by admin | 13 Sep, 2025 | Andrew's Blog, Inspiration
Have you ever watched a mighty tree, swaying from side to side on a day where the winds are gusting at high speeds? Whilst the branches and leaves are flapping vigourously in the relentless wind, the roots are deep, and the trunk stands firm. No matter what the weather delivers, it is able to stand firm in the face of any conditions. It is my greatest desire and encouragement this week that you will stand firm in the face of the storms in your life.
The actual fact is, not all trees stand firm in a strong wind. I went to visit my dad the other day, after a night where the wind was gale-force. As I got out of my car, I glanced and saw that a tree had actually been uprooted as a result of that wind. It was lying on the ground and clearly, its roots weren’t strong enough and it wasn’t able to stand firm. However, you and I are, if we choose and take root in things that are most important.
Last week, I spent an inspiring couple of days with Justine Martin. She’s working hard to finish her book, ‘Moxie’, and I spent some time with her to go through it chapter by chapter. I knew Justine had been through a lot in her life, including a challenging childhood, abuse, sickness, and many other undesirable situations. However, as we were reading together through her book, I really had no idea to the extent of what she had endured over many years.
I read about the challenging relationship she had with her mum and her dad. I read about her dad that left at an early age and was really not in her life. I read about a narcissistic mother who treated her poorly for much of her childhood, and beyond. I read about her lack of self-worth as a result of regularly being told and treated that she was never good enough. I read about the sexual abuse she experienced, the narcissistic relationships, and physical and emotional abuse she endured over many years. The thing that inspires me the most about Justine is that no matter what she went through in her life, she always stood firm. She believed she would find a way through the storm to live a life of joy, abundance, and happiness.
We didn’t even get to the part in the book when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, when she was diagnosed with multiple cancers, when she had her arm broken by an abuser, when she found her partner dead, and many other things that she withstood throughout her life. As we were reading the book together, and as I looked at her, I saw vulnerability, but I also saw incredible strength. I saw a woman who had stood firm in her power, and who had used her adversity to make a massive difference in this world. She inspired me in many ways, as I know her book will do for many others.
So, what does it mean to stand firm? It means, to know what and who you believe in. It means, to not be swayed by the negativity of the world. It means, to not be influenced by the opinions of other people. It means, to not be distracted by things that could take your attention if you allow them to. It means, facing all adversity knowing deep in your heart that something great will come of it.
What is it you need to stand firm on and in right now? Do you need to stand firm to regain your health. Do you need to stand firm to resolve conflict.? Do you need to stand firm to ignore opinions of other people and do what is deep in your heart? Do you need to stand firm and be confident to be authentically yourself and not have to change your personality for the sake of others? Do you need to stand firm and grow personally to build a life of joy and abundance? Whatever it is, I encourage you to stand firm today and every day moving forward.
This week I speak with a wonderful Marita Littauer, in a podcast called ‘Wired that way’. We discuss many things, including personality and understanding the personality of others. I also speak with David Libby in a podcast called ‘Faith and food heals’. When we understand who we are, what our God can do, and what our strengths are, we can stand firm and live our best life. As you finish this week’s blog, I hope you’re inspired and encouraged. I hope you will see yourself as a valuable and worthy human, and you will stand firm to take back that which is rightfully yours and live the life you’re created to live.
by admin | 5 Sep, 2025 | Andrew's Blog, Inspiration
We all want to feel that we belong. It’s one of the greatest desires of the human experience. When we feel supported, surrounded by wonderful people, and part of something, we feel unstoppable. When we don’t, life can be a struggle and a challenge. I know for me, in a loving relationship, as a member of a family, as a footballer in a team, as a part of a business group, and as a part of friendship groups, there’s nothing better than knowing that I am part of ‘one of us’.
