Common thought traps and how to challenge them

We all experience unhelpful thinking patterns from time to time, and if we’re not aware of them, they can cloud our judgment, lead to anxiety, and strain our relationships.

The good news is that by recognising these cognitive distortions, we can start challenging and changing them for a more balanced, fulfilling life.

Let’s explore some common unhelpful thinking styles and simple ways to reframe them based on evidence from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

1. Catastrophising

Catastrophising is when we expect the worst possible outcome, even if it’s unlikely. This type of thinking can escalate anxiety and prevent us from thinking clearly.
Example: If you make a mistake at work, you might think, “I’m going to get fired, and my career is over.”
What to Do: Ask yourself, “What’s the actual likelihood of this happening?” By evaluating the evidence, you can put things into perspective and realise that the worst-case scenario is rarely true.

2. All-or-Nothing Thinking

Also known as black-and-white thinking, this distortion means viewing situations in extremes, either everything is perfect, or it’s a disaster.
Example: If you don’t get everything done on your to-do list, you think, “I failed at everything today.”
What to Do: Recognise that most situations are not all good or all bad. Look for the grey areas and acknowledge small successes, even if things didn’t go perfectly.

3. Overgeneralisation

Overgeneralising means taking a single negative event and applying it to all future situations. This type of thinking can cause unnecessary pessimism.
Example: After one bad date, you think, “I’m never going to find a good relationship.”
What to Do: Ask yourself if this is a pattern or just a one-time occurrence. One bad experience doesn’t mean all future ones will be the same.

4. Mind Reading

Mind reading happens when we assume we know what someone else is thinking, usually in a negative way, without any real evidence.
Example: “They didn’t text me back, so they must be mad at me.”
What to Do: Check the facts. Instead of assuming, communicate and ask for clarification. Often, there’s a simple explanation.

5. Personalisation

Personalisation is when we take on too much responsibility for events or assume that things happening around us are a direct reflection of ourselves.
Example: If your colleague is in a bad mood, you think, “It’s because of something I did.”
What to Do: Remember that people’s behaviour often has nothing to do with you. Ask yourself, “What other factors could be at play here?”

6. Discounting the Positive

This happens when we downplay our successes or positive feedback, focusing only on the negatives.
Example: You receive compliments on a project, but dismiss them, thinking, “They’re just being polite.”
What to Do: Practice acknowledging your achievements. When positive things happen, let yourself feel good about them, no matter how small.

7. Emotional Reasoning

Emotional reasoning is when we assume that our emotions reflect reality. If we feel anxious, we believe that something must be wrong, even if there’s no real danger.
Example:“I feel so scared, so this situation must be dangerous.”
What to Do: Remind yourself that emotions aren’t facts. Just because you feel something doesn’t mean it’s true. Try to separate your emotional response from the actual situation.

8. Should Statements

“Should” statements involve setting unrealistic expectations for ourselves or others, leading to feelings of failure or frustration.
Example:“I should always be on top of everything.”
What to Do: Replace “should” with more flexible language, such as “I would like to,” or “It’s okay if I don’t get everything done today.” This allows for self-compassion and a more realistic approach.

9. Magnification and Minimisation

Magnification is when we blow problems out of proportion, while minimisation downplays positives or successes.
Example: You make a small mistake and think, “This is the worst thing ever!” but when you do something well, you think, “It’s not a big deal.”
What to Do: Look at the situation objectively. Ask yourself, “Am I seeing this for what it really is, or am I exaggerating or minimising?” Practising balanced thinking helps create a more accurate picture.

How Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Helps

CBT is a proven, evidence-based approach that teaches us to recognise and challenge these unhelpful thinking styles. It works by helping us identify distorted thoughts, question their validity, and replace them with more balanced, realistic thinking. This approach has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress by helping us see situations more clearly and respond in healthier ways.

A Quick Tip for Change

Next time you notice one of these unhelpful thinking patterns, pause and ask yourself, “Is there another way to view this situation?” By exploring alternative perspectives, you can break free from automatic negative thoughts and create space for more balanced, realistic thinking.

With practice, you can reshape how you think, leading to improved mental health, better relationships, and a greater sense of well-being.

Article supplied with thanks to Sabrina Peters.

About the Author: Sabrina is a pastor and a psychologist who is dedicated to helping people experience wholeness and growth. Passionate about building healthy families, she spends her days raising kids, supporting clients, and creating resources that inspire freedom and hope.

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Is debt sinful? Does the Bible allow borrowing in certain situations? 

Christians often ask what the Bible says about borrowing money and debt. 

Is debt sinful? 
Is borrowing always wrong? 
Or does the Bible allow borrowing in certain situations? 

The first thing to understand is that the Bible never says that debt itself is sinful. Having debt, including a home loan, is common in modern life. Scripture does not say that simply having debt is wrong. 

However, the reasons people go into debt can sometimes be sinful. For example, borrowing money to keep up with others or to maintain a lifestyle that cannot realistically be afforded can lead to poor financial decisions. 

