LIFE Publication
Edition 10, Issue 39 - 2020
Publication Edition 10, Issue 38 - 2020
GROUNDED Publication Edition 10, Issue 38 - 2020
The flow of the water in the river is important, so is the flow of our emotions to maintain our wellbeing. Candy Daniels
Publication
Edition 10, Issue 38 - 2020
IN THIS ISSUE • • • • •
Conscious Awareness Certainty in Uncertainty Starting Over Of Roots, Rubble and Restoration The Pace of Grace
Turn the pages to discover more!
WELCOME.... The LIFE publication is produced quarterly. Our goal is to motivate and encourage you as you take one step at at time on the path ahead. Life is a journey with many twists and turns, valleys and mountains, laughter and sorrows. It is not always how we start that matters, rather how we choose to live everyday with the options and choices that are before us. Each edition offers articles and life stories of peoples’ joys, struggles, beliefs and why they have come to certain conclusions or how they contine to unpack the journey ahead. We hope that these will offer you hope with tips you can implement as you journey through life. Today, choose to live and love your life!
Table of Contents Conscious Awareness ...................................................................................... 1 AWARE .......................................................................................................... 2 Certainty in Uncertainty................................................................................ 3 Chosen and Not Forgotten ............................................................................. 4 Starting Over ................................................................................................. 4 The Past is Prologue ....................................................................................... 5 Of Roots, Rubble and Restoration .................................................................. 6 The Pace of Grace ........................................................................................... 7 LIFE ~ contributors........................................................................................ 8
Conscious Awareness Candy Daniels We are mostly driven by rituals and routine. Seldom are we paying close attention to our surroundings or internal stirrings, yet these are important factors in maintaining our health and wellbeing. So why is it that many of us lack conscious awareness about our emotions, values, beliefs, actions, thoughts, energy levels and sensors? When did we start to live as though we are on a production line? Living each day with a lack of zeal, passion or creativity will drain us mentally and emotionally, yet we have become creatures of habit. When asked ‘How are you?’ we often respond with ‘I am so busy.’ Does this busyness give us satisfaction? Do we actually know what we are busy doing or achieving? Every action counts, be it a thought process, physical action or verbal response. The question is: Are these actions coming from a place of conscious awareness or are they a reactive response? Reactive responses can be driven from the environment, internally or externally. The point is that we don’t stop long enough to pay attention to what the stirring is that is calling us to action. We are holistic by design. Crafted to work in unison of body, soul and spirit. Yet, at times, we can separate one from the other. Conscious awareness calls for holistic action.
pains, aches and fever, among other things. It is important that we pay close attention to these signs and symptoms and don’t overlook them. In the same way, our soul and spirit attempt to communicate with us when things are not working as they should. Often times this is through a lack of sleep, tiredness or lethargy. These can also be systematic of the body. For conscious awareness to be present, the body, soul and spirit should work in unison. The majority of the time, before our body is aware that something is not working towards peak-performance, our soul and spirit would have tried their utmost to get our attention. This is where we lack conscious awareness. The spirit knows and therefore attempts to raise our awareness. The soul feels and is in tune with our emotions and thoughts, calling us towards greater awareness. The physical body responds to these stimuli, often through sensory awareness. The more consciously aware we become, the more equipped and resilient our wellbeing becomes.
