Resolution 2015: Expect the unexpected

Hi everyone!

HAPPY NEW YEAR and hope that you had a wonderful end to 2014 and are enjoying a well earned rest today.

It's that time of the year again - the start of another year and that means of course, time for a lot of people to write up their resolutions. Regardless of whether we say we have them or not, everyone has something they want to achieve over 2015 - whether it's to be healthier, love themselves, love others, do something or make something happen.


The thing that the last year has taught me however is that resolutions have one slight flaw to them - they are what we want to achieve!

Now I'm not saying there's anything wrong with having goals, but it's important to note that what we want to achieve, and God's plans for us, don't always follow the same path. Just because we want to do something, doesn't mean that it'll work into God's great plan for our life and a lot of the time, we'll end up somewhere very different to where we wanted to be at the start of the journey.

If you want an example of this, here's what I thought was going to happen in 2014 and what actually happened...

• I would be working to make a difference to the lives of young people - OK so this did sort of happen, but not in the way I was expecting. I was thinking I was going to be a youth worker and spend day after day with young people, but in actual fact, I instead now work for the administration team at an organisation that has young people at it's heart - which while it isn't dealing with young people day in day out, is still very important as if we didn't do what we do, then the programs that help young people wouldn't be able to be as effective as they are.
  
  
• I would be doing my communications and writing as a hobby, rather than a profession and due to lack of interest I would leave the communications industry - Big NOPE. Not only do I work in a Marketing and Communications team in employee communications, I'm actually happy to be doing it and I get a lot out of the challenges of the business and the fun dynamics in the team I work with.
  
  
• I would be growing the efforts of my local diocese and using my skills from my time in youth ministry to grow local initiatives- Big NOPE. God had something much bigger planned and now I write this knowing that in three days I am headed to a leadership camp for a movement that is not only going to hopefully bring many back to the Church, but that has inspired me to use my gifts and talents for a much bigger cause. I've stepped down from doing projects locally but I do so knowing God has called me to something that is so necessary and that I'm so blessed to be a part of.

These three are just some of the many cases of how in 2014, what I thought would happened was skewed or completely changed when it went through the dealings of life and when I trusted the will of God instead of my own.

Now there are no complaints from me about the plans changing. Sure there were challenges in 2014, but I wouldn't have that year any other way. God showed me a plan greater than I could have ever imagined and it's made me realise the need to trust him so much more with life and not want to take so much control over things.

And that's the thing we must remember. No matter how many resolutions we make, we will never know the amazing plan God has for us that could trump all of these and make our lives greater than we could ever dream.

So in 2015, I invite you to make resolutions, to strive to be the best you can be. I also however suggest that you be willing to change these resolutions along the way or even be open to new ideas - because in the end, there could be a result at the end of the year that will make you wonder why you even made those resolutions at all.

Wishing you all a wonderful year ahead!

P.S. New blog posts will happen fortnightly from this post onwards. This is due to more time being spent on external projects and also so that I can achieve my 2015 resolution - to catch up with those family and friends I haven't seen in a long time.

The value of family - a reflection on the Holy Family

Happy Christmas everyone!

Now before everyone goes to me and says, it's past Christmas Day... I know, but the season of Christmas runs till the end of Epiphany so I'm allowed to wish you all :)

With that out of the way, time to get into this weeks blog post.

For those who don't know, today is the feast day of the Holy Family- a celebration of the gift of Mary, Joseph and Jesus to us all and a time of thanks for the great work each of them did to ensure the faith remains alive and well in society, even in 2014.

Now I won't go into what Jesus did in this trinity - if you really want to know, go look it up in the four gospels in the Bible (for those playing at home, they're the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Let's just say he did a whole lot to ensure we are continually saved no matter what mistakes we make and for that we should always be eternally grateful.

Mary, well it was her yes that allowed God to give us the greatest gift of all, his son on this earth to teach and to save us from sin and provide ultimate mercy. She did this despite knowing full well she could be outcast, even put to death for being seen as not following the Jewish law of marriage before children and she did this knowing that she would have the biggest pressure of all being the mother for the Saviour of the world. Along the way, as we know from the bible, it wasn't easy- from losing her son for three days after he ran away, to having to watch in agony as her son was crucified to death - not to mention all the years in-between where family and friends would've been questioning her about her sons choice of life. Yet despite all the difficulties and challenges, Mary showed immense peace and always listened to God word. In this trinity, she is the one who helps us to have an example of how God can bring peace and joy to any situation, and she is the one who we see as the carer for us all, even some 2000 years later.

And then we come to Joseph. He's the forgotten one sometimes in this family- I mean he wasn't even Jesus' Dad technically- God was. He was more the caretaker dad while Jesus was on earth. But despite being forgotten by some, he's got a very important role to play in the story.

It was Joseph who gave Mary the courage to carry the son of God into the world, even though he knew very well the consequences of his decision. He trusted God entirely and while he was hesitant at first, once he heard the angel, he didn't think twice about being ostracized by his family and community, being forced to travel hundred of kilometres to escape persecution, to protect his family at every whim and sacrifice all he had, even to the point of running to Egypt. Joseph's courage and commitment to the cause I am sure gave hope and belief to Mary that she could do this, and through Joseph's openness to God, our Lord ensured that Joseph was ready at every step of the journey. For those who want a role model of Courage in God, Joseph is your man - never giving in to the challenges and always standing
up for the truth and for what mattered to him, his family, no matter the cost.

Now these descriptions are not meant to be historically or biblically correct, but rather are just my insights into what I see in each of these members of the Holy Family. They are however meant to show just how vital each part of the Holy family is.

In the same way the family we have today, whether they are blood related, faith related or friend related are just as important and follow the same sort of structure.

