Can you honestly say that you love every part of who you are? Your failures, your weaknesses, your body after Christmas? It's not always easy, right? Of course we'll love who we are when we're achieving our dreams- when everything is going according to our plan. But how we love- and talk- about ourselves is a pretty big deal. Even when we've messed up.
The times when I was most happy with who I was has shown: I was confident, didn't feel the need to compare, I knew who I was and didn't let the surroundings I was in change me. People can tell quite easily if you're happy with where you are at. They listen to how you talk about yourself. Or how you rise above a challenging situation and refuse to let it define you because you know who you are, and that obstacles will only shape you for the better.
It makes me sad when people say they hate themselves. When they hate their weaknesses, their past mistakes, their job, their body. It's OK to dislike who you once were- but please, love who you are right now. Even with all your weaknesses and struggles, you deserve to love yourself.
Ephesians 5:29 says "For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church." Maybe it's time we started to nourish and cherish ourselves and who we are- with Christ as our example.
Perhaps we should accept who we once were and step forward believing that what we are currently facing will be for our good; that these small moments in time (although difficult) will not rob us of joy.
Loving who you are starts when you stop comparing yourselves to other people. Being someone who you were not purposefully created to be will hold you captive and drive you crazy- I've tried it, and honestly, it's no fun. I'm much happier, freer and more confident living as the person God made me to be. And, accepting both my strengths and weaknesses.
Earlier this week I was walking through my local town hurrying to meet my friend for a coffee. Coming towards me was a woman on two crutches struggling to push a trolley full of shopping. I glanced over, saw her and carried on walking. God reminded me of Deuteronomy 15:11 which says "give freely and spontaneously. Give to your neighbours in trouble; your poor and hurting neighbours." And so, despite craving coffee bad, I turned around and went to help her.
"You must be a nurse because no one is this kind around here," she said as I offered to carry her shopping to her car. How sad, I thought. How very sad that she had never experienced random acts of kindness. Why was she so surprised at me offering her help?
Everyday I hear of inspiring stories which encourage me to be more generous, more giving and more selfless. The fact that this lady had never experienced kindness from a stranger before really opened my eyes. I must admit though, I'm often too busy to notice what's going on around me. I rush through life not really stopping to see who I can help. What this lady with her trolley taught me is that if we want the world to be a kinder and better place, then we need to be attention to those around us- we need to be the change.
Maybe if we weren't always rushing through life we would actually notice those who need us the most.
Let's be a movement of people who recklessly give. Give freely because Jesus freely gave to us. If it's as simple as taking someone's shopping to a car, then think what kind of an impact we can make where we live. Deuteronomy tells us to give spontaneously. That means when you least expect to give. So always be alert. Be in tune with God's love for humanity and you will find yourself giving recklessly even on your busiest day.
Be the change you want to see.
After seeing Essena O'neill's exposure to the life she lived on Instagram, it made me realise that there are a lot of people who are faking their way through life to please others. Pretty sad that we have to edit our lives so that we will be accepted, liked and popular.
Have you ever noticed that if you're ever distracted with what other people are doing it kind of upsets you? If I spend too long scrolling through endless posts on Instagram I find myself wishing so many things. Wishing I had shorter/longer/blonder hair. Wishing I didn't live in such a small town where it only rains. It's the most dangerous distraction of today's society.
If you don't know who you are- what your purpose is- then everything will seem to upset you. You'll see Instagram posts, social media updates, friends succeeding and find yourself wondering why that's not you. Life is much easier and happier when you stay in your lane, focused on your own journey, and not living to be a people pleaser.
Ever had the friend who changes their career plan every week according to what everyone else was doing? They'll try everything and then wonder why they're so exhausted being someone they're not. They weren't created to do what other people are doing- they were created with their own assigned journey.
It's a dangerous place to find yourself in, because, even though you might not realise it, you are being shaped by culture- not shaping it. If it is well in your soul, and you know who you are, then the environment you are in will not change you.
Being inspired by those around us is great (I always am), but God made you uniquely. He made you to be you, so stop trying to be like everyone else. I used to waste a lot of time wishing I was someone else. I always wished I was confident, wished I lived by the beach, wish I had blonder hair, the list went on.
"We are Christ's ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us- 2 Corinthians 5:20." If you feel like you're just aimlessly wandering through life, and waiting for God to reveal what it is that you should use your talents for, remember: you are His ambassador. When you put him first everything else falls into alignment, so your role as His ambassador should be taken seriously. When you want him more than anything else, and pursue him with all you are, everything else in your life will be taken care of. You don't have to worry about what other people are doing- God will take care of them.