AWARE becoming consciously aware
Attentive to your sensors Wait with patience in the present Acknowledge your thoughts and emotions Reflect on your actions Express yourself from a place of self-control
It amazes me how most often, much emphasis is placed on the external appearance of the physical body, yet the systems of the body are overlooked. Internally, we truly could be deteriorating, impacting on the way we think, feel and behave. Once we get used to a certain way or pattern of thinking, we could go into auto pilot, often forgetting that we can choose how we respond and react to each thought, emotion or event that occurs. When the body wants to get our attention that something is not working the way it should, it attempts to communicate with us through LIFE Edition 10, Issue 39
When we are able to still our mind from wandering, we become more capable to renew our mind and gain control over our racing thoughts, the rush of our feelings and even the need to react. When we are able to pay attention to our sensors and surroundings, internal and external, then we become relaxed enough to move with a flow to the events that call our attention rather than freezing, fighting or fleeing. Candy Daniels
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Certainty in Uncertainty Trudy Buchanan If nothing else, Covid-19 has shown us how little control we have over life events and circumstances. Whilst I don’t want to minimise the impact and hardship this has created for many; I think there are aspects of this pandemic worthy of reflecting on. Reflecting on our need to feel in control can be an illuminating and lifechanging exercise. As humans, many of us like certainty, consistency from people and things, resolvability, and think we have a handle on predicting and deciding our futures. We believe we can shape our own outcomes and events to how we might like them to be. What is happening for many of us at present, however, challenges these things. Working out what we can and cannot control, and letting go of the rest, can help reduce our anxieties and increase the enjoyment of what we do have in our lives. We can control our desires, hopes, wishes and some preferences. By letting go of attempting to control outcomes or trying to predict certainty (which by its very state is uncertain), then we may find we gain the power to choose, not to fear, and to face our internal angst of wanting to feel in control. In other words, whilst we cannot find certitude, we can certainly make choices determined by risk and probabilities and then take courage to act, despite degrees of uncertainty and imperfection. LIFE Edition 10, Issue 39
Understanding our framework of perceived control, such as whether we believe the outcomes of our actions are contingent on what we do (internal locus on control) or outside our control (external locus of control), can enhance our sense of self-determination, our sense of competency and efficacy, our motivation, attitudes and reactions, and our need to seek approval from others when things occur outside of our control. When circumstances beyond our control are spinning out, where (or to whom) do we refer to ground ourselves? What are the reference points that take us back to the right spot or re-direct us to find our way forward? Being empowered to take control of what we are able to can help provide us with a reference or anchor point in our lives. It is easy to get caught up on trying to control certain things such as our partner, kids, work, or money, and then miss so many opportunities or precious moments. Having anchor points provides reference points to go back to when life is spinning. They help us focus on what is of value to us and assist with emotional regulation. These anchor points empower us to make decisions based on our values rather than our fears and help determine what is purposeful in our lives. What anchors us is different for each person. For some, it is simply remembering to breathe deeply; for others it may be faith-based, based on family values, or perhaps based on being there to help others. Whatever it is, it usually involves finding a sense of who we are, where we fit into community and what the purpose of this life is. This includes routines and rituals that outwork that. Anchor points can help us find certainty in uncertainty! So, what are some of your anchor points? 2020
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Chosen and Not Forgotten Adriana Valez The last three months have bought many revelations to God’s people. As the world was brought to a standstill in 2020 (the year of 20/20 vision), our attention was brought to what is important: our relationship with God and a world that God loved so much that He gave His only son to die on a cross. There were many stories of loss and pain from all around the world. It was time for God’s people to reach out and be there for the world we live in - to show our love and His love to a suffering world. It was also a time to stop and evaluate the ground we stood on and the foundation we have built. The clock is ticking; it is closer to midnight than ever before. While the world turns to their leaders for guidance, we turn to Him. We can rest in faith in the promises of God. Our God is a promise keeper. Nothing is lost or forgotten except our sins. He is the creator, the director, and the writer of our story. He has chosen us before we chose him. He is and will always be in control. We all know how the story ends. All things work together for His glory to redirect the story of us, His people, and His beloved bride. Ephesians 4:1 “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” During the pandemic of 2020, the devil attempted to sway the world with fear and loss and to roll out his plans. No matter what is happening on the outside, what matters is our relationship with God. Even while the storm rages around us, we can rest assured that God is never changing. He is the Alpha and Omega - the beginning and the end. He is in control and He remains on the throne. He has chosen us and not forgotten us. In a world ruled by fear, we should rest in the knowledge that come what may, our story is already written, and God is our director. LIFE Edition 10, Issue 39
Remember: You are a child of God. He chose us. He will walk with us. He will be with us to the end of time. His promises are never broken.
