eternal life grabbed my attention. The Independent journalist wrote about how the ‘longevity’ wellness trend had, in recent years, been associated with billionaires striving for immortality. But she explored a more reasonable approach.
She recounted her visit to the Longevity Doctor, a clinic on London’s Harley Street, led by certified anti-ageing physician Dr Philip Borg. For the fee of £6,000, she underwent a thorough assessment. She had her biological age determined and blood samples tested for liver function and hormone profile.
Her time at the clinic concluded with an hour-long consultation with the doctor, during which she was asked about health conditions, family medical history, her diet and alcohol consumption, and about her connections with others. ‘Loneliness is one of the biggest predictors of ill health and early death,’ she was told by Dr Philip.
There’s one big decision we must make
A few weeks later, Helen was pleasantly surprised by some impressive results and just a few suggestions for lifestyle changes to extend her lifespan.
In her article, she concluded that ‘the real “biohacking” comes down to discovering the small, everyday changes that could have a truly meaningful impact on how well you feel for the rest of your life’.
I agree. Although I dread the thought of finding out what my biological age is, I think the concept of longevity medicine is pretty cool – and necessary. The NHS is wonderful, but might be under less strain if there was more of an investment in preventative medicine, enabling the many to make small lifestyle changes to improve their health.
That said, the real hack for me is remembering that no matter how many days I extend my lifespan by, I’ll still die one day. Not very cheery, I know. But just as the small healthy decisions we make have an impact on our lives now, there’s one big decision we must make because it will have an impact on what happens to our lives later.
Today we can decide to put our trust in Jesus, and be certain that after we die we will live in a place without sickness and disease, pain or suffering – for ever.
talk talk Team talk Team talk ‘ ’ j TEA M TALK
WAR
Popemobile to be converted
In the week that Pope Leo XIV was elected, The Guardian reported that his predecessor’s popemobile is to be repurposed as a mobile health clinic.
The paper said that the vehicle was used when Pope Francis II visited Bethlehem in 2014, and ‘is now being given a second life’ in an initiative endorsed by the pontiff before his death. Equipped with medical supplies, the popemobile will take medical aid to children in Gaza, a region devastated by 18 months of war.
Peter Brune, secretary-general of Catholic charity Caritas Sweden, said: ‘Everywhere where humanitarian access is denied, we want to apply the principle of saying that the popemobile will stand for the importance of letting humanitarian aid come through.’
WAR CRYWnRLD
Faith shapes Dan’s death row view
After travelling to the US to make a Channel 5 documentary about the death penalty, Dan Walker reflected on his Christian faith and how it shapes his view on capital punishment.
In a Viewpoint article for Radio Times, the presenter explained that he paid a visit to Huntsville in Texas – a prison which has the ‘most active death chamber in the US’ – in order to film the programme Dead Man Walking: Dan Walker on Death Row.
During his visit, he met prisoners awaiting their execution and talked with the staff whose job included strapping prisoners to the execution bench.
While Dan noted that Christianity was ‘a much bigger part of life’ in the US than in the UK and that many of the people he met leant on it to justify the death penalty, he explained that his faith led him to a different perspective.
He wrote: ‘As a Christian, I think I believe in the same God, but I follow the message of Jesus Christ, one of forgiveness and the possibility of redemption.’
Openness to Bible study
An estimated 250 million people who do not have a Christian faith are open to learning more about the Bible, according to a global survey carried out by Bible Society and polling company Gallup.
The Patmos World Bible Attitudes Survey gathered information on a variety of topics from more than 91,000 people in 85 countries and territories.
Researchers found that 11 per cent of respondents from various religious traditions and with no religious tradition are open to learning more about the Bible.
‘Never before have we had such detailed information about what different types of people … believe about the Bible,’ said Richard Powney, senior research manager at Bible Society. ‘For the first time, at this scale, we have credible data about interest levels, openness, indifference and a host of other attitudes to the Bible and Christianity globally.’
More than 7,750 people were baptised at Huntingdon Beach, California, according to US-based Relevant magazine. More than 300 churches took part, with people of all ages publicly declaring their faith. The organisation behind the event, Baptise America, aims to unite churches across the US next month in ‘the world’s largest synchronised baptism’.
Home celebrates 90 years of care
A Salvation Army care home in Buxton has celebrated its 90th anniversary with a thanksgiving service and other festivities for the residents.
Originally opened as a women’s refuge in 1935, the Hawthorns now operates as a 34-bed care home for elderly men and women. The celebrations included a barbecue, vintage games and a history display.
