Category: encouragement

stop being comfortable

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Once I graduated from high school, I stepped outside of that Christian bubble that I had been sheltered by all of my life. I started meeting people at Uni and work who didn’t know God and I was often the only one who did.  It took me a while to understand that this difference facilitated a space for powerful opportunities to take place.

I have realised over the last few years that knowing Jesus and having a relationship with Him is important, but keeping it to yourself has very little impact. I have decided that this year, this is something that I want to change. I am a firm believer that neither your presence nor your absence within the church defines your relationship with God. Rather than solely focus on building and maintaining my current relationships, I want to actively and intentionally seek opportunities to create relationships with people that may not know God yet, so they too can find Jesus.

Personally, I find it easier to talk to strangers about my faith than to my close family or friends who do not share my beliefs. We tend to not only receive more judgement from those who we surround ourselves with on a regular basis, but we also value their opinions so much more. We have always been taught that ‘sharing is caring’, but how come we are so hesitant when it comes to sharing our faith?

I want to challenge myself this year to stop being satisfied with my current position; stop being comfortable. I want to challenge myself to reach beyond my comfort zone. It takes courage and a whole lot of faith, but if I can conquer that fear, then I am sure that amazing things can and will happen.

Keep smiling. x

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twenty fifteen.

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As the year has quickly come to an end, I am left reflecting on the lessons I have once again learnt and trust me, 2015 has taught me the most.

1. Trust carefully.
This year I have acknowledged the fact that I trust people way too easily. The reality is that people will disappoint you – it’s harsh, but it’s true and unfortunately it’s taken a few of these experiences for me to realise this. When you trust someone, you let down your walls and it is this vulnerability that can be so easily taken advantage of.

2. People come and go.
I see the people we encounter and connect with as one of two things: a message in a bottle or an anchor. They either come into your life merely to teach you a lesson, then just as quickly they drift and move on to be picked up by someone else; or they support, love and encourage you, holding you down when your seas get rough. God will bring people into your life that are meant to be there and they can be a blessing or a lesson; sometimes even both, but just at different times. He can also take people out of your life just as quickly, but just remember that ultimately, He sees the bigger picture and He knows what He is doing.

3. It’s okay not to be okay.
We all have ‘those’ days and I have had my fair share this year alone. 2015 has been an emotional roller coaster and I have realised that I am a lot stronger than I thought. But, of course, that only lasts a while, because as soon as you think you are getting your life back together, something else decides to laugh in your face and go ‘ha, not yet’. You’re allowed to wake up and feel like crap. You’re allowed to want to be alone and cry. You’re allowed to have those days. Don’t feel guilty for not feeling okay. Just don’t forget that a bad day doesn’t mean you have a bad life. Don’t let a single situation you are facing determine your attitude toward everything else. Not all situations need a reaction. Amid all of the chaos, ask yourself whether the situation that’s making you feel this way will matter this time next week, next month, next year? Don’t let someone or something small and insignificant use up your energy unnecessarily and as a result, hinder your happiness.

4. Just do you.
One of the biggest killers of happiness is constantly comparing yourself with other people, whether that be people we actually know or those Instagram Famous ‘celebrities’ that pay for followers and look like they have the ‘perfect life’. Real talk: society’s standards are messed. I’ll be honest, I couldn’t count the amount of times I have compared my appearance to others on one hand, let alone two. It’s a huge insecurity of mine and I struggle with it daily, but who is to say what the definition of beauty is? I know, it is as cliche as my Year 10 creative writing piece for English, but sometimes the only way we understand it is to hear it a million times. Not only do I compare myself to others, but I am also guilty of being a people-pleaser. I get really uncomfortable and upset when I know that people aren’t happy with me and more than anything, I hate losing friends over situations that could have been well and truly avoided. If this is sounding familiar then my one piece of advice is just do you. It’s easier said than done and for me it’s a work-in-progress, but I won’t stop trying to be the best version of me I can.

5. Find your passion.
I love writing, if you can’t half tell. I also love food: eating it, that is – cooking and cleaning are not quite my thing (just ask my family – on a scale from gourmet to burns toast, I am the latter). But how can you find your passion by staying within the realms of your comfort zone? Try new things. Go on adventures. Fill up the car, grab a few friends and drive places you have never been before. Go camping. Learn a new language. Don’t listen to TLC and go chase those waterfalls. Solo-travel. Go on a mission trip. Make a bucket list and actually tick things off! What’s stopping you from doing what you love? What’s stopping you from finding your passion? And once you find that thing that makes you happy, hold onto it and don’t ever let it go.

So whether you have had an amazing year or you are keen to put this one away and start fresh with 2016, take this time to reflect on the memories, the challenges and the adventures that you have experienced this year. I can guarantee that you aren’t the same person you were this time last year. We are constantly growing and maturing and it is our choice how we let these experiences impact us – positively or negatively. What are you choosing?

