The Latest From Down Under

Remembering Nan

2009-08-31T23:12:00.003+10:00

Today is a sad day, as we have said our final good bye to Nan... such a wonderful lady and friend. However, we also celebrate her life and the legacy that she leaves behind. When the family gather together and you look around it is amazing to think that so many children and grandchildren have all come from this one beautiful woman! The lives that she has touched extend far beyond those of her family.

Her love for the Lord was so evident and she was always so encouraging.

I have so many fond memories of Nan, but one that I will cherish the most was in July 2008 when I sat with Nan and she told me stories of her childhood and the hard times that she had to live through as an aboriginal. There is nothing like learning the history of a people from someone that has lived it.

I look forward to the day that I will see her once again- in heaven with our Lord! I love you Nan!

The Cross of Jesus Christ

2009-07-30T23:08:00.006+10:00

'Why does God allow suffering?' How many times have you heard someone ask that , or even asked it yourself? I know I have... I was recently watching a DVD message from Louie Giglio and he brought a whole new light to this question.

John 16:33 says- 'I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.' Jesus tells us WE WILL have troubles in this world.... as Christians we are fighting a battle against the enemy. In that battle, there will be hard times.... Louie then went on to say some of the most profound words that I have heard in a long time....

He says that when the bottom of life falls out on us, we look at the situation and question it. We may be crushed, heartbroken, or absolutely devastated and feel that the nothing in life matters anymore. But it is in those times that we should look at the cross of Jesus Christ.

Imagine that you were there on that Good Friday- watching Jesus be beaten and crucified... the One that you had put so much trust, faith and hope in. You truly believed that He was the Saviour of the world, yet you are watching him die. Those people that were there must have been thinking that that was the absolute worst thing that could ever have happened. It was the worst thing- the Son of the Living God was being crucified. I have no idea what I would have done if I was there that day. But I wasn't... I am here some 2000 years later, looking at the cross of Christ with a much different perspective. When I look at what happen that day, I see that it was in fact the GREATEST thing that has ever happen in this world.

So you see, when hard times come, and they will... we may think that it is the worst thing ever, but we must have that peace in God, knowing that He can take that terrible, horrible situation and turn it into something beautiful.

I hope that I will be able to praise my Lord in the hard times, knowing that He is with me!

Family

2009-07-19T16:18:00.003+10:00

So I am just realising that it has been a LONG time since my last post.... how time gets away. In that time, I have been blessed to have my family here..... family- comes in many forms.
For starters, I had a visit from my Aunt Aggie and Uncle Craig, along with my cousins Chandra and Beth. They were all here for the first two weeks of June. During that time, we not only got to see the sites of Brisbane, and have them at my church, we also went on a road trip to the Outback and then came back along the coast and spent a day on the Great Barrier Reef. What fun that was, but most of all, it was the time spent with people that I love. My aunt and uncle returned to America after 2 weeks but my cousins stayed on for an additional 4 weeks. How lucky am I? We had the best time together.. many times of laughter and just getting to know each other better. Chandra and Beth, you are both such a blessing to me- glad that you are MY family.

The last two weeks that they were here, we were joined by the GO! Team from Knott Ave. Christian Church.. this was the 7th year that a team has come over (I was on the first team). Again, there are people that were a part of that team that are family- maybe not 'blood relatives' but they are family. I got to have my little sis, KC stay here at my house. What fun was that... and Sarah, you know you are my sis now! Robert (and Liz) are family... and I love you all so much. And as I got to know other members of the team, they too have become family to me....

But the exciting part about my 'family' coming here, is that they were able to meet and get to know the family that God has blessed me with here. Tim & Kyle, Des & Lena, Jon & DJ, Carlos, Harry, Wayne & Regina, Annette & Prince, and so many more-you are my family.

What is it that bring us all together? It is the common bond of Christ- that we are ALL God's children.... therefore we ARE family. It does not matter where you live, near or far, we are all family. I am blessed!!!

What Are You Wearing....

2009-04-15T22:51:00.003+10:00

Ephesians 6:13-18 says

Therefore, put on the full armour of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then with the BELT OF TRUTH buckled around your waist, with the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the GOSPEL OF PEACE. In addition to all this, take up the SHIELD OF FAITH with which you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the HELMET OF SALVATION and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the Word of God. And PRAY in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

This is a passage of scripture that most of know well, but have you ever taken the time to really consider what that means... put on the FULL armour of God. This means that we need to be prepared for the Spiritual Battles that will come.. notice is says WHEN the day of evil comes, not IF. As Christians we are fighting a spiritual battle, whether we know it or not. This is something that I have become more aware of lately, and I want to make sure that I am as prepared as I can be so that Satan will have no hold on me. So how do I prepare? Just what do I need to 'wear' each day?

Belt of Truth- God's Word, the Bible, is the truth. In today's society people will say that there is no absolute truth. That all roads lead to God... this is a lie that Satan wants us to believe. The Word of God is the only absolute truth. Don't be deceived...

