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...

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. 

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...

5 ways to kick start 2015

Hey all,

Ok so it's week three of 2015- which means by now there's going to be quite a few people who are sitting online thinking about how they have once again broken their resolutions for the year and about what to do now?  Might not be you, but statistical information says that if it's not you, then it's someone nearby.

Well let me start off by saying the answer is NOT to go and decide you are a hopeless case and spend the rest of the year sitting here reading articles about great things people do online and wishing you'd achieved goals. There's still another 300 plus days in which you can make something happen and I don't want to see anyone missing out on that.

It's why this post is going to give you five ways to kick start 2015. These might not be your new years resolutions, but I can assure you that if attempt to do them, your life will be better and who knows, you may even get to those other resolutions you set for yourself as well.

Number 1: See the positive in all situations

Ok so you may not have lost that weight yet, or stopped that habit but chances are you've done something else pretty cool over the last few weeks (even if it was just getting some much needed
rest).

Something I'm learning in life as I get older is that a large amount of everyday situations that happen in life have a positive behind them, you just have to look for it.

Take for example my current struggle of not getting annoyed in traffic. Now I'm impatient at the best of times, but recently, I've started to get really frustrated when stuck in traffic- even for two minutes! It's one of those things that I first thought was a major flaw, but then I saw the positive in this - not that I missed being in an accident or that it was good to be stuck in traffic, but rather that this was God's way of testing my patience, something I'd prayed about before. While I'm still struggling with this big time, everytime I get stuck now, I get annoyed, then I remember that this is about testing and I stop getting so annoyed and I instead focus on learning to be more patient.

The same principles can apply to the tough times in your life. If you look for the lessons to be found instead of just rueing the situation, you could gain so much more out of it all.

Number 2: Get the most out of what you've got

Did you ever hear of the story of the person who wanted a pizza but who didn't have the money to get one. They complained about how much they wanted pizza for dinner, but how they needed pay day to come around so they could have spare cash to go to the pizza store to get one. This same person however was sitting in a house where they had yeast, water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetables and meat aka. the ingredients for a pizza.

If you didn't get the message from that little tale, it's this- instead of complaining about not having a pizza, if the person had realised they had all the ingredients for a pizza, they could have made one themselves and solved their problem.

The same goes for us with our gifts and talents. We might think someone is better than us at something or we haven't been as blessed as they have. The thing is though, there's probably tens of other traits that we excel at that they don't. We are all unique and of value - it's just up to us to see what it is that makes us this and then use it to our advantage.

Next time you feel you aren't strong enough, capable enough or smart enough to get to a goal, instead of complaining about it, see if you can use your gifts and talents to reach that goal another way. You may just get there, or if you don't, you'll find what you should be aiming for instead, because God never wastes a valid effort.

Number 3: Give love

This third one sounds so simple but it's one of the hardest things we can do in life.

Giving love doesn't just mean looking for a girlfriend or boyfriend, pining for marriage or if in a marriage showering gifts on your spouse. It means so much more than this and can be as simple as choosing to see the good in another person, sharing what you have with those who don't have
anything or just making someones day by being kind to them when the rest of the world isn't.

The act of giving love is also hard because if it is done genuinely and is aiming to make a difference, it should be done with a full heart and expecting nothing in return. We don't love because we know we'll get something back for it, nor should we love with the dregs from the bottom of the tank of life. We need to love with all we've got- no matter how much it may hurt us to do so and expect nothing in return, except the satisfaction that we've helped make the world a better place.

While it may be hard, giving love, as any couple who sacrifices in their relationship will know, leads to so many great rewards and will truly make you happier in your life. God blesses those who give love abundantly. I could share so many stories of people in my own life who I know this is true about but I'll leave it to say that this is something you should just try, because it will truly change you.

Number 4: Walk

This one is for all those whose new years resolution was to either be happier or lose weight.

Did you know that a recent study of over 200,000 people found that the best way to increase your lifespan and improve your health was to walk?

Yep you heard correctly- while cardio, gym and other fitness might help you get trim, gain muscle and look fab, if you are trying to stay healthy, then a simple walk of 30 mins a day will do the job just fine.

Walking also has the added bonus of enabling more oxygen to get into your system which helps clear your mind and this leads to less panic, great for those who are stressed out or who want to be happier.

