When Life's a Mess... Just Be

Let's get real here. The photo looks pretty because it's got fairy lights in it and I framed it well. The bed isn't made but looks comfortable and inviting. The shelves aren't organised but hide in the shadows. And my floor, well you can't see it in the picture, but you sure can't see it in real life either. There are clothes everywhere. A mess. But with the right lighting, The Perfect Light, it's a somewhat beautiful mess, wouldn't you agree?

When Life's a Mess... Just Be

Seriously, just be. Just be. Sit and be you. Stand and be you. Lie down and be you. Just be.

There's something so special about taking the time to slow down and just be you with God, Jesus, Daddy. This is where I choose to do just that (see above image). Mostly because it's really rather convenient to have my quiet place where I already go to rest every single night.

Life is a mess, always. Fact. Even when it seems perfect on every level, there is an underlying mess just waiting to be discovered. Those people you think have it all together? They don't have it sussed out. Life isn't about perfection, it's about embracing the mess.

Image Source: Google

A rainbow is one of the most beautiful things that God ever created! It's colourful, it's random, it's huge. It serves as a constant reminder that, because scientifically rainbows form when the sun hits the rain, when light shines through the rough times something beautiful is formed. 

You are God's project and your messy life is one of a kind. It's unique mess. It's beautiful mess. But His light makes a rainbow in your mess.

Acknowledging that we are made for messy lives and taking the time to sit and just be is so powerful. Every single being has access to an insanely awesome God. A wonderful counsellor! A prince! A miracle-worker! A creator! A father! A friend! An enjoyment so indescribable comes from being with Him. Like with, with. In a relationship with. A relationship that is never battered and bruised by sin and wrongdoing on our behalf. Thank you, Jesus!

'You raise me up so I can stand on mountains, You raise me up to walk on stormy seas, I am strong when I am on Your shoulders, You raise me up to more than I can be'

//Westlife//

Tonight I had my circle. A circle is a part of my church that is where relationship and personal support happens. Sundays can be so busy and daunting that having a group of people to grow with is so important! In other churches it might be called a cell group. If you're currently involved in a church, or similar organisation, but not an active member of a circle/cell group, I encourage you to be! It was tonight at circle that I was able to piece together some of the thoughts that formed this post.

Amy xo

Freedom in Forgiveness

For a blog that's named 'Freedom is a Beautiful Thing' my posts rarely have the word 'freedom' in the title. But I'm feeling a mini series might be starting here... Who knows? So it's thought that forgiveness expands life spans. That's not a bad deal, forgiving somebody and gaining a few years to your life. Only it's not that simple when we do it alone.  It's human nature to crave justice, heck that's why I started this blog in the first place! I was sick of the injustice of human trafficking going unnoticed. We crave justice. When somebody does something to us that requires forgiveness it most likely means that an injustice has occurred.  These feelings of passion towards an injustice can quickly turn into feelings of anger, dislike, hate. We can become irrational, forgetting about all of the moments before the injustice took place. The happier moments, the moments that person(s) had been there for us. We can feel not only that we've been hard done by and treated badly but also that we have lost a friend and gained a heap of betrayal.  It would be insane to expect that you forgive that person who lied to you, who stole from you, who abandoned you, right? Especially if they haven't asked for it. Why should they deserve being let off the hook? It's simple - because you have been let off the hook. When Jesus died on the cross He took all of your sins with Him. None of us are perfect! We have been forgiven and, therefore, we should forgive others. Forgiveness lifts a big weight from your shoulders, frees you to sleep well at night and keep the friends that you otherwise might have lost forever.  So the action of forgiveness is clearly a positive one. A longer life and a lighter load. But how do we get to the point where we have totally and honestly forgiven the person(s) who caused so much pain? Jesus. He's ace at the forgiving thing and He's there to give you a lot of help and guidance. It won't make it easy but it will stop the task from being impossible if you ask Him to lend a hand. "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us" - speaking the words might be what helps you to truly forgive, down in your heart. For me, I have to ask, I have to get upset with God, and I have to get my strength from Him. He knows I'm upset (with Him) already so there's no harm in telling Him and then asking for help.  I speak from personal experience when I say that there is truly such freedom in forgiveness. The awkward encounters lessen, the anger dissolves, the loneliness dissappears, the hatred leaves, the anxiety stabilises, the joy increases, the love spreads. Sometimes the most rewarding thing about forgiveness is being able to help a friend who might otherwise have no one if you hadn't have stuck around and forgiven them for a mistake they made that hurt you.  Amy xo

A BIG Dream

What's your house dream? Your ideal home? Your perfect future dwelling place? What does it look like? A place in the countryside? A place close to town? A place not too far from where you grew up? Does it look like this?

