Terry Nightingale – Looking Back to Move Forward

February 22, 2021
by Rodney Olsen
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How can we be free of a damaged past and walk into a fruitful future? How do we use what has happened to move forward?

Terry Nightingale is a pastor and author. His new book focuses on how we deal with past failings, disappointments, and broken dreams.

Terry is this week’s guest on my podcast, Bleeding Daylight which you can find wherever you listen to podcasts.

In a world that either demonizes past failings or tries to sweep them under the rug, Looking Back to Move Forward takes the more biblical approach of examining and learning from our mistakes to move forwards into a more fruitful future.

You can hear our conversation using the audio player below.



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Essentials

February 18, 2021
by Rodney Olsen
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Our microwave oven has stopped working. What shall we do?

We use the microwave every day. It’s part of the way we live, yet I’m very aware that microwave ovens weren’t really a thing in Australia until the eighties. By the mid-eighties, Dire Straits and Sting were singing about installing them, and now most homes have one. They’ve become part of our ‘I need it now!!” lifestyle.

Today, Australians woke up to find that a massive range of pages had been wiped by Facebook.

Facebook banned Australian users from accessing news in their feeds this morning, as the government pursues laws that would force it to pay publishers for journalism that appears in people’s feeds.

Facebook’s justification for including non-news pages was that the proposed law has a broad definition of news.

“As the law does not provide clear guidance on the definition of news content, we have taken a broad definition in order to respect the law as drafted,” a statement from the company read. – ABC News

Even my blog’s Facebook page is looking pretty empty with all my posts removed and I can’t share links to any of the posts here at RodneyOlsen.net on Facebook.

What shall we do?

Until February 2004, Facebook didn’t even exist and yet today we’re all wondering what’s going to happen without some of the posts and pages we’re used to seeing.

We’ll replace our microwave and once they’ve made their point, I believe that Facebook will restore their services (though I could possibly be wrong on that).

What is really essential? So much of what we take for granted these days didn’t exist even a few decades ago and yet people were able to live quite fulfilling lives.

Don’t get me wrong, I want a microwave, a full Facebook feed, electricity, double brick and tile homes, cars, running water and so many more of the advancements we’ve seen over decades and centuries. I think it was grossly irresponsible of Facebook to wipe out websites indiscriminately, including emergency services in some cases.

We have chosen to elevate so many things as ‘essential’ when they’re not really essential at all. I’ve stood with families in some nations that would consider most of what we call essential as absolute luxuries. Again, I’m not saying we should live without modern advancements, but we need to decide what’s really essential. These days we even call some oils essential. They’re not.

What is really essential for you? Let’s enjoy all the extras but ensure that we’re focusing on the essentials.



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Shonah Marie – Steady in the Storm

February 8, 2021
by Rodney Olsen
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Shonah Marie had a fairly sheltered upbringing, and would now admit that she was quite removed from what she would call real-world issues. However, it wasn’t too long before some very real issues invaded her life.

Shonah is my guest on my podcast, Bleeding Daylight, this week.

I don’t know how people get through tough things like that without community and without Jesus. I just don’t have an answer outside of those two things. – Shonah Marie

It was the tough times that helped her to become the person that she is today but the lessons she learned during those times haven’t been easy.

I could feel God’s heart breaking for what was going on. I could feel his sorrow for what we were going through and learning to sit with Jesus in that empathy was probably the greatest gift. – Shonah Marie

As part of our conversation, we opened a window into her life, discussing her early years living in a very protected environment before finding herself facing struggles she had no idea how to navigate.

I feel like I remained in that childlikeness for quite a long time, which I feel benefited me in some areas in the long run, but also left me somewhat naive and innocent towards how to handle navigating real-world circumstances. I kind of call it the bubble. – Shonah Marie

You can hear Shonah’s story by listening to Bleeding Daylight, wherever you find podcasts, or by clicking play on the audio player below.

She has also written a book that describes her life so far titled Steady in the Storm.



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Ryan Roy – Be the Dad You Wish You Had

February 4, 2021
by Rodney Olsen
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I released what I consider to be a very important episode of my podcast, Bleeding Daylight, this week. As well as sharing his personal story, my guest has some extremely valuable encouragement and guidance for parents, especially dads. I am convinced that this episode will be of great benefit to many families.

The struggles we face, the hurts we experience, will generally push us one of two ways. They can continue to harm and destroy us long after the events that initially caused us damage, or they can be the driver for transformation. Of course, even when we take the road of transformation, there’s no guarantee that it will be easy or painless. Ryan Roy has not only seen transformation in his own life, he’s actively empowering others towards transformation.

What you desire, and what I desire, and what every little girl and every little boy and what every adult on this planet desires is to be loved, through actions and through words. – Ryan Roy

You can hear Bleeding Daylight wherever you listen to podcasts or check out this week’s episode by clicking play on the audio player below.



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Want to do something amazing?

January 29, 2021
by Rodney Olsen
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Have you got a few minutes for me to ask you a slightly odd question?

Have you ever stared evil in the face and thought, “this is unacceptable, this can’t go on”?

I have. I’ve been face to face with extreme poverty and its shocking human consequences in several countries, and while it’s been my job at Compassion Australia for over seven years to speak up for the people I’ve met and share what I’ve experienced, it’s not always easy.

I’ve seen horrors that will haunt me for the rest of my life; things I’ve never shared, even with those closest to me.

How can I stop those things becoming a burden too great to bear? I have resolved to be an agent of change and healing and you can too. If I can make even a small difference, I’ll know that I’ve spent my life well.

That’s why I’m taking part in Ride for Compassion Coast to Coast in September and October this year. I’ll be cycling 4,200 kilometres across Australia from Perth to Newcastle to provide desperately needed assistance for children and their families who live in extreme poverty.

Of course, I can train hard, and I’ll certainly have to do that, and I can ride all those kilometres, but it won’t bring worthwhile change without your help.

You are the key to my success.

It’s when you join me in saying no to the evil of poverty and stand with me to say that it’s unacceptable that together we can start transforming lives.

While we all face the very real effects of the current pandemic, the World Bank has estimated that COVID-19 will push 150 million people into extreme poverty this year. It’s the first rise in global extreme poverty in over 20 years. That’s unacceptable.

Your generous donation will touch the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our world through Compassion’s work around the world, including those ravaged by the pandemic.

I am personally seeking to raise $25,000. I really need your help to make that a reality.

I don’t know if you can manage to give $50, $500 or $5,000 but I do know that your contribution, of any amount, will put me closer to my target of $25,000.

Please don’t delay. While the ride is still some months away, your donation today will go straight to work against the unacceptable.

To donate securely go to my fundraising page now.

Another way you can help me reach my target is by sponsoring a child through Compassion. Every child that is sponsored via my fundraising page will be counted as $1,000 towards my $25,000 target. There is a button on my fundraising page that will allow you to meet your new sponsored child today.

Sponsorship gives kids safe places to play, the chance to see a doctor when they’re sick, education, and the opportunity to be known, loved and protected.

If you want to know more about donating to Compassion, or about Compassion Child Sponsorship, please get in touch. You can leave me a message in the comments section of this post or head to my contact page.

Thank you for joining me in telling poverty that we won’t let it win.



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