[A thoughts-on-paper post as a result of some deep thinking and personal challenges.]

What is the point of your every day conversation? Is your verbal interaction with others always worthwhile? Do your words carry a depth of meaning in social circles, whatever the topic? Is what you have to say worth anything, or is it pointless?

Now I'm not talking about typical conversations like telling the checkout clerk that you don't want any cash out, or placing your McDonalds order or telling your friends what you did on the weekend. I'm talking about when you're just hanging out with people - anybody - and you start talking. Does the conversation go anywhere meaningful? Or does it tend towards drivel or random anecdotes that only serve to be distracting and forgettable in passing? What kind of words do you want to be remembered for?

Though its good to have fun and joke around at times, is that the kind of conversation you want to be most known for? Is that what you tend towards the most whenever there is a chance for social interaction: talking nonsense and being random? The Word says that from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. So if you have more in your heart than just silly, idle words, why don't you share those instead? Is it a fear of substantial subject matter, or a laziness that can't be bothered to go any deeper than a quote from the latest movie?

If it isn't edifying, uplifting or encouraging a person in their walk with God or relationships with others at all, is it really worth saying? Sure it might be funny, random and whacky, but does it count for anything? I think if we only had a set number of words to speak, we would want them to count for something instead of wasting them on pointless conversations. Could our foolish talk perhaps be a cover up for not making the effort to actually get to know someone; to ask them questions that would help you understand them better so that you could encourage them more? Or is it just because its so easy to be random? Note that it was never said worthwhile things come easy.

What if we made the effort to be more like Samuel in that not one of his words fell to the ground (1 Sam. 3:19)? He never said a pointless word, or a word without meaning and purpose. What would that look like; if we as young adults all stood up and spoke with authority, kindness and sincerity in every conversation? What if, instead of speaking ridiculous, frivolous, random, cynical or sarcastic words, we spoke words of love, truth, correction, encouragement and edification? What if we spent our words in Godly discussions that served to be thought provoking and insightful instead of frivolous and unhelpful? Which would have more impact?

By which would you rather be remembered by?

Which would please God more?

If you were in the middle of a conversation with a bunch of friends, and someone walked by you as you all talked, would that person see you as a bunch of idiotic young adults laughing and joking about some silly comment, or would they recognize something different about you by the wisdom, humility and sincerity of your conversation?

If you were in the same situation when Jesus returns, what kind of conversation would you rather Him find you in?

If it is so easy for a passerby to miss recognizing you as a Christian based on your behaviour, how easy do you think it could be for Jesus to miss you should He walk by?

Yes, there is a time and place for everything, and that includes a time for goofing off. But that should be just that: a certain time - not the majority of the time. Wholesome conversation and discussion should not just be confined to a Bible study night, topic discussion or church morning. We shouldn't need a set apart day or subject to spend our words meaningfully. It should be our way of life, every day, and in every day conversation. We should be marked as Christians not only by what we do, but by what we say.

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." - Col. 3:17

This is something God has really challenged me on lately, and I wanted to share it. I find it easy to be pulled into conversations that are filled with sarcastic quips, witty jabs, quirky anecdotes, and random jokes. This isn't to say one should never laugh during a conversation, or that all joking is sin. Not at all, I'd be a lost cause if that were the case. I'm not trying to be legalistic, but I have been made aware - yet again - of how precious our words are, and how important it is to think about the way we are spending them. It may not always be easy to refrain from fun randomness, but if we honour Christ above all, we will strive and make the effort to honour Him with our speech in all things.

So take this as a challenge. How are you spending your words?

For the past couple of years, probably mostly since writing the post of my unmasking, God has been teaching me what it means to be real, and to love in a real way. As someone who has always hated small talk and strives for the deeper things in life, you would think that becoming real would be an easy feat for me. But it's not. Don't ask me where it came from, but I have a tendency to keep my personal struggles close to my chest, and vulnerability does not come easily for me; even with my best friends. Sharing my deepest thoughts and experiences with people is akin to removing a splinter buried in one's foot with a pair of tweezers - agonizing reluctance. Though I'm generally open with my thoughts and opinions, life experiences and soul struggles are things I much more unwilling to disclose. Perhaps because it proves my humanness far too obviously; I'm not really sure. However if that were the case, why would it be such a surprise for others to find out I'm human? Aren't we all?

I'm sure I am not alone in my fears of vulnerability. For some reason, baring oneself to another fallen human whose opinion you care deeply about takes more courage than throwing yourself out of a plane with no parachute, or abseiling off a cliff without a harness. You have no assurance of a safe landing, and no rope to keep you from certain death. The fact that others are no less perfect than we are never seems to alleviate our fears. Whilst we certainly believe that we shouldn't judge someone for sinning differently to we do, somehow we don't expect the same treatment in return. So we tend to be as real as we possibly can without offending people; we compromise our true self to the point where we think we will be accepted by society. There are three problems with this:

One, it's wrong. As Christians we are meant to shine as bright lights in a world of darkness, not blend into the murk. So even if we are hated for who we are, we should not stop being true to who God created us to be.

Two, we end up isolating ourselves and others, which compounds loneliness and creates the myth that no one has ever felt what we have. In reality, we are always far less alone than we think we are, and if we were more vulnerable with each other, then more people would realize there are more people out there that have shared the same experience.

And three, the focus is us. Whilst ever we are focused on ourselves, we can be guaranteed life will be a lot harder to live. We become selfish and me-centered which in turn looks out for only our own needs and ignores the world of hurt reaching out to us.

So just where should our focus be when we are striving to become real? In this process of learning what it means to be truly authentic, I kept coming back to this passage in Philippians:

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. - Phil. 2:3-4 KJV

If we were busy looking to the needs and interests of others more so than our own, wouldn't our own wants shrink in the light of serving others? Doesn't showing Christ's love to others mean more than protecting our own hearts? Isn't being vulnerable with someone a greater sign of trust in God and a desire to love than hiding it deep inside? Since when was loving like Jesus loved a 'safe' thing?

