Curiousity...

I have Google Analytics set up for this page, and I love looking at the map which shows where people are reading my blog from. I know who some of the visitors are, like the Sydney and Manassas ones for example (<3), but I'm very curious about the number of visitors from Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch in particular. I'd love to know who you are! So stop by and say hi sometime. I find it pretty crazy that people have visited from countries like Russia and Wales and things like that, too. So cool. The marvels of the internet, eh!
Also, any ideas of what I could write a blog about would be appreciated. Holla.

Listening

I recently did a course on Guidance and Counselling at university. One of the key things we learned about was listening, naturally, because counsellors do a lot of that. We learned that some of the most effective ways to show you're listening and you've heard what the other person has to say are to summarise and repeat back what someone has just said to you, and to ask questions in order to show that you want to hear more. Through these techniques, people feel listened to, and they often end up solving their own conundrums, which is usually the goal of counselling. Anyway, I've been thinking about all this recently, but with regard to written or typed communication, and I think it's just as important there. How frustrating is it when you ask someone a question in, say, an email, and they don't reply so you have to send another one asking the same question?! Or you tell someone about something really important to you and they don't respond to it in their reply?! I have always tried hard to be thorough when replying to peoples' emails, letters or even text messages, because I figure it must've been reasonably significant for them to take the time to write or type it, so it warrants a response. I don't know if I succeed in my efforts. But I do know how valued or appreciated I feel when someone looks at me when they're talking and shows me that they're listening by consciously or subconsciously using those techniques mentioned above. And I feel the same way about written or typed communication. Except for the looking at me part. Naturally.

Why is it hard to be broken in church?

Again, this is simply me linking to something you should probably read... it's really good.

Why is it hard to be broken in church?

The joy of the Lord is my strength

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10 NIV)


I recently experienced a period of real intentional and conscious joy. I mean real joy, not just feeling happy or experiencing an absence of adversity. This kind of joy comes only through a relationship with God, through living in the truth of Jesus' death and resurrection, and through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We can still be joyful, no matter what life throws at us. 
Throughout these few weeks when I felt like nothing could bring me down, I was constantly hearing and reading things about a battle that is going on. A battle between good and evil, between principalities and powers. The theme of these messages was always that Jesus was victorious over all, and we have victory in him. I was also hearing about how, as Christians, we need to live in the truth of this victory, to not be cowering away from the world in fear, or living comfortable lives, but really stepping out in faith and claiming the truths of God's word in our own lives.
So, while I was hearing these messages I was preparing myself for some kind of attack that might try to destroy the joy that I was claiming in my life, and I was determined to be strong, in the Lord. About a week ago thoughts of insecurity and self-pity started sneaking in, and I've had a few struggles, but am trying to hold on to the joy. It is at these times that the joy of the Lord really does become my strength, and I'm praying that it will sustain me, and be renewed again and again.
Maybe this can be some kind of encouragement for someone. Maybe I just wanted to put it into words for myself. Either way, may Nehemiah 8:10 be a reality in my life and the lives of others.

Observations

Ok, so I've been thinking lately of a few things I'd like to blog about but haven't really got around to it. One day.

University is coming to an end for the year, and after 3 big tests next week I will be done. Hopefully I'm able to get some quality study done this week, despite all the exciting things I've got happening!

In the meantime, here are a few random recent observations...
- Why are people so attracted to drama? I can't stand drama, personally, and try to stay as far away from it as possible. So many people seem to want to hype things up to be more than they really are, or take offence at something that has nothing to do with them but act as if it does, or they try and have secret little conversations with people to feel like they're in the know and no one else is. Don't really understand it myself. Give me the simple life!
- And I guess, along with this is the way in which people answer the questions "how are you?" or "how have you been?" It's almost like it's necessary to answer these questions with either "tired", "busy" or "sick" in order to feel worthy. Sure, they may be the reality, but that's not all there is to it! Most people are busy and tired these days, it seems, but I hope and pray that your life can be about more than this, and that you can still feel worthy if these things are not the answers you'd be inclined to use. If you were to give me some other response, I'd be no less impressed. I hope that busyness and tiredness are not what are defining your life, that's all. Please don't feel like I don't care if you are sick, tired or busy. Of course I care. And I want to hear about it. Hope that makes sense.
- In a completely unrelated topic... There's this girl in two of my classes. She's American, and I'd like to think I would've known that even before she spoke, due to the fact that she wore bootleg jeans, with sport shoes, had reeeeally long straight perfect hair, stickers all over her laptop and carried a travel cup/water bottle thing with her wherever she went. Her American-ness is even more evident in tutorials when she has no problem speaking out and offering answers- something that kiwis aren't very good at! Turns out she's from Orange County, California actually, which I probably wouldn't have guessed. Aaanyway... one day she showed up to class with her top lip pierced, a kind of styley shoulder length haircut and hair dyed a dark mahogany colour, black jeans, slip-on shoes, and I don't remember what else. Is this what New Zealand does to people? Haha. I don't know. But I thought it was fascinating that she entirely changed her image overnight and now wouldn't stand out quite so much as being foreign.

Those are my observations for now. My lecture is almost over so better listen to the end and then get myself organised to leave.
Peace.