The motivation behind financial decisions matters. 

What Does the Bible Say About Borrowing?

A key passage about borrowing comes from the book of Proverbs. 

Proverbs 22:7 says: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower becomes the slave of the lender.” 

This proverb highlights a biblical principle about debt. 

While borrowing is not described as sinful, Scripture shows that debt can create financial bondage. 

The Biblical Warning About Debt

God is concerned that His people do not become enslaved to the systems of the world.

Debt can gradually grow beyond what a person can manage. Spending on larger houses, cars, and lifestyle purchases can accumulate into significant debt and create difficult financial situations.

Debt limits freedom.

Large financial obligations begin to control financial choices.

How Debt Can Limit Generosity

Excessive debt can reduce a person’s ability to live generously.

When financial commitments are overwhelming, it becomes harder to give, support ministry work, or help people in need.

When someone is drowning in debt, most financial resources go toward repayments instead of advancing God’s kingdom or serving others.

For this reason, the Bible encourages wisdom and caution when borrowing.

A Biblical Principle to Remember

The warning in Proverbs should be taken seriously.

Borrowing money may not be sinful, but allowing debt to grow until it creates financial bondage can cause serious consequences.

Approaching borrowing carefully helps protect financial freedom and the ability to give generously.

Final Thoughts 

The Bible does not say that borrowing money is sinful. However, Scripture warns about the dangers of debt and how it can restrict financial freedom. 

Applying biblical wisdom to borrowing decisions helps believers pursue faithful stewardship, financial freedom, and generosity. 

Article supplied with thanks to Wealth with Purpose.

About the Author: Alex is a licensed financial planner and the founder of Wealth with Purpose a Stewardship Ministry that helps Christians handle their money God’s way.

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Jesus’ life shows us that who we are matters far more than what we do, and that God can use us in any profession.

I was sitting at the table one evening having dinner with my parents when the home phone started ringing. My mum answered the phone and after a few moments, looked directly at me. 

Uh-oh, I thought to myself. I think this call is about me. But who is it? What had I done to make them call during dinner on a weeknight? 

Mum took the phone with her and left the room. I continued to wrack my brain, but to no avail. After some time, Mum re-entered the room with the phone in her hand. She was looking at me again. 

“Who was it?” I asked, somewhat gingerly. It was one of my teachers from school. Okay, so it was about me. 

I was in Year 12 and it was toward the end of the year, but a phone call to my parents on a weeknight was certainly not a regular occurrence. My curiosity was piqued, as was my unease. Which teacher was it, and what did they want? Mum proceeded to tell me that it was my Bible teacher. 

That’s weird, I thought to myself. I quickly ran through all my Bible assessments in my head and my most recent classes. Everything was up to date; nothing was out of the ordinary. As Mum continued, I realised he was also the guidance counsellor for our Year 12 class. He was responsible for making sure that we had submitted our university preferences for the following year. He had called my parents because apparently, I was the only one in my class who had not done it, which was not like me. His concern had led him to call my parents to see if I was okay and to discuss my plans for the following year. Unfortunately for him, my parents didn’t know what I was thinking. Nobody knew. 

I had been praying about what I was going to do and the only idea that I had come up with was to study law. But where had that come from? I didn’t know any lawyers. What I did know is that lawyers had quite the reputation for being dishonest and were not well-liked. Even my future father-in-law used to love telling unflattering jokes about the similarities between lawyers and catfish. And I was a Christian. I genuinely wondered if I could be an honest lawyer and a practising Christian, not to mention what everyone else would think.

I genuinely wondered if I could be an honest lawyer and a practising Christian

I kept praying about it and eventually I submitted my university preferences (just before the deadline). A Bachelor of Law was my first preference. After I accepted a position at my chosen university the following year, I gradually began admitting my plans to anyone who asked. I received some interesting feedback as well as unsolicited advice as I revealed my chosen career to some. Regardless of their opinions, I continued praying throughout my studies to reaffirm whether I was headed in the right direction or not, and after five long years, I graduated. 

Your vocation is more than a job

Thankfully for me, I was reminded that while He was on earth in the first century, Jesus showed us that your job is not what defines you. Even though He is the Son of God, Jesus worked as a tradesman. When He began His ministry, He travelled around teaching and healing with some of His closest followers: people also from mainstream jobs, such as fishermen and even a tax collector.

Jesus further demonstrated that our lives are not determined by our careers through His interaction with anyone and everyone that He encountered, including soldiers, politicians, religious leaders, prostitutes and even criminals. Jesus showed us that people are more important than their profession or their past. He also showed that each of us has unique needs. For example, when interacting with religious leaders, Jesus often challenged them from Scripture (Mark 7:6–13). Whereas, when Jesus met a man with leprosy, it was His physical ailment that Jesus healed (Matthew 8:1–4). 

