New Zealand, like most Western counties, celebrates death. Whether it is the mind blowing statistics of the number of children murdered in their mothers’ wombs, or the huge box office ticket sales that the next mass killing film will generate, death seems to have no effect on us. At least that’s what many want to pretend.

Read more: Stand against culture of death

A few months ago I was asked to speak to a group about what I thought the nature of leadership would be 10 years in the future. I concluded that I was either a madman or a fool for accepting such an assignment. I don’t recall ever reading the writings of any alleged futurists who have turned out to be really accurate in their predictions.

Read more: What will leadership look like in the year 2022?

I have been thinking about remnants. My son has a dog with a sensitive nose. That nose can tell whether the people in the room have been here before – or whether there is a stranger in the room.

My sister said, “Go through Dad’s clothes and see if there are any you would like for yourself.” Dad had gone on to a place which is “far better” (Philippians 1:23).

Read more: Remains of the day

Baptists of a Certain Age will remember Joy Smith. Joy is a former NZBMS missionary who served for 22 years in Tripura, India, from 1951 to 1973. She told her story in the book, Joy to the World, published in 2002. (This is still available – contact me for details.)

Read more: An evergreen missionary