So, it's time to get those walking shoes on and go for a walk around the block (after reading this post of course!)

Number 5 : Smile

Yep, the last one if my favourite one, because it's so simple but it's so effective, when it comes to getting you motivated and making your year great.

Smiling has so many benefits. We know from emojis that a smile can brighten a persons day but there's so much more it can do when you DIY (do it yourself)!

When you smile, it relaxes facial muscles and removes tension, It also makes you more appealing to others, releases endorphins which make you happier and can reduce stress and can increase white blood cells which fight off disease. Then of course there's my favourite thing about smiling, and that's it's contagious, so if you're having a bad day, smiling at someone can turn it all around because suddenly, everyone around you will be smiling and the world will seem a more cheerful place to be in.

There are so many more ideas that I could write about to help you kick start 2015 but I hope that these five will give you the boost you need to make the rest of the year as amazing as God would want it to be.

And one final note: just remember that you're not alone in this boat. We are all working to make ourselves better everyday - whether we setting new years resolutions or not, so make sure to share your stories of success and hardship with your friends and family and seek support where needed. We can't do this alone, but together, we can kick some amazing goals this year- I believe in you all with this one!

Till next time...

The 5 reasons why persistence is the key

Persistence- it's a word we get told so often that sometimes it loses it's meaning. If you're struggling with something, the first thing someone will normally do is say... 'Oh it's ok, just keep persisting and you'll get there'.

But just why is persistence so important. Why can't we just try something, not do well at it and then move on to something else?

Well hopefully these next five points will answer the question above and also give you the will to persist in all areas of your life, no matter how challenging they may be...

1. It builds character - If we never failed at things, we wouldn't be able to know what we were truly good at, what we've been placed on this world for and how we are called to make a difference. In a similar way, if we gave up on everything we do after the first attempt, we'd never know what we're good at either. We need to persist to know who we are and what our limits are.



2. It helps change the world - If we didn't persist through things, greatness would never occur. Imagine if Martin Luther King had given up at his first attempt of trying to rally for equal rights or Steve Jobs had given up after the downturn in Apple while he was exiled from the company in the mid 90s. The reason that great things occur is because people are willing to mess up time and time again until they get it right. I always like to think of Thomas Edison for this one. 1000 attempts and he didn't get it but when he did, the light bulb change history as we know it forever- and it was all due to persistence.



3. Because the aim of life isn't to be perfect - a guy who was formerly in the Army once said to me that the people who didn't succeed in the army were normally not the ones who lacked skills on arrival, but the ones who lacked the attitude to keep going when they hit obstacles. The same is true about life. If there's one thing I've learnt this year it's that most things don't get perfectly achieved on the first turn. The key to anything becoming successful is that you keep pushing on with your passion and if you learn from the mistakes made, you will normally go far.



4. Because God calls us to do it - For those who are reading this who are filled with the faith of Christ, well this point is probably the greatest reason to be persistent. Throughout the Bible, God talks about how we will only understand the greatness he wants to give us if we are willing to be patient and open to his glory. There are so many passages about how people stumble but God uses them for greatness through their persistence and I encourage you all to read them (Galatians 6:9, Proverbs 24:16, Luke 11:5-10) for through this you will just how powerful persistence is, especially when it comes to God.
   
   



5. It inspires others to greatness - Think about all those people you look up to in life. Now think about whether or not they were first up success stories. In most cases, the answer is no. People normally look up to those who have done great things, but who they can also relate to. I know for me, those I look up to, like the late Nelson Mandela, JPII, all made mistakes, but they also persisted to do amazing things. Whenever you are feeling down and challenged, see it as a chance to overcome adversity and inspire people along the way. Your persistence drives others through their challenges and that is only a good thing.

So there you have it, five reasons why persistence is the key. I hope this inspires you all on your journeys to greatness and keeps you focused on the real prize no matter how tiring the road ahead is.

Till next time...

Be open to God's response

Hi all,

It's good to be back with you all. Been a crazy few weeks with lots of projects and no internet but I'm here now and really looking forward to writing today's piece, cause it's something that I'm really passionate about.