Image Source: Google

No? Mine didn't either. But it might do now. I had no idea how cost efficient these things are for a home! I'm not talking about buying a shipping container and a mattress! I'm talking BIG!  Perhaps this might give you an idea...

Still not convinced? Take a look inside one of these homes:

Image Source: Google

Feeling a little bit more inspired now? One step even further:

Image Source: Google

There are so many things that can be done with such small spaces. To quote a man in the first series of George Clarke's Amazing Spaces 'we want to make this small space a big place'.

What about not using this idea for a house? How about thinking one step further? To create a community hub where everyone gets to play! A place with pool, darts, sofas, vending machines. A place with an indoor cinema screen. A place that can be rented out for use by local business meetings or baby clinics at a cheap rate.

For a while the word 'community' has been on my heart. Creating a space that can be replicated all over the place like this is ideal! It's a movement that can spread!  We hit 1111 page views today which is a very nice number but also looks like the side of a shipping container! Coincidence? I think not. Amy

Image Source: Google

There's No Place Like Home

The Calais jungle is now home to more than 6,000 people. Here's just one. There's No Place Like Home

A man stands amidst his washing next to a board showing the alphabet, a set of chairs, and his home. April 2015. Each small detail of this photograph tells a bit more of the story. From the storing of toothbrushes upon the roof, to the shoes below the table. Who else lives with him? Family? Friends? Strangers united only by their common goal: to survive? I travelled to Calais with my mum as part of a recent project. Before we knew it we had driven into what is now being called the 'Calais Jungle'. Scenes of tents, football games, and groups with shopping trolleys surrounded us. As we slowed past this accommodation I managed to snap a few pictures. I felt helpless to the residents here. The reality that we were 'spectating' them with nothing to give became all too real and we left shortly after this photograph was taken. I'm hoping I help by sharing this image; I don't want this to be just a personal project. I'm hoping I help show just a snapshot of what it is like in Calais. Something that I still struggle with is the idea that what we witnessed, what's shown in this photo, is better than where they've fled from. 

A Year for Adventure and Discovery!

// 2016 // is here and I am so excited!  I'm excited for the adventures we will all stumble across, the opportunities we will embrace, the journeys we will travel. I'm excited for the paths which will cross, the connections that will be made, and the love that will be felt! Ah!
How do you feel about 'New Year Resolutions'? They are popular tradition in the UK: setting fresh new goals with the 'clean slate' that a new year brings.  I'm not too keen. The past few years I have set 'learn to play guitar' as one of my resolutions, and never succeeded. In 2015 I didn't set any goals, and on September, 27, 2015 I started to learn guitar. I could play over 20 songs before the year was up. Ironic, really.
So, rather than set yourself up for failure, why not get creative? This year my idea is to have an Adventure List. Some things already on my list are: || Hire a metal detector and use it on a beach || Go on a road trip || Walk to nowhere in particular || I'm thinking of creating a tab here on this site for my Adventure List. At the moment the list is very short. I don't want to overwhelm myself.
What are some of the things you'd like to do in 2016? Comment below, I'd love to know! Maybe I'd even like to do the same!
I've added my Instagram feed to the side of my blog, I've sort of started blogging on there too, adventure memories!
Happy New Year!
God bless, Amy

Penguins and Joy... :)

I've just finished reading Girl Online On Tour. It's taken less than a day to finish and I loved every second of it. I read a post on Facebook yesterday afternoon, let me see if I can find it for you...

