ryanwynn.blogspot.com

2010-07-23T17:35:00.002+01:00

I made this the other day with the work of a photographer I'm a fan of called Laurent Nivalle - I sent it to him and he loved it! Any way, that line: "Go to sleep and try again tomorrow" is pretty darn poignant for me - especially as I figure out my own next steps. Blah! So yeah, don't know how I thought of it, guess it's something I've been easily reminding myself at the end of the day. If today didn't work, get trying again, this life has so much to show us. EASY. Go!

Click image for larger version.

2010-02-08T03:09:00.003Z

[Photography by Paul Octavious.]

Rise

2010-02-05T02:30:00.003Z

Such is the way of the world, you can never know

Just where to put all your faith & how will it grow

Gonna rise up, burning back holes in dark memories

Gonna rise up, turn mistakes into Gold

Such is the passage of time, too fast to fold

And suddenly swallowed by signs, low & behold

Gonna rise up, find my direction magnetically

Throw down my ace in the hole

- Eddie Vedder, 'Rise'

Noodsberg, Zululand, KZN, South Africa.

2010-02-05T01:56:00.005Z

A game of soccer with the gentlemen of Noodsberg, a few years back. What a day. I will be returning, very soon - then we'll share stories. Long live my homeland. [Click image for larger view.]

Invisible Children + La Blogotheque

2010-02-05T01:40:00.002Z

See invisiblechildren.com + blogotheque.net

Charity:Water | Jennifer Connelly Public Service Announcement

2010-01-15T19:29:00.001Z

Design + Living it

2009-12-15T21:11:00.003Z

IDEO are doing some grand things. Living Climate Change, for one.

Nelson Mandela, Our Own Two Hands

2009-11-30T10:44:00.008Z

Official Artwork of Nelson R. Mandela.

"[This artwork] was made by accident when Mandela placed his hand in wet ink. The idea of hand prints however intrigued him and he began to make several images. Only later did an assistant point out the iconic image inside the right hand print of the painting now in front of us. In the center of Mandela's right palm shows a clear silhouette of the African continent." from the Wild River Review.

And,

+ the Nelson Mandela Documentary:

Laughing with..

2009-11-30T09:24:00.010Z

This is lovely. And even better when you really really listen to the lyric (which is why I posted it of course.) Video by this girl Sylvia w/ 'Laughing With' by the lovely Regina Spektor.

I like this Eike!

2009-11-28T07:44:00.004Z

"That's my profession too - to have a good life! Jah hahahaha!"

My friend, Mr. JP Brouard (+ Flickr) recommended this interview of Eike Koenig from Hort, and I just rolled with intrigue into this guys insight. One because it's incredibly inspiring & he really just get's it, and two, since being jaded myself by the culture of overindulgence of pride with the designers out there, this guy echoes my own hope for goodness-in-design + my own dream to pioneer & collaborate with the people in the creative realm who also really do get it - which my own radar will always anticipate. I want my creativity to be used to create change in our world, and it's starts with myself..

I said to JP, "Bro, I liiiike this Eike guy! I'm even laughing with him! Man, he's so positive and open - i like that. Every point he made got me. He's got it right.. he's loving building other people "how can i help this person to become someone who's standing in the world like this (confidently)" + he fully respects the trade "Graphic design is very powerful and you have to take care that you use it in the right way." We can use it for such great things eh. Sheeeesh, thank you for this gold mnr! This is how i wanna work with people."

Golden. Eike, designer & teacher @ Hort.org.uk + see another interview at Kspace.

Others designing for good: Greg & Janelle ".. two who partner with many." at We Have Worth.

Africa on the Map

2009-10-29T15:21:00.001Z

I love this Interactive Map of Africa (from the Katine: It Starts With A Village Project in Uganda) particularly because of it's gorgeous references of Flickr photography for each country on the continent. Enjoy.

The Katine Project is a beautiful thing that Amref and Farm Africa are working on, together with the Guardian, in the village of Katine,Uganda. They're investing themselves into developing Katine in it's education, health, water, governance and livelihoods, which is great because it will eventually "offer a unique insight into the world of international development".

And yummers! I love that you can take a Virtual Village Tour of Katine and the region, which is just wonderful.. AND 'Katine on Film' has a whole heap of fantastic footage of it's development, even: how they brought cinema to Katine.

Jon Foreman: Goodness precedes Greatness

2009-10-29T14:47:00.006Z

I write songs for a living, which is to say that writing songs helps me to live. The song becomes a place where melody and tempo can cover some truly volatile topics. God, women, politics, sex, hatred, disillusionment- a song or a story can be a deeper vessel and more forgiving than most conversations. Poetry can get under the skin without your permission..

>> continue reading article by Jon Foreman of Switchfoot,

for The Huffington Post, 15 Oct 2009.

2009-10-15T02:25:00.006+01:00

Sometimes you just need to get out.

Even, out of your own issues,

and just step outside [of it all] for a bit.

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

Take some time out to feel what I mean.

Picture from '4058' by Jesús Olmo - watch on Vimeo.

2009-10-13T02:24:00.008+01:00

I love this. And oh how I love seeing those giving back some love to our homeland with their photography.

This is a photograph taken near to Bulshoek Dam, a place I am very unfamiliar with, in the very far away lands of the Western Cape. It's now on my to-do list.

by South African Photographer 'Drublic'.

The William Kamkwamba Story:

2009-10-09T15:51:00.021+01:00

"We have enough wind in Malawi,

and I was thinking.."

Before you read further, watch this:

The William Kamkwamba Story

Also see his talk at the TED Conference:

William Kamkwamba: How I Harnessed The Wind

A few books, a handful of hope and people like William is the change that our Africa is so thirsty for.

At 14 years old he went to a library, picked up a book and in two months, changed his family's lives. He built a windmill. From scraps.

Then he changed his village.

Then came a news article, an invitation to the new African Leadership Academy, a flight to America, and then an invitation to speak at the Ted Conference. Then came a book, a documentary.. and the story became a movement. So inspiring!

