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Clergy Wellbeing Down Under
Welcome to the official first podcast of the Centre for Effective Serving, a research and consulting organisation focused on vocational wellbeing, burnout prevention, and training. In Season 1 we are focussing on Clergy Wellbeing Down Under. In Season 2 we looked at how ministry kids locally and on the mission field are doing.
In today's fast-paced and demanding world, support for those who serve by leadership is more crucial than ever. However, the pressures and challenges that come with leadership roles can often lead to burnout and exhaustion, both mentally and physically. At the Centre for Effective Serving, we understand the significance of addressing these issues head-on to create a healthier and more productive leadership landscape.
In each episode we delve into the latest research and resources developed by our team of experts, who are dedicated to enhancing leadership wellbeing and fostering a supportive environment for leaders to thrive. Our podcast provides valuable insights, evidence-based strategies, and practical tips to help leaders and their families maintain their well-being, improve their resilience, and prevent burnout.
Join us as we bring on renowned experts in the fields of psychology, mental health, leadership, and well-being to share their knowledge and experiences. Through candid interviews and engaging discussions, we explore various topics, including stress management techniques, emotional intelligence, work-life integration, team building, and much more.
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Clergy Wellbeing Down Under
Season 2 Finale with Colin Buchanan! This one is for the kids!
Colin Buchanan ministers directly to our ministry kids addressing 7 of the top themes that came up from our survey. Honestly - this one is best seen on the video version because - well - Colin is in full view with all of the expressions, animations, and actions that is truly Colin. The link for the video version can be found here.
It's a bit of a long episode - skip to the sections if that makes it easier:
4:06 Playing the Google AutoComplete Challenge with Colin
12:02 Playing Vague Seven Questions and a Tree!
13:37 My friends call me weird and think what my parents do is weird
19:14 Being busy as a ministry family there's a lot on
22:20 I feel like I have to behave better than other kids
26:46 I miss out on fun things and hanging out with friends becasue I have to go to church stuff
30:43 What can I do when I don't feel like I belong anywhere?
35:11 I get lonely sometimes - do you Colin?
39:09 What can I pray when things gets hard?
42:20 A question about ...a tree....
Podcast Disclaimer:
Please be aware that the opinions and viewpoints shared on this podcast are personal to me and my guests, and do not represent the stance of any institution. This podcast aims to present findings for open discussion and dialogue, inviting listeners to engage critically and draw their own conclusions. While the content serves informational purposes, it is not a substitute for professional advice. Thank you for joining me on this journey of exploration and conversation!
Hey kids, my name is Valerie Ling and if you happen to do the questionnaire where I was asking ministry kids how they were doing and give us a little bit of information about what it was like for you to be a ministry kid and you're listening right now I just wanted to say thank you so so much. Thank you for taking the time and for really helping us to understand what your life is like and what are some of the things that we can do to understand and be more supportive and more helpful for you. And thank you for serving Jesus the way that you do. This is a special recording, not just for you, but for any ministry kid who wants to hear a little bit about what Colin Buchanan had to say about encouraging you as a ministry kid as you serve God's people and you serve him with your family.
Speaker 1:Now, I actually thought we'd only talk for 20 minutes, but Colin and I we just went on and on and on. This episode is a little bit longer than 20 minutes. It's actually twice the length. So here's what I suggest Go for as long as you can press pause or have mom and dad help you press pause, and then would you come back because Colin had some amazing things that he wanted to share with you, and I didn't take anything out. We left it all in the laughs, the giggles, the weird and strange things that we talked about, because I just thought that Colin really, really gets what it is to be a kid. He hasn't forgotten be a kid, he hasn't forgotten, and he would be probably the best person to share the very last words on this podcast with you, and he even says a prayer for you, and there's a bit of a surprise question right at the end as well. So here we go, buckle up. I hope you really enjoy and feel really, really encouraged by all the things that Colin has to say. Hello.
Speaker 2:Colin, Hello Valerie, Hello listeners and watchers. Do we have watchers?
Speaker 1:as well as listeners.
Speaker 2:We do indeed. Hello watchers, hello listeners, hello Valerie, hello to you, colin. Hello watchers, hello listeners.
Speaker 1:Hello Valerie, hello to you, colin. So I was a little nervous about chatting with you because you know you seem to be.
Speaker 2:So you should be, so you should be.
Speaker 1:I'm glad I turned up with the right attitude. Colin, you seem a pretty big deal.
