Is truth relative?

Marcus Aurelius once said “Our life is what our thoughts make it”. The choices we make in life stem from our thoughts and feelings, our perceived memories and beliefs. Thus, how we view the world and what we believe about the world has a direct influence on how we live our lives.

This often leads to the belief that what we think must be the truth.

However,  just because you think something to be true doesn’t necessarily mean it is true. 

For example, let’s look at the question ‘Is God real?’

If I believe God does exist and you believe he doesn't, then how could both of our opinions be the truth? God either is he isn’t. Our ability to believe or not believe in something cannot possibly create or erase its existence. 

If truth is relative then truth does not exist. 

In his book The road Less Travelled, M. Scott Peck says “the learning of something new requires a giving up of the old self and a death of outworn knowledge” (1978. p.181). He suggests that to develop a ‘broader vision’ we need to be willing to forsake our ‘narrower vision’. We must learn and we must grow.  

Proverbs 3:5-6
“ Trust in the Lord completely,
    and do not rely on your own opinions.
    With all your heart rely on him to guide you,
    and he will lead you in every decision you make.
Become intimate with him in whatever you do,
    and he will lead you wherever you go.”

Wisdom is truth revealed to us by God. Bill Johnson explains it practically, 

“Wisdom is not just a deposit made into somebody who now has all the answers. It implies that the ability to hear the Voice of God is the key to wisdom. Wisdom, then, is a relational fruit” (The Mind of God. Bill Johnson, 2015, p.56) 

God is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13). I believe the journey to discovering truth is in fact the journey to discovering God.

The only way to truly ‘know’ someone is to engage in a real, intimate and authentic relationship with them. This is the kind of relationship that Jesus sacrificed his life for. If we want to know God (to know truth) then we have a choice to make.

Will we partner with fear and seek to life a life of ignorance or will we embrace the unknown, partner with hope and seek to know the truth.

Emma Elizabeth 

It’s about our focus.

“When our focus is fixed on Jesus
our stability and our contentedness
cannot be altered by circumstance”

This is a quote from a beautiful poem that one of my best friends wrote while she was praying for me.

As my friend was writing this poem, I had been asking Jesus to speak into the very things she had written about. I had been feeling uncertain about my future and discouraged by some of my past regrets and experiences. I was feeling exhausted by my responsibilities and weighed down by my fear of making the wrong decisions for my life.

The words that were written that day were pivotal for me in that season of my life. I continue to read it most days and I am still learning so much. Today, I just wanted to share with you a few of the things that I have learnt and have been encouraged by since:

Firstly, I was amazed that God would want to share his thoughts with me through poetry. I was reminded that being created in his image meant that it wasn’t just he who shared in my passions but I who shared in His. By that thought alone, I was and still am blown away.

Secondly, I was reminded of this verse:

“Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.” - 1 Peter 5:7

It helped me to realise that the responsibility I was carrying and the pressure I had put on myself to make the right decisions all the time, were never asked of me by my God. His love and care for me had never been dependent on my good behaviour or my own righteousness. I learnt that it is because of his love and care for me that I can live carefree in freedom and grace.

Finally, Jesus taught me the importance of where I place my focus. He revealed to me that when I focus on myself and all my worries, I quickly get caught up in fleshly troubles like comparison and striving. Whereas, when I place my focus on him, I find peace and truth in every situation.

So what is the tool? How can we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus when life can be so distracting?

I have learnt that we can do this through praise and thanksgiving (PSALM 100:4). When we say ‘thank you Jesus for you’ and praise him for all his goodness; our eyes shift from ourselves and onto him. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! He is always faithful and his love will always be enough to carry us through.

______________________________________________________________

P.s. I want to say thank you to my friend who prayed for me. Often times we say we will pray for people but from my experience, it’s easy to forget to actually pray. Ana, you have encouraged me to spend more time praying for the people in my life.

x Emma Elizabeth W

Never alone

Have you ever felt isolated, alone and afraid? Yeah, me too. Those feelings are real and maybe right now you are feeling one or more of those things.

The reality is, the enemy wants you to believe the lie that you are alone, you are unloved and that life is too risky to take part in. However, he only does this to distract you from the truth, because if you knew the truth, you would know how capable and strong you could be.