A researcher conducts an interview in Nepal
ALAMY
‘I
didn’t fit in – but now I accept my neurodiversity’
TAMARA ROSIER explains how ADHD affects her life and why her faith brings reassurance
Interview by Claire Brine
‘If you have ADHD, it shows up in every nook and cranny of your life,’ says Tamara Rosier, the founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan in the US. ‘Put simply, it’s a condition which affects people in two major areas: their executive function and their emotional regulation. It means that people with ADHD – like me – often struggle to regulate their attention and have a poor short-term memory. They also experience very big feelings, which can sometimes be hard to manage.
‘Having ADHD means that I have intense emotions. All the time. About everything! And my working memory is poor. I was never the mom who remembered to sign her daughters up to soccer camp – they had to do that for themselves.
‘But what I’m good at is connecting ideas and invention. I’m skilled at putting two things together and making something new.’
Over the past four years, Tamara – who received her diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 17 years ago – has published two books designed to help
readers gain a better understanding of ADHD. The first, Your Brain’s Not Broken, provides strategies to enable people with ADHD to navigate their emotions better, while the second title, You, Me and Our ADHD Family, explores how the condition has an impact on family relationships.
All through high school, I thought I was dumb
Learning how her brain was ‘wired differently’ from the neurotypical people around her also prompted Tamara to establish the ADHD Center of West Michigan, which helps individuals with ADHD (and their loved ones) learn how to live with the condition effectively.
‘If you have ADHD, it’s always better to know about it than to not know,’ she says. ‘All through my high school years, I thought I was dumb. While I could figure out a lot of things in class, I wasn’t able to complete my homework in the same way as everyone else. I couldn’t manage my time effectively. There was something
Tamara Rosier
about me that just felt a bit off.
‘Today, I understand that I have ADHD. I feel that I have grown into my brain, and I can accept that it works differently. Yes, I still get frustrated because I have to work so hard at executive functions, but I don’t need to feel any shame around that. God isn’t looking down on me, saying: “Oh no, I’ve undercooked Tamara’s brain.” That’s not what happened. As a Christian, I know that I’m created by design. And once I accepted that, I found freedom.’
While Tamara describes her brain as a busy place – ‘there’s always a goat rodeo going on in there’ – she is grateful for a relationship with God which brings a sense of calm and clarity.
‘There’s a passage in the Bible in which God says: “Be still, and know that I am God.” After studying that verse, I realised that it’s not about being still in a literal sense, which could be difficult for some people with ADHD. It’s about holding yourself in such a place that you can begin to know that you are taken care of by God.
‘For a long time, I used to carry a lot of shame as a Christian. I couldn’t memorise Scripture well. I’d struggle to get my family
to church on time. I wasn’t the kind of person who could sit in a prayer meeting for an hour. All the other Christian moms seemed to have their act together – and I didn’t fit. I thought I wasn’t a good Christian.
If you have ADHD, you’re not broken
‘But
then I realised something which changed my perspective. Every time I go to church, I bring my whole heart. Those big feelings that I have as a result of my ADHD cause me to cry in response to beautiful moments of worship, such as baptisms and on Easter Sunday.
‘So, the problem, for me, has never been about an ability to connect to God emotionally. The Bible talks about “praying without ceasing” – and, as someone who always has 52 monologues running through her mind, I can do that! Prayer, for me, is an ongoing conversation.’
‘But the problem that I faced for a long time was the belief that I wasn’t good
enough. Yes, I loved God, but I thought that, because of my ADHD, I wasn’t loving him “right”.’
Over time, Tamara learnt to look on her relationship with God differently. She believes that he understands her deeply –and her ADHD too.
‘God says to me: “You’re enough. Stop trying to prove that you love me in the same ways as others do. You’re OK as you are. Be still, I’ve got you. I’m proud of you.”
‘It has taken me a lifetime to learn, but I believe that I’m God’s creation and, as a result, I bring him joy. I see myself as loved.’
Having discovered her value to God, Tamara is keen for other people with ADHD to find peace in their diagnosis.
