Highland Swarms

We all gather today to set off on our epic West Highland Way adventure tomorrow starting in Milngavie.
According to some recent posts from those currently on the trail, there is one piece of essential kit, that we’d be crazy to forget and no its not our boots, snacks or even blister plasters.
It’s the midge headnet!
We may have a few Lochs and legends in Scotland, but there are apparently legions of midges too right now….!
It sounds like there may be some swarms gathering.
As we set off tomorrow, we may look more like beekeepers on holiday!
In addition, to help us on the way we have a host of repellents and potions too.
If you haven’t donated for our charity partner Marys Meals, please consider doing so. We want to raise enough money to feed 1000 children for 1 year.
midge
We may be walking for the charity, but running from the midges!

The Real Way

For months now, sixteen of us have been preparing for our great West Highland Way adventure beginning this week.
Among our most enthusiastic walkers?
Always full of energy, laughter never far behind, and the kind of person who makes even rainy training hikes feel like a party.
But last weekend, a message from Emily landed like a thud.
She’d been out hiking, went over on her ankle, and managed to break her little toe.
That tiny bone had big consequences.
No walking the West Highland Way.
Not even a few stages.
Her dream of trekking through the Highlands, gone in one misstep.
So then came the question: should she even come?
Now, if you know Emily, you’ll guess her answer wasn’t made lightly.
It came after prayer, reflection, and a few conversations with family and friends.
And in true Emily fashion, she showed up.
Not with boots, but with crutches and a wheelchair rented after landing in London.
That kind of determination is something that typifies Emily!
Yesterday, we wandered (and wheeled) through Edinburgh, up and down the Royal Mile.

Together

Friends took turns pushing, guiding, and laughing along the way.
No complaints.
Just togetherness.
And it hit me; this is what walking the Way really looks like.
“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” – Ecclesiastes 4:10
Emily won’t be hiking the trail, instead she’ll be in the support van, encouraging us all on, and reminding us that the journey isn’t just about who finishes the miles on foot, but about how we can carry one another through it.
Because that’s the real Way, isn’t it?
Supporting one another even when the road ahead looks different than you hoped.
Who may need a lift from you this week, a push up the hill or a word of encouragement?
Happy Sunday from Scotland ❤️

Switching Hats

Recently whilst visiting Edinburgh with friends, we wandered in and out of a few shops.
My friends were interested in the T-shirts, but my eyes landed on a new hat.
A flat cap actually, and for the Scots amongst you, Paw Broon style!
I like my collection of hats and caps.
Sometimes a hat just seems to migrate to me!
As I’ve worn it in the days since, it’s come to symbolise something more meaningful, especially in my work as a coach and facilitator.
In business and leadership, we often talk about “wearing many hats.”
Leader. Listener. Strategist. Facilitator. Coach. Friend. Challenger. Visionary.
Each of these hats demands something different of us.
One calls for boldness, another for stillness.
One requires you to take the lead; another asks you to step back.
Some hats feel familiar and well-worn; others take time to grow into.

When to switch

What I’ve learned over the years is that great leaders know not just how to wear many hats, but also when to switch them, and how to do so with grace.
Sometimes when I step into lead or facilitate a meeting, I need to offer clarity and direction.
Later, perhaps in the same day, I may meet a coaching client who needs me to say very little at all, just to listen deeply and hold some quiet space for them to have time to think.
And by evening, I’m a mentor or friend, simply present, with no agenda.
It’s not about performing different roles.
It’s about being adaptable while staying authentic to my true values.
The key isn’t in the number of hats that I wear, or I have in my collection, it’s the wisdom to know which one is needed in the moment, and to take one off when it no longer serves.
So, the next time you feel stretched, pulled in different directions, or unsure of what’s being asked of you, just pause for moment, slow down and ask yourself:
Which hat is needed right now?
Am I clinging to a hat that no longer fits this situation?
How can I switch hats without losing who I am?
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers or wearing the fanciest hat in the room.
It’s about serving others well, by being ready to step into what’s needed, with intention, empathy, and perhaps a wee bit of humour too!
What hat will you be wearing today?

Bart = Instant Joy

When Bart walked into our house the other day, the whole place just lit up and bubbled with joy!
I don’t know why exactly, but when he is around, everything just seems so much better.
Literally and figuratively!
At 6 foot 8, he’s just simply impossible to miss, but it’s his spirit that really fills the room.
I first met Bart back in April 2008 in Provo, Utah.
Monic however, had already painted a vivid picture of him long before that.
Their story started in 1990, when Bart showed up in Utrecht, Netherlands, as a brand-new missionary.
Back then, he didn’t understand a word of Dutch and just followed his companion around hoping for the best.
The way he tells it, is literally comedy gold.
You could listen to his stories for hours and these last couple of days, we truly have!
Bart is a whirlwind of joy, laughter, and stories you’ll never forget.
This week, he swept through our lives again, arriving on Sunday evening after taking a train up from London and then renting a car.
Back again last night, after an epic, rapid-fire (36 Hour) tour of Scotland, from the Trossachs to Glencoe, Skye, Loch Ness and St. Andrews, (yes, photos included!), he showed up beaming, a wee bit tired, and full of even more wild tales.
Every visit with Bart is more than a catch-up, it’s more like an event.
He seems to have boundless energy.
And he loves to practice his Dutch.
It’s the kind of experience you don’t just remember, you 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍.
He honestly feels like a human sunbeam!
So, if you ever get the chance to hang out with Bart, our advice, take it.
Don’t think.
Just say yes.
And Bart, next time you visit, you’ll need to stay a wee bit longer!
We simply need to get more time with you…it is such fun!
We need a reunion Part 2 in Provo too, next time we visit with you!
Because when Bart shows up, our experience is, life gets a whole lot more awesome!!

