Being the avid sports fan that I am, and a passionate South African cricket fan, I was absolutely delighted at the way the South Africans demolished the Australians in the second Test in PE this past weekend. After they (well, Mitchell Johnson) embarassed us in Joburg a week earlier, everyone was talking us down. But we absorbed the pressure, reflected, and came back fighting. And Dale Steyn, South Africa's premier bowler showed why HE is Number 1 and NOT Mitchell Johnson!

Mitchell Johnson was pretty quiet in comparison to the first Test Match, but Dale Steyn was on absolute fire. And his scathing performance to completely rip through the Australians in the second innings saw him keep his position as the Number 1 ranked Test Bowler as rated by the ICC.

This meme just says it all! With Mitchell Johnson grinning as though he would expect to be there, you get a nice surprise when you see "IT'S NOT THIS GUY"!! Haha. Love it.

Feel free to share and enjoy!

At the heart of our mission on Earth, the very heart of the purpose that flows through our veins, is that we are here to make this planet a better place. But what is absolutely imperative is that we believe such a mission is possible.

Every possible, conceivable dream about a utopian society IS possible. No matter what we are faced with, no matter what disgusting injustice that stares us straight in the eye and challenges us with the lie that people will never change and this is how the world will always be. With the purpose of great transformation embedded within our DNA we can (and must!) face back, standing toe to toe with our enemy of negativity; believing that anything is possible, even a utopian society. Heaven on Earth.

For it is this that Jesus died for. Not only did He reconcile mankind back to Himself. He empowered them to establish a resting place for the realm of his Kingdom and eradicate ALL evil.

We are empowered to do so. It CAN be done! But it won't be done unless we actually believe it can be done.

All that is required is that we believe it is possible. This tiny mustard seed of an idea is the beginning of seeing Heaven established on Earth.

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If you would like to ask any questions about why you are alive, or something was triggered in your heart after reading this, please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to answer where possible.
Email me on james (at) jamespreston (dot) org
Or, leave a comment below, or you can contact me on Twitter.
I would be happy to try and answer where I can.

Follow @jamesprestonza

Looking at this photo you would never have thought the wind was that bad. It wasn't, until our race was about to start.

Firstly, a big thank you for the Birthday Wishes last week Friday. I had a wonderful weekend and all your messages, chocolates, gifts and wishes mean a lot to me. Birthdays are my love language.

The Midmar Mile wasn't exactly a success. I had trained my butt off (well, actually my pectorals off) for a month to try and break 35 minutes. But you can train all you like, if the weather's bad, you're in trouble. There was a 35km/h crosswind blowing diagonally across/toward the swim route, and every freestyle stroke was a hand into a wave. It was blowing so strong it actually turned me around at one stage! Yes, I lifted my head up (something I don't do enough when swimming Midmar) only to see everyone was swimming towards me!

But still, clocking 38:50 under 40 mins in those conditions was OK. But missing a goal after so much training was a bit of a letdown. It taught me that you can't win 'em all. As an "achiever", I love achieving goals. But you have to accept the losses sometimes.

Now, this week's Blog is one I've been wanting to do for a while now. A short diary about one of the most eventful days you could ever experience.

It happened 2 days after Christmas 2013, when Corinne, Joel and I decided to take a good friend of ours, Jennifer Weir, up to Albert Falls for the day. Something we like doing every few months. Just get out in the open South African air for a day.

But this day wasn't like any other day.

It started with the typical mad rush of trying to get out for the day with a toddler. Between actually remembering and then packing everything you might just need for baby, it can take you hours!

Jen arrived right on schedule (as she normally does) at 8am. We thought that would give us enough time to have breakfast, pack, and be ready. We were wrong.

We left home at 9am, and still had to hit the Supermarket for our picnic snacks. Between that and filling up with petrol, we got going at 9:30am.

Normal day ahead? Seemed it at the time...

We then decided to visit a different dam than the usual Albert Falls. Kwazulu-Natal has some beautiful dams spread out across the Province, each with protected areas of South African bush. And apparently "Nagle Dam" was one of the pearls.

So we figured we'd give it a shot.

But after 45 mins of driving through some of the remotest, rural landscape you can find, we were beginning to wonder how good an idea it was.

We arrived at the gate. Which was overgrown with Bush, unmanned, and wide open. Anyone could drive in or out, which we did... nervously.