More at Moving Windmills.

A Lovely Day

2009-10-09T15:51:00.018+01:00

I'm not a JM fan,

but this is just wonderful: It's A Lovely Day.

From La Blogotheque.

We're All In This Together

2009-10-09T15:50:00.009+01:00

See the trailer: We're All In This Together

+ The I Heart Revolution

Hope Project

2009-09-30T04:04:00.004+01:00

Wesley's Hope Project. Durban, South Africa.

2009-09-19T03:36:00.009+01:00

I was just listening to Newton Faulkner + came across this beautiful image.. and so I thought I'd get my design on and add a little pzazz to it with a typeface* or two. [Other earth-tilting designs at ryanwynncreative. Pah ha.]

It's exactly where I'm at.. this song.

And I really don't mind any more. Phew.

* typeface = 'font' but we hate this word. Grr.

Onward & forward

2009-08-24T15:57:00.007+01:00

So glad we've moved on.

South Africa, 1956.

Brooke

2009-08-22T18:41:00.005+01:00

- Brooke Fraser

Clean and easy to navigate.

Release Me

2009-08-12T22:32:00.002+01:00

- Oh Laura.

I like the black & white version too.

Voyage

2009-07-19T05:36:00.002+01:00

My friend Warwick [the Great] sent me this.

It really does give you a good feeling.

2009-07-08T03:52:00.000+01:00

Next..

2009-06-26T20:30:00.002+01:00

Landing > London > 13 July 2009.

Release me

2009-06-24T03:31:00.007+01:00

I went out side tonight, and saw the most beautiful thing. Between the stars were these gorgeous glowing moons just drifting gently through the sky. At a closer look I realised that they were Sky Lanterns or 'Paper Moons'. People here are releasing them into the sky because of the 'Festa Junina' (June Festival) which is based on the festivities that the Portuguese introduced in the Colonial period.

I will have no way of understanding what the Brazilians feel for this festival and what significance it holds for them, but one of my first thoughts was, maybe it's a tribute to those who have gone away, those who have passed. This was beautiful to me.

Watching them made me think of the song 'Release Me' by Oh Laura, as well as a song by someone else I'm listening to a lot these days, Johnny Cash's epitaph song 'Hurt' particularly because of the words "everyone I know goes away in the end" and "I am still here". This song touches me profoundly. It also makes me ask myself, what will I become?

The Rescue

2009-06-09T01:33:00.009+01:00

Invisible Children are getting there. I urge you, watch this interview on Larry King Live.

I have rarely seen something so informative & so full of potential as is the movement called Invisible Children. I've been a part of this movement for five years, and we are increasingly seeing hope.

It's moving.

"Last week, senators introduced the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009 to help end LRA violence in northern Uganda and neighboring countries. The bipartisan act would require the Obama Administration to develop a strategy within 120 days to "apprehend or otherwise remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield." The bill also authorizes funding for humanitarian assistance in LRA-affected areas, as well as additional funds for recovery efforts in northern Uganda. " - Invisible Children

Towards the end of this month [ June 22-23 ] you can (if you're in D.C) go to the lobbying event and let your voice be heard, or for us over the seas and far away, you can go online with the live feed that will be telling you what's going on> you can advocate from your couch - we can actually participate in this. So make sure you watch The Rescue, then see How It Ends by participating via the Live Feed online over June 22nd & 23rd. I'll be doing just that.

Mixtape

2009-05-27T07:29:00.006+01:00

I've always said that "life should have a soundtrack!" - everything that we do should have a song. So I've put together sort of a 'mixed tape' of songs.. you'll find the player over there in the right-hand side column near the top, or you can open this link to have these songs play through your day - just start from the top!

Life really is Beautiful

2009-05-23T09:19:00.006+01:00

She's just a small-town girl from a residential area just outside of Durban, South Africa (I've always wanted to start off a post like that), and now she's in Mozambique. My friend Lauren Nixon is really doing this thing, this life, so beautifully! It's rich, it's raw and it's real. She's always living in her present. We're often looking in so many other directions towards trying to find the one thing we ought to be doing. Well it seems, that there are those among us getting it right, and just going for it.

I don't know why I haven't told you about her before! Ever since I've known her, she's always had a heart for the people most-in-need in our world, just outside our front door. She is simply living out a loving and effective life; loving God + loving others. Wowzers!

See her at Life is Beautiful + also see her pics.

The Song.

2009-05-21T21:18:00.008+01:00

The song keeps playing.
It's reality at it's most raw.
It's written on our hearts.

If you can, see more: Nooma.com + Rob Bell

Be yourself

2009-05-21T01:05:00.000+01:00

I liked this. Just be yourself.

Compassion + Art

2009-05-20T21:34:00.002+01:00

This is art changing poverty.
See what they're doing at Compassion Art.
Wow.

Nurturing Creativity

2009-05-15T01:32:00.015+01:00

This is one of the most refreshing things I've heard, and I hope that you really hear it too > Elizabeth Gilbert on Nurturing Creativity.

Wait until you have 20mins to sit & watch this.

Olé to you.

In the bag

2009-05-07T04:17:00.005+01:00

These are my two long-time companions of late.. brilliant reads by the great C.S. Lewis & Elizabeth Gilbert that always make it into my bag (one of which you can read online.)

I've been reading, thinking and absorbing a lot more since being here in Brazil, not writing as much, and I've enjoyed that for the moment. I've also been digging deeper creatively, & doing some designing, which has been fantastic. I took some pictures too, yet since then, my pocket camera gave up on me just after these were taken. Figures. I'll buy some film again for my more favoured and trustworthy Yashica, which does some loverly things. Ahh, I just pulled it out for old-times sake.. smells classic.

Life

2009-05-01T05:16:00.001+01:00

It's simple.

2009-03-02T05:17:00.006Z

Times are grand.  See the video at vimeo. Also go to hillsong.com.

I took these screenshots simply because the video is just gorgeous..  and I take a liking towards these type of things, as you already know.  Images © Hillsong 2009.