Last Sunday afternoon, I was helping set up before our Church service. I was taking some rubbish down, and out into the back alleyway where the rubbish bins were located. As I walked out the door, I was confronted with quite a disturbing sight. The big rubbish bin had been emptied and the rubbish strewn all over the ground. I looked at it with disgust and thought, I can’t leave it that way. So, I went back upstairs to put on some rubber gloves so I could go back down and put all the rubbish back into the bin.
This, by the way, is the same venue that we feed the homeless on a Wednesday night. Often, homeless people in the area go through the bins to see if they can find anything of value for them. When I went back out to start refilling the bin, there was another guy who was picking up rubbish and putting it into the bin. He looked at me and said, I saw the disgusted look on your face when you looked at the rubbish and thought I would help. I thanked him, and together we started putting rubbish back in the bin.
At one point, I introduced myself to him. What he then said to me, inspired this blog. He said, my name is Jai, and I’m ‘one of them‘. By ‘one of them’, he meant that he was homeless and not a valuable member of society. My partner Kate was with me at the time, and both of us immediately said to him, You are definitely ‘one of us’. We are all just doing the best we can. Thank you so much for helping.
Over the next 10 minutes or so, as Jai and I put the rubbish back into the bin, we had a nice conversation. He told me about his situation and his circumstances. I was able to go and get him some food, I invited him to come to the Church service, I told him about our community dinners on a Wednesday night, and I assured him that he was a valuable human, and absolutely ‘one of us’.
This experience really affected me. It made me think about all the people out there who don’t feel accepted, valued, or that they belong. My message is a simple one, and it is for you. No matter what you might be going through, no matter what conflict may be happening in your life, no matter what struggles you might be experiencing, you are absolutely valued, loved and, without a doubt, ‘one of us’.
It is my hope that you are inspired by this blog to go out and help every person you meet feel like they are also ‘one of us’. All it takes is a smile. It only requires a word of encouragement. Just an offer to help in a small way makes all the difference. One simple and single random act of kindness can change someone’s day. All these little things are so easy to do and help people feel like they are ‘one of us’.
My two podcasts this week will definitely help you feel you are ‘one of us’, and I hope will inspire you to help other people feel the same. I speak with Emily Chidiac in a podcast called, Celebrate every step, and Rand Selig in a podcast called, Redefining success. As you look in the mirror today, I ask that you look hard to see someone who is valued, someone who has unique gifts, someone who is loved, and someone who is definitely ‘one of us’.
by admin | 23 Aug, 2025 | Andrew's Blog, Inspiration
Have you ever heard the saying, there’s not enough darkness in the whole world to extinguish the light of one small candle? It’s a beautiful proverb, and it gives hope to every single person who may be going through challenging times. So, if you are dealing with some adversity at the moment, I want to let you know that there is light in the darkness.
I recently found myself with a very dark mindset. I may have mentioned in a recent blog that I had my phone stolen whilst volunteering to feed homeless people on a Wednesday night a few weeks back. At the time, I was able to handle the situation with a healthy perspective, or so I thought. My attitude was, it’s only a phone, and whilst I may have left the building without a phone, the person who took it left without a home to go to. So, with this mindset, I’ve been able to be quite forgiving about the situation.
Well, a couple of days ago, it all went a bit pear-shaped. I was out doing my regular morning training. I got to my location by the water, I took off my warm-up top, folded it up with my towel, and put it in what I thought was a safe place. After I finished my training, I went to pick up my top and towel to head home, and it was gone. It had been stolen. The fact was, it was only an old training top, and an old towel, and really had no value at all. However, the fact that I had something else stolen triggered me and I spiraled into a dark place.
I was angry. If the person who stole it had just told me they need a warm top, I would’ve happily given it to them. The fact that they had stolen it, made me mad. All of a sudden, a dark film spread across and covered my eyes and heart, and as I walked home, everything seemed bad. I imagined meeting the person who stole my things and what I would say to him or her. I noticed all the rubbish on the ground and wondered why people couldn’t make the effort to put it in the bin. I thought about all the people who had been ghosting me and got angry that they didn’t have the decency to return my messages and calls. Then, I even got angry with myself for things I hadn’t done and should’ve done. Needless to say, I was in a dark place and nothing seemed good.
