Which is better? Fame and fortune or helping others?

Before I start this post, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope it's been a great time spent with family and friends.

So today we are asking the question of what really matters to you, is it fame, money, power and success or is it helping others and making a difference in the world?

No matter what the answer to your question - let me start off by saying this - while one of these answers seems to have a more positive aspect to it then the other, both are just as valid and
worthwhile an answer than the other one and both can see a person lead a happy, life-changing and inspirational life.

Now I know a lot of you will read the last paragraph and say to me as if! Surely having fame and power is the ultimate win. You are popular and you can do all you like. I know there will be a lot of you however that will tell me that this is also an as if, because you can't be happy when you're focus is on money- and this is a valid point as well.

But what if I was to put a third category into the mix of answers. One that says that fame and money have an important role to play in helping others and making a difference in the world- and vice versa.

Think about this, every person starts from somewhere in life - I think a quote based around passages from the bible said it best when it says 'I am born, wrapped in swaddling cloths and one day I will exit once again' - there is no human in this world who hasn't been through that.

The difference is that for some, they are born into the lower socio-economic status while for others, they are born into the high echelons of life.

It's interesting to note that in Australia at least, a lot of our more well known success stories who grace our magazines actually came from families with very little and from their hard work they've been able to turn this around not only for themselves but also for their families as well.

If we focus on this case in particular, it's a perfect example of how the search for fame and power can be a good thing. The fact that others are more famous can give people something to aspire to, which can be the key to breaking the cycle and making a pathway towards a better life.

Money and success can also be used by the person once successful to help others around them to make their situation better or improve their lives.

The key to all of this is that while there is a focus on fame and success and money, it is done with an end result which is greater than all of this - which is to create change and make a difference.

If we take helping others as a focus, the same principle applies. There's no use in making your goal to help others if you are only doing it to make yourself look good. There needs to be a much greater goal of helping others to ensure they can achieve their best or to enable them to perform tasks that will help others in their community to make their goals happen.

Whether your goal is fame or fortune or helping others and making a difference - there's only one thing you need to remember and this is that at the end of it all - neither of these things are the be all and end all of life. What really matters is that throughout your journey towards these goals, you continue to live out the values of respect, love and use your gifts and talents to the best of your ability.

Do this and both of these options will lead to success and ultimate happiness both now and into the years to come.

Till next time...

It's better when we stick together

Hi everyone,

Apologies for the nearly month long break between posts - I've been busy with projects and then came down the flu - but I'm back now and ready to continue to hopefully help you to have the best life possible!

So it's time for number 3 in our reflection series of questions - now I know it's been a bit of time between drinks so the question revolved around the idea of whether you are someone whose path involves just themselves or does it revolve around family and friends as well.

Now if you're anything like me I'm guessing the answer to the question above will a bit more complex than just a one or the other.

It seems that as humanity, we are happy for people to be involved in our plans unless one of two things occurs:

1. The plan no longer is ours due to their involvement turning into their pet project
2. The plan that we have is shut down by those close to us 

Because of this, it seems that when it comes to plans - the ones that don't matter, we are happy for others to mess around in and do what they can to help us, but the big ones - the ones we have placed our futures in - well those are solely for us to control and choose.

Now before we continue, let me make one thing clear - this idea that we are the only ones who are in control or who have a say in a plan is COMPLETE NONSENSE! Anyone who thinks this should remember the golden rule - there is someone who put us on this earth in the first place (and it's not your mum or dad) and they have ultimate control over all plans in our lives- period. Even if we try to control the plans, if it's their desire for us to end up somewhere, they'll make it happen, even if it's via the long way around.

Ok, now that's out of the way, there are some other important reasons why this form of thinking isn't that sound.

1. If you have no experience in the area you are planning to succeed in, then it's vital that you get the support of those who have been on the journey before you to gain ideas on what works and what doesn't. You can't do this if you're flying solo.
   
2. When the road gets rough, no matter how much we all hate to admit it, we really value having someone around to provide support, give guidance and most importantly, just listen so that we can get past the point of frustration or disappointment and move towards achieving success.
   
3. If you alienate all your friends and family from this plan - no matter how much it means to you, there's a strong chance many of them (outside of the immediate circle) will feel hurt by this and start distancing themselves from you in all areas. You might just want to keep this goal or dream to yourself, but you might end up being by yourself instead.
   
4. Those who share and ask for support normally end up succeeding in their goals faster. Now this isn't some fancy quote or idea - it's the truth. Look at all those who have done great things in the world - not just in faith, but in science, technology, business - most of them started their projects with another person or they have mentors and backers a list long who worked
   
   with them to achieve the goal. When we go alone, the road can seem so much harder than it needs to be and this can delay us from wanting to keep going. Being in a group leads to more support, more ideas and in the end, a faster, more effective result.
   
   

Now after saying all that, let me say this. I know from my own experience that having the vulnerability to say that you need help or to ask for a person to join you in your goals is not easy and sometimes, takes more guts than just sticking it out alone.