It was at this point I began thinking - what exactly does it mean to be "real"? When is it a good thing to be vulnerable? How honest should I be with how human I am, and in what context? To whom and how should I bare my heart? It was in my pondering these things that I came up with a meaning and also an acronym for what "real" is:

Reaching

Everyone with

Authentic

Love

Everything we do should be in order to show love to people. All we think, say, and do should be embodied by the love of Christ. So how can we do that unless we are being real? I believe that being real is to reach people with an authentic love; a love that loves in spite of hurt, betrayal, and hate. A love that is willing to be vulnerable in order to give another person the opportunity to love a fellow fallen human. A love that doesn't mind baring its heart to someone to show them that they are not alone in their dark struggles. A love that isn't afraid to love. How can love be real if we are fake?


Over the years I bought into the lie that I could love people without opening up to them. I could love without baring my heart, or being vulnerable. I could hug people from arm's length. I could listen, comfort and encourage without investing any of my soul in them. But that simply isn't true. The kingdom of God is all about investing ourselves in people through His love wholeheartedly. God hates a half-hearted sacrifice. In my desire to protect myself, what I was really doing was doubting God's ability to uphold me should I give of myself to people who could hurt me. I was keeping back part of the sacrifice just as Saul did.

“But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” 

But Samuel replied, 

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
your burnt offerings and sacrifices
or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! To obey is better than sacrifice,
and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king." - 1 Sam. 15:20-23 NLT

Ouch. God wants my full obedience when it comes to loving. If Jesus could love even His own betrayer, and give Himself completely over to death and the pain of loving and forgiving those who killed Him, who am I to withhold being real out of a desire to protect myself?

So to answer the question, "when should I be real?", it's found in the word. Reaching Everyone with Authentic Love. Wherever you are given the opportunity to love someone in an authentic way, be real. Wherever you can show Christ's love in the face of the bitterest hurts, backstabbings, or broken trusts, be real. It is obedience to the greatest command of all.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. - Jn. 13:34-35 NKJV

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. - 1 Jn. 4:11 NKJV

It is obedience, and it is a sacrifice. It is a sacrifice to obey the command of love in a real way. You sacrifice your comfort, your safety, your certainty. It's daring and it's scary, but you have a God bigger than your capacity to give and greater than your capacity to love. To love authentically takes great faith in God, but it reaps precious rewards. One of the most amazing rewards being that, the more love you give, the more love of God you see extended to you. And who doesn't want to see more of the glory of God's own love for them?

So love. Be brave. Be real. Dare to be you, by reaching everyone with authentic love. Don't settle for the façade. Choose to give the real thing - Christ's undying love in you.

“the way to love someone is to lightly run your finger over that person's soul until you find a crack, and then gently pour your love into that crack.” - Keith Miller

Related reading: Boycotting the Masquerade

I've been stewing on this blog post for months. It is so multifaceted that I was having trouble working out whether it should be one blog post or several. So hang on to your hats, and open your hearts. This is a biggie.

 In looking around at the world lately, I've noticed a rather serious problem to which there are numerous contributors. I was having trouble pinpointing which one was the exact cause, however now, I do believe that I have finally been able to boil it down to one common denominator -

Christians.

I'm aware that is a harsh, not-entirely-true statement, but as painful as it is to admit, we Christians have caused a fair chunk of trouble in our culture by the conflict between us. The result is that it creates a mixed message for the rest of the world: the very ones who are meant to be a light to the lost hide their candle under a bed. The ones who were meant to carry the peace and love of Christ throw stones and shoot poisonous barbs. We argue relentlessly over so many different issues, yet claim to all believe the same thing. Our lives are often visibly riddled with sin, and yet we have the audacity to point fingers at the world. We say that as Christians, we all serve the same God and yet we split into a hundred-and-one different denominations and try to persuade non-believes to come to "our church" (no, not that church down the road, nah, it's weeeiiird...). When you step back and take a good long look at the body of Christ as a whole, one can't help but shake their head. Small wonder atheists don't want bar of what we have to say! Our lives and words simply do not line up: our "one God" concept simply does not compute to them when we are all so busy mudslinging our "allies".

 I'd love to say that worldly people are the only ones to suffer this "Christianity", but sadly, it does more damage on the inside. Christians attack Christians with judgement, ridicule, condemnation and slander left right and centre. They bicker and quibble over the dumbest things in stupidly extensive debates, throwing around hefty punches via words like "heresy", "sin" and "hellfire". Now don't get me wrong, I love a good discussion. Get me in a room full of Christians and a chewy subject, and I am like a kid in a candy store. Sharpening each other through debate and discussion is an awesome thing, however I'm noticing more and more that instead of discussing something for the benefit and exhortation of all parties involved, people nitpick, split hairs, and vengefully argue over the most insignificant and pointless topics; slamming fists, pointing fingers, and blatantly telling each other they are wrong. It seems as though a Christian debate has evolved into something that must be won, rather than be a place to freely express your perspective of a truth for the edification of others. Is it just me, or does it seem hypocritical of us to be so consumed with the nitty-gritty, ridiculously irrelevant topics that we miss the big picture of who Jesus is in the conversation, completely ignoring the fact we should be encouraging one another with humility, love and grace?

 It may be just my little ol' opinion, but I truly think there are some debate topics that aren't worth the time debating, and trust me - I've seen some doozies. I came across a webpage not long ago dedicated to exposing the evil of owls, Scriptural references and all (including the way the devil is using hot air balloons as a satanic metaphor. No joke). I've seen a well-meaning person write a lengthy blog post on the dangerous undertone and rebellious message communicated in a completely-removed-from-context Disney song. I've also seen full blown discussions on completely hypothetical situations, such as the question of whether or not there was a race of people preceding the first Adam. (wha??!)

 Honestly, am I alone in the belief that we Christians take ourselves wayyyy too seriously sometimes? Even if the topic is legitimately worth discussing, I've seen almost every debate begin by drawing a line in the dirt, and everyone taking a side. It's like a huge multiplayer boxing fight, where there are no holds barred, and if you can't beat someone up, you attempt to drag them across to your side of the line. I'm not going to pretend that I'm innocent of this. There have been times I was quite passionately involved in a discussion, and I allowed my temper to flare in the most unbecoming and unloving manner. But later, as I inevitably mull over the conversation, it slowly dawns on me:

 What was the point?