The enemy, your enemy, wants to steal you of your joy, your life and your strength source: God. Your God, the only God, who sent Jesus Christ, his son, to die for you - made it possible that you would never have to be alone or afraid. When Jesus rose from the dead (you can read about this in the Gospels) he defeated the enemy and declared victory over death (the consequence of our sins).

In the New Testament, Paul says that those who believe Jesus is Lord are “marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14). God has made a promise; to not only be with you, but to live within you, making it possible for you to live in right relationship with God forever (literal eternity).

God designed you in love and for love. You have always been loved and you have never been alone. That fear which grips you, although feels real, has only the power you let it. You can talk to God and tell him what you are afraid of and what you are worried about. When you do this, he will help you get through it, all you need to do is trust him. “Cast all your anxiety on God because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Below are some scripture you can read, and re read, and maybe print and stick on your wall to remind you: God loves you, he is near to you and he has a purpose for your life (that doesn’t include fear).

Joshua 1:9

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Isaiah 41:10

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand

Psalm 23:4

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

John 16:33

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

Philippians 4:6-7

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 11:28

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Psalm 34:18

If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Humility vs Pride

humble and honest
is the best way to be
it's where freedom is found
freedom freedom indeed

Something I’ve been learning over these past couple of months, is that you can’t ‘achieve’ humility, receive it or even earn it. Humility is simply (yet not so simply) the absence of pride. Like darkness and light or like fear and love; pride and humility cannot coincide.

1 Peter 5:6-7 MSG “So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.”

I believe this is what it means to ‘humble ourselves’ or to ‘reject pride’ is to let go of the need to

1. be heard and seen by others (requiring approval, being dicontent with who we are)

2. compare ourselves and become competitive with people (put on airs)

3. become self reliant (be in control of our own lives, caring only for ourselves)

To be content with who you are, is to be content with God, your Heavenly Father. The one who made you, the one who loves you (just as you are). Humility is about more than ‘being a good person’, its about being authentically you. You were made in the image of God, you were made to be cared for by the creator of the universe. You don’t need to live in constant fear, or in a constant state of striving and self reliance. God, your God, is awesome and powerful and bigger than all of your worries.

So let’s encourage each other; let’s lay down our pride, ask for forgiveness (then receive forgiveness, which we can do because of Jesus) and let’s live CAREFREE before God, for he us most CAREFUL with us.

Emma Elizabeth

Bubbles, friends & Sunsets

There is a game we play; which fools all but one.

This game I call: adulthood.

Adulthood is something we tell our children they will one day enter. When that day comes we imply that they will have to be stronger, smarter, richer, and more independent. I am not suggesting that these are bad things, or that they are incorect. However, I wonder if we are suggesting that becoming an adult means to leave your childlike ways behind?

Theres something sweet about loving friendships, bubbles and sunsets. They represent, for me, opportunities to view life like a child once more. Because, I too have often fallen into the trap, the game, the facade of ‘being an adult’. I often spend my time trying to prove my strength, my wisdom, my independence and my seriousness. BUT WHY MUST WE BE SO SERIOUS?

When asking my dad (who has lived much more life than myself), ‘what advice would you give your younger adult self’, he replied, “Not to take myself too seriously”.

Why oh why do we take ourselves so seriously? Is life no more than getting a job, becoming the best at our job, paying our rent, buying the next best things and repeat?

What are the best parts about being a child? Think about it for a moment..
You’re free, more creative, adventurous, receptive, you’re willing to take a chance.
These are qualities that I pray we never loose, these are qualities I am learning to take back.

I think it is important for adults to seek wisdom, direction, to be responsible and to pursue their dreams. However, I do not believe we should be telling our young adults that they are to pursue a life of misery, which is disguised as ‘becoming a successful adult’.

Jesus says in Matthew 18:3, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Children know that they cannot do life alone, they are receptive to the help of others and what’s more, they embrace the beauty of life!

So to all the adults reading this (or the soon to be adults), I want to encourage you to reflect on your life and ask yourself these questions:

Am I playing the pretend game of adulthood or am I embracing my inner child, the real me?
Am I taking myself too seriously, or am I living authentically?
Am I honest with myself about needing help, friends and community or am I condemning myself to an isolated life all for the trophy of ‘independence’.

Wait.. but what about the kingdom of heaven thing you mentioned just now?