New

2009-02-15T01:06:00.006Z

You're brand new.

Holdable

2009-02-06T13:31:00.004Z

It's my new word: holdable. And a Moleskine is such a thing - magnificently holdable. You should buy it and try it. Oh and I just wrote to them and told them to include Cape Town in their new City Notebook range. Yes.

Sometimes..

2009-01-06T14:17:00.004Z

Same goes for all of us, i think.
I wish i thought more about digging deeper.
I wish i thought more about every moment.
I wish i thought more about the environment.
I wish i thought more about my family.
I wish i thought more about resting.

Image: Steffan Bruggemann

Two Double Oh Nine

2009-01-06T02:32:00.012Z

.. or Two Double Oh Shine, as my friend jp says. He's got it right.

So we just got back from the most fantastic road trip from the Gold Coast back to Sydney. I wasn't as hardcore as the others - i jumped on webjet, flew up and met them there, but did the miles back, from camping in no-camping zones near Surfers Paradise (nice); to preparing our meals of beans&bread on the footpath; to getting a flat tyre in Byron Bay* and choosing to take a nap just because we were 'over it'; to staying for two days with the couple who helped us out of that (free b&b pretty much, amazing r&r); to bathing in the hippy (& nudist, to our surprise) highly acclaimed Tea-Tree Lake near Byron + covering ourselves with the therapeutic mud that the lake provided; all the way to celebrating New Years Eve on Bondi Beach with my two dear Brazilians, our two Danish-ians**, a Welsh girl named Esther, and a Dani + a Jess from who-knows-everywhere (nice girls), all the while having the nicest time, meeting & being with the greatest people from around the world.. and still, it goes on.

(Oh and two more beautiful discoveries: Annika's Family + Açaí pr. Ah-sigh-ee, the most beautiful thing Brazil has given to the world. Find it. Try it.)

Rajão & I saw Morcheeba on Sunday at the 'Days Like This' festival.. which was glorious! Rajão shouted the tickets (in fact he shouted everything while i was living with him, knowing i've got like $20 to my name.. so he's been amazing), so yeah, where was i, oh yeah, the tickets.. which we walked the whole frikn city for the previous day - it was worth it. He found a Ghandi Doll too, his prize. So yeah, great days. Please tell me you've heard this:

*Click on the link and view gallery.
**Danish-ians? What would we call you, Patricia!? Danes?

Christmas.

2008-12-20T01:36:00.009Z

Click image for larger view.

May yours be great.
Photography by Kieran White 2008.

(Oh, and the vibe with the gifts from the 'wise men' is that they happen to be some of the most Iconic Australian products - Vegemite, Eucalyptus Oil & Four X Gold. Of course, I probably would've given Baby Jesus some Tim Tams instead of the Four X! Yet, you're the wiser of us three Kieran, and you're Australian, so yeah, go wild. :)

Completo.

2008-12-08T03:29:00.008Z

So, we graduated. How great.
Photos, courtesy of Leora Gardner

only when i've lost myself

2008-11-13T00:04:00.007Z

So these have also been my words; my story, erupting from my thought-factory. While this song, 'NYC' by Marty Sampson, is written with a duo-addressee (that is, to his lady + God) for me for now, it's just heavenward:

I've seen all the adverts - Stared at all the billboards - Waited for the taxis - Ate your popcorn in movies - But only when i lost myself - I've walked through New York City - I've seen the ugly the pretty - The less fortunate and wealthy - But none can compare to You - I've jumped out to the ending - Been bleeding from wounds of nothing - I've listened and been ignored - Been hungry I've been bored - Been left out in the storm - But only when i lost myself - Is when I found You - I've been so many places - Seen too many faces - Heard too many cases - Of dreams without chasers... so - I've lost myself - And all my wealth - I broke my pride - I stepped aside - And threw away - The best of life - What I held dear - Achingly tight - To lose my lot - Ruin my life - To lose all else - To find myself - With you. - 'NYC' Marty Sampson.

So to throw some adventure in the mix, I've moved out. The last three weeks have been stellar. It's been real good. I've stayed with my friends Simon & Ben and 10 other guys, and each day&night has been momentous . They leave tomorrow though, which is a sad thing, but I'm excited for what's ahead. My mini-plan is to house-sit or, at the very least, take care of your couch over December/January. I can't really afford much at the moment, and thought i'd just throw that out there. I'll probably be here untill the end of February, but if I save a fantastic amount, I may be able to do a second year here.. the future seems delightful either way when looking at my handful of dreams, where ever I next land.

And so, the next and most recent thing to let you know, joyfully, is that I graduated last night. It was a splendid evening. One great year complete, and like I said somewhere in this momentous post: "One thing, of the many, that I realised, was that this next year will not only be a year progressing in my own perceived plans of growth, but also a full-on time of reclaiming. Involuntarily and voluntarily. Reclaiming my headspace and my breathing space. Reclaiming my capacity to love and receive love. Down to the details." I've been reclaiming, no doubt about it. And the wonder of it all has been priceless. And only cos I've lost myself, I've tasted and I've seen.

We've only just begun. And we're beginning to see dreams owned by their chasers.

oh eight

2008-11-12T14:59:00.004Z

It has been [such] a good year*.

*Click on that, sit back, relax, and you'll also hear just what I mean! La la la la la..

on dreaming

2008-11-08T11:20:00.003Z

What would happen if all of us began to live, Wide Awake?

on design

2008-11-08T01:07:00.011Z

I'm wanting to up my output with designing. Considering the way we can work these days, no matter where you are in the world, we can work together. It's amazing! And I just love it. I just recently finished my first project for Fresh Aesthetics - they work with designers and clients all over the world, and I look forward to doing many more works for them, wherever I go.

In between dreams of being and doing this thing called the church wholeheartedly.. I dream of the coffee shop and/or the park across the road being my 'office', with strong hopes of one day doing so with one of these*, soaking in the creativity and freedom of friends, writing our stories together, changing the world.

