Current Inspirations (v.2) and a Small Favour

He said, 'One life on this earth is all that we get, whether it is enough or not enough, and the obvious conclusion would seem to be that at the very least we are fools if we do not live it as fully and bravely and beautifully as we can. - Frederick Buechner

You know when you find something new and wonderful you want to share it? Every time that happens to me I want to let you all know, but it often seems irrelevant to my blog. But recently these things have been encouraging to me, and I want to pass that on. :)  

- FarAwayDistance YouTube channel. Becca posts videos on many different topics, and when I found her channel I basically watched as many as our internet download allowed. :) They're spiritually encouraging and relevant, and I'm so encouraged by Becca's heart for others and enthusiasm for God's Word. My favourites are: Miracles, the Impossible & a Very Active God, Fill Up, Pour Out, and Conversations on Planes about Jesus.

- Jordan Lee Dooley, who is one of my blogging and life inspirations, also just started a YouTube channel, and I'm excited to see more of her videos. 

- Special Books by Special Kids YouTube channel and Instagram page. I don't remember how I found Chris and his interviews with people who have special needs, but it was a similar story: I couldn't watch enough. I haven't had a lot of opportunities to spend time with people who have special needs, and it's really good to get insight into their lives and stories. I also hope it will help me interact with people I meet in that situation in the future.

When you meet someone for the first time instead of asking them what they do you should ask them what they've always wanted to do. This conversation will be much more interesting. - Dallas Clayton

- Little City website. Every one of their posts is packed with so much truth and wisdom. I normally want to reread each one several times, and write down quotes to remember from them.

- My Heaven Song by Phil Wickham. This has been my theme song for the last couple of weeks - ever since I discovered it.

I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can’t wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song

- Christy by Catherine Marshall. Buying this book was a happy 'coincidence,' and it's the first book I've gotten into (or that's gotten into me) for months. Christy struggles with real questions I think we all have from time to time (i.e how could God be good and allow sin and suffering?), and there's this wonderful character Miss Alice Henderson who gives advice I'm still pondering. I think God knew I needed it.

 Sometimes I look at people who don't see their worth in Christ, and I just think about how God actually breathed life into dust, making something wonderful out of something worthless. All of creation, God has been bringing value to the valueless, hope to the hopeless, and life into the lifeless. Don't you dare look at yourself and deny what God sees you as, because to Him, you are the very air in His lungs giving Him life; He died and rose again, so that you may be with Him forever. Come now, sons and daughters, to the place that God has made for you; because He is not simply telling you not to sin, He is calling you home. - T.B LaBerge

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I also have a favour to ask of you. I've always avoided surveying my readers because I didn't want this blog to become me finding worth in pleasing people; trying to earn other's approval. But I want to keep things relevant and encouraging, and I would like your feedback to know how I can best serve you. The answers are anonymous so please say whatever's on your heart. Your honesty would mean the most to me. It's not required to answer all the questions, so if you only have an answer for one or two, that's totally fine. Thank you so much for giving me a few minutes of your time and thought space!

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What's been making you excited lately? What's your current favourite song, or channel, or book? Have you heard of any of the inspirations I mentioned? Tell me what's been happening in your world!

P.s I have a happy surprise coming your way next week. :D I can't wait to share it and wrap up the 31 Hugs Challenge by hearing your experiences!

Living Your Purpose - Guest Post

Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park, WA

I've been blessed to have known Ashleigh for many years, and her heart to serve God is always an encouragement. She recently sent me this reflection, and I thought her message was fitting for this month of investing in others. I second her: your worth is infinite, and only you can fulfill your purpose. Take courage to live bravely, friends!

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If there was one piece of advice, one word of wisdom, one thing you could share with a soul just stepping out into life’s great vast world, what would you say?

Well, you might be thinking, 'This girl has no idea what she’s talking about, because I'd need to give them a whole 10,000-word essay to warn of difficulties/failures, encourage to reach what is truly good and noble, and fly above this old world and its violence and hatred!' But I have faced this from a lot of perspectives.

If there was one thing I could say, what would it be? It’s a tough question but I would say, “Work as if everything depended on you and pray as if everything depended on God.”

This profound sentence contains the message I would encourage everyone to live. Working as if the world depends on us doesn’t mean literally, but passionately working out of a good heart, not for ourselves, but for the good of all. Praying as if everything depends on God – well hey, everything does depend on God, so what better thing could we do than ask and trust it all to Him?!

Let's be dedicated and passionate about life. We’ve only got one life, so let's make the most of it, and run like we’re on fire towards our wildest dreams. Misery, sadness, despondency, and failure are all tools – it’s not about what happens to us; its about how we react to it. Let's take the opportunities that come our way, and if they leave a mark on our page, cheer up! Sometimes failure must precede success, and it gives a true appreciation for what we’ve just done.

