Yay! Post 100!! How crazy is that! And so, as i listen to fiona complain to me about how she needs a second job so she can have something to do on her days off, i'm going to try to be as detailed as i can and tell everyone how MYC 2007 was.

On a side note, for some unknown reason while i was gone, we have aquired "Die Hard: with a vengance" which i think is the funniest thing ever and subsequently - fiona and i are watching it now!

MYC started last Friday the 6th of July with me waking up and knowing i had to pack that morning in about 2.5 hours. Lots of brainstorming and help from mum meant that at 1:00, Steve and I were ready to go. We picked up Aleacia from Garden city and were on the way. Most of the Griffith people got their early, (thanks to me telling everyone to be there at 3:30 :D when things didn't start until 4) and so we took a walk to the beach and came back in time to get everyone registared. Griffith didn't take too long to do that (again, my earlyness as well as most ppl having paid most of their money before hand) and so we hung around until things got started.

Griffith had 22 people there full time and then another 8 part timeers and we had 4 people from Logan turn up as well which was stellar. From 5 full timers last year and 3 part timers to 34 people all up this year - God is amazing and to be apart of his work is so totally cool.

Friday night we had "get to know you games" where we got into a group of random people and then had to do a scavanger hunt with the people in the group. Between us we had to come up with things like, most numbers stored in a phone, most family photos, biggest hole in the sock, longest string of shoelaces. We had a really small group and lost almost everything but it was still fun. We then had our speaker for the conference give us his first talk. He is part of the international youth ministries coordinator for Scripture Union.

He wanted to talk to us about Kingdom culture and how we can live it in a world that opposes it. Through out the week he gave us examples of people in the bible living Kingdom Culture, but first of all he took us through a really great example that showed that we ourselves are part of God's big story. This is probabaly what the thing that i got most of all of his talks, but i feel like it was somethign that was worth alot.

First of all, he drew a timeline of things as they stand in the bible. At the start he put "creation" and at the end he put "Revelation (Jesus coming back)" We then called out events in the bible and added them to the timeline. Something that we noticed as people called out things like "david" "samson" "jesus birth" "pentecost" that loads of things happened in the bible, and then after pentecost and the establishment of the first churches - we've got nothing. And the things that fit in that part - is us.

Another thing about this timeline is that from the garden of eden, to the time when Jesus comes again - there is a line of evil that also runs parrallel to the timeline which we live in. And that's the culture that we live in, but it's also the culture that we need to live against if we want to live God's culture.



That night i went to bed fairly early. The rooms we were in were really funky (different to the dorms of last year) they had three beds in 2 of the corners stacked on each other as well as 2 in the other corners as standard bunks. In the middle was a box pillar thing with shelves for things. It was cool. There were 3 asian chicks in my room from QUT, as well as Shannan, Emily and Rachel (who instead of sleeping in their beds slept together because it was warmer) Kelly and then on the second day, we got Kellie from casldine too - she was late becuase she went to the korean Campus Mission conference. Super cool.


Day 2 started with optional prayer - the Griffith QUT campsite had over 30 people there which is cool as to see. We had so many people that it was a bit hard to pray because people just kept on coming in, but it was cool none the less. Breakfast was yummy and i got Steve and Jon kilchester orginised to do the powerpoint by getting them to the main room early and then our day started. Ross and Kristin, who were MC-ing got everyone excited about the day and instigated the "Love seat of Love" where thoes who got the random trivia question of the day right could chose another person to share the "love seat of love" with. They got cookies and milk on the first day. pretty cute.

After some worship with a great worship band and Clayton, talking about how the Corinthians struggeled with living Kingdom Culture in their world, we had quiet times, morning tea and then into Trainings. At this point, steve and i nicked off for a while and went to Katie's wedding. It was on top of a mountian at a winery, and it was a beautiful day. Everyone looked lovley (as you do at a wedding) and i'm gald it was not a windy day or the bride would have been freezing.