Keep smiling. x

Take Two: The Maze

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I was asked to write a script for a video that would open the Week of Worship at my old school. The theme was Take Two, reflecting the idea that God is a God of second chances. It took a while, but after a lot of inspiration and work, the Chapel team created something so beautiful with the script, that I wanted to share it on here. I hope you are not only blessed, but encouraged by the words and video below.
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Life is full of crazy things; distractions, temptations – you name it, she’s got it. Sometimes she’s on the highest of highs, but almost just as quick, she can hit her lowest of lows. She had many problems, but she has messed up really bad this time.
Life is confusing, she’s like a maze. Trying to find the way out can be hard and when we hit the dead end more than once, we eventually just give up trying altogether. We get lost, confused and plummet down the spiral, thinking there is no way out of the mess we have landed in. Questions can be difficult to answer and when we can’t find the answers after a lot of searching, the dead ends lead us to nowhere and we think she’s won the game – the challenges life threw got the better of us. What’s the point of trying anymore?
Everything happens, but then everything finishes. So when you feel like your world is on a downwards spiral, remember that spirals eventually get smaller and smaller and when they reach the smallest point, they stop. The struggles you’re going through, the constant disappointment, the fear of not being good enough, the group of mates you thought were your friends, the dead ends you’re facing,- these feelings won’t last forever. You just need to find another path through the maze. Second chances might not make things right, but they help prove that we could be better even after we fall.

So let me ask you again. What is the point of trying anymore? Because although she’s a maze and with a maze comes dead ends, if you keep searching, there’s always a way out. God is the way out of your maze. He will show you forgiveness and give you not only a second chance, but another chance at trying, because when you hit a dead end He wants to turn you 180 degrees and say “Take Two”. 

Keep smiling. x

How to be happy: rule #1

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As a Communications student majoring in Digital and Social Media, it is safe to say that I spend a lot of time talking about, learning about and of course using Facebook, Instagram, you name it. The other day I was on Instagram and came across this quote:

“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.”

It is so true. We are continuously trapped in this vicious cycle of comparing ourselves with other people. Simply thinking that their social media profile is full of amazing, flawless pictures automatically means that their life must be perfect and they’ve got it all together, right? Wrong.

I think we tend to forget how much of a superficial world we live in today. And I’m writing to myself here as well. Almost every picture you see is edited in one way or another. One filter can cover all the blemishes, or hey if you’re not wearing makeup that day, just resort to the old-fashioned black and white – they’ll never be able to tell. But this isn’t the main problem. Social media is a perfect way for us as individuals to share our life with others with a simple click of a button. The thing that we often forget, is that we only share what we want to share – we get to pick and choose what parts of our life other people get to see. This is the same for that girl, or guy, you have been stalking on Instagram for the last twenty minutes. We filter through (pun intended) the thirty-two almost identical selfies and pick the one we like the best.

Don’t compare your life with another person’s newsfeed. Just like you, they are probably only sharing the parts of their life that will get them the most ‘likes’. I am not saying this is a bad thing or you should delete all of your social media accounts because they are from the devil. If that was the case, I think I am studying the wrong degree. Rather, I want this to be an encouragement, even just for one person, to be open-minded and consider that what you are seeing doesn’t necessarily depict what is going on in their ‘behind-the-scenes’. Everyone experiences ups and downs in life, because spoiler alert – that’s life. Just because you’re not seeing it on their newsfeed, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. So next time you are scrolling through your different social media accounts, keep that in mind, because one of the best rules to being happy is to stop comparing yourself to others.

I heard a pastor say during his sermon the other day that although it is still an issue, money is no longer the primary roadblock getting in the way of our relationship with God. Instead, it is this growing trend of narcissism. WE ultimately drive the wedge further between God and us. 

“Don’t become so well-adjusted and conform to the pattern of this world that you fit into it without even thinking” – Romans 12:2 (NIV & MSG). 

We focus too much on ourselves that we forget that all of this is just temporary. The love of God and his promise of life with Him – now that’s something that lasts forever.

Keep smiling. x

Radiate positive vibes.

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I recently got a job at a small local supermarket and have been exposed to not only new opportunities, but new people – which is my favourite part of working.

A middle-aged man came in the other day while I was working at the register. As he walked up to the counter to pay for his groceries I smiled and asked, “Hey! How are you?” He replied, “I’m cool thanks Jessica”, with a smile almost too big for a Monday. Two things surprised me about his comment. He not only said he was “cool”, but he said my name. I had no idea who this guy was and I think he realised I was a bit confused, so he went on to say, “your name’s on the front screen” while pointing and grinning. 

A couple days later the same man came in and I recognised him straight away when I asked, “how are you?” and again his response was, “I’m cool thanks.” This time when he came to the register I began a conversation and asked him how his day was going. As he handed over his money he said, “my day has been really good thanks, but any day is a good day if you look at it that way.” 

Isn’t he just the coolest guy ever? Each time I had seen him he was radiating positive vibes. That’s the kind of person I want to be. This man not only made my day, but he encouraged me to not let the events of my day dictate the way I feel. If you wake up in a bad mood thinking that you will have a bad day, then that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Don’t let difficult things you experience today reflect how you feel. Try your best to look at the positive things, despite how hard it can get. Be positive and be cool. 

Keep smiling. x