 I mean, is it really my job to persuade someone of something? If it's true, won't God prove that to them in time? Everyone is on a journey, so why should I get so wound up because someone doesn't keep pace with me? If we really stopped and took the time to think about it, perhaps the reality would catch up with us that, if what we believe is actually the truth, and if our fellow believer is seeking after God wholeheartedly, shouldn't we just rest in that knowledge and trust that God will reveal that self same truth to them in due course? Could we perhaps take a pause for the daunting idea that maybe we don't have all the answers ourselves? Or, what if - wait for it - we happen to both be right?

 Heaven forbid! That would mean there’s no winner! Because Christianity is totally about competition, right?

 Ahem. I digress.

 I think part of the problem is that I've noticed that a lot of Christians have taken 1 Corinthians 6:1-5 and grossly misapplied it. It reads:

 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?If then ye have judgements of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 1 Cor 6:2-4

 This passage has become a license for many to bag out their brother as much as they like. They often quote Matthew 7:1-2 in their defense; that we are meant to judge other Christians, but to be careful how we do it because we will be judged the same. So if I have convictions and beliefs about certain issues that you do not, it's my God-given duty to pound my point into your thick skull until you concede, and thus, I've saved your now-miserable-hide from hell. Or the wrath of God, at the very least.

 Please. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, we are meant to exhort one another in truth and love [Eph. 4:15, 2 Tim. 4:2]. However it's important to note the difference between freedom from the law, and sin. If you read through Paul's letters in the New Testament, you will see that Paul often takes the time to list a great many things that are sins of the flesh that should be put off with our old man [see 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:19-21, Eph. 5:5]. Looking at those lists, I get a fair idea what God calls sin (for a more in depth study, research the Biblical definition of what sin actually is). These things all separate us from God in drastic ways, and damage our relationships with people. Big time. To call something sin is a huge deal - God takes it seriously, and so should we. Just looking at a brother with anger God equates with murder (Matt. 5:22), so whenever we are selfish with our belongings, begrudging in our giving, or harsh with our words, we are sinning. Thankfully though, Jesus paid the price for our sins so that we can live free of condemnation. Though God does convict us of areas in our lives that need to be surrendered to Him more fully to work on (sometimes made aware to us through other people's exhortation and/or rebuke) He no longer imputes our sin against us because are washed by the blood of Jesus and made righteous by His death and resurrection. Which leads me to wonder: if God Himself no longer judges us for our sin, can there be any reason for us to judge one another? Food for thought. Moving on.

 So in light of what sin is, we can now see what sin is not. Paul addresses many issues concerning Christian living in his epistles, yet I am intrigued by the fact that so many of the things I get hammered for from other Christians are never mentioned by Paul in the context of sin, dead works, the flesh, immorality, or the devil. How is it so many Christians see fit to tell their siblings in Christ that they going to hell because they wear jeans, or that they are sinning because they listen to rock music? Where do people get the idea that eating meat is a big no-no, and that you're worshipping satan if you celebrate the Sabbath on a Saturday? In what context is ridiculing a girl for her high modesty standards in dress ever a good thing? Why do people think they can judge against doctrines of faith, healing, or God’s provision? What makes other Christians want to sharpen their pitchforks if they see me standing at the pulpit - as a woman - to deliver a message God has given me to speak? Who has been given authority to point the finger at someone who does (or doesn’t) celebrate Christmas and/or birthdays? By what reasoning do they fire shots at each other for doing something work related on a Sunday? And who gives these Christians the right to publicly slander, ridicule and tear down speakers or preachers in the eyes of others - some of them being confused unbelievers wondering what on earth these weird Christians are doing to their own? And I haven't even mentioned the other judgment-fodder pick-a-side topics such as Calvinism vs. Arminianism, cessation or continuation of spiritual gifts, predestination, and God's sovereignty yet!

 It's intriguing to look at just what it was Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for. Many people use Jesus' harsh statements such as "brood of vipers" to slander prominent speakers today for preaching doctrines they don't agree with. However false doctrine was not Jesus' reason for calling them names. Gasp! He even said to do as they told you, not to do as they did [Matt. 23:3]. The scribes and Pharisees' crime was not that they obeyed the law. It was because they believed they could be saved by it without Jesus. When we focus too much on our behaviour and what we need to be doing for God, it is dangerously easy to start inserting our own own opinions between the lines of Scripture. When we focus too much on the law, we lose sight of our relationship with God and begin placing undue emphasis on rules. We begin inserting our beliefs and perspectives into God's Word and call it law.

 It is very difficult to write an article like this that addresses the point without coming across in the very way I’m speaking against (“You need to quit judging and start loving! I’m judging you for judging!” ie, not cool). Even whilst I am against division and for love, it’s very easy to come across in the same attacking way I am in opposition to, so please hear me right: I'm not saying that there is no merit to discussing things like what I mentioned above. I'm not saying we shouldn’t study the Word and find out what God says about these issues. I'm not saying that any/all of these points are petty arguments. They're not. And I'm certainly not arguing here whether any of the previously mentioned accusations are right or wrong. It is important to know what God says about these doctrines, and it is important to examine everything [1 Thess. 5:21]. But traditions of man are incredibly subtle, and it can be so easy to allow ourselves to be dominated by our own opinions, and "facts" we have been told rather than what the Bible actually says. It's so easy for us to assume something is a "sin" because we have labelled it that way. I’m also not discounting conviction. We are all so vastly different, and Paul acknowledges that if we can not do something in faith, then it is sin for us [Romans 14]. I’m also not advocating that there is no such thing as sin. Not in the least.