My hope, as good ol' Paul did with his tent-making, is to use this skill I have to 'make it through', haha, and some. I want to be empowered, to empower others. Anyone with a vision & a cause, big or small, also knows very well that to get going, you need the financial help. So I'm hands down and working on two things: Design + Photography.

I'm also hoping to find someone who can help me put together my concept for a new website (stay posted) for these things. In time, I hope you'll see an array of work from a guy that you'd like to support and be supported in.

In the meantime, dream, with substance. And drink tea.

* Also, if you know of anyone not using their Canon EOS 400D SLR, or beyond.. you know what to do!

eat well

2008-11-08T00:57:00.003Z

Oh Hannah, my friend.

new soul

2008-10-20T04:58:00.006+01:00

I'm a new soul. And so are you.

Go see: Yael Naim. Shalom!

ooh!

2008-10-15T07:24:00.012+01:00

A second ago I just couldn't help but let out an out loud "Ooh!" when I clicked on this:

May you discover. May you jump in.
An out loud "Ooh!" of wonderment is simply, not enough.

+

Next week, the Passion World Tour comes to Sydney. I think, by the end of it, they will have been to something like 17 countries, one being South Africa just recently. (Yes, I know how it feels, you want to visit so much it hurts, some will even set up camp there, but just so you know, once i return, my couch will always be ready for you - of course yes, for no mula*, just come be friends. And if you find me one of these, no question about it, i'll take the couch! And/or if you do this, i like you already.)

So we've got ten tickets for a bunch of us, and we wanna go there and draw from the Passion Team, and more so, draw from God in ways that will be more than just a worship experience, but draw from his heart for the vulnerable and the poor, for the lost, and the found.

We've come here from all over the world to learn what it's really all about, and I believe we are. While we friends are all finishing our [first] year here, and while some of us have new steps to take, we are seeing great things, and doing even greater things, knowing that we're all in this together, where ever we are.

Here's a great moment: Bono taking ground.

* 'Mula' is Zulu for 'Money', if you needed to know.

times like these

2008-10-14T14:50:00.005+01:00

It's times like these we awaken.
It's times like these we reclaim.
It's times like these we know God.

"God is with us, if we are with them."

a good question

2008-10-13T03:29:00.015+01:00

going on

2008-09-17T06:52:00.013+01:00

This is the nicest thing I've seen in a long time.
Viva Afrika! [ New song+video from Gnarles Barkley 'Going On'. ]

In other news, things are great down here in Australia. Right now i'm looking whether or not i will be able to do a second year of College. I really want to get equipped further for sure, it's just a question of being able to pay the fees, that's all.

With out fail, my homeland is always on my mind, and i never stop dreaming of the potential & beauty she has. I want to walk with her in these great days.

In the meantime on this side of the Pacific, i'm envisioning a visit to Hong Kong sometime early next year to see my friends Leora & Jeff & learn more about what they're up to there. Oh and watch 'Almost Flew' - the video Jeff also made himself.

but thank you for reading!

2008-08-19T14:51:00.003+01:00

So recently, a most minor hiccup occurred with the automatic feed of my older blog-posts into the Facespace-notes-importing-thingy..... yeah. So, somehow i updated the rss feed, and it re-imported every note on the blogspot page..

.. so when reading, please note the dates of the posts! Some have already asked, "have you lost your job!?" Haha, no, not yet at least. But i am so grateful you're making your visits to ryanwynn.blogspot.com. (Genius name for a blog, i know.) Hey, get in touch, i love heaaring where you're at!

And, how cool is this: couchsurfing! I'm checking it out..

Love you all,
in South Africa,
England,
Australia,
and beyond..
ry.

sounds like home

2008-08-16T06:43:00.005+01:00

Something amazing is happening back home.. above, a rally in South Africa hosted by Angus Buchan. | Also, go see this snippet of the Passion World Tour Cape Town, which just happened recently.

brothers + sisters

2008-08-06T10:40:00.005+01:00

My friends here have been lovely.

freedom

2008-08-04T16:02:00.004+01:00

I think my friend, Leora, is wonderful.. take a scroll over to blog.leoragardner.com, and you'll see.

+

She just freely dedicated her night to us by inviting us on board her pigeon-mobile to re-discover Newtown and beyond, all for one thing: fun.

One thing I value more than almost everything, (& i thank all my friends for this) is how someone can give you their time. They just give it away! They could be doing anything else out there, anything else in the world, and they're handing it over to you.. just, because.

It baffles me every time.

most highly

2008-05-31T16:41:00.007+01:00

After four years of reading this, and through all sorts of seasons, I still most highly recommend this book, 'My Utmost For His Highest' by Oswald Chambers, quoted as ".. the greatest personal devotional book of all time."

You know what to do. [ And now, it's even online! ]

i will tell them.

2008-03-31T01:34:00.009+01:00

i'm still listening to the spirit of this and being drawn by it's call. africa, i wont let go. i will tell them.

And so, this week is a full week. An assessment study of the book of Ruth + Personal Leadership & Communication in Ministry tutorial work + 1 song for Songwriting class.. it's all happening! Phwoar!

home really is where the heart is

2008-03-24T10:53:00.007Z

These weeks have been fantastic as life has been unfolding amongst my friends and i. It’s incredible, since arriving, it’s like God had the sweetest plan to bring the right people around each other, the people who are to be family to each other.. and I’m learning more and more about this, or rather, I’m learning more and more in all this. We’re in it right now! This is it! Life is happening!

The surprising authenticity all around me is exactly the type of thing that pulls on my heart-strings. All along the way, I'm so stoked to be having these authentic moments + conversations.

Easter was off the charts! After the Parachute Band blowing us away and into looking upwards, Guy Sebastian, the dude who won Australian Idol and who is in our church lead the evening in the sweeeetest soul/r&b vibe.. he looks like a young Stevie Wonder, who i love, and maybe a little cape-malay looking.. Cape Town would LOVE him actually! It was awesome! I wish I had more space to dance.. the place was packed!