Breastplate of Righteousness: this means to be 'right' with God.. and we can be through the blood of Christ. Do you have that assurance?

Gospel of Peace- this means that we need to be prepared to walk a steady pace in times of difficulty.. those times WILL come, and we need to be ready to defend the enemy.

Shield of Faith- faith is what we need most in times of battle... and think of a shield, it is something that you can move to defend from any direction.

Helmet of Salvation- this is what protects the mind... Satan will try to get in our mind and our throughts, and cause us to doubt or questions things. It is the hope of our salvation.

Sword of the Spirit- The Word of God. The more we read and study God's Word, the more we will know... this goes hand in hand with the Belt of Truth. We must KNOW the truth if we are to be able to use it to defend against evil.

and the last one- the one that I believe is the most important one...

Prayer- prayer is the 'glue' that holds the rest all together. If we are not praying everyday, then how can we expect to be protected.

Notice that there is no 'armour' that protect the back... that is because we should never turn our back to the enemy.. we must always be ready for the battle.

When you face battles, difficult times, the best way to have victory is to be protected. So I ask, 'what are you wearing'?

Answer to Prayer

2009-04-03T14:42:00.002+10:00

In my last post I mentioned that I am praying everyday for a friend of a friend (though Jen and I are getting to know each other now thanks to FB)..
Jen's body has been full of tumors... well, I got news a couple of days ago that the brain tumor is COMPLETELY gone!!! Praise God for that. Also, the tumors in her toes are gone too. This is certainly an act of God and we give Him all of the glory.
I will continue to pray for Jen as she still has many more tumors (well, the doctors have not checked if they are still there, they are just assuming that they are for now)... if you feel led to pray for her, I encourage you to join the hundreds of people around the world that are praying daily for her... here are the other areas that she needs prayer for:

Tumours in neck, spine (upper and lower), both hips, right kidney, liver and blood clot on the lungs.

As you can see, there is a long way to go, but we trust that the Lord will heal her. Praise Him for the answers she has already received.

Prayer

2009-03-26T00:00:00.003+10:00

Two Pastors wives were chatting while sewing their husband’s pants.

One wife said: My husband is just beside himself, he does not know what to do anymore and he is so tired and depressed, he said he is ready to just give up and resign.

The other wife said: I am sorry to hear that because my husband has never been happier. Our membership is growing, and we are out of our financial burden. We have such a large and loving congregation. Life could not be any better than it is right now.

The first woman was mending the seat of her husband’s pants; the other was mending the knees.

What part of your pants needs mending? The subject of prayer is one that has come up several times in the past couple of months for me. Prayer is a gift that we are blessed to have. I mean, think about it, we have direct access to God... through Christ. How many people/religions don't realise that? Too many. So, the question that I have been challenged with is not am I praying, because I do everyday, but 'How am I praying?' I was reading a friends blog about a story that Mike Carman shared at the Knott Ave. missions week... when 300 people showed up to pray for the drought to break, only one came with an umbrella. Think about that. Am I praying truly believing that God will answer? Well I tell you what, if I wasn't before, I am now. I have been asked to be a part of a Prayer Marathon for a young women in England who's body is riddled with cancer. I do not know her, she is a friend of a friend, but that is ok, God knows her. He created her. So everyday, from 2-2:30pm I have committed to praying for Jen. Not only has it been good for me to stop for 30 minutes everyday to pray for a specific person, but I have had to ask myself, 'Do I really believe that God can heal her?" Yes, I do. so rather than showing up with my umbrella, I am taking my bin with me... because Jen will no longer need all those meds. I figure she can dump them in the bin. Through all of this, and much more I am learning it is not just our time that God wants, but it is our heart, our trust and faith in Him.

So I ask you... do the knees of your pants need mending?

Then Jesus went about a stones throw away from them. He kneeled down and prayed.

Luke 22:41

Casting Crowns

2009-01-24T13:26:00.003+10:00

Last night I had the privilege of going to the Casting Crowns concert. I have enjoyed their music for a while now- the lyrics to their songs are just so powerful.... but there is nothing like hearing a band live and hearing the stories that have inspired the songs. Not only does is bring new meaning to the song, it does something to really make you think.

One of the highlights for me was finding out that they are STILL not only a worship band at their home church, but they are youth leaders as well. In fact Mark Hall, the lead singer, was talking about his students and how that ministry is much more important to him than 'this band thing'. It was a wonderful night of worshipping the Lord, and not just simply listening to a band. They took the focus right off of themselves and put it right where it belongs- on Christ. It was an amazing night of ministry. If you ever get the chance to see them, I recommend it, but until then, if you have not heard their songs, I encourage you to get a hold of them. I guarantee they will speak to you.

Dajarra & Normanton: Outback Queensland

2009-01-23T11:43:00.005+10:00

So, once again here I am trying to catch up...