However, there was good news; there is not enough darkness in the world to extinguish the light from the smallest of candles. As I was explaining the situation and my mental state to my partner Kate, she sparked the light. She asked me, Andrew what are you grateful for? It was easy for me to offer a whole list of things I was grateful for, and I started feeling better. Then, she asked me, what is it about God you are grateful for? Again, I reeled off a whole list of things and felt even better. It didn’t take too long before the light from my gratitude had erased that dark film from my eyes and suddenly I could see the light and feel the joy again.
I’m not sure what it is you’re going through right now. I’m not sure what is causing that dark film to envelop your eyes. All I know is that there is something there in your life right now that can start to shine a very small light into the darkness. Take the time to think about what you’re grateful for. Invest some effort to ponder on the great things you already have in your life. Who are the people that you love and are there to support you? What are the things you’ve already done that you’re proud of? What are the things that you’ve overcome already in your life? This focus will give you confidence to know that you can get through anything. Can you see there is actually light everywhere, and that light will destroy the darkness in your life?
In my podcast this week called ‘The snowball effect’ I speak with Trea Cotton. It’s a powerful conversation about the impact of small decisions and tiny actions that will bring light into any dark space and start a snowball effect of Joy. The next time you come across a challenging period in your life, don’t forget to immediately think about what can bring even the tiniest flicker of light into the darkness.
by admin | 2 Aug, 2025 | Andrew's Blog, Inspiration
Every human being has a dream in their heart. For you, it may be buried deeply, it may have been forgotten about, or it may be clear, strong and in your face. No matter what, every one of us has a dream for a better life, to achieve something, to become someone, or to live with joy. The tragedy is, whilst we all have a dream or dreams, many people never realise them. The reason, I believe, is because they don’t really know what dreams are made of.
Eurythmics sing a song called Sweet Dreams. The lyrics may actually give us some hint of what dreams are truly made of. The chorus goes like this;
‘Sweet dreams are made of these.
Who am I to disagree?
I travel the world and the seven seas.
Everybody’s looking for something.
Some of them want to use you.
Some of them want to get used by you?
Some of them want to abuse you.
Some of them want to be abused.’
They are actually worth reflecting on. I believe the biggest challenge most people have, and the reason why they don’t achieve their dreams, is because they don’t really know what dreams are actually made of. They believe dreams are made of luck, of talent, of intellect, of education, of ideal circumstances, of ease, of knowing the right people, and of many other things that seem normal and natural to achieve any dream. The reality is, it’s just not true.
Go back and have a look at that second verse above from the Eurythmics and you’ll get some idea of what dreams are really made of.
One of my dreams was to play professional football. As a 17-year-old I was knocked unconscious, carried off on a stretcher, and taken to hospital. My career was almost over before it started. As an 18-year-old, after playing my first senior game of football, I had to endure 20 months of rejection, missed selection, ridicule, frustration, and significant personal growth before I played my second senior game. When I had finally made it as a regular senior player, and my dream was being realised, I discovered that my dream was definitely not made of luck, natural ability, or any of the things that most people think.
My dream was made of pain, frustration, persistence, rejection, resilience, lessons, self-growth, trust, and most of all, patience.
Your dream, like mine, is made of adversity, mistakes, failures, lessons, personal growth, frustration, persistence, trust, and just like me, patience. Every dream is made up of these things. You will never achieve anything amazing in your life without going through trials and tribulations. So, when you are ready to aspire to something great, get excited when challenges come because that is what your dream is made of. The people who seem the luckiest, the smartest, the most intelligent, the happiest, and living the way you would love to live, knew what their dreams were made of and were willing to go through the challenges to get to where they wanted to go.
