Category: Creativity

There is a word that impacts us all, hiding in corridors of shame. It is uttered in the heavenlies, smoothed across airwaves and published online, yet many don’t realise that they are being influenced by its riptide.

It is a spirit that whispers in the late-night hours and trembles as we awaken at the light of the first morning. A chinese whisper of untruths, heralding its authenticity. It is kerned, shifted and moulded by the algorithms of our generation.

It is the zeitgeist (the spirit of the age) that publically declares its reputation in a manner that seeks out approval. The overwhelming narrative of our current era speaks to the fear, that tells us we should shrink away from the terror awaiting.

zeitgeist

The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time. The general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era.

Lexico

It shouts a new year, a period of reckoning, stay close, don’t move, more challenge is on its way. This fear holds us captive. It speaks untruth as it sits at our dining table. Fear shuns the possibility of the coming generations. It tells us to hoard and look upon another with suspicion. This fear masquerades as our personal control over situations.

However, there is a different secret pathway, that shuns this megaphone blaring. It is one that I personally subscribe to in the quiet of the evening light. This alternate narrative is beyond the zeitgeist of the age. It is one of hope, expectation and it draws us towards wide open spaces. It is our promise of tomorrow. Holding us firm with hope to a not yet narrative.

This narrow road I speak of is one that allows prayer, meditation and faith as our captain. It is reminded of the challenges many have faced, who have gone before us and their overcoming expectation met by a God who moves mountains despite our fear and trembling.

As I read scripture, I see this meta-narrative of hope over and over again. It is not a shouting of condemnation. It doesn’t link to podcasts full of knowledge, platforming statistical authority. It shows another story, one that speaks to the beauty of ordinary moments, and stories that have inspired generations. It annuals moments of confusion and miraculous moments of provision, despite the public outcry. It speaks of care that is shown to one another. It whispers stories from the power of common unity. Asking that we see the best in one another, calling out our potential. Bringing light, love and empathy to the dark corners of fear and trepidation.

This possibility is not a new narrative. It asks us to reflect on a different path forward. Holding hands with hope for the future, allowing wisdom to edge its sword. A wide-awake message of redemption, that promises that each and every need will be met, with manna each morning. Speaking life into those places we have allowed death to hallow.

This ancient pathway of the belief that there is another way, a possibility asks us to believe in the provision of the supernatural, tiny little miracles in our every day. This is when we believe in a mighty and powerful provider, One who cannot ignore our pleas for help and intervention. One who loves our contemplation and understands the difficulties we face.

It is possible to swim against the tide of the narrative, that humanly seeks out the surety of our unmet needs for tomorrow. It is possible to seek out a golden thread of presence for those moments of anxious waves of emotion. It is possible to slow to a different heart rate amid the flurry seeking firm foundations. This possibility is found when we allow our trust to be found in uncommon places. Seeking out the beauty in the midst of messy conversations. Listening to the pain of those who want to know we will all be okay.

I read ancient poetry with this lens of possibility, breathing in the comfort my heart so desires.

• Do not fear- I am your shield and very great reward. (Genesis 15:1)
• Do not fear- I am with you. (Genesis 26:24)
• Do not fear- You will have another son. (Genesis 35:17)
• Do not fear- I will provide (Genesis 50:21)
• Do not fear- I will deliver you (Exodus 14:13)
• Do not fear- for judgement comes from God alone (Deuteronomy 1:17)
• Do not fear- Do not fear- for God will give you the land. (Deuteronomy 1:21)
• Do not fear- the Lord will fight for you. (Deuteronomy 3:22)
• Do not fear- for I will go with you always (Joshua 1:9)

As we face this new period of time together, can I ask one small favour? Before you tell me all the stories you have collected online, heard whispered in corridors and believed from unclaimed sources, can we look into one another’s eyes and speak with the possibility, that together we can face anything if we hold hands with hope towards the future together.

Ps- Take some time this year to use my guided journal to find insight for your Future Self. Click here for a limited price of $9.95 that sends the download straight to your inbox.

Download your copy of the writing prompts for today’s event with Anne and Amanda.

If you would like more information about their upcoming retreat please click here

*Parts of this writing has sat in my website drafts for 3 years and 26 days. Sometimes writing needs time to find its full circle.

There has been a question that has changed my life over the last season. It is a very simple thought, with huge implications. Five words, that create clarity in a moment.

If you studied all the personality types, Gallup strength finder results and hung around me for a little while, you would quickly see my personality. I like things to end and I am pretty terrible at the in-between.

Finishing a project, ticking off my task list and closing my computer with satisfaction is the greatest part of my day. Yet we live in a time throughout the world when we all seem to be stuck in the corridor.

Over this season of so much change, have you found yourself scrambling to find the energy to finish simple things?

That’s not your fault, you are not a bad person, it’s the difficult part of the in-between. When I have found hope sliding and the option of giving up is so close, I stop and ask myself a simple question…

And it has brought so much relief.

One day sitting in a professional development class a facilitator asked the attendees to imagine a place where we feel most inspired. In my mind, I leapt across foreign places, remembering travel overseas. The cedars of Lebanon, the jungles of Northern Thailand, Libraries in London and the cafes on street corners in Paris.