Speaker 2:Oh, I don't know what to say to that. You've beaten me. I'm speechless, I'm no big deal.
Speaker 1:I'm speechless, I'm no big deal, I'm just a guy. Well, you know what's? The real test of whether you're a big deal Is whether or not people Google you Did.
Speaker 2:You know that people Google you, colin? There is an actor called Colin Buchanan that's not me and people Google and they get him, I think he's a bigger deal.
Speaker 1:I did not know that and so I went to look up for because when a celebrity is a pretty big deal, there's a game that's played on TikTok and YouTube called the Google Web's Most Searched Questions. So we might be riding on Colin Buchanan, the actor's questions here, but I think it can still apply. So you ready?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:This is what the people in Google want to know, Colin. Who is Colin Buchanan in real life?
Speaker 2:That's what Colin Buchanan wants to know. That's all. I've been trying to find that out for 60 years that's how old I am. So it's a very good question. Well done everyone who asks that question.
Speaker 1:Do you want me to answer it? Do you have a clue After 60 years of thinking about this? Who are you, colin?
Speaker 2:I am who I am on the inside, which I've always enjoyed the inside life, even as a child, in fact, especially as a child, in fact. I think that's sort of where I learned to enjoy the inside life. And the inside life is a life of imagination and possibility. It's how you look at the world and think about the world and think about the things around you. And I discovered I grew up going to church but when somebody told me I could ask Jesus into my heart that's how they put it, and I was seven into my heart, that's how they put it and I was seven and I was told that you could pray without speaking, you could think prayers and God would hear you.
Speaker 2:Well, my inside life just went bananas and I've found it's been a while since I was seven. Really, yeah, yeah, yeah. In fact, if I was better at maths, I'm 60 now, so I need a pen and paper to work it out. It's been a while and I still find that those things delight me and intrigue me and challenge me. Delight me and intrigue me and challenge me and they enrich the way the outside life unfolds, my friendships, and you know the things that happen around me and to me and the opportunities I have to do things. So, yes, so who is Colin Buchanan? So, yes, so who is Colin Buchanan? Well, he is the guy on the inside, and then that sort of finds its way to how he lives and what he does. And you know my job, family, friends, church songs, music.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. I think we're very blessed, then, to see some of that outside world in your songs. Colin, that must come from a lot of spending time on the inside world.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I think that's what creativity is. It's the world of possibilities, which is why I'm not very organized. Yeah, it's no excuse If you're thinking of not being organized. Shame on you. Listener and viewer, you should be organized and viewer, you should be organized. But look, look, look these possibilities of songs and you know lyrics. They all keep tumbling out and they bring good things into life, but they also can stop me doing my grown-up do list.
Speaker 1:Which might bring us to the next hotly searched Google question on Colin Buchanan, singer or actor. We don't know what's Colin Buchanan doing now.
Speaker 2:You know what I want to say.
Speaker 1:I know what you want to say.
Speaker 2:Can I say it? Yes, I'm doing a podcast with Valerie.
Speaker 1:All that matters really, Colin.
Speaker 2:It is. It is yeah, yeah, yeah. But look, I mean how you answer, that has got it's sort of got big answers about, you know, job and career and plan, you know, but very often the more interesting answer is I'm doing a podcast right now with Valerie and so I do lots of singing and I do concerts and I'm getting ready for Christmas concerts at the moment and I've been songwriting, which I love. So there's lots of those things and but yeah, so does that. How's that? Because this should be shorter, shouldn't it Shorter?
Speaker 1:There's no shoulds in this podcast. Really there's really no shoulds. Oughts, musts, or do we'll just go with it?
Speaker 2:Good, okay, okay.
Speaker 1:Next one, but I'm really happy to hear you be doing some Christmas concerts. It's been a long time since we've been to those, because our kids now go for other types of concerts, ones which I do not want to go to.
Speaker 2:Well, it's nice occasionally to share those, and you may be surprised, valerie, of how much you enjoy those concerts and how you. Yeah, yeah, I went to Coldplay with my kids and that was one of the most enjoyable concerts I'd been to, and I didn't really know their stuff before then. But anyway, that's another story.
Speaker 1:Good on you, okay. Next hotly asked question is Colin married.
Speaker 2:Colin is married. Would you like more information?
Speaker 1:Why not?
Speaker 2:Colin is married. Would you like more information? Why not? Colin has been married for 38 years and he's been married to Robin and she is, and they have. Can I say how many children, or is that a separate question?