I immediately felt the urge to dig out the book, which I'd put under my bed until I had more time, and started to read. Instantly that feeling of being absorbed in a book came running back to me. I hadn't realised quite how much I'd missed it.  Starting the internship I knew I'd get books to read. What I didn't quite appreciate is how exhausting I would find the content. I began to feel that I'd fallen out of love with reading.  I was so wrong. Choosing to read, choosing to take time out, choosing to do something for me. None of that comes naturally to me. I'm one of those "can't-say-'no'-to-requests-for-help" kinda people. Do I feel guilty for self-indulging when I still need to do so much in preparation for this weekend? Not really. Do I wish I'd spent my time more wisely? I don't think so. Truth is, taking some time out to do what I wanted gave me a big reminder of what I love doing. I love reading, I love writing, I love processing, I love creativity. I thrive from creativity. Perhaps that's what I've been missing recently. It's a crucial element of my life that I cut out in an attempt to make room for what needed to be done when actually I just did the opposite. A big boost for me these past few weeks has been getting together with a couple of close friends to plan some amazing birthday surprises for one of our mutual close friends. Hours spent on Pinterest, Planning, Shopping, Creating. I've been in my element. Someone once told me that 'you can't truly look after others continually unless you look after yourself'. It's true. And sometimes you can mix them together. The birthday surprises helped me to regain a passion for creativity whilst helping a friend to feel loved and appreciated! It would seem that true happiness, true joy, comes from a place where you know you're loved and you love yourself. I know I'm loved by the One. I'm talking the 'one true love' that you think only happens in movies. The One that gives life to your body, the One that loves you no matter what, the One who's only aim is to save you. The One that you can't stop talking about even when you don't realise you're doing it. We laughed together this Summer. For 2 hours. I literally didn't stop, neither did He. And in that moment I knew that's where I wanted to be. In that moment I took it all in, to remember when times are more difficult. To remember when we're crying, to remember when I'm stressed. You see, He doesn't get stressed, but He understands it. He doesn't hold a grudge, but He waits patiently when I do. He doesn't ever leave my side, He doesn't ever stop protecting me, but He gives me space. He knows me better than I know myself. I think I want joy to become my favourite emotion. All too often we can fall into a series of feeling sad and receiving some form of love in that sad place and then we feel a little bit better. Bare with me, I'm not too sure where this is going either. At least we got to hear the words 'I love you' even if we did hit rock bottom first. But truly, truly, truly, is that where I want to be? No. I'm so happy to lift people up, to help them out, to hold their hand. For me, I'm a stage where I'm striving for joy. Truth is, it's been there all along, I've just got to let it show. I saw a video on Facebook of a penguin being tickled and everyone knew for sure that it gave Cookie, the name of the penguin, a moment of joy. I'm a little obsessed with penguins. They make me smile. And here's how to make one of these little fellas happy...

In summary, I want to be more like this penguin. Show my happiness, laugh out loud, and release the chains. Laughter is the best medicine, so I've been told. "Free as a bird on the wind,  Love cannot be tamed, You shattered every chain, Let our praises run wild and free, The lionheart is alive in me, Let our freedom and joy begin, With You we're dancing upon our chains, With You we're soaring on eagles wings." In case you were wondering who I'd fallen in love with... His name is Jesus.

What's So Amazing About Grace?

What's So Amazing About Grace?

Book by Phillip Yancey.

What's so amazing about grace? Everything. 

Small confession: I still haven't quite finished the book.

When I first began reading I found I couldn't get beyond the 7th chapter. I love to read and do so regularly, but for some reason I couldn't get into this book. One Saturday afternoon I was discussing this with the pastor of the church I intern for, who suggested I prayed about what it was that was holding me back. As soon as I began praying, God highlighted the word "forgiveness" to me over 5 times on the next page. So I prayed a little more. (I'm not one to pray for excessive amounts of time). A name was highlighted to me, representing a friendship I have that I really struggle with regarding forgiveness and grace. As a result of this, I have begun intentionally working on this friendship to overcome the struggle whilst growing as a person. 

What was next highlighted to me was very small. I had gotten into the habit of reading at night, and falling asleep mid-sentence, waking up to find my phone in my hand with the Kindle app still open. I always found my eyes getting tired, so I downloaded the audio book.

During listening to the next few chapters God highlighted another of my characteristics which struggles with grace: my passion for fairness and justice. Ever since I could talk and play with friends I have always strived to be 'fair'. If we were taking something in turns I would ensure everyone got their own turn, and be hurt when others didn't ensure I got my fair turn. My mum has told me so many stories of moments like this. So, I struggle with the idea that grace is totally unfair. Yet totally fair. As I read (or listen!) more I am developing this thought; realising that the grace I have received by Christ's death on the cross is totally unfair and totally undeserved; I sin every single day: I will continue to sin. Yet God still longs to spend time with me. To be with His daughter. He loves me eternally and doesn't hold grudges. The idea of myself treating a human, any human, in the same way is beside me. But it's warming to me.

I have come to realise that the entire Gospel would not be the same without grace. Grace is amazing and grace is everything. From graces comes love and from love comes grace. It's a never-ending and beautiful cycle. 

At the moment the majority of my Facebook newsfeed is filled with Christian posts. I have begun viewing these with new eyes. Posts that are about grace stand out so much more. These are ones that are more out of context and, there, counter-grace - these I am able to filter, to pray over and to find out where I stand.

Grace is beautiful, unfair, undeserved, hard, rewarding. Grace doesn't keep track of wrongdoing. Grace is amazing.

What's so amazing about grace? Everything.