The kingdom of heaven is accessible to all the children of God. Which is also accessible to you, if you would like to become once again like a child. We all fall short of the glory of God and all deserved to bear the burden of the consequences of our own sins. Yet, Jesus paid all of our debts by dying the most painful death on the cross. Jesus rose again in three days and defeated death, making a way for all of us to have a relationship with the one true God, your Heavenly Father. He has extended the invitation to you to receive all that he has, like a child receives the inheritance of his/her father.

Romans 10:9

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Adulthood is a game we play, which I know fools all but one:
the one who calls us home.

The effect of the sun.

As the morning sun rises each morning, its rays begin to shine on everything. Everything the sun touches, radiates its glorious glow.

Have you every thought about the impact you are having on the world? Each morning you arise, what effect do you have on everything you touch? Many people are concerned with their ‘carbon footprint’, but have you thought much about your eternal-relational one? What are you leaving behind in your relationships? What footprint are you leaving in the workplace, at home, in your children? Did you know that every decision you make has an eternal impact? Did you realise your significance?

Perhaps you are one of the smarter kind, and knew this all along. But if you are anything like me and the entirety of human existence, we often forget our significance and value and it’s effect on others. When we live for self, our pride blinds us to this reality.

I’m aware that we often feel overwhelmed at the thought of playing such an important role in this world. It can get exhausting. So what now? is there a solution? How can we leave a positive eternal footprint when we are so imperfect?

Much like the suns rays; how everything it touches radiates and shines. I think God’s glory has the same effect on our lives. When we spend time in his presence, we too become a reflection of his Glory. When we have open hearts to receive his joy, we radiate with this same joy. Can you see the pattern?

The more time you spend with the son (Jesus Christ) the more you will reflect him.
The best way that I see fit to leaving a positive and outrageous impact on this world and the people who live in it; is by being a reflection of perfect love.

Can we do this in our own strength?

When you glow because you are standing in the direct sunlight, you don’t ever assume that the glow is coming from yourself. Its obvious where the glow comes from right?

The same goes with becoming a reflection of Jesus. When you glow in his light, you will know it is not of yourself.

Furthermore, if we become the reflection of Jesus Christ, than Jesus Christ can impact the lives around us every day; through us, his hands and feet.

“Your lives light up the world. Let others see your light from a distance, for how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew‬ ‭5:14-16‬ ‭TPT‬)

With love, Emma Elizabeth

New beginnings|

Is there a spot you’ve been before; with an old friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, family member or stranger - which now, when you return, triggers memories of a past that breaks your heart?

It’s truly painful. Yet I do believe redeemable.

I believe that new narratives can form from old memories -

It first takes the dreadful step of revisiting the old; maybe it’s that shop, lookout or that old bench at the beach.

You have the power to re write with Grace! In the strength, love and authority of Jesus Christ!

Rather than try to erase the old, it’s time to make new chapters.

It’s time for a redemptive story to begin for you.

It’s time to begin again!

With love, Emma Elizabeth

Father, who do you say that I am?

As the sun radiates your glory;
as the waves magnify your strength;
the people you love walk around trying to understand
who and what you are.
On a hill you call me to stand tall;
to shine bright where the eyes of your people see me in plain sight.
Yet here I am before you scared and unsure why.
Father, who do you say that I am,
Father, who am I?
Am I a youth pastor every Friday?
Am I a worshiper day and night?
Am I a writer who struggles to find the words
or am I just your dearly beloved
who you want to thrive and not strive
to be what I already am
and to trust you have a plan.

I am who you say I am.
-Emma Elizabeth

Welcome to my blog!

Dear reader, welcome to my blog!

Here you will find my most vulnerable and real thoughts.

I have a big heart to share my words, my heart, my thoughts, my dreams. Sharing these things with you is vulnerable because it places my heart on the frontline. I promise I have no intention on being perfect or living up to yours or any one else standards. I will just be me. You will find nothing other than truth and love here within these words. I pray that they will encourage and inspire you to live your dreams, to be authentically you and to discover the significant purpose with which I believe God has placed within you. If you would like to be notified of my blogs/ get extra words - then make sure to subscribe to my newsletter below! There’s exciting things to be found there.

I am so grateful that you are here and I pray you will stay a while.

Heres to something new! God bless you!

With Love,
Emma Elizabeth.