 But really, what if we truly took to heart the fact that a person’s walk with God is between only them and God? Would we interfere a lot less? If we truly believed God was as powerful and authoritative as He truly is, wouldn’t we have more faith in His power of convicting someone of legitimate sin then in our own abilities of pointing it out? Again, not to say there is never a place for that; it can be a blessing to have someone who has sought God and as a result, brought an issue to your attention. But though we have the ability to draw one's attention to something, it does not mean we are obligated to make them change.

 I have started writing this blog post about a dozen times. It started off firstly, about why a lot of Christians scare me. They scare me because they judge, ridicule, trample, and condemn other Christians for their beliefs, or else they patronize and treat them as if they’re inferior, ignorant, or rebellious because they differ to their opinion of what God's Word says about certain issues. The next time I attempted to touch this topic, I came at it from a law vs. grace tack; how we are all so diverse in our understandings and opinions, that we should have the same grace for one another's differences the way God does. The last time I tried to write this post, I called it "The Debate Debate" and was going to expand on the pointlessness of so many topics for debate Christians waste their time getting divisive over. This time, I realized I could boil this whole mess down to one point: Christians.

 Guys, the very word means "little Christ". In Him we live and move, and have our being. Sure, we might be human, but we are joined together not by our beliefs, opinions, or perspectives, we are joined by a Person, and the blood He shed for us. We need to stop arguing over trivial matters that divide us over and over again. We need to stop judging, condemning, and pointing fingers. We need to stop trying to win fights; we need to stop squeezing people into our me-sized boxes. I think we try too hard to play God sometimes. We feel like if we don't say something about how short that girl's skirt is, she's going to hell for sure. Or if we don't tell that punk his music is evil, God won't hear his prayers. Honestly, God is bigger than we give Him credit for. We are brothers and sisters for goodness' sake. If we are all striving toward the common goal of becoming more and more like Jesus, do we really need to split hairs over what food we eat, or what day we set apart? Is it really going to encourage a person in the Lord? Wouldn't it be better to ask that person how they're doing, and if they'd like a listening ear? Wouldn't it mean more to a Christian brother or sister if you told them that they were doing a great job and that God loves them, rather than tearing them down for their faults that I am certain they are already well aware of? The sad truth is that it is easier to forget God's love for us than it is our own failings. Most Christians have enough trouble bringing their shortcomings to God, let alone having their own siblings hate on them for their taste in clothes or movies.

 I loved how Jesus never told a sinner outright that they were a sinner. He never went and told the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the liars, the thieves, or the outcasts that what they were doing was wrong. He never told them to get into shape before He called them. He loved them where they were at. Jesus, the Son of God, who knew everything and knew every detail of the truth in all its fullness, with nothing at all hidden, could've shared the deepest secrets and the boldest truths of how terrible hell is and how bad sin is. But instead, He chose to tell them about the Father who loved them more than they could imagine. And isn't that what we are called to do? Why should we waste our time, our words and our energy trying to prove our own silly points when there is a world of people out there who simply need to be told there's a God who loves them? There are millions of people dying for love, and yet we sit at home on our computers and debate eschatology. Aren't we awesome little pharisees?

 Recently a passage of Scripture has really challenged me. It's not one that gets spoken about a whole heap. Probably because it's really hard, and everyone kind of squirms if you think about taking it seriously. It's found in Philippians, and it goes like this:

 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. - Phil. 2:1-4

 If the verse concerning being of one accord and one mind wasn't scary enough, the idea of considering other people better than yourself is enough to put you on shaky legs. As a result of meditating on this passage, I have invented a game, which I will now dare you to play. The object of the game, is to lose. If you find yourself as a winner, you have lost. You can only win by losing, and letting anyone know that you've won negates your winning. For a quick example, letting someone have the last word in a debate without rising to defend yourself, you win by your apparent loss. Getting the last word and stumping the other person looks like you've scored, but you actually lost.

 Try this in everything: conversations, debates, traffic lights, grocery shopping queues, buffet lines, arguments, you name it. The object of the game is for everyone else to be better than you. It's a hard game. I've not won many times. The temptation to have the last word, to make a point, to take the first place, or the best piece of pie; selfishness is so hardwired into us that it is a difficult habit to break. But the only way to fulfill the first half of this passage, is to work on the last half. It brings to mind the last part of the passage in 1 Corinthians that is often overlooked:

 Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to the law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? - 1 Cor. 6:7

 Indeed, why not, I say. Can you dare to let someone else be right, despite what you believe? Could you perhaps allow someone to have an opinion, without calling them a sinner for it? Would you dare to look foolish, cheated, or accept a wrong in order to keep unity among the brethren? Is it really so hard for us to swallow our pride and allow the other person to discover the truth on their own? There is a time and place for everything else concerning rebuke and reproof, but for the most part, I think it's high time we laid aside our arguing and simply shut up and love people.

 Above all things, have a fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. - 1 Pet. 4:8

For further reading:
Why Unity in the Church & Amongst Us Really Matters
"You're Going to Go to Hell!"
Christian Hate
So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore

 Breath rasping with the agony of what she was about to do, the woman pressed the object of her hope to the rough bloodstained stone. Drawing a cocked pistol, she held the trembling barrel to her target. This dream had become a dagger in her heart that she could no longer live with. At least if it were dead, she would no longer have to bear the pain of keeping a living sacrifice on the altar, would she?

But as eyes met hers, she wavered. For how could she kill in cold blood a dream that bore a human face?

I wish we knew some passionate musicians.

Not just musicians. They are dime a dozen. No, truly passionate musicians. Not just people who like music, or learnt piano once, or like to strum a guitar. People who are obsessed with music, in all it's forms.


 The kind of people who, if let into a music store, heaven help you to get them out. The kind of obsessed that their interest is piqued if they see an instrument anywhere, whose fingers itch and cannot be kept still whilst ever there is one available in the room.

The kind of person who listens to music all the time, not just to enjoy it, but to be inspired, and who cannot keep an epic riff or an awesome strings section to themselves.

Someone who loves to sing any and everywhere all the time; who tries to hit every note, and if they can't, practises till the can.

Perfectionist people who have a good ear. People who value quality music, well written, and well performed. Those who know an expensive instrument when they see it, and can tell you more about it.