We are also called to follow His example by compassionately ministering to the physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual needs of humanity. Whether you are a Christian or not, I’m sure you would agree that doing so is a worthy calling, wherever you find yourself professionally. 

From theory to practice

I now work as a family lawyer. Of course, that just happens to be the one area of law I consistently maintained I would never work in throughout my studies. I have worked in various law firms throughout my career and in doing so, I have interacted with so many different people I would never have met otherwise.

While I certainly do not walk into appointments telling new clients or other professionals that I am a Christian, I do maintain my personal beliefs. In a secular workplace, my lifestyle choices alone are certainly enough to stand out, which creates many opportunities to explain the faith foundation that informs those lifestyle choices.

To my surprise, even when I have had a purely professional relationship with clients, God has still been present in those exchanges. At the conclusion of one of my court cases, I received a card from one of my clients thanking me for my work. Inside the card, they wrote that I had been an answer to their prayers. I had never spoken to that client about religion or the fact that I was a Christian but unbeknown to me, God had still used me in their life to strengthen their faith in Him. 

It is through our actions to others that Jesus will use us

While He was on earth, Jesus encouraged us to meet others where they are and to help them with what they need. Someone sleeping in their car may not be ready for a Bible lesson, but they might need a blanket to get them through a cold night.

Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matthew 25:35,36). And, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). 

It is through our actions to others that Jesus will use us. No matter your profession, your background or where you are, God can find a way to use you to meet the needs of others. Sometimes it will be obvious when God creates those opportunities; like in conversation with your co-workers when you are asked why you attend church on the weekend or pray before you eat (if you’re a Christian).

Even if you aren’t a Christian, you may be going about your regular job on a normal day and might have no idea that God is using you in that moment. All God needs from you is for you to be willing and open. If you are, He will find a way to use you wherever you are.

Article supplied with thanks to Signs of The Times

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“Why can’t my child sit still anymore?”

If you’ve ever watched your child bounce between apps, skip through YouTube videos after five seconds, or struggle to finish a simple homework task, you’re not alone.

Many parents and teachers are noticing it:
Kids today seem more distracted.
More restless.
More easily bored.

So what’s going on?

While attention challenges like ADHD are better understood and more widely diagnosed today, there’s growing concern that our digital lifestyles, especially early and frequent screen exposure, may be reshaping the way young brains focus, engage, and process information.

Let’s explore what the research says.

What Is “Attention Span” Anyway?

Attention span refers to how long someone can focus on a task without becoming distracted. It’s a key part of learning, memory, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.

For children, attention develops with age. But in the digital era, something has shifted.

What the Research Is Showing

1. Heavy screen use is linked to reduced attention

A 2018 study published in JAMA tracked more than 2,500 adolescents over two years. It found that teens who used multiple forms of digital media (e.g. texting, streaming, gaming) several times a day were significantly more likely to develop symptoms of attention disorders.

This isn’t just about the amount of screen time, but the type of content consumed and the pace at which it moves.

“Our brains are not wired to process rapid-fire shifts in attention constantly,” explains Dr. Michael Rich, pediatrician and director of the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital.

2. Fast-paced media may be rewiring young brains

Apps like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are designed to deliver instant gratification, dopamine hits from quick, high-stimulation content. Over time, this can make slower-paced tasks (like reading, writing, or listening in class) feel unbearably boring by comparison.

This contributes to something called attention fragmentation, where a child’s ability to sustain focus is compromised because they’ve adapted to jump from stimulus to stimulus.

3. Children’s attention spans are shrinking, but the full picture is complex

A study from Microsoft once claimed that the human attention span had shrunk to 8 seconds (shorter than a goldfish). But this stat has since been debated and criticized for oversimplifying a complex issue.

What’s more accurate is this: Kids are becoming more selective in what they pay attention to.
They can focus for long stretches, on things that offer novelty, fast feedback, or intense engagement (like video games). The challenge lies in sustaining attention on non-stimulating, non-rewarding tasks.

So… Is Technology to Blame?

Partially.

Technology isn’t the enemy. In fact, it can support learning, creativity, and connection when used wisely. But the way it’s designed, and the amount of exposure, can condition children to expect:

• Constant stimulation
• Immediate rewards
• Zero boredom

And when real life doesn’t deliver those things? Their attention disengages.

Signs Your Child May Be Struggling With Attention (Tech-Related)

• Constant need for stimulation or background noise
• Struggles to finish homework or reading without distractions
• Frequently switches between apps, tabs, or tasks
• Meltdowns or irritability when screens are removed
• Decreased ability to play imaginatively or independently

What Parents Can Do

You don’t need to ban screens. But you do need to create boundaries and balance.

1. Designate slow time every day

Encourage activities that require sustained attention: puzzles, reading, drawing, unstructured outdoor play. Start small- 10 minutes of uninterrupted focus is a win.

2. Delay exposure to fast-paced media

For younger children, limit short-form content (like TikTok, YouTube Shorts) that trains the brain to expect instant hits of stimulation.