The thing is though, we can't succeed in our goals if we try to do it by ourselves - it's why once God made Adam, he then created Eve - even the greatest creator of all knew humans needed a partner when it came to this crazy game we call life.

So my challenge to you today is to look at that goal you are wanting to achieve, Now write down a list of every person you know who can help you achieve that goal and start talking to them about it. It may not be every detail, but enough so they can help you to get to the next step. It's a challenge I know, but trust me from personal experience when I say, it's going to be so worth it.

Till next time everyone...

The next great thing....

Hi everyone,

Well it's time to look at question 2 of the reflection I did last month and unpack a bit about something that I know scares a lot of people and can cause people to freak out (I know it can for me from time to time)... the future.

The second question asked about what you want to do next. Now depending on your age, your current life situation and your values - this could be anything from being a superstar to making sure I make a positive difference tomorrow.

Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of the question - what do you want to do next? This particularly the case when people (including me) ask it to school leavers.

The reason why I'm not a fan of this question is that I think it forces people to think they have to make a decision and then once they've done that, the success of that decision will ultimately decide whether they have succeeded or failed in life.

Now anyone who has lived at least 25 years on this earth knows that this sort of thinking is filled with so many lies it would blow up a lie detector on impact!

The truth is that while we may make a decision on what we want to do next in life, no matter how hard we strive to do it, it might just not happen. Add to this to this the fact that for those who are followers of the faith, if it's not God's will, then as people who follow God, we may end up doing something completely different instead that could be equally as satisfying but no where near our original goal.

Here is my life journey so far so that you can see an example of exactly what I'm talking about above:

Working with Computers- Writing - Being a Youth Mentor in High Schools- Wanting to become a Youth Minister in a Church- Writing- Volunteering to help look after tech and mentor primary school/early childhood kids outside of work.

Now that's a super condensed version of the journey but as you can see - my goals have come and gone and morphed and what I'm doing now - while still using some of the talents I had before, is completely not what I would have expected to be doing when I was 15.

The fact is that no matter how much we want to say that we know what the next great thing is - we actually don't know until it arrives and we can see it.

Now this doesn't mean that you don't have any plans for what you want to do in the future. Plans are important because if we don't have any direction or purpose in life - as I've said in earlier posts we won't give 100% to life and for those who believe in God, he won't be able to work in us effectively as we won't be using our gifts and talents to do his calling.

We are given gifts and talents for a reason- to make a difference in the world and to help make it a better place- however if we have no idea or concept of how we are going to do that- which is what goal setting should really be all about - then we won't have an avenue in which to make a difference.

Alongside goal setting however- we also have to be open to the fact that there may just be something around the corner that is amazing and wonderful that we just haven't discovered yet. While our goals are important and we need to keep striving for them- we also need to keep working on a daily basis on the little things in life that can continue to foster our gifts and talents in all areas.

Fostering our gifts and talents will allow us to begin to see which areas of our life we are truly called to and if we're open to those areas, will allow us to truly offer the greatest reward to society and ensure that your next thing is also something truly inspiring, exciting and rewarding for all- not only in this life, but in the eternity to come.

So next time someone comes up and asks you what do you want to be when you're older or what is the next step- tell them that you have a plan, but that more importantly, you want to be the best person you can be and from that, everything else will work itself out.

It's counter-cultural, it's not the normal answer- but it's definitely the answer I believe will lead you to success both now and in the years to come.

Till next time...

Getting on the right path

Hi everyone,

So a few weeks ago, I encourage you all to take some time to have a think about some of the big questions in life - and now it's time to unpack them one by one - starting with the question of whether
you are on the right path in life?

If you answered yes to this question, then my words of encouragement are simple - keep going and stay focused! As you'll read about in future posts, the hardest part about getting on the path is actually staying on it when you are there. There are so many distractions trying to take you off the path and it's so easy to go down a windy road and then end up lost and spending months trying to back track. It's why when you're on the path, you need to do all you can to stay on it. Make sure you grab someone who can keep you accountable on your goals and keep making targets to achieve - do this and you'll be on your way to success.

Ok so what about the rest of us then... what about the ones who answered no to this question and are possibly aimlessly going through life with no direction as to where we want to end up.. well to those people, I say, read on below...

There are four main reasons why we feel we aren't on the right path. I'm going to list them below and beside each of them, provide my viewpoints on each of these reasons and the truth that needs to be recognised.

1. You haven't got the skills and talents to achieve your goals - now this is a common reason for people straying off the path. It's so easy to say you want to achieve something but then, you stop as it gets too hard or in your mind you aren't equipped to deal with this challenge.
   
   The thing is though, God doesn't called the equipped - he equips the called. If you are called to something, then you need to at least give it a go and put all your effort into it. If you aren't knowledgeable in an area - watch some YouTube videos, ask a friend who is knowledgeable or if needed, take a course. Also, take into account point two!
   
