CONNECTED Adventist

"Algorithms have a life of their own! The internet usage patterns that algorithms identify can become our worst enemy or our greatest supporter. The Devil has his own way of identifying the behaviours we choose to 'watch' or to just scroll past- its called choice! The Devil's algorithm observes our daily choices and strategically sets us up to face the temptation based on things we've chosen to 'c...

OUR unique faith is made up of a collection of choices. Many of us have grown 'into' our faith journey. God showed us light (Jesus and/or Truth) and we chose to accept or reject that light. God gave us conviction, we chose to accept or reject that conviction. Choice is the the controlling power behind our faith.  However, sometimes, God calls us to evaluate some of our choices. External factors an...

Moses needed someone to pray for him, but no one did. Elijah needed someone to pray for him, but no one did. We often think that certain people within our church don't 'need' our prayers. We do. Every person that is breathing, needs some one to pray for them!! Check out the lyrics of these 2 hymns: For You I Am Praying &  I Need the Prayers ( 284 & 505 SDA Hymnal)

We can't stay 'in love'. Let me explain, 'in love' is made up of so many unbiblical expectations, therefore 'falling out of love' is often attached to a lot of unbiblical disappointments. Biblical love is WAY more than flowers and your clothes been ironed for you. The example of love that God gives us is the only example we should follow and the only standard by which we should measure love.

Happy 2nd birthday my awesome CONNECTED fam!! On this episode I wanted to talk about how Justin's latest song 'Lonely' and my birthday, actually makes for a great CELEBRATION! In contrast to Justin's song, biblically, some of the loneliest people in the Bible, had the greatest degree of CONNECTION with God because they didn't have anything/ anyone else to depend on.

New 'things' are always fun and exciting when they're new. However, time and familiarity makes those once highly-stimulating things 'common'. Sometimes, our contentment is disrupted when a newer version of the same thing is released. What was once fulfilling, now evokes thoughts of discontentment because there's another option. Relationships are exactly the SAME! Adultery and the prospect of remar...

Genesis 1 had a different feeling about it when I read it the other day. A chapter that explains how the world was created and that proves God's power and the existence of the Godhead, showed me the importance of LIGHT and how the first step of creation- was give light to the darkness. Giving 'light' is also the first step that God takes when He's about to pour out His creative power in our lives.

I had me a decent collection of fake designer products! But I came to realise that 'fakes' are almost offensive when you own the genuine. For an outside' who can't tell the difference between the bootleg product and the genuine- they all look the same, even though they're most definitely NOT the same. The same goes for Christianity. Not all professed Christians are the same. Some of us, risk turni...

If there was no heaven or hell, no reward for being a Christian or 'punishment' for choosing a life of sin, would you still choose righteousness? Ty Gibson asked this question at an ARISE class in 2015 and I reflected on my motives for choosing to be a Christian, and why I chose righteousness in the place of my following my own will. I realised that some of my motives for wanting to be in Heaven w...

The standard of Christlikeness is the highest attainment possible for followers of Jesus. But with that standard, comes a lot of refining. The 'criteria' for attaining a Christian High Distinction can become overwhelming and even discouraging for any believers. So is a HD impossible? Or is there more to be considered when setting such a high standard within Christianity?

We're all in a race. However, we're not supposed to be chasing after the Joneses, we're supposed to be racing to keep the faith and to win the prize of Christlikeness and eternal glory. When we start competing for a different prize, relationships, career, academic goals, wealth, assets and appearance, the descend on the slope of discontentment can become dangerous very quickly. The more you descen...

Sin is complicated yet simple. I know that doesn't make sense but you'll know what I mean after you listen. What I do know- with all confidence, is that sin is DANGEROUS! Some sinful experiences are like bungee jumping. The first step is the hardest to take (because God is trying to hold us back from falling) but once you taken the step, there's no turning back- and the only way to go back, is to...

Well... I'm not, and I'm not conservative or liberal either. One thing I've observed that is present within Christianity is that there's plenty of- division. Division on what seems like an ENDLESS list of preferences, doctrines and even convictions. Is division God's ideal? And if it is, what camp do you belong to?

Fully understanding what it means to be made in the 'Image of God' can be complicated but not impossible. Through our faith journey, the picture we paint of God can look very different. However, who God IS will never and had never changed, only our projection of our experience of Him will. So can we see the image of God in humanity today? And what picture are you painting through your life?

I'm that person who buys food with damaged packaging.  I purposely pay FULL price for cereal in crushed cartons and dented canned lentils. Why? Because God has given me a Divine calling to invest in people that are often labelled as 'too difficult', 'too intimidating' or 'too complicated'. But be warned, things can get messy when you don't take your own history into account as you  minister to peo...

The study of Human Diversity reveals that personal identity is not 'individual' at all but rather, a reflection of numerous influences that shape identity into accepting and rejecting particular aspects of societal norms, values and beliefs. Our identity is strongly influenced by our family, our school and work peers, our culture and our nations. This is also applicable within the church context....

Youth work can be intimidating! Parents of teenagers will tell you why lol Edgar shares with us (no longer young people) what patterns he sees developing within secular youth and how those patterns can (and most likely- will) impact the Youth within our churches.

What role does the church play in placing shame people on people's Christian walk? How can we stop it? Well, it starts with you and me :) 

There's many reasons why people feel shame. And as a Christian, we're DEFINITELY not immune to experiencing shame and guilt for the decisions we make, specially in the relation to our faith. So let's talk about shame-filled Christians and how we can navigate the negativity that comes from not being 'holy'.

Life has taught A LOT me about forgiveness, betrayal and distrust. Some lessons cut deep, like 'kill me now' kinda cuts, and other lessons, just called for a 'dusting-off of the knees', superficial grazes. But my dogs have taught me how to deal and process many of this injuries. And rehabilitated dogs, taught me lessons I didn't want to be taught!

'Spiritual junkies' are found in all denominations. Ministry becomes the source of their spiritual worth and their spiritual connection. But what happens to these Christians when their personal convictions can't be numbed with another preaching engagement? Morgan and I talk about how ministry became a stronger motivator for our faith and how it derailed us from investing time to be still, with the...

Church isn't for sinners. At least not 'public' sinners. Why? Because we go to church with an expectation that everyone has it all together and when a person is sinning or struggling with their sin, we often offer our own personal experience of 'grace' and 'forgiveness'. However, what we demonstrate to 'sinners', is often distorted and corrupted by our lack of really knowing God for ourselves.

It's been proven ,that extended periods in Solitary Confinement leads people to madness. How is isolation impacting you and those around you? What demons have you seen and faced during this time? Sometimes, its during chapters like this, that we learn the most about ourself and those around us.

Last week, I was crushed when one of my all-time, Spiritual favourites deleted my comment on their Facebook post. I wasn't expecting it to cut SO deep, but rejection has a powerful way of messing with us, even when its just from a Public figure. How does this experience CONNECT to Christianity? Listen in!

Living with suicidal thoughts can be one of the darkest chapters a person can experience in their life. The reasons why a person can be in this darkness are so varied, that there definitely isn't a one-size fits all solution. But what can Biblical Christianity offer them? And what are some possible causes as to why some Christians still experience the darkness of suicidal thoughts when they alread...