Starting Over Jodie Chambers When last I wrote, we were in the beginning stages of living with Covid-19. Many countries are now slowly opening up public areas and businesses and we are being encouraged to socialize a little more or not at all. There are many rumors and conspiracy theories going around and these are the things that I find the most disturbing. You see, a rumor or conspiracy works best when it is based on fear with a sprinkling of scandal, and fear of the unknown is one of human nature’s most destructive thought patterns. Control, control and even more control is what we are all looking for in general to feel secure. When we are faced with such a huge amount of uncertainty, then we need to grab onto something that we can explain, and what better way to explain the unexplainable than with a good rumor. Blame and finger-pointing are other ways some people try to manage their fear and gain control. One of the best ways to discover if you are overly fearful is if you take the stance of knowing the answers and trying to persuade others that your ‘truth’ is what they need to adopt. Another way to say this is that you take the moral high ground. You get to decide the moral standards of society and who needs to be doing what and when. Then, you see if you can find as many people as possible to push your agenda, thus affirming your ideas.
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Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche talks about finding strength where you do not look for it, “In simple, mild and pleasant people, without the least desire to rule.” Fear can be driven by a desire to be right or in control; perhaps it could be termed as needing to rule. The louder a person shouts their morality, the more they are heard, or so it sometimes seems to me. Many prejudices live in these loud places, shouted to control others. Personally, I have been doing ok during this time. As an introvert, being in my home is quite a good thing and I didn’t need to explain to anyone why I wanted to just stay home. Also, I have a family, so my ‘alone’ was with family and very different from the ‘alone’ of those who live on their own. I am in the fortunate position that my work and family were not overly affected, and I could take my time to sort through my next steps. I had time to filter through all the information and the so called ‘have to’ and ‘should’ finger pointers. For others, they were thrown into meeting this pandemic head on with no time to consider their part or step back and consider their own options and thoughts. They were at the mercy of the conspiracy theorists and truth makers, be that their bosses, governments or local communities. I’m thinking mainly of the nurses, doctors and teachers around the world. They were not given the opportunity to sit back and look at how they were going to personally navigate this new way of life. They were not only constantly exposed to the risk of the virus, but also risked spreading it to their loved ones. There was an information overload while people and governments worked out what was happening. What may have started as a vocation and a desire to help suddenly turned into a life-threatening endeavor. As we each find our way towards a new way of living, try and find some time to consider what your fear is. How are you going to help yourself work through the things in life that have changed for you without placing your fears of the future on those around you? Try and turn LIFE Edition 10, Issue 39
your fears into concerns and curiosities. What can you control as you engage with your friends, family, work colleagues and your neighborhood? Seek out people who are able to listen to you and encourage you to work through things. A friend of mine recently said to me, “I cry a lot and that seems to help.” Crying, being concerned, and needing to work things through are all very healthy reactions to being out of control, however, not sharing these things with others and trying to go through this on your own can become very unhealthy. I hope it is possible for you to find the ‘mild and pleasant’ answers as you seek to create your future. If you would like to speak to a Counsellor, visit our website at www.lifewellbeingservices.com.au
The Past is Prologue David Dinca When I was a young lad, I wanted to be a professional soccer player. At that time, my personal inspiration and sporting hero was the Liverpool soccer club’s diminutive striker, Michael Owen. I saw Michael as somewhat of a kindred spirit. Let me list our similarities: 1) Michael was one of the smallest forwards in the league and I was tied for equal-shortest kid in my class with Jake Zammit. 2) Michael was one of the most feared forwards in the world and I was mostly picked first by the captains in P.E. class. 3) Michael was world-famous, super wealthy, had a fast sports car and a T.V show that would air weekly on ABC kids……. I was voted captain of the green team and led our school team to victory on sports day (an accomplishment equal to Michael’s achievements in the eyes of an 11 year old). I thought I was destined for soccer stardom.