Speaker 1:No, you can do whatever you want, Colin.
Speaker 2:That's a bit dangerous. You know, within limits we have, I like to say we have four children, one of each. No, no, they're big. Now I have Elliot. He's a boy and he's married to Claire and he's 34. And then Laura is 32 and she's married to Tim, and Elliot and Laura. They've both got two kids each. So I've got four grandchildren. And then Emily's married to Harry and she's 30, nearly, and Riley is 27 and a half.
Speaker 2:And he's or is he 28? Yeah, and he's. Or is he 28? Yeah, and uh, and he's married to casey. So I've got four kids, and they're all married, and four grandkids and the next and a wife and a wife excellent.
Speaker 1:And, and the next hotly asked question, does colin like his kids?
Speaker 2:fancy google asking that question. I love my kids and, and I'm glad to say, they love me and they've been wonderful supporters of mine. They love to talk about things of the Lord with me, they love to share their interests and share my interests, and we have dinner together regularly, even though they don't live at my house anymore or at our house, and so I'm very blessed to have kids, and as they've grown up, it's very special to go from simply being their dad to also being their friend.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, so right after I asked Google, have you heard of this person or this thing called ChatGPT?
Speaker 2:Yes, I have. I'm a little. I get a little bit jittery about all that, but go on.
Speaker 1:Well, now, ChatGPT also knows about you, Collins, I don't know how you feel about that, and ChatGPT had these questions for you. Does Colin go sock, sock, shoe shoe, or sock shoe, sock shoe?
Speaker 2:Look, I can't answer that question. I have to think too hard about it. One thing I have wondered is why is it easier to put one leg of the trouser in first before the other? But if you swap it and do the other one first, you've still got to stand on one leg either way.
Speaker 1:You feel wobblier this is one of life's big questions.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I have asked myself that. So chatGTP isn't asking the right questions on this occasion. But don't worry, ChatGTP is just a machine. Go on.
Speaker 1:I'm so glad you've actually outsmarted the bot with that profound reflection Awesome. Now I did have a look and see. You know when the internet is interested in celebrities such as yourself, what do they do for games with Taylor Swift and Adele and Olivia Rodrigo? And there's this thing called Vogue 73 Questions. Have you played that game yet? Colin Vogue has not come knocking on your door to ask you the 73 questions sorry, if you're listening, I shook my head.
Speaker 2:That's a no I don't know 73 not at all.
Speaker 1:I'm really shocked. I'm sure colin buchanan, the actor, got asked the questions by vogue.
Speaker 2:I'm sure, I'm sure he's flat out with his vogue 73 questions, he could do that. He could do that all week, go on.
Speaker 1:Oh well, I'm glad to be first in here. So instead of Vogue, because I couldn't get them on the phone, I'm going to ask you some vague. Seven questions and a tree, All right.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'm just going with it.
Speaker 1:Vague seven questions and a tree you ready? So we asked some ministry kids about how they were doing and I looked at some of their answers and I thought you know colin would have some great things to say about some of these things. So here are seven things. Maybe they're vague, I'm not sure, but seven things that ministry kids say they experience as being in ministry, that I thought I might ask you what you would say back to them. You ready?
Speaker 2:Okay, Just remember. I'm just a guy out there.
Speaker 1:So number one hey, colin, some of the kids think that their friends think that they're weird because they're a Christian and their dad works at a church. What can we say to that to encourage them? Or maybe you have some ready tricks up your sleeve about that issue.
Speaker 2:You know what I think? Two things. One is, let's face it, everyone's weird. Oh, yeah, wow, we just get good at hiding it. And because I'm a little tired of the word weird, it gets used too much, it's a lazy word, people. I mean.
Speaker 2:Weird is I woke up and there's six fingers on my hand. I didn't know what that would be weird. That would be weird. My hand I didn't know what that's, that would be weird. But but, but, if so, you know, if I take uh, I got.
Speaker 2:So how big are my shoes? They're size size four. Uh, well, size 12, us 12. So if, if someone has a different size shoe, that's not weird. No, they just got different size feet and um and I. But we get used to saying, oh, you got big feet, you're weird. Ah, you, uh, your dad does this or your mom does that, or you live here, or you do, or you don't use the same words that we use. That's weird. So I think it's helpful to uh, to remember that uh, weird is a lazy word and you shouldn't assume that if someone uses it that you are weird. Check it, count your fingers. If there's five there, uh, well, that's good.