3. Practice tech-free transitions

Build in buffer time between screen time and tasks like schoolwork, bedtime, or meals to help the brain recalibrate.

4. Model digital mindfulness

Your habits matter. If you’re checking your phone every 30 seconds, your child is watching and learning.

5. Use screens with purpose, not passively

Ask: Is this content helping my child learn, connect, or create? Or is it just numbing boredom?

Our children’s attention spans are being shaped, by their environment, their routines, and yes, their screens. But also by the presence, patience, and structure we offer as parents.

Technology isn’t going away. But neither is the power of boredom, imagination, or a story told without a screen.

The goal isn’t to eliminate technology. It’s to make sure it doesn’t replace the experiences that help our kids grow, think deeply, and pay attention to the world and people around them.

Article supplied with thanks to Sabrina Peters.

About the Author: Sabrina is a pastor and a psychologist who is dedicated to helping people experience wholeness and growth. Passionate about building healthy families, she spends her days raising kids, supporting clients, and creating resources that inspire freedom and hope.

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What makes some families bend while others break?

Ever wondered why some families seem to be so capable, so stalwart, so brave, seemingly unbreakable?

You might know one or two families who fit into this hallowed zone in your mind. They are the family that, no matter how terrible life gets, somehow manages to stick together and get through it.

On the other hand, you probably know other families who have broken apart for far less. It makes you scratch your head and wonder what are the ingredients for resilient families. Maybe you’re desperately wanting to master the skills it takes to become one of those families.

Well, the research is in and it’s both surprising and a little terrifying. So, buckle in, put on your mindfulness hat, take a deep breath and be ready for some good, old, honest reflection.

One in seven families

The Barna Group is a research organisation that studies culture, families and social trends. They recently ran a large study on families in the United States and their data reveals a sobering reality that’s applicable in Australia and New Zealand too.

Of the 37 per cent of respondents who are married with kids, only 14 per cent of them fell into Barna’s “Resilient” category, while more than a third are classified as “Fragile”.

When I first came across this statistic, I was horrified, but also not really that surprised. In 2024, the crude divorce rate was 2.1 divorces per 1000 people. As a result, many kids, myself included, have to deal with a lot of adult mess at a young age.

But how do you measure resilience?

Barna’s resilience framework identifies four key relational, emotional and spiritual traits that tend to appear in strong, healthy families.

• Shared values and beliefs that guide family life
• Open and healthy communication between spouses
• A deep emotional connection within the marriage
• Active engagement in community or faith-based practices beyond the household

Married parents are categorised based on how many of these traits they consistently exhibit:

• Resilient (all four): 14%
• Stable (three): 26%
• Struggling (two): 24%
• Fragile (one or none): 36%

While you might feel Barna is judging you and your family, these categories aren’t labels of success or failure. Rather, they offer insights for everyday family life, areas of strength and areas where support may be needed.

The three ingredients resilient families use

This isn’t about looking at the research and saying, “That’s it, our family isn’t going to make it”, but rather, “What can I learn about my family from this research, so that we can become resilient?”

Here are the three things to learn from resilient families.

1. Repair

If you think resilient families are perfect, you’re far from right. Resilient families have just as much drama, conflict and day-to-day stress as anyone else, but they practise something special: Repair.

When conflicts arise, which they inevitably will, they seek repair instead of avoiding, blaming, shaming and name-calling. Repair looks like everyone taking responsibility for their actions and addressing the relational tension directly, rather than letting it simmer under the surface.

Resilient families know by experience that unresolved issues will lead to volcanic emotions, which can cause catastrophic emotional damage. When this has occurred, it can be very hard for families to move forward in a healthy way, because of the further unresolved damage that has happened. To avoid all of this unnecessary pain, resilient families make it a habit to regularly repair.

This is about acknowledging the hurt certain actions may have caused and working together on a solution. While all of this might sound humiliating, especially when apologising to a child, it can be the difference between life and death for a family unit when practised consistently.

Good mental health doesn’t exist because of the absence of bad or challenging things, but because we have protective factors in place. We have safe people, safe places, ways to calm down, ways to problem-solve and healthy ways to relax.

It’s the same with resilient families. The negative effects of stress won’t go away, but the positive efforts of repairing and problem-solving as a family can make all the difference for the overall mental fitness of all the family members.

2. Seek support

Every family has unique challenges and resilient families are no different. The tool that resilient families use during hardship is support. When there is a significant distressing event like a loss or trauma, resilient families seek support for their mental wellbeing. This could look like external providers, such as psychologists or counsellors, or a trusted, safe friend.

Interestingly, families in the “fragile category” don’t seek support. They try to go it alone or believe even if they seek help, they won’t find it or it won’t be sufficient for their needs. Unfortunately, this mindset leaves them even more fragile and increases the strain on the family.

Resilience isn’t about being spared from hardship, it’s about not going through it alone. You don’t need to try to push through a mental health challenge as a lone ranger. There are so many services or programs out there that will most certainly help you if you choose to engage. You matter and you deserve support.

