Enkounters

A thought came to me today while visiting a family member's church and hearing the age old and simple message of salvation. The thought was about the basic principle of 'belief' which is a principle of both the physical world and the spiritual world. For example, in the physical world we prepare for the next day believing we will live to experience it. We plant and nurture flowers believing they will grow. We board a plane believing the pilot/plane will get us to our destinations safely and so on.  Similarly in the Christian faith, in order to have a relationship with God we must believe. There are at least 36 bible verses referencing belief. Top of the list is that we must believe that Jesus Christ existed, died on the cross for our sins and is our ultimate connection to God. We must believe all of these things that we've never seen in order to have a relationship with God - hence why Christians are also called Believers.  I was reflecting on how much

There was a time I used to think single and alone is the worst thing a person could be. There were days I would sit on my teenage bed staring at the ceiling wondering why I wasn't desirable and I could hear my mom outside my window getting on with life - busying herself with laundry and other household chores.  Since my mother's death I have realized that the worst thing a person could be is ungrateful. Everyday there is something or someone in our lives to be grateful for.  The next worst thing a person could be is regretful. When you lose a loved one it's all you have - regret. I was so close to my mom yet I still regret the moments I wasted on the imaginary whos that were never in my life when I could have spent that time goofing around and learning more from my mother. Takeaway : Life is a gift and so are the people who were placed in our lives. Treasure who is in your life as tomorrow is promised to no one.

1. "We can hide behind the word 'Christian' because it has no concrete meaning. The early 'Christians' considered themselves Disciples - learners, pupils, apprentices, adherents or followers." Andy Stanley on #BrandRecognition 2. "Love for God and for others is the number one indicator that someone is a Disciple." Andy Stanley on #Quitters 3. "Love one another and stop judging non-believers." Andy Stanley on #InsidersOutsiders 4. "Jesus called sin...sin and then he paid for it and having paid for it he didn't condemn anyone." Andy Stanley on #GracieMetTruthy 5. "Salt always preserves and light always points the way forward." Andy Stanley on  #ShowUp 6. "Anger about sin, instead of compassion, comes from self righteousness." Andy Stanley on #AngryBirds 7. "Following Jesus means having no loopholes. His command to love is too simple, too direct to be ignored, avoide

What caught my attention today was some recent enough news about a Canadian News reporter who went head on with some inflammatory remarks aimed at her. After watching the footage some teachable moments surfaced. Before sharing the lessons, here’s a summary of what happened… It was the end of a football match and the female reporter was trying to get the reactions of the patrons. As she was interviewing two males another male patron walked by and whispered some female objectifying remark aimed at her. Following this both the men being interviewed and the reporter were taken aback. One man being interviewed remarked to the reporter ‘you must get that all the time.’ This line is probably what triggered something in the reporter.  She decided to challenge the thinking of some other male patrons who were waiting to make similar remarks. Some of the reactions she got was ‘nothing is wrong with it [the remark]’, ‘It happens in England’ and ‘my mom would find it funny’. In a twist of

My mother passed away from Cancer in December 2013. This is my second year observing Mother's Day without my own mother being physically here. This is also another year of reflecting on not being a mother even though it was a long held dream of mine. My mother's birthday and the anniversary of my grandmother's death was last month. These events caused me to reflect on the importance of mothers/motherhood and the phenomenal impact this has on a human life. My mother taught me so much about love, life and most importantly about the power and freedom of being my authentic self. There's a cheeky but powerful saying..."A child only a mother can love." This is the kind of love that transforms lives and creates whole and healthily functioning members of society.  Many times throughout my own life people tried to make me feel like I was 'only a child a mother can love.' But my mother's love and care was exceptional and strong enough to help me

Agua. L'eau. Mul. Pani. Shui. Omi. Water.... Such an important part of our lives.  On days like this one can't help but pause to look at the current state of water access around the world.  We depend on clean, drinkable water to not only replenish the 70% ratio that keeps the human body moving but also to heal.  Personally, I couldn't live without water.  Aside from the basics of needing it to literally survive, I grew up by the sea so water is therapeutic for me. Since I moved from my island home to North America, I long for rainy days. The sound of rain dripping on a slab or zinc roof is comparable to none especially when you throw in lightening and thunderbolts. It's why there are so many 'rain sounds' YouTube videos which allow people to unwind, relax and ultimately heal. Rain is an enduring promise of hope, growth and new beginnings. Yet, so many people in the world are living without the basic benefits of clean water. Here are some stats t