So, Easter, to me is the most important time of the year.. but one thing kept bugging me, was how much I wanted to be home with my family. Some of them are all together for the first time in a long time, over there in the u.k, and some are chilling together back in s.a. I just realised how alive the design of family is, and how during a family holiday like this, I am over the seas and faraway from all that. But, today and over the last week, I've celebrated with new family. And more and more, my heart is at home with them, these crazy people, my friends.. i'm feeling surprisingly at home every day. So we hung out together today and soaked up the inescapable beauty & majesty of this place, just up the road, called The Blue Mountains. And God was realised all day. These words said it all for me today.

Secondly, or thirdly: I’m walking somewhere new and exciting since that momentous day (yes, you can click that word 'momentous' ooh, and see what i'm talking about.)

Ooh, I kid you not, make sure you look out for ‘Glory Is Here’ by Michael Gungor. (Just throwing it out there!)

hot water comes from hot clouds

2008-03-17T09:12:00.004Z

.. yes this is true according to my housemates 3year old son! we're stunned at how profound that was! and how as-a-matter-of-fact moment it was for him, and us.

he's THREE!

hot water comes from hot clouds which are the grey ones. simple thought. so funny! i'm not gonna write more cos i just wanna go hang with him!

where the streets have no name

2008-03-15T04:13:00.007Z

I've never sweated like this before. I just got back from Street Teams which was awesome!!! Oh yah, you must be informed, so Street Teams is one of my favourite things about church where we simply just go out to bless & encourage people in the community. They get puzzled that we're not wanting their money or knocking on the doors to work at being sure we're safe for the next life. The things we did today just got people so stoked cos it is just that simple: random acts of kindess with the only motive being that we love Jesus. If they never ask why we're there, then they're still being blessed. Woo! I love it!!!

And tonight some schweeeet friends are coming over to our house (which is the type of thing i really appreciate cos it really is out of the way) just to chill, and eat what ever we can get together.. and yes, we have a foosball table, pingpong and wii, but oh how i wish we had a pool, and the money for food!

So.. where is this blog going? I have no clue. Ha! Right now, it's here for you to hear the latest word; hear where in the world i'm at; and to start challenging the status quo in any ways we can... but i think we can all do something more with what's in our hands already.. hmm.. so let's see what happens.

2008-03-14T11:01:00.005Z

Ooh, so the album recording went more-than-well! Brace yourselves, some gi-huge things went on that night. I'm spent, and stoked, and loving every bit.

Oh and, yes, i was at Bondi Beach yesterday and yes, Jack Johnson is cool and yes, we conversed in the lobby of the hotel that the Youth Alive Conference is running at (where i was at). I'm pretty well stoked! Yah. A schweeeet day topped off with a perfect night on the beach for Elin's birthday. And she even blew some candles out. On the beach. Very nice.

My facespace should have photos soon i'm sure.

Again, must sleep. Life is so good. Learning so much. You're awesome.

+

Terri, my beautiful sister, happy 21st!

2008-03-03T10:35:00.002Z

Everyday here has been glorious.. and to quickly mention todays adventure.. we visited the Blue Mountains. Woo! Beautiful. The chasm we looked over into looked like the grandcanyon, only, covered in brocolli.. and tastier-looking. Nice.

So, it's the Album Recording this weekend. God's clearly doing awesome things by the lives that are being changed in this place.. if only you knew the stories.. and who knows how far these anthems will reach and pay-forward the Message we live for. I'm soo amped. And college is going great! The genuine people i'm meeting along the way have been way-more than a welcome blessing, of whom i can see how largely they'll outweigh anything else i'll learn out here. But o, the things we're learning in class & beyond.. woo! Great things.

Must sleep.

ryanwynn.blogspot.com..

2008-02-01T05:10:00.000Z

.. soo creative, i know.

I've just created a group on facespace, which i hesitated to do*, but, this is for you, and me.. to hear the latest word; hear where in the world i'm at, (which for the people i really care about, means heaps); and to start challenging the status quo in any ways we can.

* "The most difficult lie I ever contended with is this: Life is a story about me." -Don Miller

So, i've been in Sydney Australia for one whole month already, and right now, i've just enrolled for college and i start next week. Guys, i'm feeling so at home here. The last several days, and the people in them, have been fantastic, to say the very least - but nothing beats home, especially by being reminded of home with walking this town, every day, in my Jerusalem Creepers (visitors to Durban beachfront, you'll know what shoes i'm talking about). But they're seeing their last days now. Aargh. (I'm size 11).

I like to write. I do my very best to write and say a fair share of hello's. I fail regularly. But i love ya. Thanks for going with me. ry.

Jan 2008

2008-01-05T06:45:00.000Z

Yes, while sitting here in Sydney.. SYDNEY I TELL YOU!!.. i'm writing to you while listening to Newton (yes, please do take a listen). Things are feeling like home already and I'm feeling like 2008 is gonna be wonderful.

Ooh! I'll write more later.. just received some developing news of a spontanious decision! We're heading to the Sydney Festival in 20 mins. G'night!

I've been thinking..

2007-12-19T18:39:00.000Z

.. that even when i turn it off, the outcome feels the same. I've been thinking maybe i've been part of the cloudy. Maybe i'm the chance of rain. And maybe i'm overcast. I've been thinking about everyone. But when i look at the stars, i see someone else. I feel like myself.

THE NEW NEWS: Flying to 2008!

2007-12-11T21:15:00.000Z

So it's official! I managed to raise and save just enough.. and so the news is, I fly to Australia at the end of the month!!! Woohooo!! I leave on the 30th December in fact! So i'll be celebrating New Years Eve on the plane! Cool and weird at the same time. So i set foot in Sydney Land on the 1st Jan 2008.. can't believe it's all happening! :) Gonna love it!

[And hey, thanks to everyone for being so cool and for going with me, and for those who gave towards helping me get there.. you know who you are. How awesome it's been. I could still do with help for sure, so keep/be in touch. Would be good to hear from you! Woohoo!]