‘If you have ADHD, you’re not broken,’ she says. ‘But you are different. So I’d urge people with ADHD to accept that difference – because when they accept their neurodiversity and embrace their God-given capacity, they shine.’
l Your Brain’s Not Broken and You, Me and Our ADHD Family are published by Revell
Lydia Dicas
‘Despite the chronic pain, there is always hope’
Singer-songwriter LYDIA DICAS explains why she chooses to be joyful while living with an ongoing condition
Interview by Emily Bright
Lydia Dicas’s experience of chronic pain is a medical mystery. ‘The doctors have never been able to put a label on it,’ she explains. ‘I had a slipped disc about four years ago and since then, chronic pain has never left my body.
‘Even before that, I’d had less intense chronic pain – a really bad month and then a better month, sometimes two, and then I’d be down again.
‘Since my early 20s, I’ve had so many days in the month that I’ve had to be in bed. I’ve had headaches, migraines and muscle pain through my whole body, as well as nerve pain from the neck to my toes, with painful pressure points.’
Lydia – a London-based singersongwriter who performs Christian music alongside her husband, Rich – has wrestled with her belief that God is good and that he heals, while experiencing chronic pain. When she hears stories of miracles, Lydia is honest about her own emotions.
‘Hearing how God breaks through in people’s lives is amazing,’ she says. ‘Last year, I heard a story of how someone invited a school parent to their
home. The parent had a painful shoulder. The Christian had never prayed for her before. They prayed once – and boom, healed!
God doesn’t always do things straightaway
‘In that moment, God’s Kingdom was breaking through here on Earth. It was evidence of his power at work. But at the same time, I heard my 10-year-old daughter say: “Mummy, why does that not happen with you? I pray for you every day. Why does Jesus not heal you?” That is so hard, and I have no answers to that. God doesn’t always do things straightaway, and that’s a mystery.’
Christians have always had to grapple with the big question of why a loving God would allow suffering in the world. The question comes into sharper focus when the experience of pain is personal. But Lydia is careful not to let disappointment and frustration overwhelm her. She makes a deliberate choice to connect
with God in her hardest times.
‘Because we’re all human,’ she says, ‘we can very easily be like, “Why them and not me?” So I often say: “Jesus, keep my heart soft. Any kind of cynicism or unbelief, just rip it out of me.”’
Lydia still believes that God can heal her. But she offers a gentle word of advice to well-meaning yet sometimes overzealous Christians who pray for another person’s miraculous healing but expect quick results or lack sensitivity.
‘Don’t give a time frame for healing when you pray, and don’t always presume that people want you to pray for them – they may not want that,’ she suggests.
‘Especially where the need is more physically visible, just ask if they would like you to pray for them, and be OK with a no. It’s important to be careful and sensitive. You can also pray for people without them knowing, and our Father in Heaven, who knows them, hears those prayers.’
Lydia’s confidence that God hears
Turn to page 10 f
From page 9
prayer stems from personal experience. A couple of years ago, she found herself relating to one particular story in the Gospel of Luke, where a blind man hears that Jesus is about to walk by. The blind man calls out: ‘Jesus, have mercy on me!’ In her chronic pain, Lydia made asking Jesus for mercy her own heartfelt and continued prayer. And, in a delightfully unexpected interaction, she felt that God answered her.
‘One day we were at a Christian gathering in London,’ she recalls. ‘Someone came up to me and she said: “Is it OK if I share something? I can hear Jesus say that he will not pass you by.” It was such a tangible moment of Jesus
hearing my thoughts, prayer and heart.’
The encounter inspired Lydia to write a song with Rich, ‘Don’t Pass Me By’, which will be released later this month. She says that the lyrics – which include the words ‘I wasn’t born to be a victim/ And my portion isn’t pain./ I’m a story in the making,/ I’m a testament of grace’ –are taken from her own experiences.
‘This is not my first story of suffering,’ she explains. ‘Every lyric in this song I’ve lived out. Everything is so raw. I think that’s why I can sing it with so much conviction. Every day, I’m like, “Come on, Jesus. I believe that you can heal me, I know that you can do it.”’
Lydia hopes that the honesty of her
song will give people of faith licence to share how they really feel.
‘There’s this sense of not understanding the waiting. People might wonder whether we can say that to God.
‘But look at the Psalms in the Bible. They are full of lament, and not always with the answer at the end. For instance, Psalm 13 says: “How long, Lord? How long will you hide your face from me?” I don’t believe that God is hiding his face, but that is how it can feel. The psalm continues to say that, in the midst of it, I will praise you, I will look up to you.
‘The Psalms are a gift to us. The authors are being real and still they say that they will trust in God’s unfailing love.’
Lydia uses this model of authenticity in processing her emotions.