Birthday Wishes

Tomorrow I will be turning 60 years young!
I’m sure I may receive 1 or 2 well-wisher messages too (thank you in advance).
However, I’d like to ask one simple thing – can you consider this please?
I have always wanted to walk the West Highland Way, and as part of my birthday celebrations, I plan to do so starting in just 10 days’ time, with 15 dear friends from the Netherlands and the USA.
We had our last online zoom planning call last night.
The excitement levels are reaching fever pitch now!
On our great adventure, I am certain we will have lots of fun and create many new memories together.
That said, we also hope to raise some money for a great cause – Mary’s Meals, a global charity, based in Glasgow, that serves life-changing school meals to some of the world’s poorest children.
Their mission is simple but profound: “Every child deserves an education – and enough to eat.”
We have set ourselves a stretching goal to raise enough money feed 1000 children for one year.
“Impart of your substance to the poor… administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.” – Mosiah 4:26
For my birthday tomorrow, if you were planning to send me a message – thank you.
But even more meaningful would be a donation to this cause that’s so close to my heart.
Please click on the link below to make a donation.
And a huge thank you to those who have already donated.
With love, gratitude, and slightly sore feet in advance!

What’s your one word?

In a recent virtual learning session, I kicked off with a simple question as a little icebreaker…
“Give me one word to describe how you’re communicating these days.”
Pausing for a moment to consider their responses, words started to appear in the chat box, including some of the following:
Friendly. Rationally. Deeply. Detailed. Concisely. Comprehensively and many more.
Immediately, we were off to a powerful and thoughtful start.
Some participants then chose to explain further why they were communicating in that manner.
They mentioned their tone, their intentions and the impact it was having.
They began to see and understand the impact beyond their words.
New insights about presence, awareness, mindset and leadership came to the fore.
It turned out to be a moment of powerful reflection for everyone.
Each of us communicate in some way or form every day.
Speaking.
Texting.
Writing.
Posting.
And it doesn’t have to be words, more powerful is our body language and the visual clues we send.
Often, it’s the unspoken that lands the loudest, such as, silence, tone and eye contact.
When was the last time you stopped to ask how you’re actually communicating?
In our session, the simple act of naming how we communicate opened the door to group learning, personal insight, and stronger accountability.
So, pause for a second.
What’s your one word?
And more importantly: is it working for you?

The Power of Stillness

Whilst in an important meeting this week, our host used one word in our conversation on two or three occasions – meditation.
It was used in the context of deep consideration about an important decision to be made.
Meditate – “to engage in contemplation and reflection”.
I’ve learned that you don’t have to sit cross-legged on the floor to meditate, there are indeed lots of ways to engage in the practice.
Meditation is something that just doesn’t happen, it takes some practice, discipline and you need to work at it too.
It’s about finding a time to slow down, gather your thoughts and examine your life in order to find a much healthier sense of perspective.
I love this definition by David O. McKay who described it as “the language of the soul. It is defined as ‘a form of private devotion, or spiritual exercise, consisting in deep, continued reflection on some religious theme.’ Meditation is a form of prayer.”
Amongst all of our preparations for that important meeting, in the last few minutes prior to the appointment, my colleague and I found an out of the way bus stop to sit, reflect and further consider the challenge at hand.

Hopeful Stillness

In our contemplative discussions one meditative moment led us to offer a thoughtful prayer of hope together.
In the book of Psalms (46:10) we learn about the practice of being “still”.
Together, we were still.
That moment of stillness didn’t change the facts on the ground, but it changed us.
We walked into that meeting hopeful, with clearer heads, steadier hearts, and a sense of quiet confidence.
Meditation doesn’t always look like silence in a candlelit room, it can happen on a noisy street, at a weathered bus stop, or in a shared pause before a decision.
What matters is that we make room for it.
Stillness is a strength.
And sometimes, the most powerful move we can make is simply to stop, breathe, and listen, both to ourselves and to something much greater.
In the rush of your day, what are you not hearing?

