Tizz

Michael Portillo's 200 Years of the Railways - Series 1: 1. The Day That Changed the World Railway enthusiast Michael Portillo leads a landmark journey through 200 years of rail, marking the moment Britain’s modern railway was born.

It’s the 200th anni of the steam train here in the uk so we haven’t learnt much about engaging with the new possibilities.

Steam railways changed Britain, the green economy has the potential to transform it now. So why aren’t we encouraging it. Build a better 2morro www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

And maybe that’s the challenge for me as a Christian: perhaps I don’t truly have “free speech.” My words, writings, and actions aren’t just mine—they’re part of my witness. They’re meant to reflect Christ.

💭 So maybe the better question for this season is:
What would Jesus say—through me—today?

What I don’t see in Jesus’ example is the use of words to ridicule or diminish others. Instead, His speech was marked by truth, grace, and compassion.

But Jesus didn’t just teach about words. He used His words to lift up the overlooked: children, women, the poor, the sick, sinners, and the oppressed. He defended the vulnerable and gave dignity to the devalued.

• Words reveal the heart (Matt. 12:34; Luke 6:45).
• We will give account for careless words (Matt. 12:36).
• Bless, don’t curse (Luke 6:28).
• Let your yes mean yes (Matt. 5:37).

In short: speech matters. It can heal or harm, build up or tear down—and it always reveals what’s inside us.

Lately, I’ve been wondering if another question might be just as important:
👉 What Would Jesus Say?

Not the words of a pocket-sized Jesus that I’ve been taking picture of recently, but the real Jesus we meet in the Gospels.

Jesus spoke often about the power of words:

A short theological reflection.

A few years back, when I was a church youth worker, those little WWJD wristbands were everywhere. What Would Jesus Do? was the question they posed—simple yet profound.

Christian nationalism is not discipleship.
Bonhoeffer warned us: when the church weds itself to the nation, it betrays Christ.
Our allegiance is to the cross, not to flags or political power. ✝️

#FaithOverFear #Bonhoeffer #ChurchWithoutIdols

Introducing Myself. I'm Tizz

I'm beginning to explore writing about Intergenerational things in a little more depth here. If you want to find out more click on the link.
Blessings.
open.substack.com/pub/marktizz...

Rightwing populists will keep winning until we grasp this truth about human nature | George Monbiot Economic inequality breeds resentment and a desire to get even. That’s what fuels support for even incompetent regimes, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

One of the most powerful forces in politics is the urge to destroy that from which you are excluded. This is why, in the highly unequal US, support for Trump holds up even as he trashes everything that makes a good society. Equality is key to preventing fascism.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

It's amazing how few people in the UK realise that the last time the world went in to a massive financial tailspin, albeit one not directly caused by the President of the USA, it was Gordon Brown & the late Alistair Darling who provided the sort of international leadership desperately needed now.

When a child is physically ill, we instantly understand. But those who struggle with poor mental health, who have suffered life-changing trauma, who are neuro-diverse, who have special educational needs, who are bullied or exploited, too often end up being labelled & written-off!

Is @bsky.app here for social interaction or for broadcast purposes? I’d like to hear your views.

The idea that children aren’t in school because their parents work from home etc, may apply to some middleclass families but doesn’t get close to the heart of things. What goes first is a child’s engagement with learning, then their achievement & then inevitably their attendance

Poor levels of teacher recruitment, retention & morale.
Persistant & severe school absenteeism.
Childhood & adolescent mental health.
The grooming of girls.
The grooming of boys.
Youth crime & violence.
All symptoms of the same issue; the lack of society's investment in children!

If I wanted to use the internet without using an American company, how would I do that. What’s a browser that I could use? Is Opera an option? What about search engines? Or maps? Or whatever

The issue isn’t just poverty. It’s lack of purpose; our failure to engage & inspire huge numbers of children & young people destroys their life choices. And it’s intergenerational. What we offer children in terms of education & wider opportunity today matters for us all tomorrow.

Emergency Podcast: What's going on with immigration in America. Podcast Episode · Right Side Up Podcast with Danielle Strickland · 06/02/2025 · 57m

Just listened to this amazingly helpful podcast.

The idea that a politican deliberately stopped a bill being brought forward, which would have helped improve the immigration system just because the chaos is better for their party is crazy podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...

Therefore every human being has value, has purpose and has the love of God in and for them.

But I believe that every person is in fact a human being, created by God, brought into being, with the very image of God in each of us.

This troubles me, if our political leaders think like this, then we are only valued by our productivity, and we see this in many ways.

It’s been quite a few weeks hasn’t it.
One of my reflections on where we particularly in the West seem to have arrived at is that our political leaders, almost from every side, seem to think we are all human doings.

Poland — Open for Business

Research shows that LGBTQ+ inclusion can drive economic activity. Open For Business’ latest report shows the economic case for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Poland: open-for-business.org/poland

You can put Telegraph in the same bracket as the Morning Star when it comes to prioritising the interests of foreign authoritarian regimes over British and European interests

He Never Said Martyn Joseph · Thunder and Rainbows (The Best We Could Find) · Song · 2001

This is my anthem for the moment. open.spotify.com/track/1ai0Bb...

So that’s the Mirror & Murdoch down, only the Mail to go. And people still wonder why UK newspapers are so vile to Prince Harry & Meghan…

If you’re struggling today think of this
You’re keeping going which shows resilience determination courage and a strong will
You’re keeping going because subconsciously your head and heart know your worth the fight
You will get through
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💙

God of Love, at the beginning of this New Year, filled with the unknown, grant us the enthusiasm that trumps anxiety and opens up the road before us.
As we traverse this new pathway, with its challenges and opportunities, grant us your wisdom, grace and courage.

So be blessed in 2025.