In Dec. 2008 I helped lead a team of High school students to Dajarra and Normanton, both in Outback Queensland. We were gone for 16 days and traveled over 5,000 kms. Needless to say, there were some very long days of travel, but well worth it.

Here is what we did:

Day 1- travel to Chinchilla- slept and were on the road again early in the morning

Day 2- travel to Longreach- side note: that is were Qantas began

Day 3- travel to Dajarra- yeah!!! we finally made it.

Day 4: In Dajarra- we spent time at the school- there are 24 students and starts in prep and goes through grade 7. It was fun to be back in Mr. Gilmour's class- I spent time in that class last year when I was there. That afternoon we went on a bush walk with the kids. (for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, let me remind you that it is summer here- and HOT, especially in the outback). We had a nice time, but it was so hot that the sole of my shoes- and I am talking Nike, not just some cheap Target brand- melted and now sit to the side of the shoe. It was HOT.

Day 5: In the morning we had a morning tea for all of the ladies of the community. (There are aprox. 250 people living in Dajarra). We had about 10 ladies come. It was great to be able to sing Christmas songs with them, and tell a bit of the Christmas story. We also had gifts for each one.

That afternoon, we were back at the school for the after school program with the kids. We had them paint bags that we would later fill with gifts for them to hand out to some other kids.

Day6: we shifted the school library- there were ALOT of books, and it was HOT... but the older kids helped us and we made it fun. At least the room that we set up the library had air con... I had a book dropped on my toe and saw some blood, sliced right through at the base of my toenail. Oh well, memories right? I am still alive. After school care with the kids- this day we did some colouring in and beading- thanks to the left overs of the last MIB team from Knott Ave.

Day 7: this is the day that we had 9 kids from he school in Urindangi (an even smaller community than Dajarra) come to visit. They had heaps of fun together... the Dajarra kids passed out the gifts to these kids- and took home with them gifts for the rest of the kids. We had a soccer game- they all got new uniforms thanks to a donation that we received. The Urindangi kids won!! Then came some good fun- the huge slip n slide came out. I can not even begin to tell you how refreshing it was to just be wet. That evening we had a sausage sizzle for the Dajarra community and Christmas Carol's by the bonfire. I am still trying to work out the bonfire when it is 90ish (30) degrees outside. It was fun though.

Day 8: this was the last day of school for the year and Mr. Gilmour was leaving for good. It was a sad day filled with many tears from the students. During the day the kids performed a Christmas program for their families. It was fun to see them dance and sing. Of course, because we were there, they asked us to do something. Thankfully one of our girls, Lucy, is an amazingly gifted singer so she sang Little Drummer Boy- wow, I could listen to that many times.

That night we had a request for another bonfire- so of course we had one. This time some of the elders that we had never met come and sat with us. They sang for us and with us. I got to talking with them and discovered that one of the men was the nephew of a lady that had been in Brisbane a couple of months earlier and had stayed at my house. Talk about a small world.

Day9: travel to Normanton, with a stop in Mt.Isa and another at the Flinder's river to look for crocs. However, they don't exist, so naturally we did not see any.. well salt water crocs that is. We did see one fresh water, but the salties are the big one's. I want to see a big croc- and not at the Australia Zoo.

Day 10: It was Sunday, so we had church with the folks in Normanton. I love just listening to them sing. One of their favourites is ... and He tastes like honey on the rock... but they change it to ... and He taste like turtle on the coals... maybe some day I will get to taste turtle, and then I'll let you know if they are right. :P

That evening we had a sausage sizzle for the Normanton Community (there are aprox. 1500 people living there) and a Christmas Carol's service. We had about 100 kids and 30 adults for that.

Day 11: we spent the morning at the Nursing Home. We had morning tea with some of the folks, and gathered around the Christmas tree and sang Christmas Carol's. We had gifts for each one of them, as well as the employees.

That evening, we traveled to Kurumba for dinner and to watch the sun set. It is one of only 3 places in Queensland that you can watch the sun set over the ocean. This was at the Gulf of Carpentaria. What beauty. On the way home, we stopped and all went to lay on the road- there was no one around and we were in the middle of no where so it was a great view of the MANY stars in the night sky, though the road was very hot to touch, even at 8:30pm

Day 12: this was a bit of a day off for us as a team, however, the kids knew that we were there so came by the Christian Centre to play. Fortunately the room with the pool table has air con, so we all hung out in there. Later in the day we went to the Bynoe River to have another look for crocs. Nope- did not see any. But it was beautiful and we saw an amazing sun set.

Day 13: Once again we were on the road again. This time traveling back to Longreach. It was during this trip that I did some of the driving- ok only 200kms, but hey, I was in a 12 seater bus with teenagers, and towing a trailer. That was the first time that I had driven towing a trailer. Some of the kids that I had not known before this trip were a bit nervous because they weren't too sure I knew what side of the road to drive on... well, I have been here for 5 years. I hope I know by now. It was during this leg of the journey that we stopped in McKinlay- home of the Walk About Creek Hotel- made famous by Crocodile Dundee.

