A big Aussie hello friend. Welcome to Pursuits of God.
My name is Emily and I am a wife to Dave, a Pastor on the beautiful North Coast of New South Wales. Together, we navigate parenting three children. I love to read, create and drink lots of cups of tea (apparently I would fit right in the UK).
This blog began as a way of sharing and reflecting on my journey with Jesus. At the time, I was a mum to two young kids and was jealous of my husband’s growing relationship with God and his ever-expanding knowledge of the Bible. I felt left out. As I was washing up one day, I felt the Holy Spirit gently but firmly convict me- the treasure of God’s Word isn’t hidden or kept secret; it isn’t off-limits to the majority of us. No. God longs and invites us in to read his word, pull it apart, question it and grow in our understanding of it and the God who wrote it.
From these humble beginnings, Pursuits of God began. It is still a humble little blog, a place of safe questioning and learning. It is my hope and prayer that through my journalling, you would come to discover the beauty of our gracious and loving Saviour Jesus and come to treasure His Word.
Much Love,
Emily x
Topics on the Blog:
Editing the Home
The latest Netflix Home organising show has hit the screens and Guardian reporter Stuart Heritage is prepared to call it the most 2020 show of 2020- whatever that means!? (The Guardian, 2020) Get Organised with The Home Edit features Joanna and Clea, owners of the...
REVIEW: “Jesus and the Lions’ Den” by Alison Mitchell and Catalina Echeverri
Have you ever found the Old Testament hard to understand? Have you ever wondered about the relevance of the stories to the New Testament or to us today? This is a comment I hear frequently amongst Christians today. Aside from the wonderful stories and characters, they...
Like Play-Doh in the Carpet Threads
Mothering is one of the greatest joys and greatest challenges of my life. As my children grow, I find the seasons and demands change and yet this truth remains. Mothering is the thing I want to do to the best of my ability, though it also consistently works to bring...
COVID-19 and Wisdom for Home
Since COVID-19, now more than ever parents are seeking a manual; something to show them how to parent full-time, work full-time, all the while staying in the confines of their home. In light of the fact no step-by-step is going to make a perfect playbook for the days ahead, it is biblical to gain wisdom from others who have gone before.
Motherhood and a Call Home
Overwhelmed. That seems to be the most common response to the question of how mothers across our nation are currently feeling. At a time when we are burdened with added financial stress, fearful of the health of our near and dear and now heaped with the education and care of our children day-in and day-out, we seem to be carrying burdens that are too big to bear, yet no rescue is in sight. With more questions than answers, trying to navigate a work/life balance, ‘me’ time and not robbing our children of an ideal standard of education seems to be a precarious juggling act. So, what does God have to tell us at a time such as this?
Desiring a Risen Motherhood
Over the past month, for the majority of mothers, motherhood has stepped up a notch in intensity. Not only are mothers unable to work, socialise, shop or serve as they once did, mothers of school-aged children have also become teachers of their children, educating...
God Uses the Simple Things To Spread the Gospel
Over the past six months, as we have transitioned into ministry, I have been struck by this fact: God uses the simple things to grow his kingdom. When I was young, every year, the day after Boxing Day, my family and I would be found setting up tents at Currarong for...
Enjoying God- Part 2
Throughout the New Testament, we are reminded to consider our trials joy (James 1:2), to rejoice in our suffering (Col 1:24), to live a life of joy (a key theme in the book of Philippians); yet in the midst of trials and heartache, joy is often far from our minds. I...
Enjoying God- Part 1
Why are we here? What is our purpose? What is God’s will for my life? Aren’t these so often the questions that each of us wrestle with? In the Westminster Shorter Catechism, it says that the chief purpose of man is “to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Many Bible...
Latest on the Podcast:
Episode 7: Domestic Violence and the Church with Kara Hartley
In this podcast, I chat with Kara Hartley, Archdeacon for Women in the Sydney Anglican Diocese. We talk about her recent work on the Domestic Violence Taskforce and how to help victims of Domestic Violence in the church. *Please not that some aspects of this podcast...
Episode 6: Women’s Ministry With Steph Judd
In this episode, I talk with Steph Judd, the Director of Women's Ministry at City on a Hill, Melbourne. In this podcast, we chat through the practicalities of women's ministry, Steph's role as Director of Women's Ministry and also talk through how God uses the...
Episode 5: Getting the Big Picture of Parenting with Harriet Connor
This week, the Pursuits of God Podcast features a discussion I had with Harriet Connor. In this episode, we chat about God's purpose for parenting, the role of the church (and singles!) in parenting and a few practical tips to help those of us currently in the...
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The Gospel Coalition Australia
Growing Faith
“…but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.”
-Psalm 1:2-3