‘Although God is faithful, and he will come through for us, sometimes we have to sit in our pain,’ she says. ‘I often say to him: “Are you deaf? Are you blind? Do you not see this?” Sometimes I’m like: “God, I know you have the power to do this, but somehow it’s not happening.”
The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed
‘Ifind those times really hard. I’ve learnt to be brutally honest with God, because otherwise my heart can become numb. He is my closest friend. If I can’t share with him how I feel deep down, then I’m basically living a lie.’
Lydia believes that in the most difficult times of people’s lives, God is not distant. Rather, he understands suffering. She is also sure that he offers refuge.
‘Wherever you look in the Bible,’ she says, ‘there are references to the Lord being a shelter for the oppressed. It’s always like: “God, I’ve come to you for protection. You are my rock.”
‘And Isaiah 63 says that in all the people’s suffering, God also suffered and he personally rescued them. In his love and his mercy, he redeemed them. And he carried them through all the years. That is gold. God promises to carry us through all the years, and that’s what he will do.’
Since becoming a Christian at the age of 17, Lydia’s belief in God has been the cornerstone of her life. She says that she has ‘always had this deep longing for a Father who loves me, is close and who sees and hears. As a teenager, I remember worshipping him on my guitar
on my own in my room. I loved it.’
She explains what music means to her.
‘I don’t need worship to connect with God. But it can help in focusing on him. Sometimes we can be so busy with our everyday life, going through hurt or really hard things. His presence is always there, but we’re not always looking at him.
for as much or as little as they’d like to.
‘People don’t care what they look like, or whether they are losing their voice through so much singing,’ she says. ‘There is just this raw passion for Jesus. All these people from different backgrounds gather together. The long stretch of continuous worship is special.’
And, for many years, Lydia has worshipped a God who offers her a lifedefining purpose and a lasting joy. Even in her toughest times, she continues to place her trust in him.
going through similar experiences of pain.
‘Don’t give up, even though it feels so bleak and so dark,’ she says. ‘There is always light, there is always hope because we have Jesus. In whatever circumstance we face, he is right there. Even if we don’t feel it, that is a truth that we can stand on.
‘But as soon as you start singing the name of Jesus – whether that’s in a Sunday church service, in a small gathering in someone’s living room or at a festival where thousands of people come together – you lift your gaze up to Heaven. And it changes your perspective.’
Lydia knows the power of worship well, having led sessions with Rich at the Christian music festival David’s Tent every year since it began in 2012. At the event, thousands of people gather together in Charlton Park, Wiltshire, for 72 hours of non-stop worship – joining in
‘I would have nothing without faith,’ she says. ‘I press into God, because that’s where my joy comes from. People say: “How can you be so joyful and so full of life?” The answer is: the grace of God – but I also have a choice. I choose joy. I choose thanksgiving. I choose being with him.’
Lydia offers some words of encouragement to other people who are
‘He will break through – whether that is today, or tomorrow or next year. But while we’re waiting, he is faithful. Jesus is our hope and our salvation, and with hope, we have everything.’
l For more information, visit richandlydiadicas.com
Lydia with her husband and musical partner Rich
Your prayers are requested for Nicholas, who is in prison.
The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.
jBecoming a Christian
There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God
Browsing the Bible
Nigel Bovey gives chapter and verse on each book of the Scriptures
Psalms
A hymn book used in Temple worship, the Book of Psalms is a collection of 150 songs. Nearly half (73) are ascribed to David, the shepherd boy who became a king. Some of these, notably Psalm 23 (which begins ‘The Lord is my shepherd’) and Psalm 51 (a song of penitence), are inspired by personal experience.
Reflecting the Pentateuch – the first five books of the Bible – the collection itself is arranged into five books. The first book (Psalms 1 to 41) is dominated by themes of humankind and creation; the second book (Psalms 42 to 72) is concerned with deliverance and national identity; the third (Psalms 73 to 89) concentrates on the sanctuary and worship; the fourth (Psalms 90 to 106) is characterised by wilderness and wandering; and the fifth book (Psalms 107 to 150) focuses on worship and God’s word.
Lord Jesus Christ,
I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.
Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.
Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit.
Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.
Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Amen
Expressing a wide range of human emotions, the Book of Psalms contains some well-travelled themes. There are hymns of worship that praise God for who he is, what he has done and what he will do. There are laments, asking God to reach out in times of personal and national sorrow. There are expressions of thanksgiving to God for his goodness and grace. There are festive songs to sing while making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There are also psalms – notably 119, the longest – that instruct the worshipper in righteous living.