After the wedding we skipped merrily home down the mountian and back to the end of some free time at MYC. I had a nap and woke up just in time for the afternoon electivies. I wondered for a while if i really wanted to go, or if i wanted to just roll back over and sleep some more, but in the end, i got up and went off to "Depression".

I'm really glad i went to the elective, the speaker Marylin Cook, was a councler and really well experinced in dealing with people who have depression. It was a really informative session with alot of practical advice on what to do when people you know have depression.

After dinner we had Saturday night Games which was a "MYC Amazing Race". Some of the challanges were really grose, and some were intereesting. Steve's team was coming first and got the "Fast Forward" which they took and consequently made them loose the game. My team came somewhere in the middle. Firstly we had to decode a message which sent us to the pools and then we went to the BBQ's where one of our team had to eat 3 dry weatbix, a raw onion and then a cup of straight cordial. In that Order. If they failed half way through, someone else had to take over from the start. We were really encouranging our guy Gordon to make it. The guy on steve's team (James flyn coincidently) took their onion whole - amazing stuff).

After that we got another code which took us to the tennis courts and then to complete a 3 legged obstacle course and off to the car park. This was probably the hardest of challenges because we had to count all the wheels in the car park and they had sneakily added the 4 wheels of the rubbish bins. After a few tries we were on our way though and on to the last challange which was to have everyone standing with one foot in the air and the other on a square of news paper. In the end, i crouched in the middle and everyone leaned in on me to get their balance to make it. :D Yay for being small.

The night was then over - a few more silly games and we were off for supper. Another fairly early night for me - after a few cups of hot water and some socializing in the dining room. After everyone had split up for the night, mostly everyone hung out in the dining room or at the beach. Jim rawson always brings loads of games to play so someone always has a game of Risk out and there are usually multipul card games going on as well. The griffith Girls in room 9 chilled there for a while with loads of junk food and Sarah's mp3 player plugged into some speakers.



Sunday started with some more optional prayer - but this one a bit more orginised than the last. For some reason we took my suggestions to be in groups of 3 and pray around. It was good though, quality time with God before breakfast. Breakfast followed with the ususal worship, and speaker, this time Clayton addressing Ruth (giving us a dramatized version of the whole book) and talking about who lived "Kingdom Culture" and how.

After our Quiet Time and morning tea we hit training again. I joined in with the "Evanglism as a Way of Life" guys (led by Emily and Ross) who were pretty over numbers as it was (some not so great orginisng when it came to training but anyway). It was good to talk about ideas of how we could create interest in the gospel and how to have spiritual conversations with our friends in every day life.

Any time i found my self in listening situation, i did my hand excersizes which helped streach out my muscles. I've almost gotten full movement back which is exciting and the scar is fading a bit and the lumps are going down. yay!

After Lunch on Sunday we did something that was probabaly the scariest thing for most people: Outreach.

Most people did Door knocking, but for thoes with "serious issues" (aka Sarah, Abby, Shannan, Me and Steve) with door knocking - we went down to the beach and talked to randoms down there about their spiritual lives. It was really intersting talking to some people (steve and i went together (after Jon decided it was nesscary to remind us that "this is not a date" :P)) becuase alot of them were old blokes, with lots of time on their hands. Three of the guys Steve and I talked to had good princiables - 2 of them even said they were catholic, but at the same time said things like "but i don't believe in heaven".

Hearing what some of these guys said to us made me realise that no matter how old you are - you can still be lost. Some of thoes guys had just as much of an idea of what to do about getting to heaven as some people we talk to at uni. It doesnt' matter how old you are - people can still be lost.

Shannan and abby had a fairly bad experince with a guy who ranted for 20 mins to them about how all religions are formed on greed and Sarah and Jon talked to 3 or 4 sets of Locals who gave them really good talks.

Coming back to camp, we heard how the door knockers went - and heard some amazing stories about how people had wittnessed others come to Christ. It was exciting to hear about it, but i'm glad i went with the beach mission. I don't think i would have liked to door knock agin.