3. Engagement

Resilient families have another trick up their sleeves that keeps them together. They engage in their communities. Research has long shown that community engagement, socialising and being a part of a group of healthy people are crucial for mental wellbeing, compared to having little or no community involvement.

Resilient families know this and they engage with their community regularly. For some people, this looks like being part of a vibrant church. For others, it might be mothers’ groups, playgroups, sports clubs, surf lifesaving clubs, volunteering and more. The point is meaningful involvement with a healthy, safe group of people who are all contributing to the betterment of everyone else.

Find community engagement opportunities where you live and depending on the specific needs of your particular area, you might be able to contribute something really meaningful to your community. It’s great to include young children as it teaches them social and communication skills, and that others have needs that are just as important as their own.

Schools often offer opportunities for your family to get involved if you’re struggling to find a community. Older children and teenagers can also make great contributions to community groups and it’s amazing for building their confidence.

Resilient families make up resilient communities and this is a huge benefit for our social futures. Community helps everyone feel connected and have a sense of purpose, crucial for our sense of belonging and inclusion in society.

Your family can become a resilient family

The ingredients to become a resilient family—repair, support and engagement—offer hope because everyone can start practising repair, seeking support and plugging into a great community.

Wherever you find your family right now, even if it’s in the fragile category, you can flip that around. With the help of outside support while including your family as part of the solution, and by engaging in a healthy community, you can increase the chances of your family sticking together forever.

Article supplied with thanks to Mum’s At The Table

About the Author: Adriana is Mums At The Table’s part-time digital content creator and writes from Kingscliff, Queensland.

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Choosing to forgive triggers the healing of our heart and emotions.

Relationship expert, Phil Ayres shares about the power of forgiveness in any relationship.

The Freedom of Forgiveness

“Forgiveness has a purpose,” began Phil, “It’s not just forgiving for the sake of forgiving, but forgiveness actually brings freedom when we practice that aspect of our relationship.”

Forgiveness stops hurt and resentment building up and weighing us down.

Phil said that the New Testament holds the central theme of the Christian faith, which separated it from so many other religions of the day- unconditional forgiveness.

“Jesus modeled that when he was on the cross. There’s this amazing verse on the cross where he says, ‘Father, forgive them because they don’t know what they’re doing’. It’s the most epic statement of the New Testament.”

In that moment, God forgave humanity.

“You would imagine that lightning would have flashed, because it was God releasing forgiveness to humanity, to all of us. And the guards did not take one scrap of notice of what he said.”

Unconditional Love

Jesus offered something that wasn’t voluntarily received by anyone who was present, but he willingly gave it as a free gift.

“He wasn’t waiting for anyone’s performance or response before he gave that. And that’s the secret of true forgiveness. True forgiveness is the willingness, I think, not just to forgive for the sake of it, but to trust God that he knows best and that he ultimately is the just judge.”

Phil said it is so important to apply this to the relationships we have, as it will strengthen us.

Love and Unforgiveness

Can we love someone and hold onto unforgiveness?

“Yes and no. You won’t grow in that love,” said Phil.

“In other words, forgiveness has a way of putting us in the ground and holds us it binds us to the hurt of that experience. And so even though you love someone, what that unforgiveness does, if you hold it, it will stunt your capacity to continue to move forward and to grow together.”

Phil points to the notion that people move on.

“They’re actually saying, they couldn’t keep growing with that person in the in the potential of the relationship because that that unforgiveness had stumped them. It had held them and bound them to that experience which stopped and stunted the growth potential of the relationship.”

The Impact of Unforgiveness

The presence of unforgiveness and resentment poisons the desire to communicate and communication is the foundation of true intimacy.

“Unforgiveness actually poisons intimacy,” said Phil.

“When unforgiveness comes in, the desire for intimacy is completely assassinated. It shuts down your emotional heart and it causes grief, it causes pain, it ends up creating separation and it literally poisons. It’s like a systemic poisoning of your entire soul that reduces your capacity to feel loved and to give love. It’s a crazy, insidious type of thing that affects us.”

Hurt People

“You can’t not feel hurt. Hurt feelings happen and there’s a whole range of things that happen with hurt feelings. But hurt feelings don’t have to become a destruction of the soul,” said Phil.

He argued that hurt feelings done have to become a deterioration of the heart.

“Hurt feelings have got to be addressed quickly. You’ve got to make a choice. And the reason God gave us the power to forgive is because what it does that minimizes the residue.”

When Phil is teaching couples about conflict, their intention is to get conflict out of the relationship.

“But the problem is because of their differences, conflicts will continue to happen. What they need to learn to do is manage that. And when hurt has happened, to forgive quickly.”

He pointed to the scripture in Colossians 3:13: ‘Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.’

“Don’t wait until you feel like you’ve forgiven, because that’s a deception… letting your emotions lead your will.”

