David Webster, Author at 1Africa

What you believe, you know

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May 4, 2016

Many people today have lost perspective. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, society has tried to separate life from faith. You can find people in church, at work, at home or on the bus that have sidelined the concept that faith is an activating factor in everything we do. Many people have adopted the Descartes principle “I think, therefore I am”. Which may have merits, but it completely cuts faith out of the picture.

The core basis of sanity doesn’t lie in thought. The fact is, you can think that you are losing your sanity. And if you think that long enough, it is proven that you will. So if thought itself cannot define your life, then what does? In all truth, the only way that you can live is if you believe in what you think. Now I know there are cases where people have been misguided in believing the wrong thoughts, but it is just reinforcing my point. It is not your thoughts, but which ones you believe that determine what your life will look like.

If you take this into account, then faith is the bridge between the cognitive and the material. It is the passageway between your soul and your action. Faith is a confident conviction. The only way you are able to walk today is because you have the confident conviction that when you step forwards two things will happen:

1. Your foot will be able to hold your weight

2. The place you put your foot will be able to hold you

So in many ways, faith determines every step you take in life. The thing is, the vast majority of humanity takes each step for granted – making us oblivious to the levels of faith that we actually are living with every moment of our lives.

I know that personally I have spent a whole lot of my life trying to find knowledge that will support what I believe. But what you know does not lead you to belief. Belief leads you to what you know. I you are looking for the proof that there is a God, there are many credible sources, stories, and facts. But the problem isn’t with your ability to understand. It is with your willingness to believe first.

You may be in a place where you are desperate for something more than your day-to-day existence. You may have tried out the whole “Christian life” and found nothing much for you. You have grown up around God, but not ever have had a personal revelation of who He is. Can I maybe ask that before you reach for a Bible, click on the link below to find out more, walk into a church or pray to God – allow yourself to believe what you will encounter. Yes, you can question it once you have grasped it, but you need to open yourself up to the possibility of truth before you actually find it. I pray you find more than you ever bargained for.

Captain America: the campaign that raised the game

David Webster

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April 29, 2016

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Captain America: the campaign that raised the game

Marvel is one of the greatest enterprises in entertainment today. With everything from comics to costumes, action figurines to films and games, this empire has been built for years on the consistent, complex story lines of multiple superheroes.

Ranging from the epic characters of Captain America, Thor, and The Hulk, to the comical personalities of Ant Man and Deadpool, Marvel has definitely made something for everyone. And ladies, you aren’t missing out either. Jessica Jones, Elektra, Black Widow, and Storm are just some of the many female heroes that are currently being portrayed.

One would think that this empire would be comfortable enough to coast a little, since three successful live action series have been added to the countless animation series being broadcast. We don’t even have to mention the box office breakers – The Avengers changed the game when it came to marketable strength, with more than four storylines converging into one, with results that play out in the sequels of each individual narrative.

The expected thing to do for the upcoming Captain America: Civil War film was to put out two official trailers, nab a stint in the Superbowl ad lineup, have some TV specials, and call it a day. The storyline – two protagonists go head to head, aided by multiple friends – is pretty catchy in itself. But Marvel has done that and a whole lot more. If you were anywhere near YouTube in the last week, you have probably been accosted with this guerilla advertisement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvkZx3Lojuc

Not only did this take over every video your heart would desire, they also branched out into all of their platforms. Their extremely successful “Marvels Champions” has changed, allowing players to choose sides and play specific quests geared towards each team. If you go onto the official website there is also a link to the almost two and a half hour premiere red carpet event, which was streamed live. Live blogging is constantly taking place through Twitter.

Another interesting thing to note is the introduction of more of the supers from Marvel’s universe. Black Panther and the new Spiderman join Iron Man, the Winter Soldier, Captain America, Black Widow, The Falcon, Scarlet Witch, War Machine, Vision, Hawkeye, and Ant-Man all in one movie – once again pooling a large fan base and setting up the next decade of films.

With raging reviews from the true die-hard fans and box office predictions set to smash over $190 million, there is no doubt that the world loves superheroes. In fact, the world is becoming more and more enamoured with the idea of having a saviour.

Yes, in these movies, Marvel has amplified the devastation but it is not far off from the state of reality today. We can get lost in the fun and exhilaration of these awesome productions, but I do believe that it says something about what we are in desperate need of: hope and a saviour.