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However, life doesn’t often pan out the way you think it will. I never achieved my dreams of being a professional soccer player. Not even close! Somebody failed to mention that achieving that level of success in the pursuit of athletics requires an ideal combination of genetics, dedication, discipline, and a specific environment to foster success in that arena. My path was to be a different, slightly less illustrious career as a physiotherapist.
of a moment or an event could have led to untold ripples into my present. With the right chain of events, perhaps I could have been like my childhood idol, Michael Owen!
“The past is prologue.”
Alas, time travel is a work of science fiction and riddled with logical fallacies (there are websites dedicated to discussing these indepth). I have resigned myself to the fact that the past informs the present and it is part of God’s divine will that everything works out to its proper end (Proverbs 16:4).
These words, penned by none other than William Shakespeare, consider how fate and destiny join forces to bring about a culminating, opportune, life-changing moment. For Shakespeare, the past is the introduction to our present lives, setting us up for the main event right in front of us.
Famous evangelist Timothy Keller once said “God gives us what we would have asked for if we knew everything that He knows.” God’s purpose in our lives can be unknown to us at times, but if God were small enough to be understood, he probably wouldn’t be big enough to be worshipped.
With Shakespeare’s words in mind, I wondered what life-changing moment could have inspired me to become a physiotherapist of all careers! I wracked my brain and I arrived at the conclusion that one singular moment had the most profound impact on my present life. That moment was the birth of my handicapped niece.
However, one thing I do know is that without my niece’s influence, I probably wouldn’t be a physiotherapist. I wouldn’t be treating the vulnerable with the same passion and desire to enact change in their lives. I wonder how many of the children I am treating are also having a similar impact on other people’s lives.
When you have a child with a disability in your family, you realise how much care and love they require. It is sometimes around-the-clock care. Her life led to multiple paradigm shifts for me and many new perspectives on life. In fact, her existence was so profound in my life that she would even play a contributing role in both the loss and then renewal of my faith in god, but perhaps that story can wait for another time. Her life and struggle with cerebral palsy truly instilled in me a desire to serve others and to rehabilitate and care for the vulnerable. Physiotherapy is my method to achieve this goal. This being said, sometimes I daydream about what my life could have been like if I could time-travel to the past and affect the present. The slightest alteration - the adding or removal LIFE Edition 10, Issue 39
As I live the life God prepared for me, I am reminded of the blessing my niece has been in my life and am thankful for God’s awesome sovereignty.
Of Roots, Rubble and Restoration Amorelle Blom The natural world teaches me many life lessons whenever I take time to pay attention and open myself to the experience of learning. I enjoy being out in the garden, where there is always something to do, some plant that needs tending, or some patch that needs care. It was a lesson I learnt from a recent gardening experience which leads to the title. 2020
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There was this patch of garden just outside my window which I would see each morning and basically, it was downright depressing. There were a couple of shrubs which I had planted there, but they did not suit the spot. Each time I looked at that patch, I knew that if I wanted it to look better, then I needed to do the work of uprooting those quite established plants and putting in something different. So, one sunny morning, shovel and pitchfork in hand, I tackled this patch of ground. The task was more tedious than I had expected, because I had no idea what was happening beneath the surface until I started to dig. Roots! That was the problem. They were so taking over that patch of earth that nothing else would grow there. And this is the thing with roots. They are not bad in themselves, but it is what they produce which determines whether they are positive or negative. It takes deep, strong roots to keep a tree healthy, productive, and able to withstand harsh elements. Likewise, weeds and noxious plants, once rooted, can easily overtake, and ruin a garden. The Bible references both types of roots. The apostle Paul prays for believers in Christ to be “rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17) and encourages them to be “rooted and built up in Christ and established in faith” (Colossians 1:7). We are cautioned to watch out for “any root of bitterness springing up, causing trouble” (Hebrews 12:15). So, as I dug up those two onerous plants and was left with a mass of rubble and two gaping holes, I was provided with an object lesson on the negative impact of roots. Amid all the clatter of human activity are unseen and unacknowledged aches, wounds, and scars of the soul, some buried so deep that no surgeon could detect them. These invisible roots manifest themselves through negative behavioural patterns and mindsets and it takes LIFE Edition 10, Issue 39
wisdom, courage, and honesty to stop and give them our attention. This process is known as self-examination and it benefits rather than harms us. Engaging in counselling with a trusted therapist or counsellor is one way to acknowledge and address these soul issues. Now, this process of self-examination is not easy, and as with my uprooting experience, there will be some pain and hard work for sure. However, the payoff is well worth the effort. My personal journey of healing, growth and change began as I made the decision to stop and ‘unearth’ some hidden areas which were not working for me. And I am so glad I did! Having experienced their benefits, I consider these times of frequent self-examination and contemplation as essential to my overall health and well-being. Unlike my little patch of earth, which by the way is now bright & cheery to look at, the joy, freedom and personal empowerment gained from digging up those roots, clearing the rubble, and experiencing restoration, is immensely more valuable. So, with those harmful roots, go ahead. Acknowledge, don’t ignore. Examine, don’t fear. You deserve to bloom, flourish, and thrive!
