Category Archives: Features

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: Week 5 (R.I.O.T. by Carman)- How Pivotal Events can Shape your Life in more Profound Ways than You Think

Before I dive into this week’s Flashback Fridays, let me ask you all a question. One that you don’t have to answer right away, but one that you can mull over and ponder. And that question is…do you all believe in pre-destination or free will? That, my friends, is the million-dollar question, because even if we all are Christians, even if we all are brothers and sisters, we all have different viewpoints on this controversial topic. I mean, God gave us free will, but if we start talking about hypotheses and something like ‘fictional alternative universes’, then this get a little bit, shall we say, interesting.

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FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: Week 4 (Into The Light by Matthew West)- How Actively Changing the World that we Live in can be more of a Calling than Passively ‘trying’ to Change the Whole World

As this series of Flashback Fridays, is a yearly thing, with me posting once every 52 weeks; it’d make sense that I would have a scaffold of what I’d write every week probably around 2-3 before me writing each blog. And yeah, you would be right; cause for the past three blogs (which you can view them all here!) I have had a general idea of what I’m writing about. And what I planned to write since I have started, has been more or less what I have written about. But this week is drastically different. So much so that what I had planned to write about, and the album I planned to delve into; is now shelved for next week. At least I hope it is. Cause God has stirred something in me so much, that I couldn’t keep quiet about what God has put on my heart, and I hope you guys benefit from what I’m imparting to you as well.

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FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: Week 3 (Jesus Freak by dc Talk)- If we’re all on fire for Jesus, why do we care about other people’s opinions?

This year, the year of 2018, is 10 years (or thereabouts) since I finished high school. Yep, I finished in 2007, and that would make me 28 right now. Now that I have revealed maybe the most sensitive subject someone could ever reveal to anyone (my age!), that makes us besties, right? And now that we’re besties, let me just say that on New Year’s Day, I decided that any future 10 year reunion ex-classmates would organise, I would politely decline in going to. And the reason was that my life, probably in comparison to others, would be insignificant. Sure, I’m one of the owners of a café, but there was a fear creeping at the back on my mind just last month, of not measuring up to the potential greatness of other people who would be at this ‘hypothetical’ but equally ‘possible’ reunion. I mean, I could be talking to doctors, lawyers, teachers, politicians, accomplished musicians, lotto winners, guys and girls with multiple houses and cars, just generally people who are living it up and are maybe on the surface feeling happy. This insecurity came to a head a couple of days ago in Valentines Day. I was working. It was a slow day, and I realised that I was single. I had been single for my entire life, and the thought of ‘catching up’ with everyone from high school, who could all be in relationships or married with kids already, scared me. If other people were ‘up there’ in terms of status and accomplishments, then I was sure ‘down there’, not measuring up.

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FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW – I AM THEY’S “TRIAL & TRIUMPH”

 “…Our experience didn’t begin with a desire to be in an industry. As fellow human beings and Christ-followers, I think success is measured by the genuine and consistent love we have for Jesus and each other and how we put that into action. Point your gaze at Jesus, remain humble and faithful to serve as He calls you to serve, and do that – no matter what or where that may be…”

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FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: Week 2 (New Map Of The World by Paul Colman Trio)- We all want to be accepted and loved, so why do we try to be famous, when sometimes it doesn’t work?

Have you ever stopped and sat and tried to think about all of the jobs/occupations you wanted to be when you were older? I bet if you counted the number of positions you wanted to work as, they’d amount to maybe more than the number of fingers/toes you have…on both of your hands/feet! I certainly know, that at various stages of my life, that I have thought about what I wanted to work as when I ‘grew up’. At times, I wanted to be a farmer (when I was in kindergarten, and loved drawing animals!), at other times a writer (when 10 years ago, my brother and I started writing our own autobiography, which is currently put on hold, and may forever be!); and never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be working in a café, that my parents, brother and myself own. It was certainly out of left field, not in a good or bad way, but in a different way. The point is that even I had a few inklings of what I wanted to be, and what I am doing now work-wise isn’t where I thought I’d end up- in the same way, I’m sure you all have goals, dreams, plans to do great things. Plans to change the world. Sometimes though, we may try our hand at being ‘famous’ in order for us to show the world what we’ve got, and hence get people to like us.

Continue reading FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: Week 2 (New Map Of The World by Paul Colman Trio)- We all want to be accepted and loved, so why do we try to be famous, when sometimes it doesn’t work?