Phil said that choosing to forgive triggers the healing of our heart and emotions.

“Whereas if you let your feelings lead you, will never change. It’ll just be a roller coaster on a continuum. We’ve got to learn to live out of the choices we and things we believe, not the feelings and things we experience. Otherwise, we’ll be always at the mercy of things that happen to us.”

Forgiveness

“When forgiveness is enacted, it keeps us free of the poison. It keeps us free to communicate and therefore continue to build intimacy with that special person. It’s crazy the way that resentment grows, not just in one relationship, but it filters into everything you do.”

A Question to Ask

Phil wraps with this encouragement and a key takeaway:

“Forgiveness helps my ongoing hunger to know my spouse at an ever-deeper level. It stops that stunting of growth. But the question I’d ask everyone today is this: Am I practicing real forgiveness with the one I love? What can I do today to let go of hurts that hold me back from our growth in the relationship we have?”

Article supplied with thanks to Sonshine.

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Many of the toughest battles are fought quietly in the mind.

Life often has a way of presenting us with many challenges we didn’t see coming. Some of these can be external, where we have little control. But many of the toughest battles are fought quietly in the mind. We can find ourselves becoming overwhelmed, exhausted, and worn down by consuming thoughts that feed our doubts. Living the Christian life means learning the practice of overcoming doubt with God’s Word, anchoring ourselves in truth when uncertainty tries to take hold.

Joyce Meyer reminds us of the holy and living power that we have in Christ Jesus. When we truly take hold of the truth and base our identity on God’s Word, the enemy loses his influence. Joyce encourages believers to take hold of the spiritual weapons God has given them so they can live with freedom and confidence in Christ.

Using God’s Word to Overcome Doubt and Fear

How much time do you spend speaking the Word of God out loud? For many of us, it isn’t nearly enough. When the truth is not spoken consistently over our lives, it becomes easier for doubt and overwhelming thoughts to creep back in, slowly distorting our vision.

The truth is, the battle against these consuming lies has already been won. Through Christ, we have the victory. What remains now is our responsibility to boldly declare that truth and actively practise overcoming doubt with God’s Word. Joyce stresses the importance of speaking this truth, focusing on the good things that God has done for us.

“When you do this, you’re feeding your faith instead of feeding your doubts.”

Rather than falling into the enemy’s traps, we turn our hearts towards Jesus and allow the truth of who He says He is to pull us out of discouragement. Choosing God’s Word over fear strengthens our faith and renews our minds.

Praise as a Weapon in Overcoming Doubt with God’s Word

Praise also serves as a powerful spiritual weapon. When we sing, we should sing with intention and purpose, declaring God’s victories over our lives. Praise shifts our focus away from fear and helps us see ourselves through the lens of who God has called us to be.

As we praise God, we reinforce the truth of His Word in our hearts. This practice strengthens our ability to stand firm and continues the process of overcoming doubt with God’s Word, even in challenging seasons.

Developing Spiritual Strength to Stand Against Doubt

Standing against the enemy requires a holy and determined spirit. We cannot simply remain passive when lies try to take root in our minds. Joyce reminds believers that Jesus died on the cross to give us complete victory, and that victory is available to us today.

Referencing Romans 10, she explains that “whosoever will” receive God’s promises must hear the Word of God. Faith grows when we consistently expose ourselves to the message of Christ and learn to stand firm in truth when doubt arises.

Why God’s Word is Medicine for Your Soul

The Word of the Lord is not simply information to be learned, but nourishment for the soul. Just as the body cannot thrive without healthy food, the spirit cannot thrive without consistent time in Scripture.

Rather than approaching Scripture as a task or obligation, Joyce encourages believers to develop a genuine hunger for the Word. God’s truth brings life because it meets us where we are, addressing the places that need healing most.

“It has inherent power in it that will heal your life.”

Over time, reading Scripture doesn’t just inform us. It strengthens us, helping us to stand firm when challenges come and reminding us of who we are in Christ.

The Victory is Won

The challenges we face may not disappear overnight, but the way we face them can change. Joyce encourages believers to be intentional about what they feed their minds and spirits, knowing that God’s Word has the power to restore, renew, and transform.

As we choose to speak truth, praise with purpose, and hunger for Scripture, we position ourselves to walk in the freedom Christ has already secured for us. In doing so, we discover that the Word truly is medicine — bringing clarity, strength, and life in every season, and leading us continually towards overcoming doubt with God’s Word.

Article supplied with thanks to Vision – a non-profit, follower-funded Christian media ministry taking God’s Word to every corner of Australia and beyond through broadcast, online and print media.

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Worship begins long before the music starts

True worship doesn’t begin with a stage or a microphone. It begins quietly, in a living room, a church pew, or a whispered prayer where a young heart simply wants to know God more.

For Sam Hibbett, a Christian worship artist and songwriter from Scotland, music has always been more than a skill. It has been a response. A way of meeting with God, of making sense of faith and of inviting others into something holy and real.

