Sunshine Blogger Award!

Well 2020 is off to an awesome start! I was nominated by Rest & Chaos for the Sunshine Blogger Award! Please check out Rest & Chaos for a healthy dose of inspiration. And I’m not just saying that because they nominated me. The Rest & Chaos blog is truly refreshing, genuine and insightful. You won’t be disappointed!

The Sunshine Blogger award is given by bloggers to bloggers who inspire positivity and creativity in the blogging community. The rules are:

1. Thank blogger(s) who nominated you for a blog post and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
3. Nominate up to 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

So, here are the answers to the questions that Rest & Chaos asked me:

1, If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? And why?

This may sound cliché but I really want to have lunch face to face with the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I imagine that it would be the most wonderful, inspiring, loving and edifying meal I would ever have! I imagine the tangible love that would flow between them! I imagine the playful banter and the mysteries of the universe explained! I imagine I would understand more fully what it means to be a member of the family of God! I believe it would change me forever.

2. If you had an hour to yourself what would you do?

I would take a nap, catch up with the wifey, spend time with God, write, read a book, or watch Netflix… it really depends on my mood.

3. What made you decide to start writing?

I was just coming out of a dark season in my life but a season where I had found Jesus in a whole new and much more tangible way and I had this burning desire to share my story. So, I decided to write a book. Then I felt that I should complement the book with a blog and thus Authentic Joy the blog and the book were both born. The book was actually published about nine months after I started the blog.

4. Who has inspired you the most in your life?

This is without a doubt Jesus. He inspired me for most of my life in a far-off kinda way. He was the God-Man from the bible who walked this earth with such gloriously absolute perfection. In the scriptures I beheld Him as authoritative and gentle, just and merciful, always working yet at perfect rest, sitting with the sinners and then shining like the sun at the right hand of the Father. On those pages I saw love personified. But in more recent years He has inspired me up close and personal! I have encountered His love and His glory. I have wept as he has touched my brokenness with His love and mercy. He causes my heart to burn and exult with every word He whispers in my ear and every touch of His Spirit deep in my heart. I have met love personified.

5. What is the one character trait you want to be remembered for?

Authenticity. For me, this is not just a nice character trait that I want to have, this is my calling. I was created to be authentic like a bird was created to fly. Sometimes I feel pressured to be less than that… to be politically correct or diplomatic or superficial… And I don’t wear it well. I am most inspired, fulfilled and at peace when I am truthful to who I am. Many times, that means being vulnerable about my failures, weaknesses and sins. Sometimes it means saying the unpopular thing or swimming against the prevailing current and dealing with the consequences. But it is for me a small price to pay for living wild and free before God.

6. What is your fondest memory of your childhood?

I think my fondest memories are of the days when my dad, my mom, my sister and I would spend the day at the beach. My parents would be up before sunrise cooking lunch and packing the car. Then we would be bundled in the back seat for the hour and a half drive into the sunrise; to Manzanilla (a beach on the East coast of Trinidad). As the cold morning air blew through the windows, we would slowly wake up to the brightening sky and the anticipation of a day frolicking in the sea and sleeping under coconut trees. We would take walks along the miles of beach, dig for chip-chip (miniature clam-like shellfish) and try to catch the fish that always seemed just out of reach. We would jump waves and swim underwater until our fingers crinkled. But I think what really makes these memories the fondest for me is that on those days my parents were always happy and carefree and even playful.

7. What is your greatest strength?

I think my greatest strength is my weaknesses. To be very honest, I think if I did not have such huge weaknesses (and reaped the fruit of them) then I would be much too full of myself for God to reach me. Thank God for my weaknesses!

8. What is your greatest weakness?

If I had to pick one, I would say my lack of self-control. I can be described as a ‘free spirit’. I want to experience everything, and I don’t want to be controlled by anyone. This sort of recklessness is an asset in my ‘no holds barred’ pursuit of Christ but a liability when it comes to resisting sin. Especially, when one comes from a country like mine that celebrates revelry, sexuality and licentiousness. ‘Free up yuhself!’ is a stereotypical Trini credo.

9. If there is one thing you could change about your life what would it be? And why?

This is a tough one. There have been many negative choices and experiences in my life but I’m not sure I would change anything because each one contributed to the person I am today and where I stand in Christ. So, I will give a lighter answer – my voice. I’ve always wanted the baritone singing voice of Barry White. In reality let’s just say that my wife jokes that her voice is deeper than mine 😑.

10. If someone gave you a million dollars what would be the first thing you would do with the money?

Invest it! Immediately! And take time to really think about what would be the best way to leverage God’s purpose with it (while it collects interest of course 😊)

11. Do you have goals for 2020?

Yes! I am a big planner. My wife and I did a review of 2019 and set our goals for 2020 a couple weeks ago. We do this every year and we have found it to be very effective. We have four categories – physical, spiritual, vocational and relationships.

Unfortunately, I do not subscribe to 11 blogs. I try to have a minimum number of things coming into my feeds and email. I only subscribe to things that really contribute to my growth. So, here are my 2 nominees:

1. Sara, Living Free
2. janbeek, Loving One Another

And here are my 11 questions:

1. Who is your favourite author and why?
2. What was your biggest life lesson from 2019?
3. How do you normally hear from God?
4. What country would you like to visit and why?
5. What do you most admire about your spouse and why?
6. What do you do to fuel your passion for God?
7. Describe an event or revelation that significantly changed your faith journey?
8. What is one way in which you think that you are often misunderstood?
9. What is one pet peeve you have about the church?
10. What is one thing you love about the church?
11. Why do you blog?

That’s it! Looking forward to reading the answers!