   
2. You're trying to do things but ain't that successful - Firstly, as I've written before, success is not just about being the best at something or being the most popular either. Sometimes, our success, as it was for Jesus, will be found when we are being challenged the most, criticised the most and ridiculed the most because what we know is right to do is so counter-cultural, it's hard for others to take it in.
   
   Secondly, you won't be able to be successful at something the first time around. It took Edison thousands of attempts before he came up with the light blub and it's going to take you a few tries before you'll even get close to being a success. The truly successful ones for the most part weren't the ones who were super talented at something at the get go - but they were the ones who persevered to learn from the adversity and rise to the top.
   
   
3. Every time I try to do something on my chosen path, there are obstacles in the way - Now
   
   before I go any further - let me say something that I didn't realise for a long time but which is very important to hear- no pathway in life is plain sailing!
   
   Look at all those who have been successful in achieving their life goals. Most of these people had numerous moments when they had setbacks, hit dead ends or just fell flat on their faces. The thing is though is that despite the obstacles, they never gave up - and neither should you. If you feel called to something - then keep striving at it.... for it is through our hard work that God can work his divine providence. Who knows, you might not achieve the goal tonight, but you've got a much better chance in 10-20 years time when you learn from your mistakes.
   
   
4. It doesn't seem like the right thing to do- now if this is you, then the first thing you need to
   
   do is get away from the computer screen, go to your favourite reflection space and take some time to reflect. You need to go and find out whether the evil one is wanting to corrupt your thinking and stop you from making a goal happen or the goal isn't the one for you.
   
   If it's the first one, then keep focused on the goal, don't believe the lies and strive for it. If it's the second one, then I would say that it's not your season be on this path right now however that doesn't mean the dream is over. Keep the dream in your back pocket because you never know when the season may change and you will be in the right place or, you'll find someone who you can help in this area of life as you'll have the experience of going through this time.

Hopefully this has helped you on your journey and stay tuned for the next blog where we'll continue to discuss these themes plus a whole lot more.

Till next time...

Reflection: A look into your life today

Hi everyone,

Ok, so once again apologies for the delay in writing. It's been a busy last month with moving, family events and then to top it all off my computer decided to breakdown... good news though is that it's back, I'm back and even more inspired to help you to be the best you can be.

Speaking of which - this idea of being the best you can be is going to be the focus of the next few blogs. I know in the last few blogs the idea has been spoken about but now I want to get real, into the details and give you the tools you need to see out the year as best as you can.

So to start off with, it's time for a bit of reflection. If we're being honest, none of us spend enough time in reflection (unless you're in an order, love to meditate or have a personality trait as such) - I know I certainly don't.

The thing is though, if we don't reflect on our lives and how we are going, then how on earth are we meant to be able to see what works, what doesn't and make those necessary tweaks along the way to being the people God calls us to be.

Below are a series of questions that are meant to make you think about how your life is at the moment - there are no right or wrong answers and if you feel you are weak at something, don't do what I sometimes do and get either worked up over it or crawl into a ball of failure. The key to this is to see the weaknesses and acknowledge them but to also be made aware of the unknown strengths and talents you may have as well. Over the coming months, I will share some of the ways in which you can harness both these areas of your life to your advantage and be the best you can be.

Q1: Am I on the path I want to be on?

Q2: Do I know where I want to go next?

Q3: Does this path involve just me or my friends and family as well?

Q4: Is my end goal fame, money, power, success or is it goal achieving, helping others and making a difference to the world?

Q5: Is there anything that I fear about the path I'm on?

Q6: If there is, what is it, and why?

Q7: Are there any roadblocks outside of fear that are stopping me on my path?

Q8: What sacrifices am I willing to make (if any) to achieve the goal?

Q9: Have I taken any steps to make the goal happen yet?

Q10: Where do I want to be in 6 months time?


I really encourage you not to just skim over these questions but to take the time to really think about the responses. Once you have, keep reflecting on these on a daily basis and in my next post I'll start going through each of these areas and explain what it means both to your life and also how to maximise your potential within these areas to make life the best it can be.

Until next time...

It's time to get real...

Hey everyone,

I went to a talk the other night from a Deacon in the United States who spoke about how one of the greatest flaws of the Western Catholic Church compared to the Eastern Catholic Rite is that we aren't willing to be real.

He spoke about how we have this amazing religion which is filled with richness and all sort of tradition and yet we have spent years trying to make the faith something that will meet the needs of modern society - giving up the great mystery and history to try to get people to connect.

In return however, people have seen the facade for what it is - a facade. They are turned off by the efforts of the church trying to be something it's not and he spoke about how young people are actually more interested in being involved in the faith when they get to see it's richness and history and experience things that they might not understand but are different to their normal lives.

All of this got me thinking... this Deacon was talking about the Church, but could the same principle apply to our lives? The answer after a few days of thought in my mind is a resounding yes.

I think that in society today, one of the biggest traps we fall into is the fact that we think that in order for someone to accept us, we need to be something that is popular or that is liked by the person we are aiming to impress.

We spend money on hair, teeth, bodies, clothes, cars, jewellery, accessories and so much more - all in the attempt to win the masses and feel accepted by someone in this expansive world we live in.