Yesterday I was at a wonderful advent retreat and we were asked to do some reflection on some bible passages. One of them was about how the Israelites prayed for a leader and the arrival of John the Baptist. It talks about how John is seen by all those around him as the Messiah because he seems to be a great leader, in line with the law of the time and a real man of the people. However as we find out, there's another one coming- Jesus- who is the actual Messiah, but who is completely not what the people were expecting- someone who challenges their laws, who turns the establishment upside down and who shows all what it truly means to be a man of God, more than just laws, it's about heart as well.

As I read this passage, it got me thinking about how many other times in the bible something like this happens and in the end, it happens a lot.

It seems to be God's way of working. He always answers the prayers of the bible, yet he does it in ways no one could have imagined and ways that aren't always the expected.

So the question has to be asked- if God has been like this since the early days- why is it that ten of thousands of years later (ok maybe just thousands), we still haven't got the message?

We still ask for things and then expect them to appear and get annoyed when they don't happen, meanwhile they are happening, just not in the way we expected.

We need to become a lot more aware of what is happening around us and realise that everything that happens in our lives is due to God- and sometimes, the answers to what we seek are in those things that are happening around us, if only we just took the time to look at them more closely.

Take case in point my asking God for a way to continue to minister and help people after last year. 

I thought that he'd put me in a job in Youth Ministry and I honestly thought I'd be doing stuff with young people now and that was the end of the plan, but God, as always had bigger and greater plans.

I could have never imagined I'd be part of a group that is going on the massive task of working to bring those disconnected back to their faith. Not just youth, but all people. I also didn't think I'd be using all my talents, whether they are youth, communications and marketing, video and tech, vocal or welcoming in one place. I am doing this though and that is only because I realised that while this wasn't what I asked God for in the first place, it was where he wanted me to be and that he was answering my prayer- even if the response was slightly off centre.

Whenever we ask for something from God, we need to realise that: 

1. He is always going to ensure it happens if it's in his will for us, he loves us too much not to do it
2. He is working on his time, not ours, so it may take years to happen
3. He going to do it when it will be best for our lives, not when it is quickest
4. He's not always going to do it in the way asked, but always in the way that's best for us.
   

The sooner we all become more open to God's response, the greater our lives will be, for we will be able to see around us all the amazing works God is doing, even in the smallest of things.

I say this because I know from personal knowledge that this is the case. I've always been a person who focused on what I asked for and if it didn't happen, blamed myself for not doing enough or I got frustrated.

In the last few years however and especially this year, I've become a lot more aware of things around me and I'm realising that while my prayers aren't always answered the way I hoped for, they are being answered and God's way is so much greater as I'm learning amazing lessons and growing even more in myself and who I am every single day.

It's why I encourage you all to be more open to God's response, as I want you to experience what I have been blessed to. Listen for God in every space of your life and don't restrict yourself to the requests you ask God for and the set way you think that should play out- for God's way is always so much greater.

Till next time...

Stay positive- there's plenty of good happening in the world!

Hey everyone!

With all the horrible headlines and threats to life this week, I wouldn't blame you for thinking that things aren't as good as they were say a year ago, or five years ago.

Problem with thinking like this is, when we do it, we lose sight of the fact that while these incidents happening around the world are terrible, they only make a fraction of what the world is about and as renowned motivational guru Tony Robbins said in a video I watched this week, it's what we react to that shapes how we react.

Now if that last paragraph sounds a bit confusing, let me spell it out to you- In order to feel good about the world, you need to see the good in it first.

This isn't always easy to do, but this week I'm here to help. Rather than going on about tips and hints and ideas though, I'm instead going to show you three stories that will help you to see that the world is full of good stuff happening and it needs your help.

I hope that by doing this, I'll inspire you, no matter what you are feeling about the world at the moment, to take a fresh perspective and focus on making a difference for the better. We can't always stop people from doing terrible things, but we can go out there and bring happiness to the world instead.

So here it is... three signs of good in the world!

Number 1: Socktober- spreading love through donation of socks and other items to the homeless

Number 2: Check out these high school students inspiring an 8 year old with Down Syndrome to greatness!

http://www.qutnews.com/2014/10/10/mobile-laundry-helps-the-homeless/#.VEw2qfmSwrW

Number 3: Orange Sky Laundry- a great idea to ensure Brisbane's less fortunate have dignity and respect through washing of their clothes on a regular basis.