The kind of people if you got together with them, you would not be able to shut up about music, recording interfaces, the best brands, styles, learning by ear or music, and other artists.

People who love to jam: get into a room together full of instruments and just rock out to whatever someone suggests, because they know how to play on the fly.

The kind of people who feel empty without something to make music with, who in those moments, resort to getting an awesome clapping/slapping rhythm section going with their siblings so they have something to sing over.

Those who would resort to music in any form whilst bored, even if that means playing a tiny guitar at the back of a queue, and getting people to join in and sing.
People who care about passion in a musician's heart more than anything. They appreciate enthusiasm even if the player isn't very good. They encourage people that everything is achievable with hard work, so keep at it.

The kind of folks who cannot walk past buskers in the mall, or ignore the musicians playing at a fair without going up to them and watching, learning, and asking questions. The kind of person who hears live music at a venue, and seeks it out. They must, or curiosity will kill them.

Passionate individuals who see a new instrument, or a new way of playing and instantly wants to buy one and learn it, or apply the new technique they've just seen.

People who can't wait to share their latest song they've written, and ask for ideas on how to improve it, and what instruments would go where.

 Those who want to copy and mimic their favourite artists. People who hear a song and work insanely at it to make it sound exactly like the recording.

 People who actually enjoy, and love to perform. Not out of pride, or a desire to be in the spotlight, but out of a desire to entertain, and to put smiles on faces. Who get a high out of hitting the final note in front of a crowd. People who may still be nervous about it, but the love of giving people enjoyment through their talents override it.
 People who live and breathe music, recognising it as one of God's greatest gifts to mankind. The kind of people who understand what it's like to raise their hands to God during powerful anthems of Amazing Grace whilst standing in church, and feeling the music wash over them as the Holy Spirit whispers in their soul.

 People who give their gifts back to their Saviour through music; expressing their hearts in the language of music that they speak.


 People like us. People like my siblings and I, who have done all of the above.

 And I wish we knew more people like us...

...Because they would understand.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that there is a certain aspect of God's Word that I am deeply passionate about, but for the most part, I also keep deeply hidden. For some people - including dear friends - this subject is extremely touchy, and it has kept me from speaking about it openly. It's a topic that has a hairline boundary between being extremely offensive, finger-pointing, judgmental, and compassionless, and being practical, faith-based, Gospel-infused, fruitful, and a blessing. It can fall into the basket of either miracle or blasphemy, truth or heresy. People can be slandered and criticized for it, or abandoned and judged over it. Many claim it as a good thing, still others believe that it isn't always good or needed. However one day when I sat down to my daily devotions, I felt compelled to pull out a notebook and write down every piece of Scriptural evidence I could find and in my own words, state exactly where I stand on this topic. When I was pondering my next blog post, this piece of writing came to mind, and I felt that now was the right time to share it.

The topic, as I'm sure you have guessed by now, is healing. Is it God's will for you to be well, or is it His design to teach you something through your suffering? Do miraculous healings still happen today or did those miracles pass away with the disciples? If I pray for healing, will God say yes or no? All of these questions I have attempted to address in one big statement of faith - if you will - on why I believe that yes, it is God's will for you to be healed, and yes, miracles still happen today. Copying from my notes, I've addressed each point with a question that I endeavor to answer from the Bible. This will probably be a heavy and long read, so either feel free to skip reading this one, or hold onto your hats. Here we go.

1. What does the Bible say about sickness?

The first mention of sickness in the Bible is in reference to Jacob when his death was drawing near. However otherwise, the first time it is mentioned in the context synonymous with "disease" is in Exodus 23:25 - So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and water, and I will take the sickness away from the midst of you. The first reference of the word "disease" in the Bible is Exodus 15:26 - If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you. Sin brought the curse into the world and according to Deuteronomy 28, sickness and disease are part of that curse. So in the Old Testament, whilst there was no atonement for sin, those living under the curse as a result of disobedience suffered sickness. Notice how disobedience to God was what caused sickness to fall upon the Egyptians? Living in opposition to God is operating in the curse, and that curse includes sickness and disease. Also notice how God does not say that He is that God that inflicts pain and disease, but He is the God that heals us. It was people's own behaviour that brought physical calamity on themselves, not God (note: this isn't to say that if someone is sick today it's because they're rebelling against God. Bad stuff, i.e., sickness, also happens as a result of living in a fallen world. I'll refer to this later).

2. Is it God's will we be healed?

No one who came to Jesus for healing was refused. Not for any reason. This should be a big enough piece of proof that it's God's will to heal every time, but I'll proceed. Jesus healed every single person bound under the curse of sickness. Mark 1:41 removes all doubt of God's willingness to heal - Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing." Jesus didn't say that He was willing to heal this man specifically, but was speaking as a whole. He is willing to heal, and that willingness encompasses everyone. Almost every instance of a healing miracle in the New Testament is proceeded by the glorifying of God. This proves that God is not glorified in sickness, but in health and healing. Matthew 15:31 - So the multitudes marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. The miracles and healings of Jesus were the precursor to what He would empower all Christians to do upon His death and resurrection. Before He died, He could only heal those who came to Him, because Jesus was bound by His physical body. But Jesus intended to pay the price of sickness and disease, pay the price of the curse with Himself so that people all over the world may be healed, and made spiritually whole. Isaiah 53:4-5 says that by His stripes - the price repaid - we are healed. Galatians 3:13 says that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law (read sickness, as it is included in the curse) having become the curse for us and in 5:1, we can stand in the liberty in which Christ has made us free. Sickness and disease are not of God, but Jesus bought back our health and healing by the wounds He suffered; notice the past tense of 1 Peter 2:24 - by His stripes we were healed (emphasis mine). Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death, which is the curse (Rom. 8:2). Therefore we are now called to live in the freedom of His blessing. James 1:25 - But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it... is blessed in what he does. Romans 4:7-8 now refers to us if we have accepted the atonement of Jesus and have given our lives to Him. So we are now able to lay claim to and live in all the blessings listed in the first part of Deuteronomy 28.