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: Week 1 (Arriving by Chris Tomlin)- We all worship something, so why do we still feel empty?

Imagine a hypothetical scenario. With your friends, you organise going to a really big, important event, that’s special to all of you. You plan out all of the details, figure out the transport, in how to travel to the venue, and make a day trip out of it. Then, once you and your friends have arrived, with the atmosphere buzzing, you take your seats, settle in, enjoy the pre-show entertainment, snack on a few chips and other tasty finger foods, and soak up the once-in-a-lifetime experience. When the main event starts, you’re in awe, and transfixed for the entire duration. There’s an intermission in there somewhere (you’re not really sure when it is, cause you’re captivated by the event, even during the intermission), and during that time, as well as the time after the event ends, it’s all you can talk about. After you have all exited the venue, you’re talking in the car about all sort of topics arising from this event, your views on the topic, which may differ. But you all come to the conclusion that life will never be the same again, because of this one thing you all went to, this one thing that you all participated in. So… what is it that you think I am talking about? The latest Passion conference, or a mainstream pop star’s opening night of their world tour? …or perhaps the opening game of the 2018 rugby league season, or even the night where you and your friends met up at someone’s house to watch the opening night of the 2018 Winter Olympics? Or maybe it’s any or all of them, depending on your point of view?

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FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: INTRODUCTION- A Year Long Exercise into the 52 Most Impacting Albums in my life thus far!

Have you guys ever stopped and just wondered, thought about the age of all the music you currently consume? I mean, let me break it down for you if you’re feeling confused. If you look at a sample size of around 10 random songs from your iTunes or Spotify or whatever music streaming device you listen to, what percentage of tracks would be from 2010 onwards? Maybe around 90% I reckon… But what percentage would be from 2017 onwards? 50%? Why is this the case? What  is it about people these days that think ‘oh, it’s pre 2017, I’ll skip this song and listen to something more recent (and better!)’?

The fact is… I don’t know. And for me to try to get into the minds of people, and come up with a reason, and also solution to us being bored with music in general, and always wanting to hear the latest song; would take a long, long time, across several posts. Frankly, I’d imagine if I did that, and tried to write an exposition, you’d be frustrated, and bypass this post, and other posts similar, even if the message of what I’m trying to communicate, is something we all need to hear. So instead I will say this.

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Best of 2018: Anticipated TV series and Anticipated Movies for 2018

Welcome to 2018 everyone, I hope you have had a great Christmas and New Year. It’s time for the first ‘best of 2018’ instalment of the year, which I guess could also double up as a ‘Top Tens’ post as well. And what better way to kick it off than to speak about our most anticipated movies and TV shows for the next 365 days?

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BEST OF 2017- Final Part: Favourite EP’s, Songs and Albums of 2017

Yes, I know, I know. I’ve written all of these ‘best of’ lists before. But here me out. All of the past best of lists for 2017 (if you are to check them all here) were all done in parts (e.g.: best songs of the year were split into 4 parts, one for each quarter etc.). So this post, which will be the final ‘best of’ post relating to 2017, will compile all posts before, and will state our favourite albums, EPs and songs of 2017, this time encapsulating all the songs, EPs and albums that 2017 had to offer. There’ll be some honorable mentions that couldn’t fit into those lists,  and so without further ado, below are 365 Days of Inspiring Media’s favourite 15 EPs, 30 songs and 25 albums of 2017! What are yours? Let us know in the comments.

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BEST OF 2017- PART 12: TOP 30 ALBUMS OF 2017 (JULY – DECEMBER)

If you can remember back about 6 months or so, I had the pleasure of unveiling my favourite 25 albums of January – June of 2017. And while I myself still haven’t reviewed everything that I wanted to in the year of 2017, I have since come to the conclusion, that 2017 was and is one of my favourite years in terms of music. And thus here we are in January 2018, as I am unveiling my favourite 30 albums of the back half of 2017. I have incorporated quotes/descriptions of my favourite 15 albums of July-December and the remaining 15 without quotes (because frankly, it could take too long for a reader to check out, and thus, the post could seem daunting and overwhelming to read), totaling 30 albums in the back half of the year that have stood out for me personally. And so without further ado, here below are my favourite albums of 2017 (second half). I will also do a post showing my favourite albums of 2017, period (thereby incorporating my favourite albums of the first half and second half of 2017 in one post. What are your favourite albums of 2017. Read on to check out mine!

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