'Meaning of Life is Love' book by Bryan Foster - released later in 2018

Bryan Foster is currently writing his new book titled, 'Meaning of Life is Love'. This has been developing since 2009 and is finally being written in a concise format. Much soul-searching and reflection have been occurring over so many years.

Bryan will be exploring love on its various levels, from the superficial, yet everyday usage of 'I love icecream' through to the divine, where we explore that God is love, hence the Meaning of life is ultimately God!

There has been a collection of blogs and articles written by the author over this time. This shows the development and depth of meaning of this ultimate concept, and how it is central to life's foundation.

Bryan Foster has just released his latest website, which will track the further development of this text and others over this year. Both this new website, BryanFosterAuthor, and the already popular 1God.world website and the Facebook page can be explored for regular updates on this and other books and articles written this year on love, God and similar topics.

Love is the Meaning of Life - Why Let all the Other Stuff Get in the Way?!

Love is the meaning of life. The primary of aim of all humans is to be loved and to love. Why then do so many people let the other stuff, the distractions, interfere and often dominate their lives?

Most people would believe this to be an instrinsic part of life - you are born with it. You are born to love and be loved. That people living a balanced life, where they are loved  and loved others within their family and friendship circle, truly appreciate this message. Once this message is appreciated and lived then it is the normal thing to do when relating with others and the world.

However, somewhere along the way, many get distracted for so many reasons and then lose that true focus. This transfer of priorities may even occur in early to mid-childhood, where parents or other significant adults or people within the young person's life, live an alternate distructive lifestyle, which is seen by the young person as the norm, and hence worthy of following (even if subconsciously). This then becomes the accepted lifestyle as they grow up.

The human frailities of greed, selfishness, envy, failure to forgive and be forgiven, lust, gluttony, etc, come to the for and seductively entice people to follow this distractive and destructive pathway.

People may then follow this pathway until challenged to do otherwise. Challenged to see the destructiveness of these chosen ways, challenged to confront the situation they find to be wrong, challenged to become a better more loving person. This challenge often comes at a time of complete lowness / lonliness within their lives.

To love and to be loved is the meaning of life. It is the primary and quite raw need within all people. It is not only a basic emotional and social need of each person but it is also the main spiritual desire and need.

The 'Love is the Meaning of Life - Why Let all the Other Stuff Get in the Way?!' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author of Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed), 2010, with copyright being retained by SMAPL.

Catholic Schools Are True Places of Love

Catholic schools inspire people to so much that is good through their basis of true love. The general philosophy that they are there for all people, from all walks of life, hold these schools in such good stead.

These have been so instrumental in my upbringing that I have never left. Twelve years of schooling and seven years of tertiary education was followed by over thirty years back in these schools as an administrator and teacher. A brief foray was also spent in the archdiocesan Catholic education office. All my children were, or are being, educated in Catholic schools.

Because of this, along with the twenty years spent actively marketing Catholic schools, have inspired me to write a series of school marketing ebooks.

To have an absolute passion for these schools allows me to enjoy each day of my life in a very special and unique way.

My experience of Catholic schools is that these are places of genuine love. An educational institute that truly values each student and that student's educational and personal pathway. The integral relationship to the Jesus' story, along with living that experience out today, adds a dimension which is quite rare in today's secular educational setting.

These is a real feeling of Jesus holding each child in the palm of his hand, through the school's staff.

This means leading the child in the Catholic ways of love. Discipline, self worth and attaining the best success possible in all aspects of education, according to each child's ability, are fundamental to this love.

Catholic schools usually have places for non-Catholics, dependent on their enrolment numbers.

Graduates of Catholic schools in most cases impact in a significantly positive way on the societies in which they live.These schools should be nurtured by all societies through all forms of support, including financial.

To get a general feel of what Catholic schools offer, check out their websites, their various Catholic Education offices, open days, sporting and cultural events, etc.

The Catholic school inspires students, staff and parents alike.

Catholic schools are true places of love was written by Bryan Foster, author of 'School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed), 2010.

Church Marketing Plan and Strategy

Bryan Foster has been sharing his church marketing plans and strategies for marketing within the Catholic Church for almost 20 years.

Bryan Foster has recently written and published the next editions in his popular church and school marketing series:

UPDATE 2013:

Both School and Church marketing for the digital age texts are available as paperback or ebook from Amazon.com Just search Bryan Foster at Amazon.com

'Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed)', 2010
'School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed)', 2010
'School & Church Marketing Blog Posts: My First 100+', 2010

These three e-books add a whole new dimension from his experiences with digital marketing. This is combined with a complete update of the regular contemporary and traditional school marketing strategies.

These e-books are available from both his SMA and CPM websites.

His leadership roles within the Church include:

• South Coast Deanery Pastoral Council, Chair
• St Mary's Parish Pastoral Council, Coomera, Chair
• Surfers Paradise Parish Pastoral Council, Surfers Paradise, Secretary
• St Kevin’s School, Parents and Friends Association, Benowa, President.

All of these are on the Gold Coast, Australia.