Now before I go any further, bear in mind that a sick person is still perfectly capable of glorifying God through their trials. No matter what we may suffer, we are still called to glorify God through every circumstance. Having said that, I don't believe that God's Word says that being sick, suffering, poor or otherwise needy in some way is a condition that glorifies God. We as individuals may glorify Him through such a situation, but that does not mean God has put his "blessing" on a curse. The church has somehow twisted things that are inherently bad, and are calling them "good" - 'The sickness was a good thing because God taught me patience', 'it was of God that we lived in poverty so long because we learnt to trust Him more' etc. This mindset is not Biblical. God can - and does - use any and every bad circumstance and situation for our own good, but this does not mean that God inflicted those things upon us. We live in a world overrun by the devil, and we often live with the effects of his evilness. However God can use what the devil meant for bad for good in all our lives. He brings good things out of the bad the devil puts upon us, and though God does this, it does not mean we should assume it was His will for it to happen in the first place. James 1:16-17 says do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Isaiah also warns in 5:20 - Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! God is only the giver of good things. So though sickness is a bad thing and God can still be glorified through it, God is not the author or giver of the curse, and He is not glorified in the enemy's devices. Luke 11:11-13 says: which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! We can always trust that God knows more than we do what is good, and it is not a matter of God loving us so much He would inflict us with something terrible for our own well-being, but more that God has even better things in store for us than we can even imagine.

3. The question of Job and Paul.

Firstly, it can't be assumed that the devil truly needed God's permission to inflict what he did on Job. The devil is not one who has ever nor will ever bow to God's authority, so why should this scenario have been any different? It could be that God already knew exactly what the devil was planning and simply let him know that He knew. It's more than likely that the devil was being highly sarcastic and knew it would hurt God more to torture Job than to kill him outright. I don't believe that passage can be taken on face value, since Job is also the oldest book of the Bible, his knowledge and revelation of who God is and how he works is a lot more obscure than in later books. I could warble on a lot longer about different things I've learnt concerning the book of Job, but those are a few thoughts to chew over.

As to why it happened, notice the calamities did not seem to come as a surprise to Job? Why is this? It would seem Job opened his door to destruction as he states in 3:25 - the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. It seems apparent that the devil took advantage of Job's thought life and greatest fears. It is often what we meditate on the most that comes to pass, whether it be good or bad.

I don't believe it was God's doing or God's will for Job to suffer what he did. What happened to Job was a result of living in a fallen worled where sins, curses and the devil exist. Job may have opened the door for his destruction through his worry and fear, yet God in His goodness used it for Job's good. I think the lesson we can take from Job is that though terrible things happen to us in the world, we can "be of good cheer, because Christ has overcome the world" (Jn. 16:33). This means that even though the devil causes bad things to happen (NOT God) we can be confident that in Him we can overcome them and that God will use it all for our good (Rom. 8:28). As you see in the story of Job, God brought him out of his destructions and set him on high, blessing him beyond measure. He overcame.

As for Paul, firstly, there is no true record that the "messenger of Satan" was a sickness. Also, you'll note that Paul suffered much at the hands of others for the Gospel's sake, not suffered sickness as a trial to be endured for the diseases' sake. God told Paul "His Grace was sufficient for him". What grace? The same grace that caused God to send His Son to die for him and to pay the price for his need. Paul was being told that he had the power and authority in Christ by God's grace to rise above this trial. We may be persecuted by others for the Word's sake, however God would never inflict us with a disease or illness to make us "trust Him more". Though God uses these things, it is never His design or will for us to remain in them. Notice that later, Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:11 that all the persecutions and afflictions he endured... out of them all the Lord delivered him (emphasis mine). The grace that is sufficient (definition: enough to meet one's needs, plenty of, ample, abundant) is the grace that caused Jesus to die nailed to a cross to give us access to God and qualify us for all His blessings, and redemption from the curse. That includes freedom from illness and disease.

4. Receiving healing.

Here's the bit that gets tricky. Actually, it really is rather simple, but a lot of speakers and fanatics have clouded the waters of this point, so I will try my best to make it clearer.

Over and over in the Bible, particularly the New Testament, Jesus commends those who had the faith to be healed and told several it was by their own faith that they were made whole. Everyone's mind has now leapt to the fabled "faith healing" movement, where if you conjure up enough positive energy within yourself, you'll make "enough faith" for you to be healed. This is not true. You don't need "enough faith" to the point where you have no doubt that God won't heal you. Faith healing movements really put an enormous blight on the truth and have misconstrued God's design for us to receive healing. Faith, put in laymen's terms, is simply believing it is indeed God's will for you to be healed. No great hocus-pocus or trying to prove faith to yourself by immense positive thinking. In order to be healed, we must simply believe it is His will (the same as we must believe that God is when we receive salvation) and stand on His Word and His truth about the promise and blessing of our healing. Speaking out what God has promised to you releases the power of His Word to transform your life (Heb. 4:12). It is not simply putting on a set of blinkers and ignoring the fact you are sick. It's not denying and lying about your condition. It is choosing to believe what God's Word says over what your body says. Just as we must believe what God says about our salvation, so we are to believe His Word about our healing. And this does not just apply to healing, it applies to every promise of God, whether that be His promise of children to childless couples (Ps. 128:3), His promise of provision (Matt. 6:26), His promise of safety (Ps. 91), or His promise of guidance (Is. 30:21). All of these things are received by the faith and belief that God is faithful and just to keep His promises (Heb. 10:23). This isn't to say that we are all healed based on our own works or our own merit, but rather it is laying claim to what Jesus provided for us. God is not a forceful God. He will not force anything upon us, not even blessing. It is up to us to step out in faith to receive that for which He has made available for us.

5. What about the ones who weren't healed?

Who am I to say why.

