This contribution is from Ruth Alkema who contributes articles regularly both at Holy Trinity and Jeruzalemkerk in Utrecht. To write or not to write.. that’s the question. And then what to write, that’s another question. And silly enough, these questions can make me miserable. However much I enjoy writing, when these questions grip me, I start thinking that whatever I do is bound to become a total flop anyway, and that it was really wrong…

This contribution is from Ruth Alkema who contributes articles regularly both at Holy Trinity and Jeruzalemkerk in Utrecht. A long time ago, I worked for Rijkswaterstaat, on a project for measuring the depths of rivers. For that, I was on a little ship where they had this old fashioned type of phone where only one person can speak at a time. So you had to speak your message or question as complete and clear as…

Summer holiday was nice and relaxed for me, I’ve done a lot of reading (of course) and in one book[1] I stumbled on the sentence that following Jesus means that we embrace the freedom of our failures and weakness. Apart from all the other wonderful things in this book, especially this sentence made me think. How can we be free to fail? I mean, whenever we do that in practice, someone (if not we ourselves)…

This contribution is from Ruth Alkema who contributes articles regularly both at Holy Trinity and Jerusalemkerk in Utrecht. At the last meeting with the Christian Classics study group, I had some really nice conversations over dinner, and when I thought back on them, I realized that many of them seemed to revolve around the theme of waiting. Waiting before offering unwanted advice, waiting for Godot (that’s a strange play, about some people that are waiting…

There’s this wonderful sentence that has stuck in my mind recently: ‘If the truth were true’. I read it in a book about the many gifts we receive in baptism[1] and one chapter suggested that we should live as if we really believe the truth. This started me off thinking what I would do if the truth were true. I found it a joy to ponder this question. It really helps me throughout the day…

 … for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.     Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. This time of the…

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:36

A couple of months ago I wrote a piece titled ‘Who lives my life?’ And the short summary of it was: ‘That’s me, and I’ll really flourish if Jesus is my source of energy’.  As a counterpart to that, this text will deal with the question who controls my life.  That is: who decides about my circumstances and the events that happen in my life.  And I think we can all predict the short summary:…

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, lately I’ve been thinking about death. But don’t worry, this is not going to be a sombre text, just so you know. The thing is, I’ve been reading some texts by Russian orthodox priests, because what they say interests me, and their love for Jesus shines so beautifully through all their texts, and they promise healing for the soul, so I’m really interested. But, they also say some strange…

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isa 40:29-31 What does it mean to trust God?   And especially what does it…