If you have a dream to create optimal well-being, just know it’s made of discomfort, sacrifice, and patience. If you have a dream to be successful in business, just know it’s made of frustration, rejection, poor choices, and personal growth. If you have a dream to have a blissful relationship, just know it’s made of honesty, disagreement, frustration, and compromise. Any and every dream you have is made of things that will help you become the person you need to become to receive, achieve, and enjoy your dream.
Don’t miss my podcast this week with Deanna Cooney called ‘Trust is a must’. As you work towards achieving your dream, trust will be a big part of what that dream is made of. I want you to believe in your heart you can achieve anything you want in your world. All you have to know and accept is what your dream is truly made of.
by admin | 18 Oct, 2024 | Andrew's Blog, Inspiration
As an author of eight books, with nine and ten on the way, I now believe every person has a story that will impact lives and needs to be heard. I didn’t always believe that, and I feel like many people would say, just as I did, who would be interested in my story? No matter how average you feel your story is, it is inspiring to others, so I hope in this blog I will help you truly believe that your story counts.
I had one of the best days I have had in a while this week. It was a moment in time and an opportunity I am glad I took advantage of. Fred and Judy live in California, and I connected with Fred to help him write and publish his book, For the Least of These. In addition to being a client, we have become great friends. Judy and Fred love cruising, and this week, their cruise from San Franscisco ported in Melbourne for the day, on its way to end up in Sydney. This was an opportunity not to be missed.
So, at 9am, soon after the ship had ported, I picked up Fred and Judy, who had never been in Australia before, and we were on our way for a wonderful adventure. It was an adventure that Judy was not prepared for. Several weeks before the visit, Fred asked if I knew any radio stations that would be willing to interview him to help promote his new book. I thought about it, and called Eric, the announcer at Vision Christian Radio, who was very open to have Fred on as a guest. So, our first stop was about an hour out of Melbourne at the Vision radio station.
Just as Eric was getting things set up, he asked me if I thought Judy would be willing to share her story as well, as the station is very interested in people’s stories. I said, there is only one way to find out. So, Eric asked Judy, and he was met with a very firm, NO, this is Fred’s interview, not mine. Have you ever heard the saying that ‘no doesn’t always mean no’? This was one of those cases. Judy, who was convinced her story was not interesting and that she would not participate, soon found herself with a microphone in her face and sharing her story alongside Fred.
As I sat there listening to Fred and Judy share their stories; their achievements, their challenges, their faith journey, their romance, and their adventures, I was mesmerised. I knew that Judy sharing was the right move, and I knew many people would resonate and be impacted by both of their stories. It reinforced to me something I already believed, and that is, every story counts. Yes, even yours. I remember my mother’s response when I told her I was going to write a book about her. She had a very interesting life, including an inspirational and courageous 15-year battle with cancer, that eventually took her life. She said to me, Andrew, how many people would be interested in my life? My book Dance Until it Rains, was published in 2011, and I speak about my mother and her journey regularly. So, the answer to that question is I don’t know the exact number. I do know it is and has impacted lives all around the world and will continue to do so for many years to come.
My mother’s story counts, and your story counts. As I was trying to convince myself that writing my own book was a good idea all those years ago – and that took some work – I realised one thing. That thing was that there were some people who would only resonate with me, my experiences, my writing style, and my story. I knew in my heart my story would help some people. That has been reinforced many times, through emails, letters, and comments, since my first book was published in 2004. My story counts, and so does yours.
What does ‘your story counts’ mean? It means that you have the ability to relate, to empathise, to inspire, to empower, to give hope, to encourage, and to influence people by simply sharing your story. You don’t have to write a book to impact lives, you just have to be authentically you. No matter how mundane you feel your story may be, trust me, it will help people if you are just willing to share some or all of it. Through your vulnerability and authenticity, you will find purpose and help many people. My podcast this week is called Seven words or less with Ian Chamandy, and it is all about finding your purpose.