Story

2007-12-11T21:08:00.000Z

Don Miller (Blue Like Jazz) spoke at Mars Hill the other night! Click here to have a listen.. you'll have to take a little scroll to find it, but it's there. Ooh.

A conversation here, a conversation there.

2007-11-19T21:06:00.000Z

I haven't written in a while, so to get back 'into it', i'll just throw in a snippet from my day in the form of a short note i wrote to a friend earlier on - with some crossing of the t's and dotting of the i's, for your skim-reading pleasure! Secondly, very soon i'll be posting something of a 'reaching-out-to-you ' movement, so please be sure to visit here soon!

" ..so does your church have a website bro? I love following/keeping up with churches that way. Oh ja, to answer your questions, i dig what Moby says, "I read the New Testament, specifically the gospels and I was struck at their divinity, feeling that humans could not have figured this out on their own. We're just not bright enough." I've also thought similarly before. I'd submit that nobody could've just 'come up' with Jesus; and, for me, God being here in the FLESH = almost inconceivable.. but not.. you know? Amazing.

And what do i think when i hear the word, church or christian? Well,
You are the Church. I am the Church. Be the Church.

I'm so stoked Moby is a Christian. I'm looking 'into' what he's all about right now. And ooh, i digggg this [film + this] moment: "shaawiiiiiiiing!" & you just gotta love this. "

I better get back to some work. Woohoo!

As it goes..

2007-09-13T18:07:00.000+01:00

I sit really badly at my computer. Any computer. I just cannot get comfortable. I cannot get it right. Maybe I should be climbing mountains and doing pilates in-between takes, or something far out, but for now and for life as i know it and like it, writing, designing and composing on the tool of our time is where it's at for me. So if you're thinking about sponsoring me for next year, I might have to ask you for your help towards the physio instead! Haha. Just kidding.

So I know I haven't posted for a while, and that's precisely because there's been so much happening. And to account for it is far less important than living it out. But honestly, I have a passion for writing and so the constant urges I have to get myself to a keyboard never weaken.

I would like a type-writer one day. There's something about that I like very much, actually.

Great things have been happening all around. Last night Kobus Visagie was at Powerhouse (george loves you too) - and ja, it's the first time an afrikaans-accented speaker has given me goosebumps. Yay. I been waiting for that day! Beautiful things/moments do that to me. He's solid. He's right on. And so, he's over here for the world cup of course, and what an awesome time we had. This ausie guy Andy also spoke, and full-on opened my eyes to something very very good: Red Frogs. This is big. And it's just started in South Africa as well. And I'm throwing myself into it too. No doubt about it, this is an awesome thing they've got going, and how it all started 10 years ago is what really got my attention.

My holiday was superb. And I've just started freelancing, which for a lack of better words is, very exciting.

So I have some other thoughts that I will try to pen soon and maybe even get back to IP - a lovely thing. I'd love to post more often with more detail, but I'm kinda on the same road with joshua longbrake with what he said the other day, "Blogs are good mediums for creativity, but I refuse to miss out on experiencing life and being with people because of the pressure to blog. I know people who miss out on so much because they continually feel the need to be blogging, and I don’t want to be like that."

So yeah, I’m sorry, but not really.
Thanks for going with me. Almost there.

What we sing & say..

2007-06-22T12:15:00.000+01:00

"Songs are getting lyriclly deeper and real for us. By far.
What the songs are saying are really really good.
It's broad. It's deep. It's wide.
And I think it's true and real for us."
JH, United.

+ one

2007-06-18T21:43:00.000+01:00

I had a surprising pouring-out-of-my-heart moment today, to someone at work. After she asked me how my weekend was (great, thanks), and still smelling my fresh print-outs, I responded in saying, that I reckon, that we should have 3-day weekends. Society needs it. Before asking her to hear me out, I just rambled on, and can I add, a bit more fluently than I usually do. (I write better than I talk. For Now.) "Cos with the world progressing and demanding more and more from people; people having sleepless nights cos of stress at work; the mounting nervous breakdowns that come with that; the family breakdowns; and blah, we should just 'progress' to working less! Whatya think?" I asking her smiling.

She just said, "You've obviously thought about this alot?"

"Once or twice." I said, retreating.

I laughed at myself. Gotta love it. Passion is in us, nearer and more real [and more useful] than we think. And this was a petty subject! But we've got it. And we're ready. More than we know.

Have a listen to Greg Boyd (Christos Victor, week 431), at Mars Hill. Ya he get's amped for sure, but he has an eye-opener to why Jesus came here to get onto the cross, and a whole lot more. And it's not a new thought. Mars Hill Bible Church is something I wanna say, watch this space. Listen to their messages as much as you can. Learn. Apply.

And always, always take any anthem you stumble across, to church, to your world.

I'm looking forward to my day off on friday!
(For an interview. At HTB. Again. Yay.)

Awakening

2007-06-04T22:37:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago, instead of the Dominion Theatre, we had church at, get this.. the Royal Albert Hall! It was the final evening of a week-long conference. The CEO of the Royal Albert Hall, who happened to be a Christian fervently said, "Finally we're using this place for God!" So rad.

And so I thought about it.. this is just not normal!! To have the blessing of being able to use that place. If you understand the magnitude of that + the calibre of shows that have used the venue over the centuries.. you can't but help have the realisation come to you that God is doing stuff. Big stuff. Excellent stuff. He just needs the willing.

We're awakening.

So I found a seat quite close to the stage, and with the place being grand and circular, I was pretty-much facing the church/people, not the stage. Masses of people, thousands, worshipping God. I opened my eyes for a while and just looked at this snippet of heaven with eye-watering joy. It was just another illustration of Gods love and majesty.

And this last weekend, my family and I took a trip north to Cambridge, home to Cambridge University. What beauty.. and what an education! We were on our way up this narrow walkway near the riverside to lunch, when, oh my goodness, this old guy cycles&squeezes past us.. naked! Can you handle. (He was!) We couldn't believe it! His, you-know-hoo-ha, sitting so comfortably enjoying the view so many don't get to enjoy. Naturists. Hmm.