Speaker 2:Weird things haven't started happening, uh, especially if there were five there yesterday. So the other thing is I find that becoming friends solves a lot of problems, and if you have a chance to become a friend with someone, you'll find that the things that at first you thought were a bit unusual or strange may seem a lot less strange because you become friends and you understand them. Or you might find that you didn't really understand them correctly, or maybe those things are like a jigsaw puzzle just start to fit together with you and with the things about you that aren't the same about them. So I know, when you're a kid, if one person says something nasty about you, it can really stick. And there are kids out there who want to be on the winning team and so they'll join the team saying nasty stuff and that can make it hard. It's not easy to and I didn't find it easy to just ignore the hard things that people said about me as a kid. And it still can be hard when people you know say things about you you can, you can have doubts about oh, are they true? Especially if there's more than one person says it. But uh, uh, I learning, yeah, just learning that you're loved, learning that people are lazy with the word weird. They use it too quick and that everyone's a little bit strange and a little bit different. And that friendship is a great.
Speaker 2:I've found I just love becoming friends with people. I've become friends with people who aren't Christians and who don't believe what I believe and who actually maybe would be. You know, don't even like the church very much and I find that they may not change what they think about the church. But if someone says to them ah, christians are all nutbags, they're all crazy, they're all weird. I know my friends can say well, I'm friends with Colin and yeah, so he's.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I disagree, yeah, you know. Just like you could say oh, if you said all unbelievers are nasty people, you wouldn't true, you know. And so people like using big statements, big umbrellas, like throwing a big blanket over everyone of different groups and saying that's how they are. Anyway, I'm rambling on now, but it's always good when you get that thing in your heart and you think, ouch, you know from words or from what people say to you. I think the very best prayer perhaps it's the only prayer in the end is help, and I think it's good in difficult situations to think I'm just going to turn to God and say help, I love that. And he doesn't disappoint, he loves his children and yeah, and he'll help.
Speaker 1:Very good at that. You did so great with the first one. I'm really excited for the second one.
Speaker 2:How many have you got? You're going to be stuck here all day.
Speaker 1:I told you seven questions and a tree.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'll try and be less words.
Speaker 1:Okay, go on next one as a ministry kid. I feel like we're always really busy as a family and that gets hard um, that could be because you were busy as a family.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it is hard, and it's especially hard when I think whoever asked that question has a gift. There's a gift in that question in that it's very easy to get carried along like you're're stuck in a river, floating along. You grab a log, get some breath and you're going down the river and you're not sure where you are or which way is up and on you go. But that question as someone sort of managed to climb outside the river and look at what's going on and go. We're really busy, and so I feel that that's a gift in itself. And if you felt like your family was really busy, too busy, and because of that there were things that your family was missing out on or, you know, you felt like maybe didn't talk enough together or there was things that you didn't get a chance to share with your family or they didn't share with you, I feel like that's you could give a gift to your mum or dad and tell them that you feel like the family is a bit too busy and why you think that's a bit sad. I feel that would be.
Speaker 2:As a dad, that would be a great gift to me, the thing about becoming a parent is that it didn't come with an instruction manual. I've looked for it. I can't find it. Maybe there's not one up there. Um, so your parents don't know how to be parents, they're just learning every day. And the thing is, if they learned how to be your mom or dad yesterday, you're bigger now, you've changed since yesterday, and so they've got to change and learn what it means to be your, your mom, dad today, and so you might actually be able to help them by sharing that and it's very hard as a kid to change how busy your family is. But I don't think it's really your job and I think you could give that job to mum or dad and by sharing that you could help them. And I think too, again, I can think of a good prayer for that very question.
Speaker 1:Help. Yes, you say good at this. I'm really wondering why Vogue hasn't called you yet. On to our third one. I feel like I always have to be on my best behaviour at church because I'm the ministry kid. I might get in trouble.
Speaker 2:Hmm, well, the thing about naughty kids is they do get in trouble. So it's worth remembering that. I've found that as a grown-up If you're naughty, you tend to get in trouble. So I think we used to say to our kids and it was something that we were taught, because being a parent didn't come with an instruction manual but being a blessing to other people is something that we wanted to teach our kids to do, and really you can't. It's not really fair to try and teach kids to do that without trying to do it yourself as a parent and so seeking to be a blessing to other people, yeah, rather than just be good, be nice. That's why do you do it. It's possible Some of the nicest kids have been some of the nastiest kids I've found over the years. That nasty, nice kid you know the one I mean I never met him sneaky.
