Author: Amanda Viviers

Place: hairdressers

Poison: glass of water

Favourite things: the wicked soundtrack

As I drove today I switched on my cd player in the car to find the wicked soundtrack on track 18.

As I listened to the words it reminded me of a friend, a mentor, a sister, a leader who has made such a deep impact on my life so I thought today’s post would be an ode to ‘Penny’

I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you…

But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

These lyrics truly remind me of how she has impacted my life.

She is so passionate about others, she is so caring about her family, she is creative, kind and full of life.

She encourages, thinks about others and lives with such great character.

Penny, these lyrics are so true…because I knew you, I have been changed for good.

Don’t leave all your good words about your family and friends till they are no longer around, encourage those closest to you today.

All my love

Amanda

Place: home

Poison: flat white

Favourite things: the boys!

Bob- the builder

Mother Teresa – fed the poor

Neil Armstrong- walked on the moon

Jesus- friend of sinners

What’s your sentence?

When people describe you, what do they classify you by?

Amanda- gossip, tart.

Amanda- friend of the lonely.

Amanda- world peace activist.

What’s your sentence?

How will people read, then describe your life?

Amanda- dull and bland.

Amanda- busy and disconnected.

Amanda- honest, hard worker.

Amanda- brilliant mum.

Amanda- actively pursues compassion and mercy.

I believe we all are described by friends, family and foes with adjectives that describe our life.

Does yours match your deep beliefs about your passions?

Ask your friends how they describe you. Ask them what sentence they use to categorize your life.

You might be pleasantly surprised or terribly disappointed.

You get to write your sentence.

It just takes intention and time.

You can change your sentence.

It just takes passion and focus.

What is your life sentence?

I’m not sure yet, about mine, but I’d love to find out how others describe me.

A

Place: in the car

Poison: water

Favourite things: home

Land is such an envied commodity in our society.

We work hard to purchase it. We work hard to toil it. It works us hard.

Land is something that nations fight over, land is something people have lost their lives for. Land is precious.

In our times land equals wealth, land equals potential, ownership of land places you at the top of the food pile.

Why don’t we place more value on
our spiritual land then?

What is in the physical, mirrors the spiritual.

Each and everyone of us has spiritual land that we have been given.
You have a field, a hill, a plot, a desert, an ocean of land set out before you.

What is your land?

Proverbs 12:11 says this

‘he who works his land will have abundant food but he who chases fantasies lacks judgement.’

We sat discussing this verse at Hugo’s in Manly tonight as the sun set, before we stepped on a plane towards home.

The conversation was simple but has the potential to be life changing.

What is my land?

What has God set before me to plow, seed and grow?

What is your land?

What have you been privileged with…

More than ever our world chases fantasies, a reality tv, quick success, obsess driven society, full of quick take away meal goals.

Fodder, chewing gum, big macs of the mind.

If only I won the lotto, if only I just got that big break. A culture of if onlys.

Scripture implores us however that we each have been given an inheritance, each a promise, each a purpose, each land.

What is your land?

Find it, plow it and make it grow.

A

Place: SPARC

Poison: white tea

Favourite things: a room full of innovative people

Where is your truth?

What is your truth?

Truth

What is it?

We were designed to live a provocative life. The word provocative has been framed and tainted by this world. Yet it originated in a place of stimulating a response in others.

To provoke.

To prod.

To intersect.

pro·voc·a·tive/pr??väk?tiv/

Adjective:
Causing provocation, esp. deliberately: “a provocative article”.
Arousing sexual desire or interest, esp. deliberately.

Are you deliberate in the way you live your life?

What is the soundtrack of your life provoking in others?

Truth.

Truth pointing to beyond. Truth that leads people home.

Truth.

Your life is leading people somewhere.

Towards sexual desire

Towards consumerism

Towards manipulation

Towards beauty

Towards presence

Towards Him

What are you provoking?

You were designed to provoke something. Step away from the side of the hall, step forward into your arena, provoke response.

A

Place: darlinghurst

Poison: Pepsi max

Favourite things: sparc

He sets a table before us in the presence of our enemies.

Are you facing enemies?

Do wolves surround you barking?

Are there friends you thought were for you that are now against you?

There is One who wants to sit down, to eat with you, to toast life with you, to speak of greater things to come.

He sets a table. He sets a banquet. A feast awaits. He sets a place. He lights a candle. He pours you a glass of wine.

He is Lord.

He is friend.

He is not your enemy.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Ruminate with Him, discuss with Him, laugh with Him, Reflect, design and debrief.

I love hospitality.

But do I understand the hospitality of Christ? I’m not sure I believe I can sit with him for hours, undone, with no guilt and refresh my soul.

A banquet awaits dear friend.

Eat, drink and be merry.

Your enemies will retreat as they spy you sitting down laughing with your maker.

A