26D and Me

Yesterday was a long one.
I left home at 5:00 a.m. and returned at 12:30 a.m.
A full on 19.5-hour day.
In between was a drive to and from the airport, two flights, the London underground, two train rides, a few Zoom calls squeezed in at stations and cafés, some meetings, and plenty of walking across a hot and bustling London.
Through all that travel, one small detail stood out: 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝟐𝟔𝐃.
I didn’t book it, I didn’t choose it, but it chose me twice.
The day began with a British Airways flight from Edinburgh to London City Airport.
After an early morning delay of over an hour, due to a faulty megaphone, we boarded, and I found my place in seat 26D.
My mind was on the day ahead, with travel, meetings to navigate, decisions to make, and several planned conversations that really mattered.
The flight was short, but in that little space I rehearsed, prepared, prayed and planned.
The morning version of me was purposeful and hopeful.
The flight down was a chilly one, but London greeted me with warm air and fast footsteps.
It was hot down there!
From Docklands to Liverpool Street, I criss-crossed the city on the DLR and tube.
Through the day were some great face-to-face meetings and Zoom calls too.
It was one of those days where there was a lot going on and I just kept moving forward.
By late afternoon, I was done in.
I made my way to Stansted, weary but grateful.
Boarding the delayed EasyJet flight home, I glanced at my boarding pass, seat 26D again.
Two different airlines. Two different airports. Same seat.
That’s a 1 in 23,040 chance of being randomly assigned seat 26D on both flights!
I may have been in the same numbered space, but I wasn’t the same person.
The morning me, 26D carried a version brimming with intent.
The evening me, 26D carried a quieter, sleepier version.
Tired, yes, but thoughtful, happy and reflective.
The same seat, but a different state of mind.
26D was the same number, but I had changed.
I’m sure we all have days like that full-on, demanding, stretching.
What in your life looks the same on the outside, but feels completely different on the inside?

Haste Ye Back

Over the past few days, our home has been full with visitors.
Last Wednesday and Thursday, we had the absolute joy of hosting seven of our returned missionaries from the Belgium Netherlands Mission.
Adam, Alex, Logan, Landon, Luk, Sam and Trent, came to visit not just as guests but as part of our mission family.
On Wednesday, we walked the paths of Dunfermline, fed squirrels in the park, met the peacocks (thank you Tina and Alex), and learned a lot about Andrew Carnegie.
But the real joy wasn’t just in what we saw, it was more about just being together again.
On Thursday, we explored Edinburgh.
We climbed Arthur’s Seat, walked the Royal Mile, visited St. Giles Cathedral, and learned about the Order of the Thistle.
We laughed over lunch, soaked in the sights from the Castle, wandered through the Grassmarket, and ended the day the way any proper visit should: with fish and chips and a deep-fried Mars bar!
But here’s the thing that’s been on my mind most since they left: missionary service might have an official end date, but the bonds created will never end.
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” – Matthew 18:20

Service

As we walked side by side through cobbled streets, it hit me, that our friendships were built on faith, service, and sacrifice.
They were forged in the quiet moments of testimony, in praying together, in days sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and serving others.
They left for home on Friday, to their studies, summer jobs and families, yet I want to witness that the spirit they carried as missionaries still shines through.
Their name tags may be gone, but who they became as missionaries hasn’t faded.

Connections

Having them here reminded me that the impact of missionary work isn’t just about the service they rendered in Belgium and the Netherlands, it’s about the deep, lasting connections formed along the way.
As we laughed and reminisced, not as missionaries with schedules, but simply as members of our extended family, we rediscovered a deeper, powerful connection.
One rooted in shared purpose, made richer by our unhurried time, of just being together.
Their footsteps echo with us now, not just in the places we visited, but in our hearts.
And for that, Monic and I are so grateful.
Who in your life has left spiritual footprints you still feel today?

Three Generations of Joy

Yesterday we visited our daughter Megan, son-in-law Caleb and our little grandson Oscar in Glasgow.
It had been a few weeks since we’d last seen them.
We’ve discovered that in baby time; a few weeks is an absolute age.
Babies grow so quickly!
Oscar had grown stronger, more expressive, much more curious.
We each held him for a wee while and had fun playing with him too.
Then something magical happened.
Megan put him in his bouncer chair.
“He loves it” she said.
Sure enough, he bounced happily in his little chair, beaming from ear to ear, giggling, squealing with laughter and babbling away.
His whole face lit up with the kind of joy only babies seem to manage.
It was just pure, unfiltered happiness.
Monic and I sat on the couch, completely captivated and absorbed in that moment.
We couldn’t take our eyes off him.
His energy was contagious and his joy infectious.
I think we both had that wide-eyed, can’t-stop-smiling look that only proud grandparents get from time to time.
What made the moment even more special was Megan catching it all, camera in hand, laughing not just at Oscar, but at us.
Her joy was layered: love for her child, and love in seeing her parents fall head over heels for him.
There’s something deeply beautiful about that, three generations wrapped in a single moment of laughter and love.
We left feeling full-hearted, loved and joyful!
Smitten doesn’t begin to cover it.
What’s a small, everyday moment that filled your heart lately?