The dam and its surrounding landscape is indeed beautiful. But there was one other person at the entire dam, and it just didn't feel right. Or safe. Especially with 2 ladies and a baby around. The ladies convinced me to take the extra 45 mins trip to Albert Falls.

So bye-bye Nagle. You were fun. But you had to go.

Thanks to a single "Pietermaritzburg" sign at a T-junction, we took an unchartered road following up the escarpment of KZN's beautiful Table Mountain, which, once ascended, gave us this beautiful view of the Nagle Landscape...


After 45 mins of seriously unchartered yet typically beautiful KZN landscape, and a wrong turn into a fun township, we made it to the glorious Albert Falls. After spending 20 mins driving around looking for a spot, we unloaded. Only to realise we didn't have cheese.

NO CHEESE!? What will go on our rolls with ham, butter and sauce?

So we all shoved in the car, shot out to the Cafe´ just outside the dam to buy cheese. And an ice-cream, of course.

We finally unloaded for the second time, only to be overwhelmed with flies. Did anyone bring Peaceful Sleep? No? How about citronella? No? Note for next trip.

An hour later, as we were settling, a storm blew in from nowhere and the heavens opened. It poured. And poured.

We were stuck in our car thinking "what now?"

The Midlands Mall!


We decided to take the 20min drive to Pietermaritzburg's Midlands Mall would be better than sitting in a humid car all afternoon.

It was. Much better.

We walked the entire length of KZN's 4th biggest mall. Bought coffee. Shopped at Woolworths. Bought 2014 diaries from Typo (why doesn't Durban have a Typo!?). Had a milkshake at Fego. And took Joel to the funpark.


At the funpark, and after over an hour in the Mall, the windows revealed the sun had miraculously re-appeared.

It got into my wife's head that we should go back to Albert Falls. It was 5pm. Joel gets fed at 5:30pm. KFC fixed that.

We bought some uncrumbed chicken and mash from KFC, and headed back.

It was beautiful. The rain-soaked landscape provided a glorious setting. This Giraffe, in some lucky millionaire's garden, was testament to that.


We climbed out the car and enjoyed the empty dam.


 We breathed in the fresh air.

This photo here of the moment Joel was born captures my favourite moment of the last 9 years!

So today I begin the final year of my Twenties. It's been an incredible 9 years so far, without doubt the best 9 years of my life filled with adventure, dreams, achievements, friends and family. And I am confident the final year is going to be my best yet! Because I intend to make it that way.

As Winston Churchill said in one of my favourite lines in history:

"History will be kind to me. For I intend to write it."

No matter what lies in my path in the year ahead, I am going to make this year my best yet!

Now, to celebrate my 29th year of living on this planet, I want to give you a chance to be blessed! So, today, I am giving away a $15 voucher to Amazon.com! Courtesy of the great Entrepreneur and Author James Altucher.

To win, all you need to do is leave a comment at the bottom of this Blog, either with a link to your Twitter Profile, Facebook Page or your email, and you'll go into a draw. I will then announce the winner later tonight.
(Note: When placing your email, do it inconspicuously. IE. james (at) jamespreston (dot) org. So spambots don't pick it up.)

So while you get ready to do that, here are 9 of the most important things I have learnt in the 9 years I have been a Twenty-Something. I will expound on each point later this afternoon, with a nice Video Blog, too!

1. My family is my most valuable asset in this life.

2. God is SO much better than we could ever imagine Him to be!

3. Jesus wants US to change this world with His Father's Kingdom before He even thinks about coming back.

4. Having a baby is the best thing that can ever happen to you. But also the most challenging.

5. Achieving your dreams is easier than you think. It just takes strategy and energy.

6. Entrepreneurship is the best way forward for the new economy.

7. Tertiary education is important but not necessary to your success.

8. Carbs are killing us. Fat isn't.

9. If you want to keep a relationship, you have to work on it.

10. The Kruger National Park is the most beautiful place on planet Earth.

Now, this list is debatable and arguable. I learnt thousands of things in these past 9 years. I learnt more in the last 9 years than I think I ever have. It's just really difficult to narrow down which of the things I learnt belong in my top 9. I know my Top 3 are certainly solid and wouldn't change.

As mentioned, I will expound on these a litte later this afternoon. Until then, have a blessed day! And don't forget to enter the draw for the $15 Amazon Voucher by commenting below!

Thank you for being you.