Speaker 2:They're sneaky, they use their niceness in a sneaky way and you know they got that little shifty look about them but but they're able but they're able to sort of skip around the really clear naughty stuff and grown-ups can think they're really good. So there's a good verse People look at the outside, but God looks at the heart. Yeah, and you know, as a parent I mean not just as a parent, but as a person I want my heart to be in the right place. So I think it's very hard because people do look at the outside and I think if grown-ups are making you feel like you're a bit not good enough, that's a little like, was it the?
Speaker 2:first question People saying you're a bit not good enough. That's a little like was it the first question people saying you weird, um, it might be that you need to become friends, or it might be that they're they're just being nasty and uh, but there's always, um, you know, there's a great bible verse leave no debt outstanding except the debt of love, which another way of saying that is love everyone and you go, love everyone. Yikes, and that's uh, well, sounds like you need to pray. This prayer help and and and the beautiful thing I've been thinking about this a lot lately that all the stuff that we think we need to do and all the things that are sort of helpful for your heart, they all come from who God is, and that's not like I don't know, knowing how far it is to the moon, or you know how high a mountain is. It's not, they're. How high a mountain is. It's not. They're not sort of facts or statistics.
Speaker 2:God's a person. I mean he's God, he's divine. You know. He's not a person in a human being, but he is a person. He wants us to understand him as a person and a father. He is a person. He wants us to understand him as a person and a father and so, yeah, you can always, when you cry, help. It's not like turning on a tap, that stuff comes out. It's like a dad who hears you. Yeah, all right, I don't know whether I answered that question, but I hope that I would pray that the church would be kind and understand that there are things that can be hard about being a kid, and especially with your dad or mum. You know being up the front and everything. So, yeah, I hope people are praying for you, that you know they realise that there's times when that has challenges. It happens.
Speaker 1:Okay, next one, colin, here we go. Sometimes I miss out on doing fun things like going to parties or holidays or weekend stuff, because we have to go to church.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I don't really like missing out, so I relate to that. And, yeah, the thing is, when you're a kid, you know you're a sort of passenger on the bus in a way, aren't you? Yeah, you don't get to drive the bus, right. And so I mean, look, when I was five, my mum and dad sat me down and said, colin, we aren't going to live here anymore. And here was Ireland, near England, so on the other side of the world, and they said we're moving to australia. And uh, where we're speaking, where I'm speaking to you now, and, um, I, I couldn't really. You know, five-year-old, there's a lot to try and understand. They did give me a book about australia, so that helped me realize that I was going to ride a horse, that there were kangaroos jumping down the street, we'd probably live on a farm and we'd pretty much every day see koalas. It didn't quite turn out that way, but it turned out well. But it turned out well and it turned out. And part of what I think part of what it did was teach me that, yeah, god does work things out for our good, and it may not seem good right in the moment. He taught me that being loved by your mum and dad is really a great gift, and there might be other things.
Speaker 2:We didn't go on big holidays and things like that. We didn't have a big family in Australia, just me and my three sisters and my mum and dad. There wasn't any other family. So we didn't have cousins in Australia and we didn't have much money growing up. We weren't poor, poor, but we didn't have much money growing up. We weren't poor, poor, but we didn't have much money. So there's things that we missed out on, but the love of my mum and dad and of my sisters and lots of, yeah, friends and yeah, gave me lots of good things.
Speaker 2:But it also taught me what I would like to do when I got older and I thought I would like to go on holidays with my family, and God was gracious to give me opportunities. We've had lots of families. So part of what helps you work out how to be a parent in the end is how it felt to be a child. So if there's some things you think, well, I'd sort of like to do that, yeah, and it's hard just it's hard for all of us to not get what we would like to get, and that's part, and so I can think of a good prayer. Actually, if you see something and you think, oh, I'm not going to get that, help, and I think behind that would be, help me to see the good that you've already given me, not just the good I'd like, and I think that will give us eyes to say the other prayer that's really good is thank you.
Speaker 2:So, if you're yeah, it's good to say thank you. Hopefully that's a good question.
