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For some reason, maybe it is still this conditioning from school and uni days, autumn always brings this sense of a fresh start for me. The last few weeks were filled with revision and writing exams and very little time for anything else. As mentioned in a previous post, I therefore took a little break from the blog. I just was not capable of spending another minute staring into a screen and forming comprehensive thoughts. However, now it is autumn and exams are over! I am so excited to be posting more regularly and to interact with all you lovely people.
Finding my ‘why’
Despite being so busy I had quite a bit of time to think about this little blog of mine. And I have filled a fair few pieces of paper with ideas for future posts and some fun projects. But I also asked myself the question: Why am I writing this blog? What am I trying to achieve?
So far, I kind of just used this space to get my thoughts onto ‘paper’. I write because it helps me to process and I hope to encourage others in the process.
You might not know this but I am doing a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development with SOAS. So, the last couple of weeks I spend most of my days reading about poverty and climate change and how the two are interconnected. And I realised, that is what I am passionate about. It breaks my heart that in our culture we celebrate lifestyles that are destroying this planet and the livelihoods of the poorest in this world.
We are here to make a difference
As a Christian I strongly believe that God does not just want me to accept injustice, suffering and destruction. I believe he wants me to use my voice and my gifts to stand up against these things. Jesus calls his followers “the salt and light and the world” – we’re the ones who are empowered to stop injustice, to fight against poverty and to be a shining light for those who are hopeless.
There is a verse in the Bible, calling us to love God, our neighbours and ourselves. In the world we live in our neighbours are not just the people in our immediate surroundings but all the people who feel the consequences of our actions – whether these are positive or negative. My ‘neighbour’ is the guy working in the café I am currently sat in but also the seamstress in Bangladesh who made the jumper I am wearing.
Fresh autumn wind
Dwelling on this fact, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. But something I have recently learned is that progress is better than perfection. Taking little steps towards living a life that is kind to people and planet and failing in some areas is so much better than not even trying. I am a long way off from living the way I would like to but I am on a journey. And I would love it if you came on this journey with me.
So, long story short: I am devoting this blog to living a bright and bold life, to being salt and light in a globalised world, to love God, our neighbour and ourselves. I want to use this new season of autumn to bring a bit of a fresh wind to this space. You can expect to see a few tweaks and changes to the blog so come by and let me know what you think! Also, if there is any issues that you think I should start a discussion about on here, please let me know.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by my blog today, I appreciate it a lot. I would love it if you said hi in the comments below!
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