Significantly, some psalms look towards the coming of the Messiah – a divinely anointed king who will establish the Kingdom of God.
It is the opening of Psalm 22 that Jesus quoted while being crucified – ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ This psalm also speaks of being mocked, having hands and feet pierced and onlookers casting lots for clothes.
Other psalms offer prophetic insight that will be fulfilled in Jesus during his crucifixion. His bones will not be broken (34:20) and he will be offered vinegar to drink (69:21).
Some psalms, such as 150, encourage collective worship, while others – for example 139 – are prayers that reflect a personal searching for, and relationship with, the God of the universe.
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from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International
QUICK QUIZ
1 2 3 4 5 6
In which year was radio drama The Archers first broadcast nationally?
Who plays Ethan Hunt in the new action film Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning?
Which Dragons’ Den star recently published the book The Six-Minute Entrepreneur?
How long is a marathon course?
The only taxis that can be hailed on the street anywhere in New York City are what colour?
Pikachu, Squirtle and Charizard are fictional species in which media franchise?
Hungry for nostalgia
Fans celebrate gaming’s chomping mascot
Feature by Ewan Hall
From the first ‘waka-waka’ to the latest high score, this week gamers will be celebrating 45 years of Pac-Man and his endless appetite for fun.
The first arcade console featuring the hungry yellow ball was made available to the public on 22 May 1980 in a cinema in Tokyo. Soon people all round the world were trying to find their way out of mazes while being chased by ghosts – not only in arcades but also at home on games consoles and out and about on Pocket Pac-Man devices.
Such success led to the character of Pac-Man becoming –according to Guinness World Records – gaming’s first merchandised character, with fans gobbling up T-shirts, lunchboxes and pyjamas bearing his image.
To celebrate his 45th anniversary, games company Bandai Namco is making sure that fans don’t go hungry. It is releasing a 2D action platformer game, Shadow Labyrinth. There will also be new memorabilia and special arcade machines to purchase.
Pac-Man’s encounters with ghosts and mazes have brought fun to many people. However, everyday life can sometimes reflect what happens in a Pac-Man game. And it doesn’t seem like fun.
We can feel as if we are in a maze that leaves us unsure of where to turn next. To add to the confusion, we may feel hounded by work deadlines, financial worries or the need to carry out day-to-day tasks.
It can be hard to see how to find a way through our troubles, and we may wonder where to turn for help.
The Bible records God as saying: ‘I will instruct you and teach you about the direction you should go. I’ll advise you’ (Psalm 32:8 Common English Bible).
Over the years, many people have found those words to be true. By turning to God, they have discovered a new kind of direction and a strength that has enabled them to navigate the toughest times.
No matter where we are in life or what anxieties may be haunting us, if we choose to put our trust in God, his help can take us to a different level.
ACROSS
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Oaty salmon fishcakes
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
250g potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
200g skinless and boneless salmon
100ml semiskimmed milk
50g fresh or frozen peas
50g canned or frozen sweetcorn
4 spring onions
1 lemon
20g fresh parsley, washed and finely chopped
50g oats
60g cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6. Cover a baking tray with a piece of greaseproof paper.
Put the potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain, return to the pan and mash.
Place the salmon at the bottom of another pan and add the milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked in the middle. Transfer the salmon to a bowl and flake with a fork, reserving the liquid.
Place the peas and sweetcorn in a small pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, then drain.
Wash and top and tail the spring onions. Discard the outer layer, then chop into ½ cm pieces. Grate the zest of the lemon and set aside, then chop the flesh into 8 wedges.
Add the mashed potato, sweetcorn, peas, parsley, spring onions, oats, lemon zest and half of the cheese to the bowl with the flaked salmon. Mix gently with a spoon and, if the mixture is too dry, add some of the reserved liquid.
Shape 12 mini fishcakes and space them evenly on the baking tray. Sprinkle the fishcakes with the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then serve.
Basic scones
INGREDIENTS
Vegetable oil, for greasing
200g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
50g butter
125ml semiskimmed milk
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas Mark 7. Grease a baking sheet.
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually stir in the milk to form a soft dough.
Sprinkle a clean dry surface and a rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough until it is 2cm thick. Cut into rounds and place on the baking sheet. Collect any remaining dough and roll out again. Cut out the remaining rounds to make 10 scones in total. Brush the scones with a little milk.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the scones have risen and turned golden, then serve.
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