Speaker 1:Great questions. We've got two more and a treat. What can I do when I feel like I don't really belong anywhere, you know being a ministry kid, or even when you're in mission some of the kids are actually overseas, colin just kind of feeling like you're on the outside.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm glad I told that little story about coming to Australia because it took six weeks on a big ship to get to Australia. So I turned six two weeks after we got to Australia. So even though I was only a little guy I knew that I'd come a long way. We stopped off at Spain on the way, and Africa, a few places in Africa and Western Australia. So it was a long way and I didn't need to be reminded that I didn't belong in Australia.
Speaker 2:So I've said to missionary kids and I think ministry kids are probably a bit the same your life is a little like a window and you look to all the other. You know, when you're at school you're dressed in the same uniform. I've said this to a missionary kid. She's grown up now but I remember when her family came from Botswana in Africa and I remember saying to her she was in year five think that, yeah, you're like a window. And if the kids stopped and realized, even though you, you're dressed in the same uniform, that if they just part the curtains they'd see hippopotamuses, like really they they did. They lived with hippos, you know, and they'd see that you used to ride just down the road on the back of the motorbike that your 12 year old brother is riding. And yet they'd see your friends from africa and the and the dust and um and the markets and and they'd see you know what it was like to travel so far to go to the, to the coast and um.
Speaker 2:And so there's something special about not fitting in, because it means you've got a different story. The Lord's given you a different story and you don't always know how precious that story is at the time. Perhaps you only see that it doesn't fit with everyone else around you. But, a bit like the answer to the first question, gee, a friend goes a long way. You can find. You know just one or two friends and let them and if you know you need to do a bit of looking for yourself and look behind the curtains of their lives and see their story and love them and appreciate how their lives fit together In the end. Yeah, it's a little like everyone being weird, everyone has a different story and hopefully you can spend some time with someone who learns to appreciate your story as well, appreciate your story as well and as you grow up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the Lord doesn't waste any time or experience on us.
Speaker 2:One thing that surprised me actually, because when I was a teenager, I think I probably I mean, I'm pretty good at making mistakes still pretty good at making mistakes but I probably made some friendship mistakes and some behavior mistakes and things that I look back and I sort of regret those, but I look at how the Lord's made me the person I am, out of all the things that have happened to me, and some of those things may not be good things, some of those things might be bad things that I'm responsible for, that I shouldn't have done, but all of those things might be bad things that I'm responsible for, that I shouldn't have done. But all of those things fit together. And again we get back to God's a person, he's a father, and so he loves his children and he knows what we're like and he's provided forgiveness for us. And he's provided forgiveness for us, which is just, you know, the most wonderful sort of love you can have from a father, isn't it? I've spoken for so long I'm beginning to forget what the question was.
Speaker 1:You're doing really great and I actually told you a lie. We've got two more and a trip. I get lonely sometimes. Do you get lonely? Did you get lonely when you were a kid? Did?
Speaker 2:you find anything else all about that. Yes, yeah, I got lonely sometimes and I think perhaps yes, it's maybe when you're smaller. Loneliness is interesting because it doesn't mean you're on your own. You can be in a big group of people and feel lonely. And again, I think that friendship is such a gift because you could be one person and you're in a thousand people and you feel lonely. And then someone you only need one friend to stop feeling lonely, and there can still be 999 strangers and suddenly they just don't feel so strange anymore because you feel like you're amongst a friend. So maybe there's a little sort of it's not really solving loneliness, but but if you've been lonely, perhaps it gives you a good lonely radar to be able to be not necessarily friends with everyone, but maybe friends with just one person who will stop feeling lonely.
Speaker 2:For your kindness. Yeah, kindness is a it sort of seems a little sort of simple really, doesn't it kindness? But every time you receive kindness, it doesn't matter who you are, you just feel bigger and richer and strengthened and, yeah, just more alive. Yeah, for receiving kindness. And, yeah, call to God, and I don't say that, oh well, pray, you know that. Yeah, I think. Yeah, I've been very blessed to think that I can just chat to God, and I think that's something I learnt when I was told that I could pray on the inside, and I think that's something I learned when I was told that I could pray on the inside.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that inside life has been really blessed. To just chat to God. I don't just chat to God. You know God is almighty and holy and you know the Bible says lots of amazing things about who God is and the amazing. I think it's amazing that he remains all those things and he says cast your cares on me, tell me what's going on and you can ask. I think that's a pretty good prayer. It's better than give me a new bike, isn't it Like you think, lord, please do something to make me stop feeling lonely. That seems like a good prayer to me.
