I’ve never had a lot of patience. Waiting is not something that I do well at all. I know a lot or people say that, but anyone that knows me well will vouch for me when I say I don’t … Continue reading Unraveling in the Waiting Room
I enjoy spending time in nature. Being in nature reminds me of God’s awesomeness and creativity. I especially find myself in awe and wonder when I am sitting by the ocean or am standing on a mountaintop. Earlier this year, I found myself looking out at the Andes Mountains, in Chile, and I was struck by their magnificence. They took my breath away. These beautiful mountains that sat as an amazing backdrop to Santiago were incredibly huge and majestic. No matter which angle you looked them from, you couldn’t help but be struck by their presence. I found … Continue reading Reflecting Jesus.
I have a love hate relationship with social media. For the last few days, I have been thinking about social media. The benefits of social media are many and varied, such as connecting with friends and family around, keeping up to date with the latest news and innovations and events, and meeting new people. But social media also has its downside, such as becoming all-consuming, breeding insecurity and shame, and making bullying of people on the other side of the world easier. It is a machine that can influence our hearts and minds more than we realise if we are … Continue reading Social Media Struggles
I was asked recently what trying to live intentionally was like. In my last blog I spoke about having ‘hope’ as the word for this year but having intentionally as my word for last year and I have been thinking about what last year looked like for me with the word intentionally as my focus. How did this word shift things, if at all? And what I can say is that it helped me shift two things: my thoughts and my perspective of time, mainly, how I spent my time. Firstly, time. When I embraced the whole concept of ‘intentionally’ … Continue reading A year of living intentionally.
A few years ago, I was given the privileged to volunteer in an Indigenous community in far north Queensland. I was to be a teacher’s aide for classes one and two, which I was excited about because I love children and spending a few weeks playing teacher was a nice break from the corporate world I was in. I prepared as best as I could and was sent on my way with another lady, both full of excitement, talking about all the things we would do and how fun it would be. Until we landed. On arrival all excitement fled … Continue reading Finding God in the darkness.
Christmas is almost upon us. Decorations are going up, carols are playing and Christmas presents are being wrapped and stored under the tree. It is an exciting time of year where we get to stop and fix our eyes on the miracle that is Jesus. It is a time when we can gather together and give thanks for the year that has been; the blessings and joys and highlights that were sprinkled throughout 2017. It is a time when we can sit with our loved ones and enjoy a meal and make new memories to tuck away in the … Continue reading Tis’ the Season
I can’t remember… I can’t remember a time when I felt so disconnected and connected to the world. I can’t remember a time where I felt so content yet so restless about my life. A time when every answer to every question raised more questions. I can’t remember a time when I felt so much uncertainty about life yet stood on a rock-solid hope and assurance that my faith would catch me before I hit the ground. I can’t remember a time when my fear and my faith danced so intimately to a beat that I didn’t recognise; where they … Continue reading I can’t remember.
When you think of bravery, what comes to mind? Do you imagine a firefighter rushing into a burning building? Or do you see a soldier at war fighting for their country? For the most part, when we think of bravery, we think lifesaving acts; acts of heroism by everyday men and women that restore our faith in humanity and make us feel good. But what about the little acts of bravery that people commit every day? You see, when I think of bravery, what comes to mind is stepping out in faith; facing your fears head on and living … Continue reading Get your brave on – Faith through my eyes.
I like to consider myself a pretty easy-going person. I am relaxed about a lot of things in life and can take a joke, even when it’s at my expense. I like to enjoy life and I don’t let a lot of things get to me, especially when it’s a difference of opinion because I believe everyone has a right to their own opinion, so I don’t get insecure when someone thinks differently to me or thinks my opinion is wrong. All that combined means I do not get offended easily. Don’t get me wrong, I have taken offence … Continue reading Don’t step into the fight – Faith through my eyes
Decisions, decisions, decisions. Everyday we make multiple decisions about any number of things; what to wear, what to eat, what email to action first. We make so many decisions without really thinking to hard about it, like whether or not you should have a coffee (obviously the answer is always yes) or whether or not we should go online and check Facebook. I lose count of the number of decisions I make on a day-to-day basis without really thinking about them. But what about the decisions that require more than a passing thought? The big life altering decisions, like whether … Continue reading It’s a matter of choice – faith through my eyes
Reflections by Leila 