Each of them has a value of some sort and without them, there would be something missing in the vital cog that makes our lives what they are today.

During this Christmas season, I invite each one of you to spend time with your family and see what gifts and talents they may have. You might not have ever thought about this area of your relationship, but it's vital as doing so will allow you to see why they are important. It's an importance that allows you to be humble in life, to love others even when they annoy you and to see them as the Children God made them to be.

I wish you and all your family (whether they are blood related or related through friendship) a wonderful Christmas season and may you continue to inspire each other (even in the challenging times) towards a deeper relationship with God.

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...

Never give up, never give in, always think you CAN!

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the lack of blog posts the last month, was busy and then didn't have internet.

I'm back though and hope to have a new blog for you this weekend. In the meantime here's a video I saw last night. Hope it inspires you as much as it inspired me!

The story on sacrifice

So, I just finished watching the finale of the Doctor Who and without giving away too many spoilers, there was a lot of discussion about sacrifice ahead of personal happiness.

It's a topic that always brings up a lot of people either side of the fence. 

The thing is though is that regardless of which camp you are in, there is a time when you will be faced with the choice to sacrifice something you want for something that perhaps is for a greater good.

When we get down to choices like this, lots of things can come into our minds. Things such as:

1. Is this going to mean losing a loved one?
2. Is this going to affect me financially?
3. Is this going to put me back on my path?
4. Is doing this going to help others grow in their journey?

And there are many, many more questions besides these. The point is, sacrifice is hard. It's why so many of us don't do it.

True heroes however, as a Bishop said yesterday, are those who are willing to sacrifice their own needs knowing that something greater needs to be done.

As Gandolf says in Lord of the Rings after Frodo complains about having to sacrifice his home to go destroy the ring - "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

It is so easy for us to use our time to look at the things that matter to us and make sure they are happening, It's a lot harder for us to look outward and see that there is so much more to do and that sometimes means we need to give up our own wants for the good of others.

God calls us however to sacrifice. He sacrificed the greatest gift of all, his son so that we can be saved and in being called to follow his example, we almost must prepare as his children to sacrifice in our own lives.

Some of these sacrifices may only be small - like having a little less money to spend on coffee so that we can support those working to help people living on the streets. Others, will be much bigger.

The key to any sacrifice however is to always remember that in doing so, there will be a much greater outcome. We wouldn't do it otherwise.

Whether our sacrifice is calling us to give up money, power, control, comfort or even those things most valuable to us, it is important to remember that our personal want is sometimes not the best thing for the situation and no matter how much we want, we can't let that get in the way of what needs to happen for God's will to occur.

Sure sacrifice hurts- it's not meant to be easy, especially when it means giving up something you love for the sake of someone or something else, but it's crucial for our world to survive and for us to continue to grow in our faith journey.

There's too many people willing to take the easy road and stay comfortable, but we are called as Christians to take the long, narrow one- one in which sacrifice is a part of ensuring salvation.

And we do it knowing that in the end, the greatest reward will come.

Till next time...

The saints are coming - Part 2 - Be the best you can be!

Happy All Saints Day everyone!

I don't know what it is, but there's something about All Saints day that I always look forward to.

It's an opportunity to remember the incredible groups of people who have helped ensure our amazing faith remains strong. It also allows us to take a moment to appreciate the hard work these people did, the sacrifices they made and the way they love God.

If I'm honest though, as I've grown older, the real reason why I love All Saints Day and any time where I get a chance to read about the Saints is that these people are ordinary, normal, everyday people just like me, but they give me hope I can achieve great things by the way they lived out their lives.

As a video I watched on Saints says "most saints are ordinary anonymous men and women".

Earlier this year, I wrote about how we are all called to be saints and spoke about how we need to step out of the lives and be saints, following the great Saints example and growing in humility along the way.

It's easy however to say that we can all be saints. It's a lot harder to get started and actually live the life of one.

While being humble is part of it, the Saints were more than just humble, they also were people who changed the world for the better in all that they did.

The thing that we need to realise for our own lives as saints is that, they all did this task in very different ways.

St Paul for example, was a witness of being saved by God, where as St Nicholas of Myra was an example of believing in God in every circumstance and of generosity. St Joan of Arc went into battle with weapons where as Blessed Mother Teresa also went into battle, but in a very different way as she battled illness, cared for the dying and built a future for young women.

None of the Saints did something that was better than the other- they are all seen equally as being inspiring in the path of God. They were all different but they all had one goal- to do God's will for their lives to the best of their ability.

Every man and woman has a talent, gift or ability that is uniquely theirs. Sure there may be similarities, but the way a persons personality interacts with their skill makes it unique to them and them alone.

God put each one of us on this earth to use that unique ability to change the world for the better. He calls us  to sainthood by giving us the opportunity, as people of faith, to answer this call everyday of our lives. 

Now that might seem like a big task so if you're struggling for ideas, here's some hints as to how you can be a modern saint in the world today...

• If your talent is talking, then get out there and spend time with those who are lonely or don't fit into society. Your words of support and friendship could change a life.
• If your talent is helping out others, then start organising fundraisers and events that raise money or just go out and help by volunteering wherever needed.
• If you like making computer programs, then why not make programs that help make lives better, especially those most in need.

One of the main reasons I write these pieces is because I have realised that one of my talents from God is inspiring others and I can also write, so put these two together and this is what I came up with.

Whether you are cleaning a floor or are balancing accounts for a major corporation, you matter and the gifts you possess will lead people closer to Christ if you're willing to live out his name in all that you do.

So what are you waiting for, get out there from this All Saints Day and go and become the saints that God called us all to be.

Till next time..