The truth of the matter is though if we're honest, most of the time this doesn't work out too well. The person on the other end either sees straight through the facade we're putting on and walks away, or they take a liking to us for a while, however as time goes on either we find it too hard to keep the facade, they see through us and the facade and feel cheated for being lied to or we end up seeing the truth and feeling we wasted our time on the whole thing.

We are made who we are for a reason. Each one of us possesses gifts and talents that no one else has in that percentage combination. It's this combination that not only make us who we are, but draws people to us as well.

In addition, people who meet us and stay with us from the get go are normally there because they like something in us - the real us, not the person who we try to become to get others approval. If this is the case, then it really is hard to fathom why we'd change ourselves from the person who people were attracted to in the first place.

I know for some of you this may be a really hard concept to believe, but it is the truth. You DO NOT need to be anyone else but yourself. Those who truly respect and care for you will accept most of this and love you for the parts they don't accept anyway. The rest, well, you need to live with them, but you don't need to try to get their approval.

So here's a challenge for you for this week - try to be yourself without any masks or pretensions for just one day. If you succeed, then try for two the week after - if not, then keep trying till you succeed then move onto the next step.

The real you, like the Deacon at the start of the story was saying about the true Catholic Church is so beautiful and amazing that if you let it shine, those around you won't be able to help looking at it and being amazed.

Till next time everyone...

Having a bad day... know you're not alone

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the lateness of this post. Between the lack of motivation to write and then having a head cold the last few days, it's been a struggle to get anything much through the keyboard.

I'm sure you're all thinking right now- I totally get you or #thestruggleisreal.

The funny thing is that while this is completely true and we know this, whenever we are having a bad day or struggling with life, we seem to think that we're in this battle alone.

I know a month or two ago I was having one of my down times and as I looked around at everyone else around me it seemed like they were having the time of their lives, while I was all by myself in this state of unhappiness and gloom.

The truth though was that this was not the case. I soon found out that several of those people I had been around had been going through their fair share of bad days as well.

Now I'm not trying to say that you should be happier because you find out that other people's lives are as problematic as yours - it's not good that anyone's life sucks, but that's just life.

What I am saying however is that the next time you feel like you're having a bad day, here's some important things to remember:

1. Everyone has bad days - they are a part of our frailty as humans
2. Bad days don't last. The sun does come out sooner or later
3. People are around to support you, so use them and don't try to fight the battle alone.

Now this last point is one of the most critical things to remember when having a bad day. While it's so easy to look at the world and either despise it or feel it's against you when things aren't going your way - it's vital that you remember that those close to you don't have it against you to make your life a misery and more so, they want the best for you.

I regularly meet up with a group of people to chat about our lives and one of the things that I've found over the last few months is that spending time with these people is not only good for sharing how I'm feeling but it's also good for others to understand and then have a greater knowledge of why things are the way they are and how they can support.

Whether it's your family, your friends or a counselor sharing your thoughts, especially when you are having a bad day is an important step in overcoming the negative space and being able move past the bad day and into the sunshine.

Another important thing to know when you're in a bad day is that overcoming the bad starts with focusing on the good. 

Now I know that sounds so cliche, but here me out. If you have a set of mantras, phrases or for those who are of the faith, bible passages that you focus on regularly in the good and bad times, then when bad times come - you can turn your attention to these and see the truth.

When I was working in youth ministry, we use to always talk about faith - fact -feelings when dealing with a situation and how so often the feelings overwhelm the rest of the process and cloud it. Having constant messages around you will help you to stop the feelings train and place the focus back on the first two - which is key to keeping positive in life.

Finally, there is one of other thing to know about when having a bad day and that's the fact you are loved by others and by God always. It's so hard to see but this is sometimes the greatest solace of all for a person having a bad day and it's why we should always keep offering encouraging words, giving hugs and doing random gifts of kindness. Our actions towards others can be the difference between several bad days and just one.

So yes, have those bad days, they are a part of life and without them, we wouldn't appreciate the good days as much as we do - but know you're not alone in having them and that there is always support to help you work to get to the sunnier side of life.

Till next time...

NB. If life's pressures are getting too much to handle or you have been diagnosed with depression or anxiety then it is vital that you seek professional help. 

Be careful of boxing yourself in

Ah boxes.. good for so many things - like carrying items, building forts, moving houses, storing files... the list goes on and on.

One thing they aren't so good for however is putting people into.

Now I know there'll be a few of you saying - but why would you do that? To those people, I meant metaphorically not literally.

There will be others who will say, but what's the problem with having a perceived idea of someone - makes it easier to choose how you'll relate to them and helps to distinguish the 'good apples from the bad ones'. Ok maybe not in so many words, but you get the picture.

Well today I'm here to share with you three reasons why putting boxes around people isn't the best idea.

1. You create a particular view of the person - Ever heard someone say.. Oh he's the funny one, or she's the pretty one, or they're the one that's good at sport?
   
