Category: Creativity

On the news whilst driving away this weekend, I heard a young girl being interviewed about a play she is performing in Margaret River, Perth.

The students are preparing for their performance of The Laramie Project, a piece depicting Matthew Shepard, a gay high school student in the US who was bashed to death over his sexuality in the late 90s.

The unfortunate part of this broadcast is these high school students have caught the attention of Westboro Baptist, a hate group from the United States of America.

This group will be traveling 17,000kms to picket a high school drama play and have been twitter hounding the students about their disgust.

I am appalled.

On behalf of anyone who is a follower of Jesus, I am sorry.

People who use their vitriolic stances to condemn and accuse others are in the wrong just as much as anyone or anything they are picketing about.

I am so over people making judgements, accusations, statements, debates and hard lines stances about issues that are in no way definitive in the bible.

The words of Jesus don’t even come close to excusing any of the behavior that is touted as encouraging accountability and change management.

The funniest part of this whole saga, is how the students responded to the hate mail from this supposed church.

‘thanks for the promotion of our show!’

This is who Jesus is…

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him,

2and He began to teach them, saying:

3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.

7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.

8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

What he is not…

Someone who condemns, accuses, shouts hate and shame.

In fact he himself said to a woman who was about to be stoned to death for having an affair…

‘He who is without sin, throw the first stone.’

And every single person walked away.

Then he said this

‘I do not condemn you, now go and sin no more.’

Whether you frequently picket young high schoolers plays or not, whether you condemn people with your words and your speeches behind closed doors.

Please do not tell people He is something, that He very much is not…

I hurriedly packed my car, with little or no planning. Not because the weekend away was unplanned but life as I knew it creeped up on me and I found myself unprepared for what was to unfold.

Maybe that was the best possible way to rip this adventurous heart away from the necessity and responsibilities of motherhood and married life.

I threw my basket of crochet, my laptop, a couple of hoodies and a small selection of toiletries on the front seat. A notebook, a gaggle of pens, some scarfs and walking shoes were my companions.

As I drove away from my house, my very unplanned luggage taunted me, what if you have forgotten something?

Then my mature, adventurous personality took over and said ‘it doesn’t matter if you are in the same clothes for three days, you are retreating.’

I am in an undisclosed location, hours away from home, with two of my best friends.

We left early yesterday morning and drove for hours, to a holiday house on the beach and my heart is overwhelmed.

Countless of cups of teas and coffee later, two blocks of chocolate, a bottomless plate of grapes, cheese, nuts, cold meats and biscuits remains ever filled.

Our one goal.

To write.

Last night we opened up our hearts and talked, till we had no words left.

No social media.

No Television (although the football found it’s way to the background, as one of us is sports mad)

No children.

No husbands.

No expectations.

In our pjs at 6pm and we just talked.

We saved the world, we saved ourselves, we talked openly about what confuses us about people and plans and opportunity.

We encouraged.

We listened.

We preached.

We planned.

Today we woke up slowly and started the conversation again.

One with no boundaries, no judgement and more cups of tea.

Then a moment came, where we were all ready to write.

And that is where we are all located right now.

We need to create space, priority and place to write and process in our busy lives.

We need to create this.

As writers.

As creatives.

As innovators.

It is no one else’s responsibility to create this but your own.

If you need space, make it happen.

I can promise you, if you have taken time to read this far, you are longing for space.

Plan a retreat sometime soon.

Speak tomorrow

Amanda

Wanderlust; a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world.

I am obsessed with travel.

With a two year old and a 24 week old brewing, I am on a self imposed travel ban and am living vicariously through Pinterest.

I am a firm believer in travel as a creative leader, because it expands your horizons, challenges your beliefs and just generally makes you uncomfortable.

When was the last time you travelled to a place you have never been before?

When was the last time you sat on the floor of a family whose upbringing, beliefs and lives are completely foreign to you?

This is a proving ground for leadership development.

Add a few people as your traveling companions and your on your way to leadership 101.

10 thoughts about travel that make you a better leader.

1) The best innovation comes from the catalogue of vivid memories in your life. If you do the same thing every day, how can you collect new stories to innovate from?

2) Exposing yourself to new cultures, different thoughts, unusual customs and pressure, challenges your character in ways not much else in life does.

3) Despite the travel class (champagne or cattle), everyone stands at the luggage carousel and waits together. A lack of humility in leadership, is intensely challenged in luggage queues and customs lines.

4) Taste something you have never tasted before. Boring food palettes equal boring communicators. Leadership is Communication.

5) There is something about being stuck on a plane as a leader with no access to phones, internet or staff. You are forced to read, watch movies, meet new people or sleep. All things that leaders need plenty of.

6) Stories are created in the melting pot of tiredness, miscommunication and culture. Great stories equal a great leader.

7) Travel forces you to listen. Travel forces you to ask questions. Travel forces you to meet new people. All traits that busy leaders often struggle with.

8) Did I mention customs queues? Reminding us all that we are not in control of everything.

9) You are more likely to visit a museum, art gallery or read a new book in a different country. All spaces that develop and offer free thinking.

10) It is very important to break routine as a leader and find a fresh approach to those problems that remain unsolved.

As a leader if you cannot travel overseas at least wander around your own city with the eyes of a tourist.

These are just some of the reasons why I’m obsessed with driving new ways to places I go everyday and traveling to countries and places I have never been too before.

Speak tomorrow.

Amanda

I have just got news this afternoon that one of my favourites is in surgery tonight after an accident at work. My heart and mind are so for her surgery and a great report coming back from the hospital.

We only saw each other on Friday night at our connect group and were so excited about new possibilities this year.

Way before this report came in this afternoon, my heart has been reflecting around this thought all day. I can’t stop thinking about it.

The struggle is part of the story.

I hate it when terrible things happen to people I love.

I despise suffering and loss.

I am mourned by the challenge of everyday life for my dearest friends.

But I also know when adversity is thrown at humankind, there is a tenacity that brings strength that nothing else can.

Human spirit rises.

People are changed in the challenge.

Adversity overcomes.

When life throws terrible seasons at us, times of grief, times of sickness, times of trouble…It is so easy to focus on the struggle and forget the forming it brings in this season of our lives.

I don’t think grief and sorrow and pain are a lesson or are fun or purposed.

No.

I just know that in the midst of the struggle it changes us.

We become.

The struggle becomes part of the story.

If you are in a place of struggle right now.

Allow the struggle to form a new story. A great story. One of victory and release.

Find a way through the struggle to a place of peace and restoration.

Embrace the wrestle and let it change you for the better.

Find your story.

Praying for so many people at the moment.

Love always

Amanda