I have found both in Jesus Christ. Don’t worry, I’m not painting Him as a superhero. He is way more than that. He is no vigilante out to protect the world in His own way. He is the one who designed and understood the world from the beginning. If you put all of the abilities, powers and fame of every Marvel character together you would not be able to match what Jesus is doing and can do on earth. So enjoy the movie, but when it comes to real life – know there is an answer as well.

Destructive distraction

David Webster

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April 28, 2016

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Have you ever caught yourself procrastinating? I have. In fact, I have found that things get worse, especially when life gets tough or my schedule is hectic.

All I want to do is escape into something to convince myself that I’m doing fine. I joke a lot that playing slightly violent video games helps me balance out everything I do during the day – as most of the time I am working with people. But the true fact is, I don’t need to balance anything. Playing games for me actually became a way to feel like everything was normal.

So what has this got to do with faith? Nothing. But everything as well. The more I live out life – with all my faults, quirks, victories and challenges – the more I have come to realise that distraction has become a silent killer when it comes to my faith. In many ways I have turned to entertainment, relationships, position, and even daydreams to run away from the things God has given me to address in my life. Recently, I deleted every series and movie that I had acquired illegally – knowing that I was not only stealing from movie houses, but that the movies were stealing me from a true revelation of God!

You might think this is drastic, but the fact is I believe people are unaware of how desperate they are – malnourished in their spirits but obese with the “fine” things the world has to offer. Here are a few things I have learnt about distraction:

Distraction is misdirected desperation

I believe that we were all created with a built in dependency on God. The problem is, there are things that sometimes seem better to us than trusting God. Having a relationship with God means facing your fears. It means changing the way you speak, the thoughts you allow yourself to entertain and the way you will live. To be honest, part of me still freaks out knowing that God knows everything about me and more about where I am than I do.

I would much rather watch endless marathons of Friends and The Lord of the Rings extended versions. My soul would much rather focus on building a virtual empire with people who I will never meet or speak to half-way around the world. Real life is way more scary. Way more real. Way more intimidating and exposing. But those feelings are all there to drive us towards God to find strength and courage in Him. We are always going to be desperate for the love and direction of our Maker.

It is not about being filled, but about being fed

When we turn to distractions – like social media, partying, addictions, relationships, or position – we are looking for things only God can give us. Yes, we can fill our time and get some “reward” from the things mentioned above, but are we truly nourished from what we have been doing? Or are we consuming “candy floss” and expecting to live like professional athletes when it comes to our souls?

Distraction has no direction

Living outside of our own reality can seem like progress. I know there was a time where I honestly felt stuck, with nowhere to turn to. In that moment when I really needed to find God and work on issues in my life, I turned to social media to live vicariously through people I wanted to be like instead. I also spent my days trying to please people and make my own way, as no opportunities seemed to be coming my way. I am being vulnerable for a reason – I believe that a season that lasted almost five months could have lasted days if I had said no to distraction and brought my issues to God.

I don’t know if you struggle with distraction like I do. Most of the time, I only realise what’s happening after a while. But one thing I’m certain of is that there is a God that is constantly ready to engage, encourage, and improve who we are.

Lemonade: Beyoncé is at it again

David Webster

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April 22, 2016

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Five days ago, Beyoncé and HBO launched a trailer for an hour-long premiere. With not much descriptive context, many fans and critics have been speculating about what this could be.

I want to just take a moment to recognise the genius that Beyoncé is when it comes to industry. Growing up performing and creating, she has had her run in with the “monster” that is the entertainment industry, but has risen above in spectacular form to highlight what is important not only to her as an artist, but also what should be important for the whole industry: the actual product.

Beyoncé moved from being the most popular performer of the decade in the 2000s to someone who is now pushing the envelope creatively. In a world where social media has completely toppled the music business, she used her reach to her advantage by releasing a full album without any publicity – completely shaking the record marketing world by going straight to the fans without allowing any industry “professionals” to tell people what it is.

Since then, her activities online have become more and more mysterious. When she said she had an announcement to make on the morning news, her fans whipped into a froth of speculation – ranging from new pregnancy through to a single, album, or tour announcement. In actual fact, it was about how she had decided to become vegan. Obviously, this resulted in some pretty harsh backlash. But once again – the world woke up early to hear her say it.