Day14: travel to Agnes Water/1770- that is two towns near each other, yes, there is a town that is called 1770- study your Australian history and you'll know why. However, we spent two nights at Agnes Water- enjoying the BEACH! Yes, we made it to the coast again, and had some real R&R and a time a debrief.

Day 15: fun at the beach- it was so relaxing. The water was perfect. I did not want to get out...but we had a nice dinner that last night and enjoyed our time...

Day 16: traveled home- to Redcliffe- it was only about 5 hours, pretty short drive after the 10/11 hour travel days.

I know that this is long, but at least now you'll get a sense of what we did...this was my second trip and Lord willing I will go again. I love the people of these communities- and what a blessing to minister with indigenous people.

Thanksgiving in Australia- as you can see I am way behind

2009-01-12T23:02:00.004+10:00

So, I have been without the internet on my laptop since I moved out of my other house in Sept. so it has been very difficult to post anything. I finally am back in the game so I will work my way through updating things.

This one is about Thanksgiving. Yes, I know that was a while ago, but I still thought it would be nice to talk about the American Thanksgiving that I had here in Australia with some of my friends....

As November rolls around each year, I am often asked about Thanksgiving- why we celebrate it and what is all this talk about the food. I have been in Australia for nearly 5 years now and have not been in the USA for Thanksgiving since. So, for selfish reasons and so that I could properly show some Aussie's what it is all about... we had Thanksgiving.. turkey and all the trimmings (though not all easy to come by). The turkey itself was just a turkey breast, because that is all they have. I guess Aussie's don't eat much of it... in fact one friend had it for the first time. And I won't even go into how I was able to get a tin of pumpkin for pumpkin pie, but all I can say is that God provided that one.

All this to say, it was a great time with friends, but through it all, it got me thinking, why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? I mean, I know how it started... the pilgrims were thankful to the 'Indians' for welcoming them and showing them how to live off of the land. Maybe I am wrong, but I sure think that that is how/why it started. But if in deed that is the reason, it just made me very sad to think that we still carry on with all the traditions, down to what food is served for a Thanksgiving dinner. And yes, I hope that we all take time to be thankful for the many blessings that we have because we are indeed blessed.... but let's think about how it all started, and where we as a country (USA) are with the Native Americans now. They were so welcoming to us, but look at how we treat them now... is this really the way we want to say thank you? Please note that I say we as a country, because I know that many reading this actually do love them and have a heart for the Native Americans.... however, it did make me think, and admitedly a bit shamed to explain how Thanksgiving started.... knowing how things are now.... just my thoughts. We did have a great time with great friends.

'Break my Heart For What Breaks Yours'

2008-11-06T23:38:00.004+10:00

Over the past few weeks I have been learning so much about the history of the Indigenous people of Australia. I thought I knew a lot before, but after taking the Australian Indigenous Theology class, then coming home to 'debrief' with two people that have committed the better part of their lives to ministry with Indigenous people and hearing their stories... I am just in shock at the things that have happen. Things like, the Aboriginals being considered to be less than human- and likened to monkey's. This was by the Christian's too... they did not see the need to 'evangelise' to the aboriginals because they did not consider them to have souls. They were taken from their homes and put on reserves and forced to do whatever the white man wanted them to do....they worked, but only received less than half of their payment because the government was putting the other portion into a 'savings' account for them... funny they have never seen that money, even today. I could go on and on about the way they were treated....
but really what I want to say, and what breaks my heart even more, is the fact that this same sort of thing has happened, and still is in many places, to so many other people around the world.
There is a song that I love, the words are an expression of what I feel. The song is Hosanna and here are the words that I sing and pray into my life daily:

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I walk from earth into Eternity

I can't change what has happen in the past, but I certainly will pray that God will use me to make a difference NOW and in the future.
I want to share what God is doing in my heart... but also, I encourage you.. educate yourself on the the indigenous people of your country. You may be surprised what you learn.

New car.. and other stuff

2008-10-08T20:17:00.002+10:00

So, it has been a month since I last posted anything... what have I been up to? Well, here it is in short (don't have much time, House is coming on in 12 mins)... Splashout Camp (huge success and great fun)- that was for one week, but the wrap up of the finances is taking heaps longer. Anyhow, thanks to Ben and Glen for their help with that... I have moved... sort of. My belongings have moved house, but I am currently house sitting for friends while they are away on holiday.. they come back Sat. after 4 weeks away. I had Ayeesha, one of the girls that we know from Eidsvold in Brisbane with her mum, and rather than sit at the hospital all day for several days while her sister had doctors appt., she asked if she could come and stay with me. We had fun... Bonnie and Micha (two of our Ann St. high school girls) came and stayed as well. We enjoyed a day at the beach.. BTW for those not in QLD, we went from winter straight to summer, forgetting Spring.. it has been HOT! great time for the beach. This week (and it is only Wed.) has been full of things for the renewal of my visa to be in Australia.... doctors examinations, an xray and today, finger prints taken. But the best part of today is that I get a new (to me) car.... yeah! God is so good, and His timing is perfect. I love it heaps....

