Silver Linings: Spirtuality in Life

People of faith believe that God is always with us. At some times we fail to recognise God’s presence. “Footprints in the Sand” is frequently framed for display in living rooms and bedrooms. You can buy keychains and tea towels and decorative plates featuring this well-known piece of writing. It’s not scripture, but “Footprints in the Sand” does offer hope for those who recognise God’s promises be...

Have you heard the story of the millionaire who gave away everything he owned to become homeless and happy?  He told of having no regrets about walking away from a lucrative shearing business that made him a "millionaire" to sleep under a tree in a Launceston Park. It’s a remarkable true story and you can hear about it on Silver Linings. Terry Lees explains that for some people, less is more becau...

Relationship begins with people. Interaction with other human beings is something we crave and need in our lives. We rely on the strength of human relationships to survive and thrive. We are born into the world vulnerable, weak, and in need of physical and emotional nurturing. Immediately, we reach out to secure our first relationships. We also leave the world vulnerable and weak and, just as in i...

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself who you are? Not who you think you should be, but actually who you already ARE. Life Coach Allanah Hunt teaches Once upon a time you were free to think, feel and behave in a way that was a true reflection of you. It didn’t last long as very soon, people started telling you what you should think, what you should believe, how you should feel and told you what th...

How do we spend our time on the planet? Do we fill it with mindless activity, or do we consider it a precious gift? In 1,000 Marbles, author Jeff Davis shares a modern parable about discovering and appreciating life's finite nature.   In Silver Linings, Terry Lees shares how the concept of 1,000 Marbles is quite personal for him and how he applied it to The Saturdays of My Life. Terry teaches how...

“Most of us long for stronger, more creative and rewarding ways of loving each other.” Bestselling American author and spiritual leader Marianne Williamson says: Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here. Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them.   Join Terry Lees on Silver Linings as he shares the message of love. It’s not...

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. A spiritual mentor came into my life several years ago, not long after I experienced dramatic turmoil in my life. She played a momentous role in my spiritual transformation and development and as is the nature of such things, accomplished the purpose for which she was sent and then moved on from my life.   Join Terry Lees on Silver...

Touch is the first sense by which we encounter the world, and the final one to leave us as we approach death’s edge. ‘Touch comes before sight, before speech,’ writes Margaret Atwood in her novel The Blind Assassin. ‘It is the first language and the last, and it always tells the truth.’ Join Terry Lees on Silver Linings as he highlights how science is now beginning to provide an account of why tou...

Why do people believe in God? For most people in the world, the answer seems obvious: Because it is self-evident that God exists. From the point of view of the believer, the really puzzling question is how anyone could not believe. Although many people in industrialised societies have abandoned traditional organised religion, many still confess to some sort of spiritual belief, such as a life-forc...

On New Year’s Eve 1999, the eyes of the world were on Sydney and 2 billion people from around the world watched as the city to soon host the Olympic Games, welcomed the new millennium January 1, 2000. Sydney celebrated before any of the other great cities of the world and during the ‘Y2K’ computer bug fear. Sydney put on a display of fireworks never seen before. The world marvelled as Sydney Harbo...

Everyone feels sad sometimes, just like everyone can feel joyful, angry, proud and a range of other emotions. Everyone has feelings, and those feeling are always changing. Sometimes we feel happy and sometimes we feel sad. Whatever the feeling, it is real and a part of living.  Feeling better can involve taking one step or many. Terry Lees offers some tips that may help you to give your pain a voi...

On Christmas Day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. But just who was Jesus? Jesus was the perfect man. No mind but an infinite mind could have left behind those things which Jesus gave the world as a heritage. You are invited to listen to the Christmas Day Silver Linings podcast as Terry Lees elaborates on Jesus and the impact his life had, and still has, on our world. Silver Linings can insp...

Saint Nicholas who had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for the mythical Santa Claus we know today. So, even within the real meaning of Christmas, we can still leave room for that mythical Santa Claus, provided we acknowledge the real reason for the season. There’s a poem by Warren D. Jennings, San...

Do you know the story of the real Santa Claus? Yes, there is a Santa Claus. However, we know him more as St. Nicholas. Stories commonly told today about Santa Claus are based on legends surrounding the life of St. Nicholas, considered a patron of children for his generosity to them during his lifetime. The image of Santa Claus has been popularised through television, movies and children’s story bo...

A Legend is a very old story or set of stories from ancient times, or the stories, not always true, that people tell about a famous event or person. One such Christmas legend is that of the Candy Cane. And, you might be quite surprised to discover that this sweet Christmas treat is a special reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. The candy cane is a long-time Christmas tradition, used as decor...

At Christmas, Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Traditional Christmas decoration often can be admired, and festive celebrations can be joined in most countries, even in many of the countries where Christianity is not the religion of the majority of people. Christmas trees are a popular decoration as are tiny sparkling lights in windows and on walls. God wants somet...

In his book The Song of the Bird, Anthony de Mello relates the story of the tiger and the disabled fox. Some people have the view of spirituality as mostly sitting and waiting on God. The problem is that if God only acted directly, why would I need others?  It’s my experience that most often the way God provides for me is through other people who have shared their love, generosity, and support wit...

What is it in us, as we move into adulthood, that takes away the joy of living in the present moment as we did when we were children? Happily, though, we can learn from children. Young children are masters at living in the present moment. They are also such wonderful teachers. Even in the Old Testament, through the Book of Proverbs, we are encouraged to live life one day at a time. Yet who better...

The young Check-out cashier suggested to a much older lady that she should bring her own grocery bags, because plastic bags are not good for the environment. The woman apologised to the young girl and then sighed, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days." The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. You folk didn't do enough to save our environment for future generation...

Frolic in the Rain Rain is a blessing after a drought, a symbol of God's love and teachings to spread over the world. It’s always very special when the wet season comes and the rain pours down upon this parched land of ours, setting the dry rivers running and bringing a new freshness to the environment. The ancient roman philosopher, Seneca, said: Life is the fire that burns and the sun that gives...

The Seed in the Mud Sometimes, struggles are exactly what we need in our life. The seed buried in the mud believed it had no chance to grow. Life isn’t always fair, but, without a struggle, there can be no progress. The wise Apostle Paul reminds, that hardship develops perseverance, and perseverance develops a tested character. People who have overcome obstacles are more secure than those who have...

Ask – It’s That Simple "Young man, you’ll never get anywhere in this world unless you ask for what you want from life!” This was wise advice, I never forgot, from the boss in my first public service job in Canberra. One of life's fundamental truths states: Ask and you shall receive. The world responds to those who ask. Most people in this world, however, never really achieve or receive what they h...