Live in such a way that shows people that God makes us with individual plans and purposes. Know who you are, and who God made you to be. We can't all be good at everything, but when we whinge about not doing what the other person is doing, perhaps you should think about what God made you able to do.
"Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up,"- 2 Corinthians 4:1.
I always think the true character of someone is revealed during their tough times. Everyone can smile and dance when everything's going to plan, but when an obstacle comes our way, the way we react shows who we truly are. Do we let those moments define us? Or, do we press into God and look forward knowing something better is coming?
In 2 Corinthians we learn that because of God's mercy, we should never give up. The more I lean my soul into God and the whispers of His promises, the more I want to keep going. Keep believing in my dreams. Keep impacting the lives of those around me. Keep trusting Jesus for Him to use me. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be the kind of person that is defined by seasons of difficulty. They're hard, but I want them to strengthen me, shape me and steer me to a place of greater hope for the future.
Jesus gives us the best picture of God we will ever see, and as we look to God, He whispers 'never give up' to us. Lets not let moments of hardship blind our vision for the future- lets let them shape it. The bible doesn't say that this life will be easy, but it does say that we can be very bold about trusting in the living God; trusting that even when it hurts He is there, and He has a plan. Jesus never gave up on me, so I will never give up on making His name famous. Dear readers, He needs us as his missionaries. If we quit, that's a strong team member down. He needs us all, actively engaged in changing culture. Our qualification comes from God, so even if you think you're not cut out to make it as an ambassador for Christ, remember: he can use anyone as long as you're willing. So, are you in?
Something you might not know is that is I thrill on doing the extraordinary. My soul is craving to change the game, create a new uncompromising culture and to trust beyond the boarders. With Jesus' love as my driving force, I trust my pilot as He takes me into uncharted terrorties. But when my vision of how to do that gets blurred, 1 Corinthians 16:13 whispers me the instructions: "Be on guard. Be courageous. Be strong."
However sometimes, you know, I feel submerged with weakness at times too.
Do you ever have those moments when you feel like you're not good enough for great things? Like you have a week of 'yes I can do this!' and then everyone else around you seems to succeed, and you begin to see yourself as a failure.
Well, I just wanted to remind you that you were created for greatness.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future,"- Jeremiah 29:11. This verse is basically just proof that yes, you are made for greatness. You are made to prosper- it's God's decree. Prosper quite literally means to 'be successful'; flourish, be strong and healthy are some other synonyms. God didn't write 'plans that will be OK', or 'plans that are alright.' He said prosper and He meant it. So perhaps we should stop living in the lie that we are set to fail; that we will never succeed. In 2 Chronicles 26:5 it writes, "As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success." Make your goal Jesus and success will follow.
If you really believe that the bible is alive- that its words are true- then you should stand strong knowing that God's plan for your life will echo His goodness. Before you were ever formed in your mother's womb, His hands stitched your story, and He made it good. Weighed down in infinite power, the words of God are true and faithful. As you read His promises, digest them. Declare their truth over your life, and hold on to their strength. Rest your soul in their unending beauty.
Since striving for greatness can more than often be a challenge, we find settling for second-best all the more easier. Who wants to wait for great things when OK, mediocre things are handed to us from every direction? Great things take patience. They take stretched faith and an immovable determination. Yes the journey isn't easy, but isn't it worth it? Never forget that the road paved ahead of you is God-approved. It's a road set for greatness.
There's this song- Closer Than You Know- about someone who never stays distant. Never turns away. Never only wants you because you're good at something, succeeding in life, or have something to offer. Someone who loves you eternally- relentlessly- and simply because of who you are.
Sadly, people will fail you. They will use you, let you down, hurt you. Someone who you called your friend, trusted and opened up to, is no longer there. Quite recently I was thinking about everyone I went to school with. All the 'best friends' I had made there. And out of the countless students I encountered, I only still speak to two. Two. Of course we all move on- travel the globe, search for who we are meant to be, fill our empty voids. But, as I've gotten older, the people that have been beside me through all seasons- rain or shine- are just a handful.
You can't rely upon another human being to make you happy. Because then you will never be happy. A human soul cannot fill that kind of void. We cannot satisfy what only God can. Friends bring great joy, and they are wonderful gifts from God, but they are not where I recharge my soul to seek an eternal fulfilment.
"I keep my small circle closed," say many people as they are left wounded by friends time and time again. And it's sad when that happens right? You lean onto someone- trust them- and then they fail you. I'm always reminded of the story in the bible when Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. "I never knew this man" he said again and again, until he broke down in tears because of his unfaithfulness to his friend.