Anyhow, House will be calling me soon.....

for those in USA- watch Kath & Kim and tell me what you think... it is a great Aussie show being done American style... I have no idea how it will be, but the Aussie one is funny as.

Once Upon a Time in a Small Town...

2008-09-07T22:43:00.004+10:00

Once upon a time , late 1960-early 1970's to be exact, there was a newly married couple that moved to a small, remote town. They had no income, but they had both felt the Lord calling them to this place, so in faith they went. In this town lived only white people. No Indigenous people were allowed to live in town, instead they were forced to live on the outskirts of town. So this young couple that had been obedient to God, built amazing relationships with the Indigenous people. There then came a time that a house in town was for sale, and one of these Indigenous couples wanted to buy the house, but of course the owner would not sell the house to them because they were Aboriginal. So what did this young couple, the one's that had been obedient in following God, do? They bought the house that was for sale. No, they did not live there, instead they turned right around and sold it to the aboriginal couple that had wanted to buy it in the first place. They became the first indigenous people to live in that town. So what happen with this other (white) young couple? They lived in this small town for 10 years, and during that time became huge advocates for indigenous people.They then moved to a different small town to work along side more indigenous people.. So why do I tell you this story? Well, that young couple that were so obedient to God and stepped out in faith, have continued ever since to minister to and with indigenous Australians. They are quite amazing people as this story shows, and this is just one of many. And I feel so blessed that I am now going to be living with this couple here in Brisbane. I know that I will learn so much through living with them.. I want to be just like a sponge that soaks it all in. I know I am blessed and count it as a privilege to be welcomed into their home. Lyle and Hazel are two of the most incredible people that I have ever met.
An additional note here... that small town that they lived in was Eidsvold.. the same town that we at Ann St. now visit on a regular basis to work with the Indigenous people in the town. And that first Aboriginal couple to move into town.. well Elizabeth is still there and we have built a wonderful friendship with her. I sometimes can't believe how blessed I am to be here in Australia and to know people like this. Thank you Lord, I certainly don't deserve it, but I will accept it gratefully.

I will be moving into Lyle and Hazel's place at the end of this month... I can't wait. Stay tuned for more amazing stories... if you would like to read a bit more about Lyle and Hazel's story and the ministry they are a part of , visit the web for Aboriginal Islander Christian Fellowship (AICF) .. http://www.aicf.net.au/MCbrisbane.html

Brisbane Riverfire

2008-08-30T22:26:00.007+10:00

Each year, to celebrate the beginning of Spring, the city of Brisbane puts on an amazing show of fireworks all long the Brisbane River. They call this night 'Riverfire'. It is so appropriately named, as the river truly is 'on fire' with fireworks and so much more. Well, last night was Riverfire. But before we headed down to the river to watch the show, we had our monthly Community BBQ at the church. We were not sure how many people we would have, as they were expecting 1/2 million people to be along the rivers edge... with some of them walking past Ann St. Church of Christ to get there. Well, we had a very good turn out, and heaps of food to share around. It was a great time, with planes flying overhead, doing some amazing stunts.. and then we quickly cleaned up and headed down to the river. One of the highlights of the night is when a jet (Oh, I am sure there is a specific name for this type of jet, but I don't know those details) flies over the river and does a fuel drop. When that happens, the fuel catches fire and lights up the night sky. I have a picture here where you can see the fire.. and the sky all lit up. The jet was flying very quickly, so it was hard to get a good picture. I also have a picture of the Story Bridge, with fireworks on it. These fireworks are seriously everywhere.. they come off of the bridge, several places along the river as well as the tops of the city buildings. These pictures will not do justice to seeing it in person(not to mentionthey're a bit blurry, but you'll get the idea).. So, if ever you'd like to come and see.. it is always right around the first part of Sept (or end of Aug). What a great way to welcome in Spring.. and the sunshine.

'Stop and Smell the Flowers'

2008-08-27T23:19:00.003+10:00

So, it's been awhile since I have written anything, so I thought I'd share about a walk that I went on this past Sunday with Brianna (she is 11 and I live with her family). We just walked down to the park down the road from our house... it was a beautiful, sunny (finally) day and so we thought we should enjoy it. So why would any of you care about this, well maybe you won't but I want to share that God uses times like these to speak to us. First of all, this is a park that I drive past nearly every time I go anywhere, and I have never taken time to walk through it. I love Australia for reasons like this.. here I am just 15 minutes from the City, aka downtown, and here there is this most amazing park... full of so many different kinds of flowers, a creek and some great birds. I have attached some pictures so that maybe you too can appreciate it.