That's my honest answer. I cannot see into the spiritual realm. I cannot see into a person's past, and how different thought processes, experiences, and circumstances may have shaped the individual and predict why healing did not come about. I can't tell you why that good Christian lady died of cancer when she prayed for healing. I can't see what the devil is doing. I can't understand everything that happens. But should this change my perception or my understanding of what I can see God's Word says is true? God has told us that the devil comes to kill, steal, and destroy (Jn. 10:10), so it is true that the devil has indeed stolen many lives through sickness and disease. Perhaps those people didn't understand that God wanted them well. Perhaps they didn't understand that they needed to believe it was God's will all along for them to be healed. Maybe they spoke the words, but didn't believe in their heart. Maybe they allowed their hearts and minds to be overridden with fear and doubt and disbelief that hindered God's Word from making a difference in their lives. How can I know? I can't. But should I allow the circumstances I don't understand change my opinion of God's truth? Does the Bible change because the devil wins a fight? It does not change. The Jesus that healed every person who came to Him is the same today as He was then (Heb. 13:8) and His promises are for the here and now (2 Cor. 1:20, 2 Cor. 6:2). The results are not up to me. I am only called to do one thing: and that is to stand on God's Word. He will do what He has promised. God has called us to heal the sick, and cast out demons (Matt. 10:8), not to understand why someone did not get healed. We are called to obey, not to question. So whether I see immediate results or not, when God tells me to pray for someone that they may be healed, I will praise God and thank Him that He is faithful, that He is good and the giver of good things, and that He will perform His Word; if not now, later (Is. 55:11).

I'm reminded of a quote from the movie Facing the Giants, where the coach says "if we win, we praise Him, if we lose, we praise Him". Regardless of the outcome, whether healing is seen or not, God is still good, and still worthy of our praise. We can seek Him and ask for His wisdom that we might know what could be hindering our healing, but God's Word is still true. His promises will still be performed. It's not our job to "heal" people. It's God's. So regardless of what results or lack of results I see, I will pray for people with the faith that God meant what He said when He said "I am the Lord that heals you". I will pray with the conviction God is true to His promises. I will pray with the assurance it is indeed His will - always - for you to be healed and whole. And I will pray that above all things, regardless of the circumstances, the outcome, or the final result, that above everything, God will be glorified.

Because if I am not glorifying God by loving His people, I am nothing. If I hurt people by preaching at them that they can be healed if they seek God and stand on His Word without any hint of love or compassion, I'm nothing less than a monster. How am I to know that God won't use this person just the way they are to reach people I could never reach? Though I believe it's God's will they overcome it, how am I to be sure God won't use their experiences to touch people I could never relate to? Healing is just one of God's many tools to reach people and love people. If it is not used with love, compassion and grace, then healing can just as easily be a bad thing. So though I speak all of this with solid conviction, it is in no way meant to condemn or belittle. The amazing thing about God is that He will always meet us wherever we are found, and it doesn't matter what we may be working through or suffering. His grace is sufficient. Through His victory, we can overcome whatever trial the devil may put in our way. And whether or not you agree or completely disagree with this post, I think that the one thing we can agree on is that we are loved by an incredibly awesome God and regardless of where we are on this road to eternity, He is faithful to bring us into that place where every tear will be wiped away in the end.

Thankyou for taking the time to read this. I truly would love to hear your thoughts (even if you totally disagree with me) so feel free to leave a comment!

Hello there, blogosphere! I must give you all my heartfelt apologies for the lull in my blogging of late. That thing they call life swallowed me alive, however since all of you are probably rolling your eyes and wondering if that's just a fancy way of saying I've been procrastinating on Pinterest and Instagram (Oh alright, yeah, that too), I'm giving you an update on what's happening in my life right now - proof that I really am doing stuff and not using "life" as an excuse.

Firstly, since my last post, I turned 22. I'm officially starting to feel old, yet at the same time it makes me see others around me much younger than I used to. "Oh, you're only thirty? That's not that old." Having said that, I honestly don't think I will ever feel the age that I am. Or look it. I was taken for a sixteen year old again a couple of weeks ago. I don't believe my inner child will ever let my outer self grow up. Moving on...

Earlier this year, I enrolled for and was accepted by Andrew Wommack's Charis Bible college that has just opened up in QLD. I am currently studying via correspondence. The decision to do Bible college was not any easy one to make, as I didn't receive clear guidance on whether or not it was something God did or didn't want me to do, however since I've begun, I'm beginning to think it was the right choice. I am loving the teaching, and am learning so much. Typically I should do three hours two days a week, but since my life is pretty hectic, I find it easy to get behind, so I'm going to be switching it up to two-ish hours three days a week in order to keep on top of it. But the study is easy, and the exams are simple enough for someone like me to accomplish, and though at this stage I don't think second year and a move to Queensland is in God's plan for me, I think this year will be very rewarding.

Keeping up with housework has been one of the major biggies when it comes to taking up my time; the older I get, the more responsibility I take on. I love it though. Keeps me busy feeling productive and helpful with the rest of the family.

Along with that, music has been another big part of my life. What with recently becoming a worship leader at church and music practises switching to once a week instead of once a fortnight (so much yes) the amount of time we spend together jamming in our garage-turned-studio has substantially increased, and the time spent at church playing with the musos will also go up. My siblings and I have also been endeavouring to write and record our own original songs, and I'm excited to announce that we have our first unofficial "single" up on YouTube, which you can hear here. I'd love to hear any thoughts you might have on it! We hope to get some more up on there soon, once we get them recorded. My brother +Honda Boy has become quite proficient at recording and mixing, and manages to persuade his assortment of recording equipment to make us all sound a lot more tolerable than I could on my own, so keep an ear out for updates.

Graphic designing has also had a booming season, with several of my first paid jobs underway, and doing working for one of my favourite customers, +Katie Daniels with her Supervillains series. (shameless plug there. Go and check it out.) I've been really excited to design the logo for a friend's sound studio, my second time creating a logo. Logos are still not my strong point, yet I think with all this practise, I'll eventually get good enough at it to advertise it as another service I can provide. I do think book covers will always be my first love though.

