Being prepared to give an answer for the hope that lies within you can be daunting. It might seem like no one is really interested in their faith anymore.

Recently on a work trip to London, I took advantage of the opportunity to visit The National Gallery. One painting which took me by surprise was one by an artist I’d not heard of before, Annibale Carracci. In his painting ‘Domine, quo vadis?,’ he depicts Peter the Apostle as appearing stunned when he sees Christ walk past him with great vigour, carrying the cross.

I do not think anyone would argue with the breathtaking beauty of our planet. God’s creation is a true wonder for us. Our faith tells us, however, that this world is just our temporary dwelling and that there is an eternal dwelling that far exceeds anything we could imagine.

The first time I heard anyone publicly speak about sex was at a ‘chastity workshop’ in school when I was 16 years of age. We received a workshop that felt more in line with a talk about what is ‘forbidden’ by purity and abstinence, rather than learning about how the virtue of chastity might enrich our understanding of sex and its purpose in our lives.

One of the great things about being the mother of a large family is that there is always someone to hand the baby to when you need a few minutes to get something done. One of my little girls is the ‘go-to’ second mum in the house and she delights in being her little brother’s first choice!

What does Easter mean for you? Is it just another of those feasts that turn up on the calendar charting the arrival of spring? Bringing in its wake hosts of golden daffodils fluttering and dancing in the breeze, as the famous poem says? Or does Easter have another deeper meaning in your life’s trajectory?