Tomorrow, Beyoncé’s new offering to the world will be streamed for free by HBO. Seeing that it is an hour long, people are hopeful that this will actually be the launch of her new album. If the trailer is anything to go by, the same format will be used as her previous album Beyoncé, with each song being accompanied by a music video that conceptually expands and enhances the message she is trying to convey. This HBO special is also one week out of the first leg of her much anticipated Formation Tour – named after the single she unexpectedly dropped just before her Superbowl performance with Coldplay and Bruno Mars. So the special will probably is going to be the prequel to the live experience will be as well.

Whether it goes down as more of the same, or actually changes the ball game musically is yet to be seen. But there is no questioning that this will be a world event – something you could possibly tell your grandchildren about one day.

The significance lies in Beyoncé’s understanding of expectation. Being selective, secretive, and minimalistic in a world where literally everything is shared by everyone has resulted in a refined hype that has more punch than the normal “promotion formula” businesses use. Expectation builds excitement and also directs focus better than anything else could. Whether it is a dog waiting for a biscuit or a father in the delivery waiting room, this has been proven time and time again.

Understanding God’s timing

David Webster

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April 21, 2016

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Timing is a crucial part of life. I don’t know if you have ever experienced a moment in your life when things just came together. You met that friend or saw that person who offered you the job. Some people call it fate, but I believe God is very much interested in orchestrating the details of our lives.

The problem is, we are very good at becoming familiar with our routine. What was absolutely awesome yesterday becomes our normal in a few weeks. We end up taking the good and the bad things in our life for granted, allowing the rhythm of life to lull us into a false sense of adequate living. God, however, is always intentional. He is never in danger of losing perspective. So when we are struggling to find purpose in what we are doing day in and day out, we have no one to blame but ourselves…

Timing and purpose are inseparable. All of us had dreams. An industrial psychologist once told me that our clearest indication of what we will thrive in lies in what we were passionate about around the age of five. I can tell you now, everyone wanted to be something at that age – a fireman, a superhero, a nurse, or a TV presenter. But we tend to get knocked by the reality of life. After the absolute war zone that is primary school and the social experiment known as high school, most of us have lost our way when having to decide what to do with our lives. The purpose was there. But timing affected how we saw our lives.

I am very thankful that our dreams don’t become reality immediately. How devastated would the world be with five-year-old policemen running around? I know that this might be a bit exaggerated, but it is no different to how we approach our aspirations and goals today. You can be made for something and not be ready for it. The fact is between you and your purpose there is always time. Time that is required so you can grow. Time that is meant to help you learn and prepare for what God has in store.

I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear. In this fast paced world, we have been conditioned to be impatient. You could say that our generation has established the “perpetual brat” mentality. We want things now that we actually cannot handle. And I have seen so many people bail from the very things that were taking them forward because it didn’t suit their timeline.

Personally, I have learnt that there is a time and season for everything. Nothing that you are doing will be wasted, but there are specific things that have been set up for you to go through that will be the foundation of what you are called to. I have learnt not to shy away from hard work, frustration, and the times when you feel insignificant. Your purpose is on the other side of your problems. You have to deal with them head-on – not look for a shortcut that leaves you incapable to truly carry what you are called for.

All of this is impossible without a deep sense of trust in God. And you cannot trust someone you do not know. If you are struggling to figure out what your life is about, or feel like what you are doing is not amounting to anything – I would encourage you to start bringing it before God. If you would like to find out more about who He is and all that He intends for your life, please click on the link below.

How to change (for good)

David Webster

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April 15, 2016

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We have finally reached that time of year where reality has kicked in. Whether you began the year with a sense of expectation or dread, the truth is by now we all are living in what could be considered “the norm” of what your 2016 will look like.

I personally hate being put into a box, though. So instead of allowing the situations of my life to define what the rest of the year will look like, I have decided I want to change – to continue to improve in areas where I feel I am lacking.

Whether it regards our health, our wealth, the impression we make, or the way we handle life’s curve balls, the beginning of a year is normally where people decide to change. But you don’t have to wait another eight months to make a difference in your own life! You could start right now.