   These lines, while not meaning to be harmful can sometimes be extremely dangerous if used incorrectly. By saying them, you automatically make someone out to be a particular type of person and they in turn feel they can't be anything else. They may have many more gifts - ones greater than the original, but they will never use them as they think the only thing they can be good at is the thing everyone's talking about.
   
   On the flip side of this equation, not only will the person boxed in feel like there's only particular things they can do, but the people around them start to think that there's no use in trying something as a particular person is just so good at it and I'll never get there. This is just as dangerous as it creates a single point dependency where if a person suddenly is no longer there, no one can step in to fill the breach. It also reduces people's capacity to live to their full potential, something we weren't ever created for.
   
   
2. You put yourself at risk of conflict and disappointment - Putting boxes around people means that you always expect people to be a particular way as that's the image you've formed of them.When this doesn't happen, conflict and disappointment are normally the first things to occur as people don't deal well when those around them suddenly are no longer in their box.
   
   
   
   For many reasons, people's attitudes can change and while I know I struggle with this at times, we need to let this process occur as it is an important part of growing both as a person but also in relationship with others. If you place a person in a box though, when this happens, rather than letting a person grow, you instead due to your need for control begin trying to figure out how to put a person back in the box you are so comfortable with, missing out on ways you could help another person.
   
   
3. You also get boxed in - Now this one might sound hard to believe but trust me, it's true. When you place people into a particular area of your life or give them a particular role, you also place boxes around that can affect you mentally and make you feel 'boxed in' too.
   
   Recently, I was going through a bit of a funk and was wondering what was causing it? I had no idea and the more I thought about it, the worse it got.
   
   In recent weeks, I realised the funk was caused by the fact I was so busy boxing in those around me that I'd stopped worrying about doing things that I enjoy and instead spending that time trying impress those who were around me. This worrying and bad self esteem was a result of placing people in boxes so much that I was no longer just placing them in boxes, but I was putting myself in one too.
   
   
   
   I'd spend my days worrying not only about others and how I wanted them to be, but also how they saw me at particular times and then working out ways I could be me in the boxes I could see they were placing me in. Since realising this and reminding myself of a few home truths, I can honestly say my life is a lot happier and joyous.

While it might be easy to do, as the last three points show, boxing a person into a particular lifestyle, genre or way of living is more detrimental than just sticking a label on them, it can also stop dreams, remove talents or even come back to make you insecure.

So next time you feel the need to box someone in, remember, they may be good at something or be a certain type of person, but that's just part of the story, and there's many more chapters to come,

Till next time...

Want success? Then it's time to hit the training track!

Hi everyone,

Success is something that we all strive for in life. Whether it's a job, a relationship, a financial decision or just the basic things like making pancakes... we all want to do these things to the best of our ability. It's the way God made us.

Ever notice though that some people seem to be more successful than the rest? That some people are able to do things just that bit better than others?

Also ever notice that while the rest of us seem to go like a yo-yo when it comes to progress. there are some who just seem to keep going further and further?

Well today I'm going to share with you the reason for this.

While talent has some role to play in it, the real answer to the questions asked above boils down to one simple word - training.

Lionel Messi, one of the greatest football (soccer) goal scorers of all time, let alone players, did not
just become that way because he was talented. Sure that had some part to play, but what separates Messi from the rest is the fact that he spent over a decade in the Barcalona Academy, training with the stars and honing his skills. Even now, Messi is one of those players who continually puts in the one- percenters, staying back for hours after regular training to get the technique right and to practice new moves.

The same goes for you with your goals in life. You won't get anywhere of greatness unless you are willing to train yourself to get to where you want to go.

Now that doesn't mean getting out on a field and doing sprint runs for two hours, but it does mean training your mind to focus on the success you want and on how to deal with the obstacles that come in your way.

For example, one of my success areas is in the field of believing I can achieve goals in life. I don't always have (despite what it seems) the best self-confidence levels and so I have to train in this area to ensure I can keep doing what I need to do, rather than just get lazy and unmotivated.

I do this by making sure I start each day reading and listening to people who will inspire me to be great, by constantly telling myself that I can do what I need to do and by making sure I focus on possible challenges I may face at the start of the day and how I need to tackle them, rather than trying to deal with them when they happen.

Is it easy? I can honestly say that it's not and that some days are much less successful than others. Like an elite sportsperson however, I am starting to realise that those days are just setbacks, not the end of the road and so I go into the next day and strive to achieve my goals once more.

Is it worth it? Definitely. While I still yo-yo, I now am more aware of when I doing this and then I can take steps to stop that occurring in the future. I've also created a habit where I now check my mind every morning for this and so I am ready for what is to come and that's made life a lot easier to manage.

Training, while hard is the only way you can reach the potential you are called to. I challenge every one of you today to get into the training field and start focusing on what you want to succeed in.

I believe in you and know that if you do, your lives will be changed for the better for a lifetime to come.

Till next time...