The Pace of Grace Derick Qoriniyasi The fast-paced society we live in can easily influence us to feel compelled to fill our diaries and lead us to believe that a calendar with no available appointments resembles a badge of honour. We use phrases like "I'm busy," or "I'm flat out" as if they validate our productivity, yet we drop comments like "There's not enough hours in the day," or "I wish I just had more time." I'll be the first to admit that my drive for productivity often prevents me from being fully present, and the thought of what needs to be done feeds my struggle to switch off. But in 2020
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the middle of a pandemic instigated by COVID-19, it has become evident that humanity has been forced to slow down and change its pace. Now, I'm not belittling the damage the coronavirus has caused, or disregarding the challenges we are facing as a race. I'm sensitive to the fact that lives have been lost, economies have been shaken, businesses have closed, unemployment rates have skyrocketed, and many find themselves afraid and confused. Socialdistancing and self-isolation have influenced us to become less present in person and to rely on remote means of engaging in everyday activities. But what if in the midst of all the pandemonium there was purpose? You see, time is no respecter of persons and, the last time I checked, we all get the same 24 hours in any given day. The current condition of our society has brought humanity onto a level playing field and potentially, for the first time in our lifetime, the facade of busyness has been removed. This has provided us with a window of opportunity to evaluate what is important to us, realign the investment of our time with our values, and slow down long enough to allow God's grace to set a new pace. Be encouraged during this season to put down your devices, invest in what you value and step into the stillness to learn how to walk at the pace of grace. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG)
LIFE ~ contributors Candy Daniels is the founder of Life International and Life Wellbeing Services. Candy is holistic in her practice as a clinical counsellor, supervisor and chaplain. Her desire is to equip, encourage and empower people to discover their dreams and pursue them with purpose and passion. Jodie Chambers has a keen interest in encouraging people as a clinical counsellor. She has a passion to assist individuals to embrace and tell their story while reaching their full potential through self-acceptance. Trudy Buchanan manages a community centre and along with her husband Grant runs a counselling business that counsels and mentors couples and individuals through to health and maturity in all aspects of their lives. Amorelle Blom has a strong focus on community and believes in supporting people on their journey to discover, heal & grow. This is the commitment Amorelle offers in her role as a Counsellor and coach. Adriana Velez with her husband, Andrew run a few businesses together; a building and electrical business, a hospitality business, an accommodation business. This has led them to be involved in Business 4 Transformation. Their heart is to be active in giving back to the world around them. David Dinca is a competitive sportsman whose interest in health care led him to be a passionate physiotherapist. David has a particular interest in working with seniors in residential and community care. Derick Qoriniyasi is a passionate and dynamic communicator with a heart for God and people. Derick serves as a pastor in his local church and enjoys the privilege of being the chaplain at a Secondary College. Jonathan McQuie is our publication editor. He is in the final semester of his Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Journalism and Middle East Studies. When he isn't researching or editing, he helps to co-ordinate outreach programs on behalf of Southern Cross Kids Camps.
If you would like further information about any of our contributors, you can visit our website or email us for further information. LIFE Edition 10, Issue 39
2020
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LIFE Edition 10, Issue 39
2020
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