But you know what? Jesus still took him back. Despite Peter's disloyalty, Jesus still embraced him with arms wide open. And still- still despite everything- made him a great fisher of many.
What an example to how we should love. Even when it hurts.
Friendships are beautiful- but they're not eternally bound. One day, each one will come to an end. All except one.
The friend who cares about every detail of your life. The one who is the bedrock under your feet; the castle in which you live, your rescuing knight. The one who makes you a fearless conquer. In him we find ourselves safe and saved. He is our only reason for living. He road-tests our life; and rescues us from the dirty water. His beauty and love chase after you every day of your life. And his name is Jesus, the eternal one, the unfailing one.
"Slow down, take a deep breath, what's the hurry?"- Jeremiah 2:25.
I'm 20. Yet I hurry through life like there's a timer to tick off all my dreams from my to-do list. I constantly find myself running from lecture to lecture, answering emails, pitching ideas and dreaming big. It's all great and exciting until it gets too much. Too much to deal with. Too much to handle.
I've always admired people who can tune off from work particularly well. People like my dad; he's great at balancing work life with family time and his usual 8-oclock scrabble marathon. Because God's faithfulness continues through all generations, what He has started in you, He will complete. So why do we hurry through life breathless? Like there's a pressure to force our dreams to become a reality?
And I've tried. Believe me I've tried. But somehow I can't seem to slow down. "There's always something that needs to be done Lisa," I whisper to myself as I apply for more jobs, internships and freelance writing.
But what's the hurry?
Jeremiah 2:25 tells us to take a deep breath and slow down. I stumbled over this verse on one of my busiest weeks- I spent days working, and evenings crying because I was overwhelmed with the growing length of my to-do list. What I actually needed to do was not to add to my list, but was to slow down. Breathe. And enjoy life.
To not worry what tomorrow would bring, and lean my soul into the unending strength, peace and rest of God. Even the creator himself took time to rest, so we ourselves should imitate His ways: carve time in your day- in your week- for some soul-refreshing undisturbed time. Find rest in time away from your perpetuating work load, family demands and constant buzz of your phone. Return to the source, and slow down. Always find calm in the chaos.
We are just a speck - a dot - in history. Our life, is incredibly short; yet it seems to be full of numerous events, happenings and moments that form our memories. Amidst all of the busyness of life, is a spiritual war that we can't necessarily see and due to this, it can be easy to forget what is going on.
I know, because that's what happened to me.
Without realising it, I was getting so caught up in what the world had to offer me - a future. A future based on grades and portfolios, but not a future built on God's cornerstone. At the same time I was filled with fear - a fear of losing, a fear of being unsuccessful and a fear of the unknown security in my life. This is what happens when you take a glimpse into what the world has to offer you, rather than what God is already offering you.
Proverbs 4:23 tells us to "Guard your heart above ALL else, for it determines the course of your life". This doesn't mean accepting parts of His word and thinking that is a great encouragement, then going about life on your own decisions, will and strength. When you truly put this verse into action it is a lot harder than it sounds. Ok, guarding my heart? That simply means protecting my soul, right? But what does it mean to 'guard your heart'?
As I said, this world is so fast-paced. Amidst the pace, be quick to fight the spiritual war of darkness and all that the enemy throws at you. Why complain when you're in a battle if you haven't been using your sword of the spirit? Why get discouraged when you find yourself going through a hard time if you've been giving the enemy your life to have?
Don't let the lies of the enemy deceive you. When you aren't feeding your faith, you become weak, down and discouraged. You begin to be lured into worldly things - temptations, lusts and a worldly mindset. Be in this world, but not of it. Satan doesn't waste a fiery dart on an area covered in armour.
We are just a speck - a dot - in history. Our life, is incredibly short. It's time for us to respond when God calls us to freedom, to walk with Him. When our appetite for God is the strongest desire in our soul, then certain courses of action appear to be either right or wrong.
Feed your faith with the beautiful word He has given us; that is when we will truly see your life and His will come into alignment.
"Great things never came from comfort zones"- ever seen this quote circulating on Instagram recently? I sure have, and it made me think. Make me think about the many great things my heart desires to see come to life. And then I began to ask myself: am I living in a comfort zone?
Yes. Yes I am.
I've just entered my third and final year of university. Though the work load is sure to increase, I'm excited to be released from education and begin knocking on doors for new avenues to occupy. If you would have asked me a year ago what I had wanted to do when I graduated (most people do), I would have filled you in on my specialised plan: move into a somewhere-near-London flat, trust in God for a job in journalism and be a part of a thriving church in the city. My plan was my comfort zone. I wasn't scared, I wasn't taking risks. I was actually playing it safe.