Once you have identified the area in which you want to change, I believe there are three things you can do to help yourself change. I recently came across these steps and have found them very useful.

Step 1 – Put off your old self

Sounds a bit strange, I know. But imagine trying to start afresh in an area of your life while all the things that justified and aided the old way you lived were still at work. It would make life unnecessarily hard. We all have a “programmed” way of life. If we want to adjust our programming, we need to turn off the device.

So practically, that means choosing to wipe the slate clean. No more playing with temptation or hoarding emotions. No more running from confrontation or defaulting to”‘instinctual” reactions. You might think this is a bit counterproductive – “aren’t I meant to be active in this area in order to change?” The answer is yes. But you need to turn something off to be able to repair it and turn it back on.

Step 2 – Renew your attitude

This is the ‘reprogramming’ step. It’s the part all of us would like to forget. Real change means real, honest introspection. Have you ever asked yourself what attitude you have towards the areas of life where you are failing? Are you rebellious in the area of purity? Do you have an attitude of defeat when it comes to your eating habits? Is selfishness crowding your approach to time? Is laziness keeping you from doing what you have always dreamt to do?

Our attitudes determine what our life will be. It is not just the frame from which we see the world, it is the fabric of how we internalise and operate. So address your attitude. Start unwinding the thoughts and emotions that are holding your change captive. This may seem ridiculously “deep” for someone who wants to wake up a few hours earlier, but if you want lasting change, you are going to have to be vigilant in holding your attitude in check.

Step 3 – Put on your new self

This is the fun part. It’s like the restart after a major update of your phone or laptop (speaking to Apple users. Don’t let Microsoft 10 ruin this metaphor!). Justified by all that you addressed in changing your attitude, you not only have a much easier job changing, but also have a reason not to revert back to the way you lived before. This is where you can get practical – where you set up your meal plans, set up accountability, and chase after your new goals.

Many of us just want to do Step 3 in this process. Step 1 is painful and makes sure we are serious and Step 2 is probably the most daunting and revealing, but they are the secret in making sure Step 3 is successful.

I firmly believe that no matter what change you make, you need counsel and support throughout the whole process. As much as people can fulfil this need to a degree, no one is perfect or has had the exact same experiences you have.

There is someone who does have a greater perspective, while also understanding exactly why you see yourself and your world the way you do. God has helped me to change in so many areas of my life. If you want to learn how to know God for yourself, you can make the greatest change in your life in the next few minutes. Just click on the link below.

Are you playing the ‘grace card’?

David Webster

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April 13, 2016

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Sometimes I feel like Christianity is confusing. There are so many conflicting concepts flying around that really don’t make sense. For example, it says we need to die to ourselves, but that Jesus came to give us life. We are told to be in the world, but not of the world. How can we be relevant and relatable without engaging in the lives of others a bit? All of these struggles may seem daunting until you actually find revelation in these areas.

One area that I have been praying about and trying to work out is living right but also embracing the concept of grace and forgiveness. For so many years, I lived with guilt because of things I had done. In many ways, the world is very aware of the standards of the Christian life. Purity, honesty, responsibility, and compassion are a few descriptors when it to comes to how we are “supposed” to live. But if I am going to be honest about my honesty, I hardly ever achieve perfection in any of these areas.

I know that as a human being, it is impossible to be able to consistently uphold that kind of lifestyle by myself. So what is the solution? Do we just give up? Do we try our best, knowing we will always fall short?

Introduce the concept of grace. When Jesus came to earth, he came to take the blame for us falling short and to die on our behalf. In that way, the blame is no longer on us when it comes to what we do – Jesus took it instead. I have had many responses to this concept of grace: awe, denial, relief, gratefulness, and even frustration. In some ways, you could take the concept of grace and use it as a hall pass to continue living recklessly. In your sin, you could try pull out the “grace card” whenever you start feeling convicted. But I am talking from experience when I say that it is a pitiful application of the greatest gift God has given us.

Grace is not a “card to play”. It is not a token you possess. It is something that you need to internalise. In many ways, I used to treat grace as a gift card – waving it around whenever I was in debt, but never cashing it in. And not only that, I had no idea what the value of that gift card actually was.