Sam shared a journey shaped not by ambition, but by obedience, one step at a time, guided by community, prayer and a growing love for Jesus.

A Songwriter Shaped by True Worship

Growing up in the church, music was woven into Sam’s everyday life. Worship songs filled the house. Church life gave space for young people to serve. And even as a child, music felt instinctive, something that stirred joy and connection.

But it wasn’t until his teenage years that music became deeply personal. For Sam, true worship moved from something around him to something within him. It became a place of encounter. A private language between his heart and God.

That quiet devotion eventually spilled over into songwriting, not as a career move, but as prayer set to melody. Songs written first to God, not for an audience.

“I remember praying and asking God for the gift of songwriting,” Sam shared. “Not to perform but to write songs that were for Him.”

God answered that prayer, gently and faithfully.

When Community Calls Out the Gift

Like many Christian artists, Sam didn’t step into releasing music alone. It was the encouragement of others. Friends, church leaders, family- many recognised the call on his life and nudged him forward.

Sometimes God speaks through people who see what we can’t yet see ourselves.

As Sam grew in confidence, doors opened. With worship teams, writing retreats and moments where songs felt bigger than the room they were written in. Still, the journey remained rooted in service. With his heart set on supporting churches and creating spaces for people to encounter God, Sam stayed grounded in community.

What began as faithful obedience slowly became full‑time ministry.

Hail the King: A Song of Praise and Freedom

Sam’s latest release, Hail the King, carries that same heart. It’s bold, anthemic and full of joy, yet deeply theological at its core.

Written during a retreat on Scotland’s west coast, the song draws inspiration from scripture and creation itself. It’s a call to praise. A reminder of what Jesus has done, paying the debt of sin, breaking chains and inviting His people into freedom.

With driving drums, soaring melodies and congregational strength, Hail the King feels like an invitation to lift our eyes again. To join the song of heaven. To remember who sits on the throne.

It’s the kind of worship song that doesn’t perform for the church, but sings with it.

Running Back to Grace

Another of Sam’s songs, Running Back, tells a quieter but equally powerful story. Inspired by the parable of the Prodigal Son, it captures the moment of return, the turning point where shame meets mercy.

Written from the perspective of the son, the song reflects the grace of a Father who doesn’t stand back in judgement, but runs toward His child with compassion.

It’s a reminder that no matter how far we wander, the way home is always open. Heaven rejoices over every heart that turns back.

For many listeners, that truth has landed deeply. This, especially among young people navigating faith in a noisy, anxious world.

True Worship in an Overwhelming World

Sam doesn’t shy away from the realities of modern life. He acknowledges how overwhelming the world can feel with the waves of constant news, global injustice, and the pressure of always being connected.

One of his songs, Let Justice Flood the Earth, was written in a moment of prayerful honesty. A cry to God in the face of injustice. A reminder that when the weight of the world feels too heavy, we’re invited to bring our heavy burdens back to Him in true worship.

Sam’s advice is simple, but deeply biblical – return to God’s Word. Lift your eyes. Worship your way back to perspective.

“God is still sovereign,” Sam says. “Even when it feels like everything is out of control.”

Living as a Citizen of Heaven

Looking ahead, Sam is working toward a new worship album titled Citizen of Heaven. This new offering is a collection of songs centred on identity, hope and the Kingdom of God.

It’s a reminder that while we live here, our true home is found in Christ. That faith is not an escape from reality, but an invitation to live differently within it.

For Sam Hibbett, true worship will always be an overflow of relationship, not performance, not platform, always praise.

And perhaps that’s the invitation for all of us.

To return.
To lift our eyes.
And to hail the King, together.

Article supplied with thanks to Vision Christian Media – a non-profit, follower-funded Christian media ministry taking God’s Word to every corner of Australia and beyond through broadcast, online and print media.

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Swedish-born songwriter Jonas Myrin reflects on his own full circle moment as Delta Goodrem’s Eurovision entry Eclipse reached the world stage.

In May last year Jonas was invited by Delta to collaborate on what she hoped would become her Eurovision entry. Jonas presented the “seed of the idea” for Eclipse, and together with songwriters Michael Fatkin and Ferras completed the successful submission. When it was sung on the Eurovision stage for the first time during the semifinals, Jonas had a surreal moment of gratefulness for what God had done.

“I have to pinch myself and say to my 9-year-old self, ‘Look what God can do’,” Jonas said.

“Look what happened, when you have a dream in your heart and when you stay true to that dream and don’t compromise on the way and just follow that heart.

“Standing in the arena and seeing 15,000 people sing along to every word of this song that started as a small idea made me so grateful.”

With Delta marking our 11th entry into Eurovision, Australia are relative newcomers to the competition but in Europe the event isn’t just a song contest – it’s part of the “cultural history”.

“Growing up in a small town in Sweden I remember watching [Swedish entry] Carola Häggvist win in 1991 and feeling the magnitude of what the stage represented for us back then,” Jonas said.