After dinner, we had the Prayer and Worship night which was led by Daniel from Griffith. The night started with some worship and then a skit on the Lord's prayer performed by Shannan and Daniel as the voice of God. (funny moment when Daniel got up after playing the voice of God from behind the scenes and started talking and we were like "AHH!! IT's GOD!!!" heheeh)

We then prayed through the Lord's prayer and took time out to really think about what each line meant. The worship band played songs through out which was really cool too. Alot of people got heaps out of the night and while i was sad it wasn't more of a "team Griffith" thing, i did too.

Supper and then bed that night and i realised that even though i was trying to get to bed before 11 each night, it was slowly getting later and later and i was getting more and mroe sleep deprived. *sigh* the goodness of camp :P

Optional Prayer on Monday saw numbers dwindiling, but still a good turn out of 20 or so people. Breakfast, Worship and our Speaker all followed as ususal, Today Clayton tried to define what he meant by "Kingdom Culture" and didn't do so well. I think he was trying to convey it more as an idea, but what we really wanted was a definitive... if that makes sense. Then he moved on to talking about how David lived Kingdom Culture but also failed at it sometimes.

After Quiet Time and morning tea we started our second lot of training sessions: I was going to do Personal discipleship Making 2, but with only 5 ppl expected and 10 manuals (just incase) as well as 16 people turning up, i figured it'd be better if i joined the Advanced Core Group Leading, which only had 3 others.

I got alot out of this training, because we had a small group and we could share alot of experince stuff which was good to hear different senarios and think of ways we could attack them. Something else we did was to draw pictures of how we see our leading now and what we would want to change. Mine consisted of me with a big speach bubble going "blah blah blah" and then a second picture with everyone else having speach bubbles that said "Disscussion" and mine saying "good questions"

For some unknown reasons when we talked about these (mine and eveyrone elses' pictures) it led onto if our family memebers are Christians or not and then we took time out of the training then and there to pray about it. It was really good. I had a chat to Bill (training leader, UQ missionary) too about gender segregated Bible Studies and he gave quite good insite for me. I'm ok with them, provided we arne't kicking other people out. I think when it comes to griffith - they would be good if we had a bible study every day that was over flowing and had to be slpit that way, but as it is, we have 2 or 3 bible studies a week and we can't control who will come to what. So the seggregation is impractical... but anyway!

After lunch we had Campus time which was exciting. I presented the idea of the Servant Team to the students and asked them to vollenteer to help out with orginising things like socials, prayer nights and outreaches. We had over 80% of our students wnat to help wout with Outreach and Evanglisim which was really cool to see.


It's great to know that the students we have on board want to help getting the message of Christ out to other students. This time went over and i brainstormed things i needed to orginise - like who is leading what bible study and when they would be. other than that i didn't really sign up for anything much - i already have much to do and i'm sure with my overseaing capabilities, i'll be involved in more than i need to be. :D besides - with me stepping out - others can step up!

After doing that, i challanged Steve to a few games of Speed and then we played scrabble and got new shoelaces for Kelly and took Rochelle who was stressed out about being sick to get some drugs. Then it was dinner time and after that time for Summer Project talks. Steve went to a dinner with Andrew Bryant (National Director for SL) about working with SL, but i was like... meh :D i came at the end and was genrally disruptive - too much chocolate cake during the day for me. Summer Project talks were interesting. I drank 4 glasses of water and got pretty happy for them. Steve and I went to the Mission Megumi talk - the Project for Japan.

A big feature of the Megumi project is that it's a bit of a trial run for people who might want to do a year of Stint in japan so it could be interesting if i want to do that. I am really excited about doing Mission Megumi - anyone who has any ideas of how i can help God raise my support money then let me know!! I'll need everyone i can get on board praying as much as possible.

I feel like i'm just saying "and then ... and then.... and then..." alot, but there is alot to get through and i'm ranting heaps as it is!