His school marketing experience began in the 1980s as a principal in two country primary schools and since 1994 in a secondary school.

Bryan Foster has held various senior and middle school management positions in Catholic schools: a primary school Principal in two schools, APRE in secondary school and Years 9, 11 and 12 Coordinator.

A highly ethical approach to marketing, and passion for marketing the Catholic school, was formed as a result of his extensive Church experiences, along with Religious Education teaching experience in Catholic primary and secondary schools in the city and country.

He is the Marketing Manager at Aquinas College, a secondary co-educational college on the Gold Coast, in what is arguably the most difficult school marketing region in Australia, and has been since 1994. He is also the school’s Assistant Principal Religious Education. Bryan was seconded to Brisbane Catholic Education for the 2008 school year as the Catching Fire: Evangelization and Spiritual Formation Education Officer.

He holds a:
• Master of Education from the Australian Catholic University in Sydney
• Bachelor of Education}
• Graduate Diploma in Religious Education}
• Diploma of Teaching} from McAuley Teachers College in Brisbane
• Diploma of Religious Education from the Institute of Faith Education, Brisbane.

He has taught for over 30 years in Catholic schools from Years 1 to 12.

Bryan has assisted many school marketing coordinators. He is considered highly by Brisbane Catholic Education and throughout the years has assisted their marketing personnel.

Bryan lives on the Gold Coast in Australia. His wife, eldest daughter and son all teach in Catholic primary schools, while his younger daughter attends a Catholic secondary school.

Fr Dan Ryan, Parish Priest of the Surfers Paradise Parish, has just purchased 10 copies for his Parish Pastoral Councillors.

“I find Bryan Foster’s new e-book will help considerably with marketing our Catholic parishes in the modern world. I am especially drawn to the chapters on Parish – School relationships and the uses of the internet, in particular the parish website,” said Fr Dan Ryan, Parish Priest.

“The Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed) e-book will be a highly valued resource within the Surfers Paradise Parish.”

Sonya Slayter, Parish Administrator of the Surfers Paradise Parish, is excited about the possibilities this e-book offers her parish.

“When I first read Bryan Foster’s e-book a month ago, I became very excited about the possibilities it offered. The e-book I believe holds the key to improving many of our parish communication mediums,” said Sonya Slayter, Parish Administrator.

“From relationships with our schools to communicating with our parishioners through to web design and blogs, this e-book gives strategies for growth opportunities within our parish.”

“I would highly recommend this e-book to other parishes as a tool which could be used in groups or by the Parish Priest or Parish Administrator."

“I would like to thank Bryan for investing his time in such a valuable resource for parish life.”

"Bryan Foster's Church Parish Marketing e-Handbook provides a useful model for making better known what a parish has to offer, and connecting with people who have not yet become registered parishioners, and the wider community in general.

Even if a parish is not in a position to create the position of a Parish Marketing Manager as he suggests, the e-Handbook has much to offer to help parishes to promote themselves better to those searching."

Fr Adrian Sharp, Parish Priest, Coomera Parish, Gold Coast.

Bryan's e-Handbook comes as a result of many years of parish and school involvement, and so he is aware of some of the unique issues that parishes face, especially with limited personnel and finances."

Bryan Foster continues to provide numerous examples of church marketing plans and strategies through his new e-books published in 2010.

Give a little forgiveness and love

How difficult is it for most people to forgive! To forgive both others and just as importantly - to forgive self!

I believe that as soon as we develop these most important values and gifts we start to truly experience the meaning of life ie LOVE!

A broken relationship tears away at us. It makes us so feel less of a complete human person. It makes us feel that love is less, or in fact missing, in our lives.

To make that first move in the reconciliation process starts both us and the other/s off once again on the road to a completed loving relationship. When we offer forgiveness to someone or group who has hurt us, we are giving others the chance to also heal themselves of the hurt and lack of love they are feeling. If they respond positively that road to recovery is close at hand.

It is a challenge to continually put out that hand of forgiveness, particulary to those who have hurt us considereably, or continually over a period of time. However, to achieve that love, we must time and again offer forgiveness.

The hand of forgiveness will in most cases be offered in return, but not always instantaneously, but eventually. This is the true challenge - to be prepared to work on the reply and be prepared to wait!

The other major challenge is to forgive ourselves for the hurt we have caused others, as well as ourselves. We need to learn to let go! It is so much easier to let go if we know that others have forgiven us.

Sometimes there are those times when it is all within ourselves. It is in these times that we need to act in a similar way to when we forgive others and they forgive us ie we forgive ourselves.

When we are able to forgive others and ourselves, we are truly on the way to appreciating in the truest sense an aspect of the meaning of life - love!

Written by Bryan Foster at www.bryan-foster.com

The recent Christmas season hopefully brought about some Christmas Love for all. This love encompasses the forgiveness and reconciliation of self and others and should be an integral aspect of the Christmas season.

When we experience the full expression of love for, and from, family and friends at this time, we renew our closeness with one another, with our God and with oursleves.