“It was this global stage and Sweden got to win.

“I was just a little kid, but it made such a big impact on me.”

During this year’s contest Jonas has become an “honourary Australian”, seeing countless messages of support pour in for Delta and “carrying the vision” of what they wanted to achieve with Eclipse.

“I wanted to reflect the Eurovision Song Contest’s message about being united by music, and alignment between creation and alignment in life,” Jonas shared.

“Alignment in creation is the eclipse when the sun and moon – two opposite things – meet in this divine, miraculous moment.

“To represent Australia and a message of hope, with a song of hope, in these times is such a privilege as co-writer.”

Delta has spoken often about how former Eurovision entrants Olivia Newton-John (her mentor) and Celine Dion inspired her on her journey to Vienna, and Jonas knows she did them proud.

“Watching her this week has just been amazing,” Jonas said.

“Delta’s mission has always been to touch people through her music, [and] she has such an ease and flow and a grace about her.

“In that third chorus [of Eclipse], she’s being elevated into the sky, and she just does it so effortlessly, like she can just make anything come alive.”

After Eurovision the focus now turns to the November release of Delta’s next album Pure, on which Jonas is also a collaborator.

“Delta is entering an incredibly powerful creative season,” Jonas said.

“Pure has some really beautiful songs that come from really personal and emotional places from all of us who’ve been part of this process.

“Delta poured her own heart into this album, [and] what I love so much working with her is that she’s not just an amazing singer and performer, but she’s a great musician.

“Collaborating with her – not just as a singer, but as a writer and musician – has been such a joy.”

Jonas’ message to the fans that supported Delta through Eurovision is simple: thank you.

“We are overwhelmed by the love, by the support, by all the messages,” Jonas said.

“Thank you to the Hope listeners for also being part of this journey, for your prayers, for your encouragement and for your lovely messages on Instagram and social media.

“It’s been so, so fun to do this journey together with Australia.”

Young Jonas wouldn’t believe it.

“That’s probably been the most incredible gift of this Eurovision adventure, for young Jonas in Sweden, seeing that one day he would be standing on the other side [of the stage] and have a song that’s done so well.

“It’s such an amazing privilege.”

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

About the Author: Laura Bennett is a media professional, broadcaster and writer from Sydney, Australia.

Feature image: Supplied

More than a year on, Australia’s first Anti-Racism National Framework is still waiting for a federal response. So what happens now?

Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giri Sivaraman explains how the lack of progress on the Anti-Racism National Framework is deeply concerning.

So far, the Federal Government is yet to show clear commitment to acting on Australia’s first plan to tackle racism across all layers of our society.

“At this stage… they’re just sitting on it,” Giri said about the Federal Government’s response to The National Anti-Racism Framework.

“Other than acknowledging that they’ve got it, they’re yet to endorse it, and certainly they haven’t committed to funding any of its recommendations.”

Giri described the delay as disappointing, especially given recent events and what he sees as a growing urgency.

“We know that racism is an urgent issue and we need change,” he said.

“It’s something that needs urgent action, it’s simply not going to go away.”

The National Anti-Racism Framework

Created by the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Framework is the first of its kind in Australia and offered a whole of government, whole of society roadmap to tackling racism.

In the past, efforts have been “ad hoc and disjointed,” Giri explained, with some parts of government avoiding the word “racism” altogether.

“We won’t get along by pretending racism doesn’t exist,” Giri said.

The framework includes 63 recommendations, with a key proposal being the creation of a National Anti-Racism taskforce to prioritise and implement changes.

“We knew that it was big and bold,” Giri said.

“We’re talking about a deeply entrenched problem.”

He pointed to education and workplaces as areas where meaningful change could begin.

“The person that ends up doing that hateful, violent act… they’re on a journey,” he said. “On that journey they would have gone to school and probably had a job.”

“If you intervene in those spaces, you can divert someone… away from a destination of hate to something more productive.”

Yet even amid the frustration, Giri has found reason for hope closer to the ground.

“I’ve had so much support from community organisations, business, unions,” he said.

“There are some… that have decided, look, we’re not going to wait for the government.”

Giri also addressed the challenge of helping people understand systemic racism, which goes beyond individual behaviour.

“They think, ‘if I’m not saying something racist… it’s not happening’,” he said. “I say, actually no… it’s part of the system.”

From job applications to workplace culture, he outlined how barriers can quietly shape outcomes for people from different backgrounds.

But he believes change isn’t only structural, it’s personal too.

“We all have some degree of power, privilege or opportunity,” Giri said. “Think about what influence you can have to make a difference.”

“Maybe… you might speak up next time you hear something and you go, ‘oh actually no, that’s not really appropriate’.”

“It’s hard… but we all have some degree of power… to make that little bit of difference, just to shift the dial that little bit more towards hope,” Giri said.

This article was prepared with AI assistance and then carefully reviewed, fact-checked, and edited by our Digital Team.

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

Feature image: Canva