We all love stories, don’t we? We love fiction stories, autobiographies, movies, and just listening to people talk about their experiences. That being an indisputable fact, why not believe that your story has the power to engage, inspire, and empower people? Start today sharing your experiences and believe in your heart that your story really counts.
by admin | 19 Jul, 2024 | Andrew's Blog, Inspiration
There is a song I love called ‘Magic’, and the whole premise of its message is that we all have the magic within us. It starts with the lyric; I’ve got the magic in me. We often spend much of our time seeking answers, opportunities, and magic outside of ourselves, when it really is inside of every one of us. Would you like to know how to unlock the magic you are seeking?
Have you ever set off in pursuit of achieving something, and found yourself not really progressing the way you would have hoped? In other words, stuck with your wheels spinning? Me too. As I reflect on these many occasions for me, it often took me a while to work out why, and when I discovered it and made some simple changes, the magic happened, and things came together. So, what was the magic?
When I started out in my speaking career, soon after getting my first book published, I knew, if I was to start getting paid speaking gigs, I had to make contacts and start to promote myself as a speaker. My only problem was one little detail: fear. I was so scared, at that time in my life, of rejection. So, the thought of picking up the phone and calling to set up meetings, or to discuss what I could speak about, terrified me. With that debilitating fear in my mind, I started doing everything else I could do to market myself, except picking up the phone.
I updated my website, I posted on social media, I sent out emails, I registered for speaking agents and websites, I wrote blogs, and did anything else I could think of that didn’t put me at risk of getting a direct rejection. Have a guess at the results I got from all of my efforts. If you didn’t guess, they were distinctly underwhelming. Why weren’t people responding to me? Why didn’t anyone see the incredible potential in me? Why weren’t people booking me for speaking opportunities? These and many other questions were racing through my mind.
As I was pondering my dilemma, I was also listening to a podcast about getting results, creating abundance, and impacting lives. As I was listening, the speaker made a statement that I didn’t like, but deep down I knew was true. I really knew I needed to pick up the phone, but it wasn’t until I heard this statement that I resolved to actually do it. The statement was: the magic you are seeking is in the work you are avoiding. Ouch! I think I need to repeat that in big bold letters for me as much as for you…
The magic you are seeking is in the work you are avoiding!
In other words, there is no magic. Everything I want is based on what I am willing to do, and if I leave out any part of the essential process then I will end up frustrated and lacking. So, after hearing that, I took my thumb out of my mouth, put my big boy pants on, and, trembling with fear, started making phone calls. Guess what happened. Yep, you guessed it, that very first day, I spoke to a gentleman who ran a business networking group, and he liked what I suggested. In less than two weeks from that call, I was standing on stage at the Crown Casino in Melbourne talking to several hundred people in his business group. That started my speaking journey, one which has taken me around Australia and the world.
The magic was most definitely in the work I was avoiding. As soon as I started doing the uncomfortable and necessary work, the results started coming abundantly. It seemed like magic, but there was no magic in it at all. I stopped avoiding and did what I needed to do. So, now here comes the uncomfortable part of the blog for you. What are you avoiding right now that will bring the magic into your life if you were to take action? A tough question to answer, and an important decision to make. Essential however, if you want the magic to appear and create the life you desire.
As you are reading this, I know you are thinking about a particular area of your life that is currently lacking the magic. I also know that you know what work you are avoiding that would immediately change things for you, if you were to just start applying. I can tell you from my experience, making the calls was nowhere near as scary about thinking about and avoiding the calls. And, the results were worlds apart and will be for you if you choose to do the work you have been avoiding.
In my podcast this week with Ian Westmoreland called Use your strengths, I was so inspired by the courage Ian took to find meaning, purpose, and joy in his life. The magic he was seeking appeared the moment he made the decision to start doing what he needed to do. The same will be true for you. Please spend some time looking at what you are currently avoiding and imagining the magic that will appear as soon as you start doing it. Is it worth it? You will only know when you do it. Trust me, the magic is waiting there for you.