But to be honest with you, although my comfort zone made me feel safe, I wasn't growing. If you want to achieve great things you have to go beyond your comfort zone- you have to be bold, fearless and sometimes brave enough to step out of what you know.
I'm ready to live a life overflowing with risk. A life where my trust is without boarders. A life where I actually climb out of the boat I'm so used to and start walking on water. So I've scrapped my plans. I no longer want to live in the city. I know longer want to dive straight into a nine-to-five job for the rest of my life.
'But that's crazy!' (I wouldn't blame you for stumbling over that thought).
My ambition to live a risky, plan-free life is not some reckless 'you only live once' idea I've planned overnight. It's my way of showing King Zion that my trust is running wild; that I'm scrapping my small human ideas and leaning into the tapestry Christ has- and still is- stitching for me.
Risk is like stepping out of the boat with no idea how to walk on water. Risk is but only having one great idea: knowing how to surrender your soul into the unlimited boundaries of trust. I'm not even a great swimmer let alone someone who could walk on water, but what I do have is a soul that is ready to trust madly. To trust without boarders; without limitations. You can't take a risk without having faith. A few synonyms of risk are endanger, hazard, instability and to gamble with. The likelihood is if you don't add faith into the mix, your risk-taking maybe well be endangered and hazardous. Stir endless faith in however, and your journey of risk becomes an exciting and unstoppable tale of God using you.
I'm standing with arms high and heart abandoned ready to give it all for the one who gave it all. My plans, my future- I have nothing but a potter who is moulding my life in perfect harmony with His plan. My soul is surrendered, knees are bowed down and my feet wandering deeper than ever before.
I challenge you: be a risk taker. Did you know that life is meant for living? Jesus came so that we may have life- in abundance until it overflows (John 10:10). Let's be bold, fearless and takers of mad risk.
I have many days when I think what I'm doing is not good enough. Not of a high enough standard. Not professional enough. When I begin to concern myself with what others are doing, my mind wanders to a place of self-doubt. Whenever I peer into the lives of others, at how successful they are, how much they have already achieved, where they are at, I begin to compare. Compare my small 20-year-old life with theirs. Shall I just give up because because no one reads what I write anyway? It's so easy to let these thoughts of defeat dictate our lives. Dictate our future.
"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do," says Ecclesiastes 9:7. We often forget the stamp of approval that God has placed upon us; that he has already approved who we are and what we do. You are a better mum than you think. A better speaker. A better singer. A better writer. A better friend. We can be great because of HIS greatness. Ecclesiastes instructs us to go and enjoy life with a joyful heart, because our Father has already approved of what we are doing. Instead of consuming your world with the worry of what others are doing, go and embrace your life with gladness!
If dead things in God's hands can live, then your struggling situation can be turned around. Your business can succeed. Your relationships restored. Your fear of speaking be overcome. You can surpass the fear of not being good enough. Culture's definition of being successful is very different to the living words alive in the bible. If you've got 10k+ followers, then you're popular. If you've got Editor or Director written in your Twitter bio then that's when you've made it in life. But, what if you lose those followers, or your job, then what? Then what do you have? Are you still great even then?
Our Redeemers blood is the ink in the pen that writes the script for our lives; He writes OUR lives. He has written a life specifically tailored to the person He made us to be. I don't think God wants us to be at all distracted by what path those around us are occupying. In your own lane there is no traffic, so stay focused on Jesus and the path He has set before YOU, no one else. Be who God wants you to be, not want others want to see. You are doing far better than you think you are, and to know that you don't need the world's approval. God already made a far greater approval- even before you were formed.
In order to ever lead we must first serve. We must humble ourselves to a place of servanthood, before we step up to a place of leadership. Of course this is far easier said than done. Unpaid jobs, stacking chairs, waking before anyone else to serve: selfless living comes at a cost, and it's often uncomfortable, but it's a characteristic great leaders need to acquire.
Despite the fact that I wasn't getting paid (and having to endure 13-hour days) I was happy working on an unpaid internship earlier this year. It's because I love to serve people that made it so enjoyable. There's something about giving your all, even when you're not paid to- giving your all, even when it hurts- that satisfies the soul. God opened the door for me to work there, I was making great connections and loving the tasks that were laid down before me.
When it was my time to leave I felt utterly peaceful about the next avenue God was going to send me down. My soul lent into Jeremiah 29:11 and I trusted Him for new doors to be opened. All until I started to look on the internet (side note: Googling will never, ever help any situation you're in). So please, learn from me and don't do it. As I began to casually Google the place I had previously worked at, I discovered that another unpaid employee had been offered a job there. A job I would have so loved to have. But they were offered it instead.