Tuesday morning saw a few more drop off from prayer, but the time passed quickly as we gave thanks to God for all the amazing things that had happened. Standard morning, breakfast, worship, speaker, quiet times, morning tea and then we finished off our training. After lunch we had our group photos and then a little bit more free time. Steve and i spent most of the free time preparing to MC the Challange dinner that night - When Kristin asked us i burst out laughing and couldn't stop. I thought it was so funny that we were asked. Probabaly the funniest moment of camp. hehehe i cuckel now just thinking of it. :)

after that, i had another nap and went to another elective - one on humor in evanglism. I left early, but one of the points that the speaker made was taht if we appear to be sad every day - then people will think our religion is sad. If we appaer to be happy every day - then that's what people will think of our religion. He also said that if anyone insultued religious people it was Jesus and coincidently i read Luke 11 last night and honestly it's like "Jesus insults every religious person at a dinner party". :D so funny.

Then i got ready for our costume challange dinner. I was a Japanese Sea Star and Steve was Jonah (in the belly of the whale :D)


















Tim went as "under a water melon" and here he is with Amy who was a Nyad... water nymphy thing. :D





Abby was "Finding Emo"

















There were some other really groovy costumes, Gary was a classic - he had a bottle of water taped to his hat and he was "under water"



Steve lost his voice half way through the night, so i had to man the MC-ing fort with his aid. His JOnah costume would have been the best costume of the night, but as he was MC and the Judge - he couldn't win. As a result "Judge Jonah" and i held a cheering vote to decided. There was also a language equation game to play (which i announced in Japanese and Steve translated).

The people who went to Campus Mission 2007 In Korean told us how that was. They said it was amazing to be there with so many people who were all worshiping God. We also had a team from Papaua New Guinie who sang for us. It was amazing to see them sing because they were just so passionate about singing praise for Jesus. They sang with harmonies and just simple repeated phrases lead by one of the guys. It was fantastic.

Again it was a tough choice to go to bed early, but by the time i wraped everything up and even thought about crawling into bed, it was already 11:30, so it was a good choice. A few others headed to the beach for one last night out there and alot of people hung out in the dinning room playing worship songs on guitars and talking about God. The bonds that were made between everyone were really cool. It's always a bit sad as camp winds down becuase you know that thoes times aren't going to come aorund again soon enough.

Steve and I made the final effort to get up at 5:30 and go visit the beach for a sunrise before we left. It was a beautifl and cold morning but so special. Even though prayer was supposed to be at the other campsite with the UQ and Linc-ers, we stayed at our dining hall and played cards giving God our conversational prayer and praise through Pslams.

Clean up and our final session finished far too early, And then MYC was over, people were piling into cars and promising to meet at Maccas and taking more last minuet photos.


And that was MYC for one more year. I hope that satisfies.... i feel i've missed so much, but at the same time - i've written more than ever before. :D Happy reading!

Do I want to be with you as the years come and go?
Only forever if you care to know.
Would I grant all your wishes and be proud of the task,
Only forever if someone should ask.
How long would it take me to be near if you beckon,
Offhand I would figure, less than a second.
Do you think Ill remember how you looked when you smiled,
Only forever, thats putting it mild.

A little bit of Frank Sinatra for you - i did try to find it on Youtube but they didn't have it there!!

Update number 2.

Well i'm home from hospitial now which is definatly a step towards recovery. I went in yesterday, they put me in a gown, put me to sleep (i laughed while they jabbed the needle into my are and then shuffled it aroung trying to find a vein before starting again in a different place.) and when i woke up i had a new plast and they were looking after me in recovery.

i got wheeled to my ward where anything i tried to drink (water) just got chucked back up again, so i settled with not having any dinner. Steve came to visit me, as did mum and dad which was nice, but i was still sleepy from the morphine. I had a low blood pressure which they checked every half hour to make sure it was still low, and then when the nurses changed at 12am, they decided to do something about it and my bed was tilted up, a new drip put in and i was encouraged to drink more.

After the night of broken sleep i woke up and ate some breakfast and the talkitive lady in the next bed kept talking to me as i slept and read. Then i was sent down to the physio people who re-mealted my splint and gave it back to me again. Steve came to visit and we sat in the lounge for a while before he left and i went out and got picked up by dad.