Break the mold of society

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the lateness in this post, I was writing another piece but wasn't ready to release it so I decided to start again- and at this moment I can hear all the writers out there saying 'I feel ya bro'! :)

I don't like being negative but I have to admit that the world we live in is a sad place -and not because of wars, hurts or injustice (all though all those things are really not great).

No, today I say the world is a sad place because:

• people can't give a compliment without someone thinking they have an ulterior motive

• people are so use to not being thanked, they get scared when they are

• no one goes out of their way for anyone, for fear of being judged

• the phrase what's mine is yours has now become what's mine is mine & mine alone

• you can't have a conversation without someone trying to guess what the discussion is really about.

• people feel such a lack of community and support they will use public facilities to care for their kids instead of finding someone to look after them!

Since when did we become a world where trust, care and love were placed so low on the bar of importance in society that you'd need to be a limbo champion to reach them? 

It's time that someone changed this and today I'm putting the call out to all who read this post for that person to be you.

Too often in society, and this especially goes out to the Christians reading this, we would rather be accepted in society than to do what is right - I mean why try to help others out when we can just be happy with our friends, in our groups which love and care for us all and giving token gestures to show our support of the plight of the wider world?

Doing what is right however is how we will change the world. 

Now you might be saying, but I'm just one person doing right, surely my small works will do nothing. I say think again!

By doing what's right, you can inspire everyone around you and then they'll try it and inspire all around them and soon, communities & towns are all getting involved.

One of the greatest examples of this is one of my workmates. He works on the road but whenever he's in the office he's always buying coffee for others and inviting them to join him when he buys it, without ever expecting anything in return.

In doing this, he's not only inspired me to be more generous but he's made our entire team more generous as we see how much happier we are when we're giving. Now people regularly go on coffee trips together and we also buy each other coffee even when he's not around. 

This guy has changed an entire area of an office by one simple task.

Another example is the great community I belong to. A lot of these people give everything to help others see how great life can be. 

Even when budgets are tight, these are people who will by a smorgasbord of food for an event or a lolly store for a party. They also truly make everyone around them feel special and in doing so, inspire others to do the same.

Now while these two examples are great, they really shouldn't be anything special. This should be the way that we act all the time but sadly, it's so rare it needs to be pointed out here.

It's time we all started to act like this, the way Jesus called us to and the way we know we should as followers of God. Sure it's not normal and sure it might cause people to question or either persecute us, but we should expect that when doing God's will and be willing to keep going knowing the great change we can make.

So what are you waiting for... it's time to break the mold of society and change the world for the better. 

Till next time...

The 5 key things you need to survive the storm

Hi everyone,

So I promised you something life changing a few days ago and hopefully here it is.

In the last post I talked to you about why we need to sail through a storm rather than just avoid it - now I'm here to give you five things you need to do just this.

These however are not only important when it comes to overcoming challenges in life - they also will change the way you view the world and possibly make your life very different to what it is now.

1. Belief- first and foremost, you need to believe that you can overcome the challenge. You won't get past a tough situation if you can't see that there could be an end in sight. As humans, we hate the unknown and we'd rather be in a bad situation then go to an unknown that could be even worse. It's why it's so important to make sure you have stored in your mind a belief you can overcome any challenge. Even if when the challenge arises, you feel you can't overcome it, just knowing that you've trained your mind to think you can will make the process of working to overcome it easier.


2. Pride- now I know, there are plenty of post in this blog alone that talk about the danger of being filled with pride. In this case however, pride isn't a bad thing to have, when used correctly. Being proud of who you are as a person is key to gaining the confidence and belief to overcome challenges. If we aren't proud of who we are, then we can get lost in trying to be someone else or being favoured by others, which in a time of challenge, can lead us astray from the simple path out of the wilderness. We need to stay strong in our values and be proud of the person we are, flaws and all.
   


3. Humility- alongside pride however, we also need to have some humility. Want to know why so many great explorers died while exploring - and it wasn't because they weren't good enough! They perished because they weren't humble enough to know their limits and to seek out help when their abilities couldn't take them any further. When you're in a challenge and you don't know where to turn to, be brave enough to say that and seek the advice of those who you trust and who can build your confidence, or who have been through it before and can help you out of the mire.


4. Support- Of course, in order to seek out people for advice and confidence building, you have to have support around you in the first place. I think it is paramount that whether you are in a challenge or not, that you have a group of people around you at all times to help you with your life. As someone who for many years was a solo eagle - I know from plenty of experience that this is not the way to go, and that having support is key to success, especially when overcoming storms in life. Sometimes, having someone to talk to will clear the bad weather before it brews into a storm. Other times, having someone to talk to make travelling through the storm a little easier. Either way, if you ain't got a support network around you yet - now is the time to do so.


5. Patience- ah good old patience. Something I know I'm always in need of more of and really one
   
   of the more vital keys to surviving the storms of life. So often, we see a problem and we want to solve it straight away, then when we don't, we get downhearted and we need the other four keys mentioned above to get out of the storm. The truth is though, if we had just had the patience to know storms in life occur and taken measured steps rather than panicked and tried to solve our problem in 10 seconds, there's a good chance we'd have overcome the storm a lot sooner as our calm, clear thought processes would have steered us away from feelings and closer to the facts of the situation. So take my advice here, the moment you get into a storm in life, take a deep breath and look at what really matters - yes I know it takes time, but this patience could save you a lot of heartache.