These were memories that took my breath away and recalibrated my season in a moment. When I travel, I am always inspired. Then I softly smiled when my mind landed somewhere else. An unexpected place. Somewhere I spent many years running away from. Escaping, hustling, working harder and harder, just so I could run away again.

I began to imagine myself lying in my loungeroom on the floor. Tears dripped down my face as I realised the place that I now feel most inspired, is my own home. Surrounded by the simple things, I felt safe, that all the hard work I had been doing writing to heal, had changed things. It has taken years for me to come home to myself.

I spent many years searching out inspiration from far off places, hustling for a sense of inspiration and success.

Coming home to ourselves, means that we listen to the small still voice. That we are not graded by our Instagram feed or our external appearance. Coming home, means we are capable of rest and recovery. It means we don’t have to keep doing more and being more, to feel a sense of inspiration and grace.

You see I would keep doing more because I lived my life from a place of wanting to please others. I wanted people to like me. I wanted to do all the things, be in all the places and achieve beyond. Each achievement though, couldn’t escape this feeling though that I was not enough.

The question that has radically changed my life this year is this one;

Am I graced for this?

When I hustle for worthiness to finish a project that is overdue, with notifications shouting. I simply ask myself, do I have the grace for this today?

The definition of grace is the smoothness and elegance of movement. It also is defined through scripture as unwarranted mercy or favour. When I think of the season we have walked corporately there is a universal trauma, that has held us all captive in our homes.

In times when difficulty faces us all, many people would just push through to finish the task at hand but I am learning to look for the grace.

I come home to myself, by asking do I have the inspiration for this?

This question is not a cop-out, where I don’t face the hard stuff. It’s not about the everyday chores that help life tick over smoothly. It’s not about shrinking responsibility or not finishing what I have started.

It is about the passion projects, my writing, creativity, those things that require inspiration to be drawn out from the depths of who I am.

I’ve realised that for many years I have chased the approval of others, to finish work in a way that makes people proud of me. I have realised that I thought I could pray a little harder and if I could follow all the rules, then I would be enough.

Hustle.

Try Harder.

Do more.

Seek out inspiration from far off places.

Asking myself the question about grace is a moment where I honour the little person inside that is just longing to be enough.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

– 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

This is a place where we lay our burdens down and remember that imperfection sometimes is the greatest freedom, in living a life that is fully uncontained.

Growth in this season looks like letting go of things, letting people down, not answering text messages, recording radio scripts a month late and not being available to everyone that I have in previous seasons. For no other reason, then I am just not graced for it in this season.

I am unpacking the deep questions that have surfaced from watching my father pass away. I am learning and growing in a new role that has so many challenges and I am focusing on being present to my family in those moments in between.

Tell me below in the questions…

What are you graced for in this season?

Looking forward to hearing the stories of coming home to yourself.

Each year I create my Annual Christmas Movie Challenge and this year I am ready more than ever! This year I am just creating a family version, but at the bottom of the list, I will list my Mum recommendations as well.

(please check the ratings and the cultural practices that are important to your family.)

FAMILY CHRISTMAS MOVIE LIST

1. Polar Express
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
3. The Littlest Reindeer
4. Fred Claus
5. A Christmas Prince
6. Arthur Christmas
7. Angela’s Christmas Wish/ Trolls Holiday
8. Christmas Break-in
9. Holiday Home Makeover
10. Klaus
11. 48 Christmas Wishes
12. Alien Xmas
13. Broken Sleigh
14. I’ll Be Home for Christmas
15. Unaccompanied Minors
16. Holiday Classics
17. The Grinch (2018)
18. The Knight Before Christmas
19. Shrek the Halls
20. Spirit Riding Free
21. Christmas Chronicles
22. Christmas Chronicles 2
23. Jingle Jangle
24. The Star

THE GROWN UPS NETFLIX CHRISTMAS MOVIE BINGE

1. Dash and Lily
2. Holidate
3. A Christmas Prince
4. A Christmas Prince The Royal Wedding
5. A Christmas Prince The Royal Baby
6. Hometown Holiday
7. The Holiday Calendar
8. A Very Country Christmas
9. The Holiday
10. My Christmas Inn
11. Holiday Rush
12. Operation Christmas Drop
13. A Cinderella Story Christmas Wish
14. Christmas Inheritance
15. Four Christmas’
16. Christmas Catch
17. Santa Girl
18. Holiday in the Wild
19. Let it Snow
20. The Princess Switch
21. The Princess Switched Again
22. New Years Eve
23. The Star
24. Jingle Jangle

RANDOM FAVOURITES

1. Last Christmas ( Prime Video)
2. Elf
3. The Santa Clause 1, 2, 3 (Prime Video)
4. The Nutcracker and the four realms (Disney)
5. Love Actually
6. Lethal Weapon
7. National Lampoons Vacation
8. Mariah Carey All I Want for Christmas (Prime Video)
9. While You Were Sleeping
10. Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (Disney)
11. Home Alone
12. Die Hard
13. Muppets Christmas Carol
14. Christmas Eve
15. Christmas with the Kranks
16. Deck The Halls