Encouragement Is A Big Word

Words are powerful things. They have the power to change a life or to kill it. So many people underestimate the power of a word of encouragement. So many people underestimate the damage a harmful word or phrase can have on a person. One slip of the tongue and a tonne of hard work can go out the window. I want to tell you a story of a guy who is a perfect example of what I'm talking about.

It was my first season playing men's and I was pretty much the runt of the league. And I was playing in a position where you usually have a big, tough dude; goalkeeper. I'm fairly certain that every team we played against thought that I would be an easy target, and that they could run over me. This actually happened in the second game. I don't remember what happened between contact and waking up on the ground. Apparently I went flying through the air like a helicopter.

The point of this story so far is what follows. As I slowly got to my feet, to continue the game I distinctly remember my centre midfielder who was helping me up say, "You're a champion Matt, and we're lucky to have you." That was three and a half years ago. As you can imagine, it meant the world to me. To be affirmed by my team that I was good enough to be where I was.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of bumping into this old teammate at work. Although I didn't even recognize him at first, once I knew who it was, his encouragement to me three and a half years ago played on tape over and over in my mind. I think the world of this guy and I will for the rest of my life probably.

What he said to me accompanies the name and the picture in my mind that I have of him. To this day, I don't know if he meant what he said or not, but that doesn't matter, because he said it. That's all it takes. A kind word here and there and you can add something to someones life. Encouragement is probably one of the greatest gifts we could give, so give life and not take it away with your words.

Pipe Dreamer

The death of my lifelong dream began as soon as it was born. Let me explain; I wanted to be a soccer star. I always wanted to play on the worlds biggest stage, in front of millions of people, doing what I love more than anything else in the world. It was not to be, probably never to be to be honest. Someone else had other plans for me. But I wanted to write about pursuing dreams because it is something we discussed in tribes and youth recently.

Dreams are just that; dreams. There needs to be something to make them reality. That something is hard work. Looking back on my dream, I realize that at the time when I should have been out practising, I was inside playing games on the computer and PlayStation. When I should have been putting in the hard yards, I would have nothing to do with it.

You see, I had these dreams, but I didn't do the work required. Talent alone won't get you there. I always thought it would just happen. But it hasn't, and it won't. They are just pipe dreams, unrealistic fantasy of how awesome it would be if I didn't have to work for what I wanted. Furthermore, how much greater will it feel to have worked your but off and achieved then to coast through life not really doing anything hard. The result will be so much more cherished if its work for.

So let me put it to you like this- procrastination and goals do not mix. Don't put off what you have always wanted to achieve, you might not have that same chance again.

Lessons Learnt Atop A Mountain

It has been a crazy couple of days for me. Since last Thursday when everything started to unravel to now where it all seems back together again. When I say unravel I mean hate for every other human being on the planet. When I say unravel, I mean ready to do something I would most definitely regret for the rest of my life. When I say unravel, I mean I was ready to give it all away. I did not care. I wanted to live for me and everyone else could go get stuffed for all I care.

To be honest, I don't know why I was so angry with the world. Perhaps it stemmed from the bad report my auntie spoke over my life on Thursday night. True, it upset me. No one ever wants to hear that they're a failure at life, especially people who might just happen to believe it. But, I don't think it was the overarching reason. Or perhaps it all came from an unhealthy discontentedness with they way things are. Had it been building and building? Did people only just seem so stupid?

No matter what it was, it had me sitting in church condemned. There I was, sitting there listening, whilst my thoughts convicted me. My mind was screaming at me. "I don't care how much sense what your saying is making to me. I don't care! I'm not going to change. I don't want to do the christian thing. It won't make any difference." I even thought, "that kid can go to hell for all I care." So something was wrong, massively wrong. However, I still could not pinpoint what it was.

I've always had a thing for nature, so on Tuesday I went and climbed a mountain. A heap of people have said that I shouldn't have gone alone, but to be honest, that's the only way it would have happened. I needed to be alone; with God. I needed to sit atop that mountain 1170m up for an hour and a half and just marvel at all I could see. I didn't want one of my friends to ruin this for me. I had to go alone.

I now know exactly why God made mountains. He made them for his glory. He made them for adventurist types like me. Because their bigness reminds us humans that we're not all there is and that we aren't really as big and strong as we like to think. I learnt that the whole earth tells a story about God. A symphony singing praises. On top of that mountain I felt so small and fragile. One slip and I die. Whilst down below humans like ants busy themselves with life. But what of me?

One thing I had to consider was my influence. While I was up there, I had to think about how I was going as a leader. About whether I was a model that others would and/or should follow. Sure, I could fake it pretty well. But deep down, I was letting myself down. Despite, what was going on in my life, I have to make sure that I don't compromise the influence I have as part of a leadership team. So what do I need to change?

First thing is quite simple. Practice what you preach. I need to live out what I want others to live out in their lives. The main one is love. If I can't love someone like Jesus would, then how can I expect others to? This is a simple yet massive point. Obviously, you can't expect it to work like that. But somehow I did.

I think the second thing is to be real. Honestly, life sucks sometimes. Clearly, someone who hates everyone is not a picture of a happy person who is enjoying life. The whole time I felt like this, no one knew. I didn't tell anyone and I had a happy normal mask on. The "yeah good thanks" mask. Everything was not OK, but I acted like it was. If we are to be real with people, we have to ditch the masks.

Third thing that has to happen is the practice what other people preach. I don't know how many times, I have asked, "how do I live like that?" when I have heard messages about things like radical christian faith. Or, when I receive counsel from a leader above me. And I honestly want to live like that, but I never actually make the change required. Or take the step required. And so I stay where I am, discontent and unhappy with how things are. It's kind of silly when you think about it.

So what have I learnt in the last week? I have learnt that I can't do it by myself. I can't do it at all to be honest. I need help. I need God. That's the only way this thing is going to work. I don't have enough love to love those who need it. I need His. I have come to believe that Christianity is a doing word. I don't think its about being a christian, but what we do that makes us a christian. All my life I've been a christian, but I've done nothing. Time for that to change I fancy.