Grace is not something you just possess. It is something that is meant to be applied. So when you are found convicted, you become more grateful that you don’t have to face the ultimate consequence of death. You claim grace over your thoughts, not allowing yourself to fall into the traps of condemnation and remorse. You use grace to get up again and charge after God even harder than before. Through the eyes of grace, you see your potential instead of your failings – the victory of Jesus rather than your own defeat. The more you use grace to identify who you are, the more you start becoming like Jesus. And that is how you live right. Apply grace to your life – don’t keep it in your back pocket or in the trophy case.

If you want to know more about how you can receive this grace, click on the link below.

Bon Qui Qui: From viral to legit

David Webster

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April 8, 2016

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The vibrant, uncompromisingly ridiculous character of Bon Qui Qui was introduced to the world five years ago as part of a stand-up stint by comedian Anjelah Johnson. The MAD TV clip went viral on YouTube, with multiple versions hitting tens of millions of views.

Johnson nailed a very specific kind of character that is both hood, latino, current, and obviously all kinds of deluded as well. What is interesting is the progression she has brought about, elevating the character’s brand by doing a full-length album that was released early last year, which charted on iTunes.

What is interesting is how she struck a balance between a deficient taste level that is definitely hood, and legitimately credible production value. The timeline of Bon Qui Qui going from fast food front-of-house to debut recording artist is interesting, but very clearly thought through. Recently, she released a new single with a music video that once again is a step up for the character and the brand.

I know that some conservative Christians may struggle with the final product, but as a performer Anjelah Johnson has been very open about her career and her faith. As a character, Bon Qui Qui is her own person – representing a comedic perspective of a certain demographic present in modern society.

I believe that Anjelah’s success with Bon Qui Qui should be celebrated – especially as it will reach a broader audience that would give Johnson more influence when it comes to things that matter, like faith and good life choices.

I really struggle when people – especially Christians – are quick to judge. Sometimes a growing platform in media, especially, can receive more flack than it deserves. Whether it be legitimate concern, a fear of how the world has changed or a slight jealousy concerning someone’s success, any concern for what is happening on public platforms should result in prayer and solution-driven response. There is a reason things are popular in media today. We need more people who have a solid foundation in faith growing their influence in the entertainment industry.

Jesus came with a message of grace. He died so that we would not have to experience condemnation, but live in freedom. You may have tried many things to be “free”. There are many options presented to us that promise a good, fun, unrestrained life. But I have only found one that truly delivers on that promise – knowing God personally. If you want to find out more, click on the link below.

Struggling to read the Bible?

David Webster

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April 6, 2016

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Reading the Bible can sometimes be difficult.

Many times I have had to psych myself up to just open this book, let alone draw something out of it. Even after finding wisdom and hope that has literally changed my life, I sometimes approach the Bible with apprehension. But is called God’s Word – active and living.

The thing about this book is that there are layers of meaning that can not only apply to your personal situations but also transform them.

I find that my biggest struggle with reading the Bible is that I have read it before. I know all the Bible stories and parables. Sometimes I have come across little nuggets of unfound awesomeness, but they are becoming more and more rare. This problem, however, has forced me to dig deeper and get rid of my familiarity. In the process, I have found a few ways to keep things fresh and relevant.

Find Jesus in the story

Knowing the story of Jesus is the most important thing about the Bible. Everything in it supports and results from that story of grace. If you are reading for the first time, I would encourage you to start there.

Once you have understood his story of sacrifice, love and grace, you can apply it to every story in the Bible. Sometimes you have to think out of the box and be a little creative, but you will always find elements of love, undeserved favour, hope, grace, obedience, and sacrifice in every story you find in the Bible. In many ways, you are learning about who Jesus is and what he has done for you yourself over and over again throughout every book.

Read it like a script for a play

When you read the Bible, it is very easy to appreciate it as a story worth telling. Until you find the weirdest anecdotes and question the sanity of the writer. One way that I have found very helpful, however, is understanding the story by seeing myself as one of the characters. Doing character studies immediately forces you to identify with the person you are reading about.

It takes some research, but is a whole lot of fun. To truly understand how extraordinary God is in the stories of the Bible, you need to understand the cultural and political climate that they take place in. Understanding the tumultuous political climate Israel was in when Jesus lived really helps us understand how powerful his words and actions were. I have learnt a lot about dealing with conflict and unrest through how Jesus addressed the people of his time.