So there you have it, five keys to overcome the storms of life and hopefully in the long run, make your life as great as it can be.

Till next time...

It's time to take on the storms in life

Hi everyone,

Have you ever tried to avoid a storm when you need to go somewhere? If you have, then chance are that you'd quickly realise that it's not an easy thing to do.

Sure you can go inside and be safe from it, but it will still hit the surrounding areas and have some impact on your life, even it is only that it delays you from where you were going.

Then there's the option to try to run away from it. While that's feasible in short stages, the problem with it is that you will most likely either have the storm follow you or, if you do avoid it at the time, another storm will come and you'll have to run again, constantly running from the weather to avoid it and never getting to where you needed to be.

Just like the weather, the storms in our lives - whether they are caused by loss, tragedy, lack of belief or circumstances we can't control - can have a severe impact on who we are and how our lives pan out.

All too often, people avoid moments or don't do what they know needs to be done as they feel that in doing this, they avoid the storm that is to hit if they keep going forward and face the challenges in their lives. Problem is though, just like the weather, they are either left stranded or the same/a similar problem arises hours, days or weeks later and the issue is never resolved.

So just what should we do when a storm hits. Well - as much as I hate to say it, when a storm hits, the best thing to do is to batten down the hatches and go straight through it and today, I'm going to give three reasons as to why.

1. If you go through a storm, while it may seem to be a destructive and at times terrifying process, you will always gain something out of it. While it's easy to think about how a storm can destroy or knock out power lines, it's sometimes harder, but just as true to say that they bring families closer together through time spent stuck at home, they unite people as they fight to help those affected and they make us all realise what's important. The same goes with storms of life - sometimes God shakes things up in our lives not because he want to cause chaos, but because we need a reminder of what's important and how much we need to draw back to him. Next time a storm comes in life, rather than seeing a negative, work to find the lessons to be gained.


2. Storms remind us that there are some things we can't control in life. Too often in our lives we get caught up in trying to make things happen our way but in a storm, we aren't able to do this. We become passengers to a much bigger phenomenon and have to rely on others knowledge of the weather charts and area to be able to stay safe. It's the same with the storms of life. The best thing you can do when faced with a storm is to just give up the problem to God and trust he'll see you through. Like working through storm, it isn't easy, but you can be assured that he'll be with you every step of the way and if it's meant to be in life, he will guide us safely out of the thunder and lighting.


3. At the end of every storm, there is a rainbow and clear skies. Now I know this is the one
   
   I struggle with the most - especially when metaphorically you are being drenched and the thunder and lighting is all around you. There are times recently where I have really felt as if there was no end to the craziness, but it's important that all of us in these times continue to look towards the end goal and have hope. This is not only because we believe in a God who will always see us through, but also because when we do this, we focus our energies on getting through the problem. This is a key to overcoming a storm as unless we realise there's a problem and work towards solving it, nothing will ever change in life.
   
   

Storms are designed to be moments of amazing power and change - in just one severe storm, many trees can be destroyed which will in the long run allow them to re-generate and become even greater or weather patterns can be changed from a sweltering hot day to a cooler, more comfortable summer night.

The same goes with the storms of life. It won't be easy, but if we are willing to take a risk, trust God and ride the storm, then we give ourselves the opportunity to grow in not only our understanding of a situation, but also in ourselves as well, 

So what storms are in your life that you need to confront and see through? Make tonight the night you do something about them and set your life free for greatness.

Till next time,.,

P.S. stay tuned for a special bonus post this weekend - it's going to be a life changer.

What are you spending your time on...

Ok so I've just spent the last few days balancing my bank accounts and working on projects. Yeah I know it's not exciting, but I've put it off for far too long. Much like paying bills last week, it's time to get this stuff done.

In doing all of this though, a very interesting question was brought up. That question is, what am I spending my time doing that I am so busy that I can't do the necessary stuff.

As I thought about it in my head, I realised there were lots of really good things that I was spending my time on and here's a list of them.

• Working on plans to help bring people closer to Christ in their everyday life
• Spending quality time with family and friends
• Keeping fit and healthy
• Taking time out to relax and rewind

There were however also a lot of things that I know would be classified as 'time wasting', including...

• Looking for better versions of current apps to download on my tablet PC
• Spending way too much time on twitter news feed
• Watching mindless TV shows for hours on end
• Getting caught up in reading buzzfeed articles (seriously, they are so inviting!)

Now I don't think I'm alone here. I'm sure if you sat down and did this exact same assessment, you'd find things that you do that are worthwhile and things that really are not worth the time spent on them.

The problem is that even when we realise we are wasting time, it's just so easy to ignore the fact we are time wasting and just keep living life as we are. There's a comfort in doing the same thing over again and not having to deal with the fear of trying new things or changing routine.