You are wonderful, amazing, beautiful, precious, needed, loved, and most importantly: you are irreplaceable. Nobody can ever fill your place – you are special.

If you ever begin to doubt this: pray, because let me assure you – no matter how bad you are, God is always there waiting for you to talk to Him. And share: be open, talk to those you love – it is hard, but they love you and want the best for you.

Remember this much, YOU are special, you are irreplaceable, and you are invaluable.

Fight on!

Ash

P.s Here’s a song, I personally really love:
 

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Thanks so much for sharing your heart with us, Ash. May God bless you as you run for Him and inspire others along the way. :)

What would you add? If you could only say one thing to someone, what would it be? How has the 31 Hugs Challenge been going for you?

Behind Existence

I’d been thinking about this post: what to say and why, relevant verses and experiences, and what I wanted people to get from it. But when I came to actually write, nothing happened.

Some call it writer’s block, but it’s more than that. It’s how I’ve been existing, and I don’t like it. It’s living dry, inspirational-less, motivation-less, lacking energy, lacking joy. It’s a drag. I’m scratching the bottom, wondering why I’m doing what I’m doing. Things that should be spontaneous and life-giving have become forced.  Everything is on the to-do list, and it still doesn’t get done. I blame study or commitments, but that isn’t true because a few weeks ago it wasn’t like this, and all that’s changed is me. Guys, this isn’t life. 

I like to think of life, living, as overflowing: I blog because I have an abundance of thoughts and they have to spill over. I laugh and have crazy dance hugs with my sister because my zeal for living (and lack of sleep) knows no bounds. I study because my desire to be informed to help others needs a release. I share on Instagram because blogging can’t contain all the snippets of inspiration. I randomly create or connect because I’m bursting to bless someone. I pursue God because I can’t stop. It’s a natural result, not anything we can force. It’s living because of something else. Then, everything becomes a blessing, a gift, a special bonus – because this is the overflow. We don’t expect anything from it, therefore everything we gain adds to our delight. It’s blissful, it’s joyful; it’s living. That’s what I want my life to be like.

So, this is where I am: trying to get back to living overflowing. I’ve tried to generate that experience, and it doesn’t work. Lack of sleep, poor eating habits, stress, missed devotion time, extra time on social media – none of that helps, but there is something bigger behind all this which I regularly forget. We discredit it, and then wonder what’s happening to our lives. 

We’re living in a battle zone. There is an enemy. God is real, but He has an opponent who’s plotting our defeat as surely as God has won the victory. This is what I was trying to write four hundred words ago. 

I didn’t want to do the 31 Hugs Challenge this year. I said I didn’t have time, and it’s a lot of effort – every day comes around very frequently. But God knocked some sense into me: did I just say I didn’t have time to give to others? What is my life?! That’s meant to be my focus, my mission, the thing I would love to make more time for. It was a needed reminder to get back to what matters, so I took up the challenge to give every day of October, and it was exciting. 

Then last week – the first week of the challenge – was crazy, busy, tiring, and stressful, between being away, having late nights and early mornings, new units to read and watch for study, and four assignments to do in three days. I had study group meetings, and volunteering, and teaching. I missed an important appointment, and felt pushed and worn. And I was meant to be taking time each day to think of and invest extra in someone else?! I missed a few days – actually, I missed the first day of the challenge. I got discouraged, and started second guessing myself and the motivation behind 31 Hugs.

Then, bam. I had a realisation: this is the devil. He’s on my case muddying things up, getting me discouraged, keeping me busy and distracted, and having everything land on me when I’m trying to do a good thing. 

So this was going to be an amazing strategy-filled post based on Ephesians 6, discussing spiritual armour, and spilling all the things I’ve been thinking out (overflowing, see). But it’s not; it’s life. Sometimes it’s messy and hard, but here’s the truth: it isn’t about us. We’re in the middle of a war, and there is an enemy! He’s the one getting us down, and it’s him we're warring against, not ourselves. But it’s not a battle we have to fight, because it’s already been won. Our job is to claim that and walk in His victory. But it is a shooting ground, and we need armour, we need strength, we need to be in constant communication with the Captain, we need to be familiar with the Guidebook, and we need to prioritize these things, because this is life we’re talking about – eternal life, but also life here, today. 

Jesus came so we could have life, and we could have it more abundantly. He says whoever lets Him flow like water into them, will not only have life, but will have rivers of living water flowing out of them. Let’s go back to the source – the only One who can fill us, give us abundant overflowing life and victory in this struggle.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 6:10 

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How have you all been? I feel like it's ages since I've posted and we've chatted. What are your thoughts on living from the overflow or spiritual warfare? What do you think truly living constitutes of? Also, does anyone else have a hard time naming posts?! Stay strong, friends. xxx