OK, I will get to my point... I guess in a society that is so fast paced we rarely take time out to simply enjoy the things that God has created for our enjoyment. I was reminded of the value of just taking time out. It brought a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Stop and smell the roses". So, they weren't roses that we saw, but we did stop and look at every type of flower, looked at the detail and took pictures of each one. We spent 2 hours just enjoying God's creation. And to think, I was so tired when I got home from church and almost did not go. I am so glad that I did.

If you take nothing else from this, I hope you are encouraged to 'stop and smell the flowers'!

Just lean into HIM

2008-08-10T22:03:00.000+10:00

'Just lean into Him'. These are words that I heard spoken tonight. I went with some friends to Brisbane City Church tonight to hear Reggie Dabbs, an American, speak. He is an amazing man of God, and has a powerful ministry.. more on that in a moment. But it was not Reggie that spoke those words. What I did not know is that not only did we get to hear Reggie speak, but Darlene Zschech was actually there leading worship. (She is the one from Hillsong.. you know, "Shout to the Lord"). How amazing it was, she is so passionate about God and in her worship to Him. She was sharing the story behind one of the verses in a song that we were singing, and encouraged us, that in those times that we 'walk through the valley of the shadow of death' that God is there and He is safe.. Just lean into Him, and you will feel Him. Those words got to me.. really got to me. God never said that living life for Him was going to be easy, but that we WILL face trials, but in those times, if we trust in Him, we will grow stronger. I will hold on to the vision of Darlene leaning in.. I must lean into God.
So, Reggie Dabbs... he is from Florida, but I had never heard of him until coming to Australia. He has a wonderful ministry to young people, in the State highs schools. This week alone he will be speaking to over 120,000 youth around the state of Queensland. So what makes Reggie so special? He would say he is not, in fact he shares that he was conceived because his mom had sex with a man for $20. Yes, she was a prostitute. He was raised in foster care by a great family and found the Lord. It is God that has taken him and used him.. simply because he opened himself up to be used. Please pray for Reggie as he speaks to all of those youth this week... just last night 250 teens gave their lives to the Lord at a service he spoke at. If you would like to read more of his story, check it out at reggiedabbsonline.com/story.php
Anyhow, it was another wonderful night and I hope that I will always remember to 'Lean into God'. I hope you do too.

Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics

2008-08-08T23:55:00.000+10:00

So tonight I got to watch the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics. It was not only exciting to see the spectacular show, but Sue and I sat and watched with LuLu, who is from China. For those that don't know, LuLu lives here with the Pennells as well. It was so amazing to have her sit there and not only translate for us, but she explained so many things that were not spoken of by the Australian commentators. China is so rich in history, it was very special to sit and learn from her as we watched.

I am not sure when they will air in the States, but I encourage you all to watch them.... they are still on now, with the athletes coming in... but it is late so we are taping them. I will finish watching that part in the morning.

This is my second 'summer' Olympics here in Australia (although it is winter here now). It is interesting to watch from another country.. of course I see mostly the Aussie's, but when I hear the National Anthem of the USA, I smile... sometimes I feel as though I should be standing...

I will say, when it comes to men's field hockey, I will be cheering for Australia, as we know one of the players. Should you happen to watch, look for Matt Wells and cheer him on. He was the Foreman of the crew that remodeled our kitchen last year.

Anyhow, here is getting into the Olympic Spirit, but remembering to pray for the many Christians in China that are still persecuted today.

Nick Vujicic

2008-08-04T10:19:00.000+10:00

So, I was just watching a story about Nick on 60 Minutes. Nick is a 25 year old Aussie that was born without arms or legs. He has made a career of going, around the world now, and speaking to people and sharing his story. He is an amazing Christian man and is very inspiring. Hearing him speak reminds me that with God nothing is impossible. Nick certainly proves that in what he does, and how he lives his life.

Three years ago, we had the blessing of having Nick at Redcliffe State high. He came and spoke to year 9 & 10 students. To see the impact that he had on the students that I work with on a regular basis was incredible. I am truly inspired by his story, but more than that, encouraged to keep trusting in God for all of my needs.

I love, too, that he has now been to my home church in So Cal, Knott Ave., two times....

I encourage you to check out his website.. http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/ and be encouraged by his story too.

OK, OK, I'll tell you...

2008-07-22T17:26:00.000+10:00

So, I've had several people ask me how I got Des to be in this picture three times. No, for those of you who don't know Des, he is not a triplet. It was just a bit of fun that we had with the camera... I have a new camera that has a feature for taking panoramic pics... you actually take 3 separate pics and then the camera stitches them together. I just had Des stand in each one. :) It was just something that we did, not much thought put into it before hand, so the fact that it turned out so good made it even funnier for us. Thanks for playing the game.