So the next hour held our excessive tears of laughter, and then some time after that we finally brought ourselves to eat. We realised that it must be some guy from The Strawberry Festival just 5mins walk up the road. The only music festival of it's kind for the year. Almost a Splashy Fen vibe but just a one day-er. Peace out man. The people were of vast uniqueness, to say the least. Otherwise, Cambridge is a beautiful place, and when you go there, it literally feels like time has been brought down to half-pace, in the almost, the most peaceful way. We topped the day with a Punt-ride on the river. Splendid.

So Marty Sampson (Hillsong Worship Leader) has written a some splendid songs. Go to his website. "Only when I lost myself, is when I found You." Marty Sampson - Let Love Rule, 'NYC'.

Word has it..

2007-05-12T12:55:00.000+01:00

.. that I'm staying in Mother England a little longer. It looks like our God, our Provider, is wanting me to stick around here for a bit. The ultimate deciding factor was that I don't have the money yet to pack up and get to College in aus as planned. Which is totally rad cos He's providing in the way most suited to my path with Him.. but also totally sad that I'll be away from Home for longer (Home = my S.A bro's and sisters in Christ) And as I asked God for a life that takes Life as it goes, it's been rather flipn amusing! So let's pick it up a tad, a life for all of us, loving God, loving people, no holding back, always moving.

+

My heart was in the air and at melting point last night when I recieved your flash-flood of identical birthday sms's! Stokedness on high! I'm in love! In love with all the friends God has given me/us/you. United in Love. (Big up's to you Tammy Ballard! Nice move:: May 11 Orchestrator of the now-famous sms-attack method!)

Full on.

Pray for me? I've got an interview on Thursday this week at HTB for their Graphic Design position. So watch this space. I gotto go get up 'n adam, stick on a suit and get to a wedding in a minute (playing bongo's). Beautiful. Whoop whoop!

6am + me

2007-03-27T14:16:00.000+01:00

I can’t remember the last time I had to wake up at 6am. This new job I started on Monday begs of me to rise at this dark hour, starting work at 7.30am. It’s a temp job and let’s just say, very, very easy. It goes for three weeks which is perfect for while I look for something more my vibe. But thanks to you chatting with God about me, (isn’t gossip wrong? I'll call it ‘Godssip’.) he has faithfully set up something while I carry on looking, praying and waiting on him. Actually, waiting on what he has already set up for me before the day I was even concieved!

So for the moment what an adventure! (dry laugh) It’s pretty much opening huge piles of letters and stamping them in a room with four lovely old ladies and two old men who are really all just the sweetest, and two cups of tea. No paper cuts yet. When I asked God for a great life-experience on this new journey, I could never have imagined this! But there is true joy chatting and having tea with these Greats. So onward and forward as I keep looking for something closer to what I want after these three weeks.

London has been brilliant. Such a vast array of people. Love that. The tubes are sweet, but walking it is such a vibe – especially in this weather we’re having. Sore soles guaranteed. I’ve been going into the city, when I have had a free chance, to look for design work and for church on Sundays. You gotta walk Oxford Street someday. Shops of monotony isn’t my thing, but in the nooks and crannies you’ll find some great&interesting places. Oh and one rad shop called urbanoutfitters has such a vintagemeetshighstreet vibe going on. Sad days though for those that think they have to look like those figtree girls on the website to be truly beautiful. (Time is short, don’t waste it by not absolutely embracing who you are and how beautiful you are Also, check out Ransomedheart, then check out 'Captivating' under the books section.) But I love design, so I appreciated the store. Designers, you guys might appreciate that I found The Mill around one corner. What a vibe!

So last Wednesday, I got myself to what they call, a ‘Connect Group’ and I’m going again this week. It was very cool. Just after dinner, the lights went out around the whole block so we did the whole thing by candelight! It was such a vibe! I was stoked. So ya, very cool group. A bit older than what I'm used to, but actually very good for me. Was quite refreshing to hear out and chat with the 'wiser ones'! They're so passionate, it’s infectious actually. The people at church have been awesome. Welcoming me and coming around me in true prayer has just been very real. As it has for a while, in my head, the Hillsong brand has fallen away more and more as I have begun to meet these other great Christian brothers and sisters face-on. The real deal; People who deal with what we all deal with. Live out what all Christians live out. Cos a brand doesn’t echo into eternity like the church will. I’ve just stumbled into a bit of an rad thought about going glam. But I also want to visit another church at the other end of oxford street called Holy Trinity Brompton – the church that started the Alpha course.

Ok, so I’m quickly gonna get outside to run and get some photography done in this afternoon sun. “Afternoon delight!” There’s this huge old tree on a scrumptious hillside just up the road I wanna catch. See ya. (Oh, and send me any photos of your adventures, from the mundane to the insane.. if I get a healthy bunch together, I may put up a wwwpage for all that jazz. Mail them to me at ryanwynn2003@yahoo.co.uk)

242 Carpet Burns

2007-03-14T22:42:00.000Z

So, yep, I'm still scratching at the slow-healing carpet burns I gained from my last 2forty2 night with you guys. Thank you for that. Glorious memories. Scars tell stories. So tonight, I'm thinking, "How did 2forty2 go? What did they do tonight? What did God do?" I wait in anticipation to hear your stories. Oh look, there's my email address on the right there. Or is it my left? Ah well, there it is! Email me if you can't find it. :) But guys, thankyou for keeping in touch. You're my home, no matter where I travel. Oh, there I go.. going deep. I tend to do that, you'll see.

Something I wrote down the other day, " It's not about where you go, where you end up; the new places, new people... It's whether or not you manage to be yourself when you're there."

That's in thoughts of the new things I'm doing. New church: new people. New job (when I find one): new people. They all totally don't know me. I could totally comprimise who I am in the little situations. People here don't know my strengths, my weaknesses, my giftings etc. And Satan is amped to break down everything God has built up. So I gotta watch out and pray against complacency. (Ooh, even a big word for me!) [ Brian Priceman's advice by the way. ]

Oh, and church was rad on Sunday. I love church. God's a genius!

