"All we need is love"

It is a great human tragedy that the heart desires the love of another.

This may sound like a generalisation. Some may deny that they even have such a desire. I don't know what the greater tragedy is... to have such a deep need for another, or to be so hardened to refuse the existence of such a need.

I find myself frustrated with the fact that I fight myself so extremely to cause my key focuses to be on 'important' things such as my career and defending the 'right' side of morality, yet the depths of my heart cry for the conventions of love, and denied-preparations to sacrifice for it.

I have also been disheartened at the ability of some to admit yet supress this desire within themselves, and to successfully convince themselves that other issues are of greater importance at the current moment, where as I seem to be plagued by my inability to do so, yet the necessity of pretending that I can.

I very rarely find myself in moments of brutal honesty such as this, so this writing will pose as proof when I return to the pretentious, make-belief world of "I-don't-need-to-be-loved-by-him."

I went to Uganda. I recieved a taster of what real joy is in the attitudes of the people there. I had the privilege of witnessing real faith. I am challenged to stop placing some of my joy in material things that don't last, and rather to place it fully in Jesus... and to love my friends and family with everything I have within me.

In the words of Robin Mark:
"When it's all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters;
Did I do my best to live for truth?
Did I live my life for You?"

Integrity

Integrity is who you are when no-one's watching.

Poem: EMPTY FRAME

I wrote this poem after walking into topshop and the first thing I saw was a 'size zero' model with her shirt open. I got so frustrated with the norms and ideals the media and this world create. We need to stop being driven by such ridiculous rubbish and start naming and claiming the beautiful truths about ourselves, and recognise what is most important.

TITLE: EMPTY FRAME

Constructed, Deconstructed
Through a fashionable ideal.

A bone structure?
A shrine of her
Upon a frame
In a window-pane.
A standard set,
She won't forget,
And sleepless nights,
Internal fights.
Mirror glances,
Cheap romances,
Native lies
And smile disguises.
One named disorder,
A new world order
Of image queens,
Size zero jeans.
Idolatry,
She can't be free.
To be alive
Is just to strive.
Danger chills,
Vitamin pills.
Purging, binging,
Never winning.
Lying, starving,
Penance-carving.
What went wrong?
I'll sing a song
Of light and love
Sent from above.
Of life and hope,
And strength to cope.
He broke the chains,
And heals the pain.
He came to die,
To crush the lies,
Defeating death,
The heart's next breath.
Don't live deceived,
In Him believe.
Taste and see,
And be set free -
By enduring truth.
You're living proof
That there is more
Worth living for.
So you remain,
Before that frame,
And you can choose
To win or lose.
Break the glass -
This frame won't last.
In the King's domain,
It's an empty frame.
A brand new start,
A beating heart,
Pumping blood
Like a holy flood.
Yes, you're alive,
He's on your side.
You're in His care
And He'll be there,
In present-tense
Real life events.
So storm or calm,
The Great I AM
Will lead you on,
The battle is won.

Deconstructed, Reconstructed
Through a captivating truth.

Sacrificial Love

Love is a sacrifice. Waow. I feel that this is not going to be one of those wonderfully eloquent pieces of writing, but this is something that has been on my heart and that I see as being very important.

Regardless of whether you are 'religious' or 'spiritual' or not, I ask you to consider this amazing biblical description of what love actually is. You have probably heard this countless times. Perhaps you're even growing bored of hearing it. I ask you to look at it now as if with new eyes...

1Corinthians13v4-7: Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Jeepers... love is about so much more than how I feel inside. Love is an active word. Love is sacrificial. Love is about considering the feelings, struggles, joys and situations of others. Love is about caring for others like we would long to be cared for. Love is about genuinely putting others before ourselves with NO ulterior motive... even if it means we have to be worse off because of it (yes it's big stuff!).

As much as I love discussing grand ideas and theorising etc, I'm not going to ramble around this subject for ages. The most important thing here is putting into practice the implications of sacrificial love. Oskar Schindler saved 1100 Jews during the holocaust by sheltering them through work within his factory. 'The good Samaritan' stopped to help the dying Jew (picture your WORST enemy, or someone you would feel seriously uncomfortable around - then picture them being the one to help you when you need it most - that is love). Jesus gave up his life to save people. I could list many more examples of extraordinary, sacrificial love... but I want you to think of what you could do as an act of sacrificial love.

Perhaps you need to sacrifice being so busy, and spend more quality time with your family.

Maybe you need to get up off your feelings of inadequacy and be there for that friend who needs you.

Maybe you need to start supporting the work of a charity.

Maybe you need to give up on your pride act and be more teachable, accept rebuke.

Perhaps you need to stop being so arrogant and try to see things from other points of view.

You've seen that boy or that girl who is in need of a friend, someone to take an interest... you could invite them out with you.

Perhaps you need to stop being so reckless with your money so that you can invest it in things that really matter.

Maybe you need to stop and speak to the people on our streets who are selling the big issue/belfast telegraph. I imagine a world where people are quicker to love than to judge.

Instead of crossing the street when you see a homeless person ahead, you could walk right up to them and take them for a sandwhich / buy them a coffee / have a chat.

Maybe you could actually start listening to your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife.

You might be quick to recognise when someone isn't sensitive to your feelings/desires... so instead of dwelling on how hard done by you are, make the effort to be a sensitive friend to others.

Maybe you're bitter or angry about something. Could you sacrifice your bitterness for forgiveness?

Only you know what would be best to begin with in terms of living a life of sacrificial love. I pray that you would be blessed in the process of learning to actually love your neighbour as yourself. Take the challenge.

Jx

Something Simple

TITLE: YOU DIED
You died to yourself,
You died for me.
You died so that
The blind might see.
You died in pain,
The cross to bear.
You died alone,
God’s love to share.
You died in dark
To bring the light.
You died to defeat
The thief of the night.
You died as a sacrifice,
For all human sin.
You died to rise,
You died to win.

Complex Cobwebs

Ours is an era of complexity. Individuals are influenced, engaged and indoctrinated by the conflicting, mixed array of images and messages that they are faced with each day. Hollywood’s clothing size double zero is painted as the new image of perfection, then young people are placed under controlled monitoring, and their emotional and mental stability is questioned if they adjust their diet in an attempt to attain the ‘perfect body’. Individuals who cut themselves are thought of as insane or suicidal, when perhaps, they are simply trying to keep control within a chaotic world. People have been known to completely defy the world’s understanding and hurt and starve themselves as penance for sin. The fashion industry is becoming a den of lions where people are no longer simply changing their outfits, but in reality, they are changing their very bodies. Beauty is indeed pain as the knife carves away what is unwanted and inserts what is desirable to meet the standard. We have seen political prisoners starve themselves for a cause they were prepared to lay down their lives for, and others strap bombs to themselves for the glory of their God. I am not talking about a series of dual or binary conflicts here. What I am referring to is the complex web of knowledge and understanding, of messages and beliefs, of opinions and disagreements, of captivity and freedom.

These words are not benign. These words are not approaching these difficult subjects for the first time, nor will they have the final say. These words are not covering everything that needs to be covered. But these words have power. When real issues are spoken about, written about and acted upon, there is power. I dare to be too personal, but I am prepared to take the risk as I say that regarding these issues, academia is merely a means to an end. Some things are simply too important to merely objectify. Let us embrace the words of Ghandi and take a look at ourselves, then be the change we want to see… “for the hope of liveable worlds.” (Quote by Anne Harroway)

J