Richard and Jen

2008-07-20T15:04:00.000+10:00

Some of you may have heard me tell that on my way back to Australia from LA this last time (March) I met a girl, Jen, on the plane. She was moving to Brisbane to be with her man. Jen and I hit it off and have kept in touch since then. She and Richard were married yesterday and I had the privilege of not only being at the wedding, but I was asked to say the prayer of blessing for them. It was very exciting for me. You never know who you may meet when you just talk to the people around you. I never would have imagined that when I got on the plane that night, that I was about to meet someone that would become a good friend.

The wedding was a small event, held at their house, with a BBQ afterward. Again, I was blessed to be witness to their commitment to each other.

MIB 2008

2008-07-16T22:58:00.000+10:00

The team from Knott Ave. has now returned after two amazing weeks here in Australia. What a blessing it is for me to have a team come each year and be a part of the things that I am lucky to do full time, and to meet the people that are my Aussie family. The past two weeks have seen the team spending two days with our kids and youth from Ann St. , being a part of our Community BBQ, as well as spending some time in Eidsvold and Cherbourg. There is so much to tell about both of those places and the history that they hold... but I am not sure I would even know where to begin. Most of it is just so sad. All I can say is that my heart breaks over the stories that we hear about what has happen to the Aborigonal people in the past. While we were in Cherbourg we got to meet a lady, Annie, that had been sent to Cherbourg and then taken away from there and sent to Palm Island. There was a documentary made about her story, we got to be there and see it for its first ever public showing, and afterward I met and talked with her. That was certainly a highlight for me. Also, our time in Eidsvold, just being there and reconnecting with the young people. It was only 4 weeks since the last time I was there, so we were able to pick up right where we left off. Near the end of their time here, we spent the day at NAIDOC (National Aborigonal Islander Day Of Celebration). This is a huge festival that takes place each year, just to celebrate the Aborigonal and Islander peoeple. I had someone tell me, "It is good that after hearing all of the depressing stories of the history of the Aboriginal people, to end with a happy time, a time of celbration." How true that is!

All of these things were great and I am so blessed to have these opportunities, but for me personally the greatest highlight of the time with MIB was the fact that it allowed me time to build up stronger relationships with some of our young people from Ann St. It is hard to put into words the impact that the MIB team has had on me, as a result of their willingness to open up to the young peoeple that I hold so dearly to my heart. I know that they have returned and will have some great memories of their time here, but I get to stay and continue on with those relationships. It is my prayer and desire that I can carry on with the momentum that MIB have created.

I know that this is really just a small snapshot of what we did with the the team, but it is just to hard to put it all into words. Just know that I have been blessed with getting to know and to work alongside an amazing team. But most of all, that although I have been here, it has changed me and challnged me to grow even deeper in realtionship with these young ones. Please pray for me as I still continue to process all that I feel God is doing in my heart as a result of the time MIB spent here.

Good times in Eidsvold!!

2008-06-12T21:30:00.000+10:00

this is just going to be a short one, but hopefully fun.....this past weekend I went to Eidsvold. We had a great time hanging with the kids and having fun. While we were there, I took this photo... I just want to know of any one notices anything about the pic.... have a close look. :) if you click on the picture you should be able to view it bigger... and those that were there, you can't play this game.

This Weekend

2008-05-18T16:46:00.000+10:00

How great has this weekend been.... first, I was at a women's conference in Caloundra on Sat. That was an amazing time listening to some very inspiring teaching on "Being a woman of influence". To realise that we don't have to have a 'name' to be a person of influence, but that we can be an influence on those around us... positive or negative, therefore I should be making the most of all opportunities to a positive influence. We also had heaps of fun just being together with friends.

Then, this morning at church we had the privilege of seeing Oscar and Claudia be baptised. They are a married couple from Columbia, that have called Ann st. home for several months now. Praise God to see His hand at work in their lives!

It is just a reminder to me that no matter who we are or where we are, God loves us and is continually working in our lives.

So Many Things...

2008-05-09T23:20:00.000+10:00

It has been a while now since my last entry. I have been so busy that when talking with a friend to day I did not believe her when she said that it has 'almost' been two months since I have been back in Australia... Really, I feel like it has been heaps longer than that... oh well, at least I know I am busy.

Over the past month I have been enjoying getting to know some of the students at the high school. It has been a slow process, as there have been a couple of weeks that I was not there for various reasons. And I know, that these things take time. I have also been busy getting plans made for the team from Knott Ave. that will be here in less than two months. I am excited to have them back again, some familiar faces and some new one's. Sunday School is off and running. it is great to be back with the kids and teaching them about the Lord.

This is just the beginning of what I have been up to.

I have been doing some very fun things too. A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends turned 40 and her husband gave her a surprise party, but not just a party, it was on a boat along the Brisbane river. We cruised the river for 4 hours. He had also arranged several more surprises for her throughout the night that we got to enjoy. Traditional Island dancing by some of her nephews, as well as her two sons. It was very special.

Last week for our women's ministry, aka 'Chicky Chat' we had a high tea. We had a wonderful time, eating more food than we needed to, and having a wonderful time of fellowship. We have many international students that have been attending Ann St. so it was fun to treat them to a high tea.