You would need to know about the Jewish culture and then also the immediate background of the character in question. For example, knowing that in Hebrew culture, men would never run, means that when the father of the prodigal son runs towards him, it is not only an expression of excitement but a defiance of culture and utmost abandon to express his love for his child. As an image of God, it shows that he is willing to break the “rules” to love us – even to the point of being undignified – which Jesus ultimately portrayed on the cross.

Read it with a fine tooth comb

In the Bible you will find a whole lot of strange things. Sometimes the translation from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic into English has meant that a whole lot of meaning is hiding beneath the surface. When I am not getting anything out of what I am reading in the Bible, I pick up a concordance to dig a little deeper. There is no shame in not understanding or struggling to apply what you read in the Bible. That is the very fuel that will get you to ask more questions.

For example, in Matthew 6 Jesus speaks about being generous and then randomly adds that if the eye is healthy your body will be full of light. Now a whole lot of red flags went up when I read that. It didn’t make sense at all. Until I found out that the Greek for the word healthy also means generous. All of a sudden, I saw how when we are generous, we see the need of others and are also healthy in our souls.

I have also found that Hebrew names all have a meaning. So when you are going through the genealogies in the early books of the Bible, you can trace so much meaning into the fabric of Israel.

I can’t explain to you how powerful this has been in my life. Searching to understand the Bible instead of just knowing it has changed the way I see everything. Not only has it given me hope and directed my life; it has also drawn me closer to God – a God that is as real now as he was when people were writing the books of the Bible. If you want to truly know this God – who speaks through the Bible and reveals his goodness to you – then please click on the link below.

How to (finally) beat the clock

David Webster

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April 1, 2016

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I find myself very conscious of time. It is definitely something in my nature – not just something I have learnt. If you want to really mess with me and get me frustrated, play around with my time management. My angriest moments in life can be directly linked to respecting time.

You may think I’m ridiculous, but I have been surprised by how different people view time management. The nature of my employment and the level of volunteer involvement in my life means I need to be vigilant with my time. I have failed often, and learnt a whole lot about how to manage the different demands and expectations placed on me. The secret for me has been in how I see time.

Time is the most valuable commodity we have

Time is money. Or rather – time is currency. An economy with an unlimited amount of cash crashes. The value of money lies in the fact that there is a limit to it. In the same way, our time is valuable because there is a limit to it. We will die one day. It could be in a few seconds, or it could be in a hundred years, but when our time is up there is nothing more we can do. That alone should be enough to help us focus on being effective with the responsibility and influence we have right now.

Time is about rhythm

Every clock ticks. Every second is equal to the one that came before it. In the same way, I find that people see time as a static structure that needs to be adhered to. At the moment, other than writing these blogs, I also do voiceovers for foreign productions, volunteer for church, and am the music director for a music school. There is no way that my schedule this week is going to look vaguely familiar to last week’s one. So, partly because of necessity, and partly because of experience, I had to adjust my rigid approach to time.

The fact is, every day we have a certain amount of boxes to tick. That will never change. But the order of those boxes can change. Instead of viewing your time as a pie that gets consumed piece by piece, you could rather see it as a set of blocks that need to line up between two barriers. No matter how you arrange those blocks, you will be able to fit everything in. So if you run late because of traffic it doesn’t mean you can’t finish that email between dinner and the dishes.

Time comes down to communication

The truth is, no one can live according to their own schedule without it somehow being affected by someone else. It is impossible to blindly live past other people and not get bumped in a few directions. So the only way we can make sure we are all moving forwards is through clear communication. I believe the people who are winning in life are those who communicate the best. If you are struggling to pull things together, can I encourage you to up the standard of communication? Whether it’s emails, honest conversations about your responsibilities, a cry for help from those around you, or a clear set of expectations from those you work with – there is always an area where you can get better.

Time makes things meaningful

My girlfriend’s love language is quality time. Emphasis on quality. When you value time, you value what that time is used for as well. In many ways, God created time for us to keep perspective and see what really matters in life. My best use of time – before earning money, seeing my girlfriend, impacting someone’s day or improving my skill – is time spent with God. Everything starts from that time each day. It frames my life. If you would like to find out how it could bless yours too, click on the link below.

David Webster

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