Speaker 1:That does seem like a great prayer.
Speaker 2:It does, doesn't it Like you think? You know, like the Old Testament is full of you know? It's the story of God's person. No, it's the story of God's person. No, it's the story of God's people, you know. And then I've just finished reading Acts, and that's an amazing story of God's people. And so God's in the business of stamping out loneliness.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we should put that out there. That was my yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:God is anti-loneliness.
Speaker 1:Final one, colin, and then a tree. So I wonder, maybe, if this might be a good one for us to ask if you would pray when things do get does get hard in your kid and you're in ministry just a kid, regular kid, really. Um, we can pray, just like you said, um, and I wondered if you would pray for the kids who have given us these answers and also for any of the kids that might be listening in, for you know, when hard times come, for all the reasons that we've just chatted about, that we can pray.
Speaker 2:Would you pray?
Speaker 1:for us.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I mustn't pray a long prayer. The Bible says God does not hear us for our many words. I'm going to pray, lord. With podcasts and internet and iPads and phones, we can feel like we're really right on the new stuff, and yet we can pray to you anytime, and that that's something that you've made possible throughout history, and so I just ask that you would give us a heart that leans into the wonder of having a father in heaven, that inside world of casting our cares on you.
Speaker 2:Perhaps people don't know what is going on in our lives, but you do. So I pray for everyone listening to this, that they would pray and that they might even find comfort from those one-word prayers. Thanks, help, sorry. And I would pray for the mums and dads.
Speaker 2:It's hard when you're a kid to really understand what it's like being a mum and dad, and so I pray that you would bless mums and dads and help them to keep up with their kids and to understand the challenges and the joys and delights of life, and that you really bring warmth and riches to the relationships of families, of the kids who are listening, and I pray for those who are lonely. That out of this, you would teach that you are faithful, that you bring them friends and family and fellowship and a community for them, and fellowship and a community for them. And, lord, you just know every care that we have and every care that's shared amongst the people who are listening to this, and so we cast those cares upon you, for you do care for us. You're mighty and strong. You're also very kind and very good for us. You're mighty and strong. You're also very kind and very good to us, and we thank you for the Lord Jesus and we pray these things in his name with thanks.
Speaker 1:Amen, amen. Thanks for playing the vague seven questions. Now comes the tree. Does Colin think that it's okay to put up the Christmas tree in October or November? Is it time, colin?
Speaker 2:There's a bit of a feud going on in our street. There's a family down the road let's call them the Ws family down the road, I won't. Let's call them the Ws and they put up their Christmas tree pretty early and so we like to put ours up a little earlier and then they put theirs up a little earlier. So every year it's a little bit of a standoff. So maybe I'm not the guy to ask, because that Christmas tree seems to get put up mighty early to me for my way of thinking. But we do like putting it up and so I sort of I mean I'm inclined to think.
Speaker 2:You know, it's this big, shiny, sparkly, lots of ornaments. My wife Robin has bought lots of those hanging on the ornaments over the years. There's lots of them and there's often a story because we've been traveling or we saw this one oh, look what I found. So there's this big thing in the room, in the lounge room, and it's sparkly and beautiful and colourful, and then gradually more and more presents arrive underneath it. I mean, can that be in the house too early?
Speaker 1:Never, never.
Speaker 2:Put it up in.
Speaker 1:January.
Speaker 1:I say there you go kids you heard it from Colin Put your Christmas tree up like last year. Last year, colin, it's been such a joy. I learned so much from you and you know I'm not little, I'm pretty big, but I still gained so much wisdom. And to all the kids listening, I hope you. Thank you so much for giving us your answers and telling us what it's like to be a ministry kid and we just hope that you do enjoy some school holidays and have a lovely Christmas and have a lovely break and say all the things to God that Collins helped us to say. Thanks God, please God, help God, sorry God, thank you God, thanks Colin.
Speaker 2:Well, you're doing a great job too, valerie, so thank you for doing what you're doing, because that hasn't just happened. You've had to do your thing, and I'm sure that's very much appreciated too, so God bless you in that as well.
Speaker 1:And thing and uh, and I'm sure that's very much appreciated too.
Speaker 2:So god bless you in that as well, and thanks everyone, thank you listeners, thank you viewers, thank you both yes we must keep it all very equal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thanks for listening to the podcast. If you liked what you heard and you think others should hear it too, don don't forget to like, share and subscribe. Catch you later.