Am I not good enough? What did I do wrong? Endless questions scurried through my mind, submerging my soul with fear, worry and what seemed like an unending brokenness. I began questioning God, telling Him how I truly felt and asking Him why it wasn't me who was offered the position.
My heart resonated upon this beautiful verse, "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding," which is found in Proverbs 3:5. And (this is my favourite part) "if you acknowledge Him in all your ways He WILL (notice it doesn't say 'He might'; it commands, certifies promises that he WILL) direct your path." In other words, during this season of me not understanding what was happening in my life, God was giving me an opportunity to trust Him all the more. Though I didn't understand the plan God had scripted for me, this verse reminded me that the author of the universe wasn't staying distant. He was in it all. And all I had to do was trust.
God didn't promise that this world would be easy, but He did promise that His word will remain steadfast. That during our time of weakness we will be made strong. The truth is, life isn't a breeze. It's tough. We lose people that we love. We suffer. Our tears often seem unending. But, even when it hurts beyond comprehension, so much that your hurt numbs your body, there God is. At the centre of your soul, rooting for you to not give up. He owns the skies but still He wants your heart.
I want God on my worst day just as much as I want Him on my best day. Even life hurts, and I don't understand (because often I don't) I want Him residing within me forever and always. When my lungs cry out for help I know God is listening, ready to rescue me. If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there (Psalm 34:18). Because, when something is broken and hurting it can only grow stronger. Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us. You may feel weary or lost, or be hurting. But remember this: there is a God who loves you, and He is only going to use you more! It's a reckless love too wild to understand, but that's what makes it so beautiful. Because, even when it hurts, still then will He carry you.
How much is a crisp, new twenty pound note worth? £20. How much is a screwed up, dirt-smeered twenty pound note worth? Still £20. No matter how dirty a twenty pound note may be, no one will ever rebuke it. It will always be wanted. The worth of the note is not measured, or defined, by its outward appearance. It's actually far from that.
The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by whose we are. In this comparing, criticising culture, it's so easy to measure our value based on the physical possessions around us. By a number on our bank statement. By our job positions. By the people we know. But the worth of the human soul journeys far deeper than what the eye can see. This world will try its every effort to define you. If you don't know the depth of worth that your soul carries, then the world will sure be willing to tell you for you.
Ever since I can remember, the fear of public speaking has governed every inch of my body. And I'm not talking about giving a talk to hundreds (as I'm sure that would scare many), but I mean even talking to a group of 3 or 4 would cripple my body with an inexplicable fear. A real fear. The kind of fear that would drench my palms in sweat and make me run to the toilet to hide. And people knew this. Sadly, just like many people, I believed everything people said about me.
Their ruthless remarks scared my soul, and drowned out everything my mother had raised me knowing. Words such as shy, awkward and quiet came like a snake into my life, stealing my joy, happiness and defining who I was. If someone said "tell me about yourself," I'd start with "I'm shy...". The value others had placed upon myself held me captive for many years.
As a rising generation of young people, we need to keep our identity rooted in Jesus Christ. His word is woven into the fabric of our creation. Words such as loved, adopted, chosen and beautiful are sewn into the very being of our creation. Seek the voice of heaven before the voice of this world, and you will be clothed with an armour sure to overcome the deafening noise of culture.
"Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch our smooth before you," says the Lord in Proverbs 4:23. These sideshow distractions are the antics of today's culture. There's only one way to drown out these distractions- the areas which define our worth for us- and that's to keep our eyes straight ahead.
There's a relentless love that is madly chasing after you. You are found in the greatest love story of ever told, and can confidently lean into His words which will forever define you. Never seek your importance through the standards of the world. Why would you seek your identity in a world that isn't promised a tomorrow? In a world that will fade?
Let's use our words to place value on one another. Let's take delight in honouring each other, and really love each other with a genuine affection. Let's love from the centre of who we are, and discover beauty in everyone. Be a generation of people who see each other through a lens of beauty and worth.
Whenever I feel like my self-worth or value is getting lost in the blurry mess of culture, I come back to the source. "You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb," says Psalm 139:13. It helps me to breathe in my value once again, so I can stand strong declaring my 'joy is boundless, my soul knows its worth!'
It can be so wrong in this world, but if it is well in your soul, and you know your worth, then then environment you are in will not change you. Mediate on the one who created you and when the world tries to define you, God's words will drown them out. Because if we embrace each day knowing we are ever fearfully and wonderfully made, then there is nothing this world can do to your soul, your core being.