To Do

2007-03-10T22:54:00.000Z

My to do list is growing and I’m growing too mellow because I’m feeling like James next to this Giant Peach. I think I’m feeling uninspired because I don’t know where to start! Where do I find a job? I've been looking for something in the creative industry vibe, but I also don’t mind doing anything else really. Well, it’s been hard to swallow that thought cos I love what I do, but when I think of my goal.. gees, anything to help me get there is worth it.

I went for a run in the area around my parents’ house. Oh the beauty of Spring’s beginnings! It’s weird cos it feels as cold as the Berg would in winter but it’s as sunny as any Springtime back home. Trees are budding.. may our dreams. So yes, there’s hope in my mind for favour towards this English England place! I've been told skipping brings you joy here in England Land.

Oh how I feel like a Zuluburger. Or a Johnny's Roti first. Then a Zuluburger.

Stoked. :) I head to London tomorrow to meet with a guy from Hillsong UK. I’m gonna ask him about where I can get hooked in, find a bible study, where I can help.. then I’ll be going to church in the evening too. Pretty amped to meet new people - and tell them about you. I'm so stoked God chilled for a day after the 6 universe making days before that. He must've simply, hung out. Just chilled with the heaven-beings. Full-on mellow vibes. I love Sundays. Have one.

In the air. On the ground.

2007-03-07T13:46:00.001Z

I've arrived in England! Beautiful flight, lovely conversations. I sat next to a hefty northern african guy who had just been to SA for a 2week healing program. He had a severed spine from arthritis or something like that and was booked in for an operation back home in London which appeared a dangerous thing to go through. He heard about this program and being a Christian, just went for it, trusting in God. Long story short, he is friggn stoked now - God healed him.

Jaw on the floor, heart in the air.

Then I moved seats, never to see him again until that beautiful banquet Jesus is preparing for us, so that his wife could sit next to him. I then sat next to an old lady from PMB, named 'Floss', who's ex-husband just died. She was going to see her daughter in UK who became very close to him only recently. She was quite emotional, but I think for sure that it helped having a hyper 22year old chatting her up! She said something interesting later-on when she was talking about her patients (she's a psychologist) with regards to forgiveness..... "It's unfair to ask someone for forgiveness, cos then you're just transferring that weight onto that person when they don't deserve it." She continued mostly about the uncanny unfairness of it all. I was glued to this other angle that we don't get to see often.

So at Heathrow, I was asked to go for chest x-rays before I could pass in on my new Visa. Bit of a rash, but I felt better being 1 of about ten other south-africans having to do the same. I then went to meet my parents which was just refreshing. After some good chats, a cup of tea, minus TimTams, we headed to London, Covent Gardens to go to the theatre to see Mamma Mia after a good bowl of Spaghetti Bolognaisse at PizzaHut. I've never been a fan of Abba music, but flip it was funny. Good times.

Similar Article: Single-Serving Friends (Relevant Magazine)

Experiencing God

2007-02-27T17:52:00.001Z

Wow! is the word for Reflex Youth Camp this last weekend. Brett Fish made the trip up from Cape Town to speak to us (and he’s doing so again for our Young Adults camp – whoop whoop!) In his ‘Thort for the week’ which everyone’s gotta subscribe to, he said,

“..absolutely incredible - blown away by watching God work in those young (and at times small) kids' lives - repeated the 'Listening to God' workshop we did at Summer Camp and saw God blow people away by His intervention and speaking into their lives and just trusting big time that the fruit of this weekend will be seen for ever... please pray that God will continue the work He has begun there - wow!” Ditto to that - lets keep praying.

The 'Listening to God' session just blew my face off!! And as I told the group I was blessed to be in, I actually was on my way to the beach, when I said to the guys, “hey, I’m turning back.” So I got there just in time and joined a splendid group and went on for hours. I did not expect God to do what he did. Silly me. He's faithful beyond my dreams. He blew open my box.

"God is bigger than my box, He's bigger than my theology, He's bigger than my understanding.. He's bigger than me." Brett Fish

Ah, you gotta try Ultimate Frisbee – nice win, team. :)

Remember..

2007-02-22T22:07:00.000Z

So on this wet, movie-weather night, no snails died. I've lost count how many snails I've squashed coming home after hanging out. I mean, heck, even if I see an ant, I'll make sure I stretch my step an extra ant-metre so that I don't ignorantly destroy it's progressing existence. [ Ooh, I caught a beautiful thought the other night about ants from a guy that just gave me chickenskin when he said it! I think I'll throw it out there on Illuminated People. ] So it hurts me just as much, everytime I stand on one. But tonight, we're all home safe!

On the way to Noodsberg this last Sunday with my friends, Laura, Megs, Achita and Steve, a Disney song or two made themselves known throughout the cavity of my Blacksheep (my beautiful black TT - Toyota Tazz). We all knew exactly what we had to do. We had to do a 'Re-visit a Disney Flik' night.. plus TimTams. So the girls organised and it went just loverly tonight. I got stoked remembering the good Disney days. Thank you girls. It's awesome that you guys said we'd do it and we actually did it. It's becoming rare.

Ooh, a God-moment: the part in Lion King where Simbachip's father speaks to him from the clouds, "Remember who you are. You are my son." Oh how we love James Earl Jones' cloudy grumbly father voice! So maybe today, remember who you are.

Jet Plane

2007-02-21T21:36:00.000Z

Personally, I hate it when someone I love, leaves. But it's awesome when they go for big reasons, huh? It's the weirdest thing. I'm so keen for this new adventure, but it's kinda sore to be leaving. It feels like I'm cutting off relationships, but like David Layzell said to me.... (unfinished thought).

So this is the mellow blog. It's just the right thing to keep you posted (if you're interested) on my adventures and stories. Something a bit more than MySpaceisyourspace?