As you can see, spare time is somewhat of a rare commodity in my life at the moment, and when I do happen to acquire some (generally due to the fact I've forgotten to do something important) I spend it eating, which leads to my recent decision to jog daily, and besides that, reading. I have a gigantisaurus reading list at the moment, just a handful of the gems I've read/been reading through are: The Me I Want to Be and Know Doubt by John Ortberg, Death by Living (again) by N.D. Wilson, The Sacred Search by Gary Thomas, How to Ruin Your Life by Thirty by Steve Farrar, and No Compromise by Melody Green. I won't bore you with the other fifty on my list. However what with all this reading, it also means I've been doing a lot of book reviewing too. Go check out Into the Book to see some of my latest scribblings about what I've read.

A couple of times of late I have had the special opportunity to give offering and communion messages at our church. I've really reveled in the challenge of putting down on paper the things God has given me/been teaching me in a message and presenting it to a congregation. Bizarrely, for all the things I dread and fear, public speaking and singing before a crowd are not things that I dread, and I really enjoy the experience. Along the lines of church, last term myself and two of my brothers were invited by a friend to attend his Bible study/discipleship group which we have been attending one night every week. It's been very insightful and challenging, and I thoroughly enjoy being in the company of like-minded Christian young adults with whom I can have meaty discussions with. It's grown me and helped shape up in certain areas of my walk with God in many ways. I may be heading up one of these nights this term on the topic of doubt, for which I'm praying for guidance and insight as to what I should share and how I should put that together. I'm looking forward to seeing how God brings out my desire to speak and write messages over the course of this next school term.

Over the past couple of weeks, since they have been school holidays, we also spent some time visiting some old friends of my Mum's, and having friends drop in, visit, and stay over. There have been a few instances where we also went over to Tahlee, a Bible college campus type ministry to help our adoptive grandparents cater for school camps and tours coming through. That was a tremendously satisfying experience, serving a room full of guests meals and morning tea, getting to wear caps and aprons, and bustling around the kitchen together. Serving as a family in a different setting is hard work, but such rewarding fun!

Well - I do believe that has caught y'all up with what has been keeping me busy over the last few months! And with that, I've also been tagged by the delightful +Elizabeth Kirkwood over at her blog and I thought this post would be a good excuse to throw a few random facts at you, if you are indeed still interested enough to be reading (hurrah for you if you are! You deserve a medal). The rules are pretty basic: provide 11 hopefully not-boring facts about myself, answer 11 questions, and then ask my readers 11 different questions. Mwahaha! Okay, so here goes -

1. My fringe goes curly when I cut it.
2. I love every genre of music except heavy metal and rap.
3. I think nothing beats old books.
4. I print in capitals, and my cursive is messy.
5. I'm a pyromaniac.
6. I think coffee is amazing, and tea is not coffee.
7. I relate with Eleanor from Sense & Sensibility.
8. My fictional soul sister is Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
9. I chew my lip and/or tilt my head when I'm thinking or processing.
10. My personality adapts to different people when I'm with them.
11. The one Bible verse I want to fulfill before I die is Isaiah 58:6.

And now for mon Shawnie's questions (I swear, I will complain at you loudly for making them so hard next time I talk to you, missy)

1.  Would you rather freeze to death or be burned alive?
How about not dying?! Probably freeze, even though I hate the cold. I think it'd be less painful.

2.  What is the prettiest sentence you read last?
Pretty, hrm... There is a kind of magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed. - Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.

3.  If you were a bird, what kind of bird would you be?
Perhaps a sparrow. I know they are cared for by God.

4.  How many types of oranges can you name?
Uhhh... none. Unless you're talking about the colour, and then I'd say bronze, golden-brown, tawny, etc.

5.  Song you last listened to?
It was either Love Will Have the Final Word by Jason Gray, or Wake by Hillsong Y&F. And now that I've finished proofreading this, Giants Fall by Francesca Battistelli.

6.  Favorite superhero-franchise character, and why?
Did it have to be a hero? I plead Loki is a hero. A terrible, misunderstood, underappreciated hero. *nodnod* ... *sigh* Alright. Iron Man. He's an awful role model, but he makes me laugh. I like to laugh.

7.  What is your dream pair of socks like?
Ones that never lose their partners in the washing machine.

8.  What does your best friend do that always makes you laugh?
... Exists. Honestly, they don't even have to look at me sometimes to make me laugh.

9.  What does the word ‘lamppost’ mean to you?
Um, a lonely old English pole standing on the street? Why, is it meant to mean something significant?

10.  How would you describe the sun to someone who has never seen it before?
Depends on whether or not they know what light is. If they don't, I'd tell them to think of the opposite of darkness condensed into one spot that makes everything on earth visible.

11.  What is a favorite piece of poetry you’ve read in the 12 months?  (or further back, if you wish)
I honestly can't say. But it was definitely by either +Elizabeth Kirkwood or +Andrew Joyce. Although recently my sisters have been coming up with some clanger humorous poems that I've gotten a kick out of as well. XD

There. Done. Now for my questions...

1. What is the quickest way for you to fall asleep at night?
2. If you disappeared off the face of the earth and had to substitute a book character to take your place, which book character closest to your own personality would you choose?
3. What memory do you have that you believe has come to define a certain part of your character?
4. If you were called upon to give a speech on something you know a lot about and have had a lot of experience with, what topic would you choose?
5. What would you want your last words to be before you die?
6. What type of chocolate do you think should be the only acceptable variety?
7. Would you consider yourself a townie or a country kid?
8. What is something random or eccentric that you like or do that not many people know about?
9. If you lost your voice, and could only have music to speak for you, which artist would you choose to use the lyrics of?
10. How did you meet your best friend and what about them made them stick for you?
11. Is the cake a lie?

Thankyou for reading guys! And I'm not going to tag anyone. If you would like to answer the questions in the comments, or in blog posts of your own, go for it. I'd love to see what you come up with! I've got a few posts swirling in the back of my mind at the moment, so don't go too far away. I'll be back before too long. Thankyou again for reading, my lovely blog followers! I pray this finds you all well and enjoying life.

P.S. 
I know, some of you are probably wondered whatever happened to that writing competition I was going to host. Well don't worry. It's still on the way! Poke me about it, and I will hopefully get it up and running soon.