Then came the 'American' Party... some of the girls that I went to the Outback with in Dec. had asked me to bring a few American treats back for them.. so I did. That night we enjoyed a dinner of Sloppy Joe's & Mac-N-Cheese, and then enjoyed things like S'mores, pixie sticks, and much more. Talk about a sugar high!!! it was all good fun.

Kondilla Falls

2008-04-18T00:36:00.000+10:00

I was emailing my brother earlier this week, telling him about a day trip that I took with a couple of friends a couple of weeks ago. I then got to thinking... I need to tell more people this story. Some may be impressed, others not, but I am still going to tell the story. So, Lena, Sara and I head off to the Sunshine coast (north of Brisbane) for a day out. We first went to Montville, a quaint little town that has cafes and cute shops. After enjoying lunch, we went to Kondalilla falls, not too far away from there. We took our 20 minute hike through the rain forest until we got to the waterfall and water hole. Lena and I were prepared for a swim. I knew that the water was going to be freezing, but hey, I walked there for the swim... nothing was stopping me. It was freezing, but we enjoyed a swim. A bit short, but at least I went in. Had a great time sitting under the water fall too. We got out and were standing on one side of the water hole when a couple that had been standing on the other side came over to tell us that there was a fresh water eel in the water and that we could see him. I walked over and sure enough, there he was... big and ugly, peering up at the surface. All I can say is thank God I was already out of the water. Now, I had been there before and been told that they were there, but if you don't see them, you don't think about it. I do have a picture of him, but do to a slow internet connection I am unanle to post them. (If any of you are on Facebook, I have them there.) So there you have it... I swam with the eels... ok one eel and I did not know that he was there. To top it off, on our way back out, we saw a snake slither across the path. It was a great day... and well, was happy to see some of God's creation up close and personal.

Chaplaincy @ Balmoral.... and Ann St. Community BBQ

2008-03-29T22:35:00.000+10:00

Well, here I am just over two weeks back in Brisbane... what an amazing two weeks it has been. I am very excited about some changes that are taking place, and the way that God has led the way. I had been praying about getting involved in a High School that was closer to the city, as Redcliffe is not that close to Ann St. Church of Christ. My friend Des has recently begun working as the chaplain at a school much closer to the city, Balmoral State High, and I am now going to be working one day a week with him. I went for my first time this past week and you know, I am just amazed at how God orchestrates things. While I was there I met the school nurse, Donna. She too is a Christian. She told me about a program that she and Des are going to run, called SHINE. It is a Christian program for high school girls, that has come out of Hillsong Church in Sydney. I have heard many great things about it. So, Donna has asked me to be a part of helping her facilitate it. She is only at the school one day a week, and that 'happen' to be the day that I went. I am very excited about getting into things so quickly. What an amazing opportunity. The best part of it is that the Deputy Principal wants us to run it during class time.. so students will focus better, knowing that if they muck up here, they go back to their regular class. That is a bonus....

Tonight we had our monthly Community BBQ at Ann St. There are some pictures here so that you can see the church, but also the crowd that we had. Not sure exactly how many were there, but I do know that we ran out of food... that is a great problem to have. It was one of our biggest turn outs since starting them nearly 2 years ago. I always love just talking to people and hearing where they are from. We get so many international students and workers. And then we have our regulars, and it is always good to see them, especially after being away. Of course always looking for opportunities to share Christ with those that don't know Him, or encourage those that do.

I praise God for all of the wonderful things that he does, and the blessings he so graciously gives.

One more thing.. it has been good to be back in the world of Tim Tams ( the best 'cookies' in the world)... and they have new flavours... now that is dangerous!

Back in Australia and 'Shave for a Cure'

2008-03-20T09:10:00.000+10:00

well, here I am back in Brisbane. It has been a busy week since returning, but quite nice to see friends and get back into things. I do want to say that I had a wonderful time being back home in So. Cal and enjoying my time in Globe, AZ as well as Lake Oswego, Oregon. I have had many stories to tell my friends here in Brissy. I thank the Lord for the time that He allowed me in USA and the encouragement that I recieved from so many.

Yeterday I got to see a few of my 'girl' friends go bald. They were raising money to help in finding a cure for cancer... I am quite impressed with them. I am not sure that it is something that I could do. Just want to share with everyone.. and be proud of them. They were very brave.

As we now enter into the Easter weekend, I pray that you all have a wonderful weekend, do something fun, but most of all, thank our Lord for the amazing gift that He gave us through His son Jesus.

First time blogging

2008-03-07T09:18:00.000+10:00

Hi all, this is the beginning of my adventure into blogging. I am hoping that this will be a great way to connect with people and keeping everyone updated with all that it happening with me. I am currently in Orange County, enjoying a wonderful Mission week at Knott Ave., then heading back to Australia on Tuesday. This is just the beginning... please stay tuned for more updates.