The decision to be Brave is vulnerable because it reveals the parts of us that feel undesirably under-developed. Especially to the eyes that surround us. Brave is vulnerable because it requires action in the very space our preference would be to hide. Because “what will people think when they see me wobble with even *this.*” I think for this very reason we need to take care that we don’t measure brave according to the bigness […]
Standing in the middle Where east meets west, And north meets south The sun shines down warm in this spot And the breeze is quiet and cool, Patiently waiting, circling the soul that has, for whatever reason, Found itself paused in the middle. Whether for weariness or fear Or for grief or disappointment, Or some other such thing. The calm of the middle will always be here, encircling, warming, holding, until the breath has found […]
Don’t stop speaking. Unless you are finished. If your speech falters and fumbles and there then comes this fear-shadow that insists you should now be quiet, What of the words, of the wisdom, of the light – Still left hidden behind this only-momentary falter? If you know that you know you had more to say, that there’s more to be heard here, pause. You’re human. Take a breath, Try again, please don’t stop. You aren’t […]
“By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.” Ecclesisates 4:12 (MSG) When you’re facing the worst, to whom do you turn? One of the beautiful things I have discovered about both studying and having my own counselling is that it offers a turning place. It offers respite. A warm and cosy stop off. A haven space to turn towards, […]
“It costs personal fear to be authentic but the reward is integrity, and by that I mean a soul fully integrated, no difference between his act and his actual person. Having integrity is about being the same person on the inside that we are on the outside, and if we don’t have integrity, life becomes exhausting.” – Donald Miller (Scary Close). Integrity goes so much deeper, so much wider than simply – keeping our word What […]
This week I was a little bit struck by one simple piece of the Sunday evening message; Encouragement as simply a passing on of courage to another human. For me, the little hugs and the ‘you can do its’ spoken in the thick of my anxious or doubtful moments always seem so small and insignificant because I’m often fixed on how these could never take the fear or sadness or the struggle away. But I […]
So I’ve been considering something in a way I hadn’t quite before. That being – we are wired to connect with people. To live day to day with people in some way or another. It’s almost as if when there is a genuine hearty sort of below-the-surface type connection right there you actually find out you’re ok, you meet authentic love and acceptance there. Connection – it’s the light of sorts that can actually […]
“If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love” // I posted this verse on my blog ages ago. But as I reread it – it shines even brighter than it did then. I find it kind of profound – that upon stumbling on this truth, firstly – it was like a tiny seed. But over time life seems to almost have […]
Um. Hello! // A few things. Facebook can waste golden nuggets of good time. Like I stopped it for 2 weeks. I think from now I’m going to use it for only a small bunch of particular things. They’re golden nuggets of time? Yes! While I was off it I read books. I got up and went for walks most mornings. I baked cookies. Little things. Maybe just me, but I spent more time doing […]
Hello. You who try so hard to get it all right. You who aim for no mistakes. You who want it all just. perfect. Perfect is silly. It really is. I think in aiming for everything to be exactly as it ‘should’ be…. we lose things as they are – the here – the moment. Perhaps its not so much that we shouldn’t set a high bar for ourselves but more… we need to […]
anne-marie elizabeth 