This however is counter-productive in our relationship with God and our lives. By dedicating our lives to things of this earth, we don't use the God given talents  and we don't do what he is calling us to do. We also don't get important tasks done and end up either doing things half-baked or just not doing them at all  (such as my backpack that still sit in my parents house full of stuff from two years ago)!

While it is easier to take the wider road and be like the rest of society, as it says in the Bible, we are called to take the narrow road, no matter how much harder it is or longer it takes.

Practically that means that if I see a pile of dishes in the sink, then I should probably clean them, even if it may mean I have to delay watching that TV show for 20 mins - or if I know I have to write this blog, I should do it rather than delay it because I feel that I will be better spent looking at room designs or answering queries on Twitter.

Time is a precious thing and something that we cannot afford to waste. While God has his own time for everything - we still need to value the time he gives us and make sure every moment is used to make the world a better place - either through service, caring or changing lives for the better.

Yes we all need to rest sometimes and spend a few hours watching TV, especially when we are run down - we can't always be 100%. This however is about the excess, about ensuring that the time we have spare outside of our work and rest time is used to not benefit ourselves, but benefit the greater good.

So I ask the question once again - what are you spending your time on this week? Then I ask this - what are you going to do about it?

Till next time...

Lest we forget

Today marks the 100th anniversary of ANZAC Day - a time where we in Australia and New Zealand not only remember the battle of Gallipoli which began on this day back in 1915, but also the many men and women who have fought for our freedom over the many years as part of our defense forces.

It was great to see so many people this morning lining the streets of the local area I live in as those who have fought in combat for us or if they had passed on, their children and grandchildren walked down as part of the commemorative parade.

While this day is all about remembering the battles we've fought in and the efforts of our defense forces - it's not the dates that are the reason we remember. If it was only about remembering the day a battle had happen, the flame would have died out long ago.

ANZAC day is about remembering the values that make us who we are, that have been the building blocks of the two countries the name stands for and which even today we need a reminder about every once in a while.

For starters, there's the idea of sacrifice. Too often in our lives today, we see sacrifice as something horrible that we run away from because it's easier to live in comfort than to help out another or fight for something we believe in. In the lives of our defence men and women however, we see people who see sacrifice as something different.

To them, sacrifice is a beautiful gift of giving of ones self to help a greater cause, to truly show what they believe in and it is something that if required, they will do without question. These men and women and the lives they lead are a great example to us all of why sacrifice isn't such a bad thing and why we should all be more willing to do it.

Then there's the idea of service. We live in a world where everyone, including myself at times is just interested in themselves. We spend our days worrying about money, about how we are going to get what we need to get done and how much others are hindering that progress. In the stories from the war fields however, we see a different perspective on life.

As the Director of the Australian War Memorial, Dr Brendan Nelson said this morning - these men and women are never thinking of themselves first, even in their last moments as they lay wounded on the battlefield, it's always about what they can do for others that's in the forefront of their minds. Imagine if we were all like this, gave to others first no matter the cost, I am sure the world would be a better and happier place. As it says in the bible: "There is no greater love, than for a man to lay down his life for another."

Next, there's the idea of what being a hero is really about. We all have idealistic dreams of being heroes are and there's nothing wrong with that, even the boys who signed to WWI had those - it's probably why many took up the challenge. To us and to them, being a hero means doing a great thing and everyone loving you for it. The truth is though, that's not always the case and in particular was not the case with our ANZACs.

For all the sacrifice they made for their country, when many got home, they weren't treated like they are today with parades and celebration. If you were Indigenous after WWI you were an outcast, if you got ill, you were isolated and if you came back after Vietnam, the country wasn't particular fond of you. While a lot of this was injustice and is wrong, I view it as a great example for all of us in life. That no matter what you do, sometimes the accolades won't come, but that doesn't mean you don't do it anyway. We need to spend more time in life doing things without reward- something I know I struggle with but which in doing so, will lead to greater riches in Heaven,

Finally, the biggest thing I think we remember on ANZAC day is the power of mates. No matter whether what is written in war history is fact or exaggerated fable from fact, there's one thing that does remain true, and that is with all the battles, it has been our mateship that has seen us through. Aussies and Kiwis sticking together to get a job done and supporting each other no matter what has seen us win many more battles than we have lost over the years.

It's the same in life. We will win more battles than we will lose if we do things as a team, work to a common cause and support each other through all obstacles. It's a lot harder to do something by yourself but it's a lot easier and more likely to succeed when others are helping out. This applies to whether you are putting together a bed or fighting in the trenches. Whenever I see our defence personnel out in the field, I am reminded by this and days like today hopefully will instill this message into the generations to come as they read and learn about how these men through mateship overcame all.

May you be inspired by the ANZACs today to keep striving to live life to it's fullest and with an importance on what really matters - helping out others, giving of self no matter the accolades and always knowing that if you believe in what you are going for, it is always worth fighting for.

Lest we forget and till next time..