Creation. Good or Bad?

At college I'm quite open about my Religion. Everyone knows I'm a Christian and on the odd occasion someone will ask me a question or we'll have a big conversation. 

This week Emily asked me "Sian do you think God made Cocaine?"

Firstly I was like, well no! Of course not my God would never create something so illegal and dangerous! Then I paused for a second and realised, actually God did create Cocaine, but when he originally made it, he didn't make it for people to abuse. He created with good intentions. Then along came man, who then started taking up the plants and he come how realised that it makes you high etc. 

Creation is always a touchy subject. Did God create the world in 6 days with a day of rest or was the world created by a big bang and we're all here by accident? However the point of this is for people who do have those questions. God only made things for good. It's the nature of humans that have created bad. I don't believe drugs where created for a negative reason but we as people abuse them.

I'm not entirely sure where this post was going, but I guess I just needed to let it out.

This is the precise reason why I love art

Guess the films. 

James 3 culture.

I shall not gossip. x

The Path I've Been Given

I’ve been hearing quite a lot lately how if we hand over our dreams to God, and make use of the talents that he has given us, we will flourish. I’ve also been thinking a lot lately about what talents God has given me. Is it listening to people? Is it the advice I give? Is it through photography? I’ve also been hearing a lot how at a young age we need to start using the talents. 

I've recently just signed up for ten10 where hopefully I'll be able to do a short preach to the church alongside other fellow Christians. I really felt a tug on my heart that I need to start trusting in God. I need to start trusting in what he has planned.

Although at the moment I’m incredibly stressed, pressured and slightly scared about the path that God has laid out for me. However I know in my heart that he has control of my hopes and dreams and he is setting the course to help me flourish not only artistically but as a person. Fear is good, fear also brings creation. I’m so stoked for whats going to happen over this summer. 

things I've done in the past year.

Since being 16 I've achieved these things in a year.

• Became a Christian
• Became a Youth Leader
• Went to Prom
• Passed my GCSE's
• Drove a Car [slightly]
• Survived College
• Grew more artistically. 

Thats a pretty good year for me thinks. 

This is the precise reason why I love my Church

Nothing Like A Bit Of Church Banter

Adam and Eve

For one of my college assignments I've decided to photograph the story of Adam and Eve. I'm going to post a couple of pictures on here. I wanted to make it look quite abstract, and show some of the hidden meanings, such as Adam not being there to protect Eve from temptation. How the story is the birth of sin. I'm not sure if they do the story any justice but here are some of them.

 (No I am not naked in this picture)

James Chapter 3 vs Facebook

I've spoken about social networking sites on here before, but today has really got to me. I turn on facebook to see yet more bitching between people over a situation that happened ages ago. I'm sick of seeing the same thing everyday. "your a dick" or "come say it to my face" or arguments over someones opinion and then arguments happening after. I think most of peoples gossip comes from facebook. We see something happening so we "stalk" their profiles trying to find out information just to gossip more. 

Then I was reminded of a teaching that Callum Wyles bought to Life Group that Dave Betts had taught him. 

^"9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹²My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water " James Chapter 3. 

Basically, if we say someone says something harsh, or untrue about us, we'll get upset, it'll hurt us, and it causes trouble, but how many times do we think about when WE say something about another person thats hurtful, do we think about how it'd affect that person? Truth is we don't. We just go ahead and say it not thinking about the aftermath. See when it is said on facebook other people get involved, and then the whole thing becomes a mountain out of a mole hole, when in reality if we kept our mouths shut and resisted the temptation to gossip or retaliate to other people the whole thing can be avoided. 

Some call this James 3 Culture. I want to challenge those who read this to prevent themselves from gossiping. Write J3C on your hand and it helps. I'm aware some of this doesn't make all that much sense. But I'm sick of seeing negativity and bitching and gossiping. It isn't necessary. 

Be The Change.

So I've just seen something on facebook, about people drawing a butterfly on their wrist to prevent self harming. The idea is also similar to Write Love On Her Arms. Which is an idea to support people suffering with depression and who selfharm. Although I admire the amount of support these theories make, the only thing writing a word or drawing a picture does is show awareness. 

What I feel people need to start doing, is not just creating awareness, but stepping out and making a change to those peoples lives. We might be young people, but people only truly listen to their peers. We have to take that step and talk to people with depression. We need to step out and actually find away to help them. Become their friend, discuss their problems etc.  

It's quite common for people to shy away from it, for people to be too afraid to talk to people who are down, it seems like everywhere we turn someone has depression and I think for people our age it can be quite intimidating. But if you want to overcome depression, we need to stop fearing the word. We need to stop seeing depression and all the negativity that comes with it, and look at it as an opportunity to encourage people in their lives. To bring them to God, to turn them away from darkness and bring them back into the light. 

I'm aware some people will strongly disagree, and I'm also aware that it's a huge thing to tackle. But we are the future generation, and we need to make a change.