All in all, i'm closer to recovery than ever, 2 new screws in my hand and a nice scar on the back. :) in 1 week i go back for physio and i can start using my hand again! yay!

Today marks one year and 6 mths sice Steve and i started going out. I get sick of people asking me how long we have been going out because to me it dosen't matter so much, Steve and I are together so who cares for how long right? But I was talking to Carl, a friend from work, on friday night, and he said to me that 18 mths isnt much when you've been with someone for 10 years but at the same time it was an achievement, because in the world today, people tend to take the easy way out when it comes to relationships and hardly anyone, it seems, wants to approach problems and try to work through them before they give up. [man i write long sentences]

I don't really know where i'm going with this exccept that i'm thankful that Steve is the kind of guy who wants to try to fix things rather than just walk away. I also think that we would be no where near where we are now in our relationship if it wern't for God, because to me, he is the ultimate example of comittment. This sounds all crazy and comittal, but when I see the kids at afterschool care and notice how in playing red letter suddenly they have an option about which of their parents names they have to use i wonder at all the things that have changed since i was a kid and then looking after my own kids to come suddenly seems like an arduous task. [can you tell i'm still in assignment mode?]

How on earth will i cope having to bring up children when all these new issues get worse in another 5 years? All i can say is that I think thats why God made parenting a 2 person job. And i'm so glad that even if i fail as a parent to my kids, God will never walk away from them, just like he never walked away from me.

So, with things the way they are, i'm thankful that in my relationship God is the one I love the most. And i'm thankful that he has given me some one as caring, kind, thoughtful, manly and most of all Godly, as Steve, to love as well.

update time!!

so my hand remains broken, and will probably do so for some time yet. i went to see the hand surgon last friday and he told me i had a spiral fracture on my third bone in my right hand. this, he told me, needs surgery to fix. So i'm booked in for the 29th of may (next tuesday) to get 2 screws placed in my hand so that it will heal nicely. he tells me i'll also have a nice scar. :)

After he told me the most depressing news (i wont be able to use my hand for at least 2 mths) i sent me across the hall to get a fancy new splint which is loads lighter and brighter than the first one was. it looks a bit like this:



my hand with out said funky new cast looks a bit like this:



some nice bruising if i do say so myself so i hope you can see it :)

finally on a more serious note, my 2 exams are getting deffered untill start of next semester and so the only things to overcome are writing japanese with my left hand and typing my 2500 word opera assignment with one hand. God is great and though i am pressed, i'm not crushed.

thanks to everyone who has been praying.

this post is going to take a long time for me to type. this is because i'm typing one handed. why you ask? i'll tell you why...

last night, i was leaving a work training session on work place health and safty when i tripped over on some uneven cement and hurt my fingers. ouch, i thought, and while my hand got number and number, and i realised i couldn't grip the stearing wheel, i called my home and fiona and dad came and got me.

we went home and dad got his wallet and then we drove to mater to get looked at. we didn't wait too long but it was about an hr later that they told me that i had broken a bone in my hand and that they would splint it and send me to a hand sergon to get it seen too. it was then that i asked for some pain killer, so that when they were pushing my hand into the right shape it wouldn't hurt, but they said "ok, we will give you some to take home" :P

i laughed hysterically while they plastered my hand.

now i'm at home with an appointment for the hand dr tomorrow, and the depressing thought that i might be facing exams with only a usable left hand. :(

any prayer would be much appreciated.

One thing i've noticed with kids, and espcially last friday when we were all cooped up in the hall, is that when one hurts another purposly, they will run away. But when someone accidently trips someone else, or wacks them with a ball, the first thing they do is come over and say sorry and make sure they are alright.

Made me think, the last time i hurt someone - did i run away, or i was i there asking if they were alright?

I am not a fan of Psalm 23. In fact, I’d go as far to say that I don’t like it. At all. For me, it’s way too lovely and well known, as well as being an odd number. Give me Psalm 24, or 148 any day, but “The lord is my shepherd,” meh, lucky us. I’ve heard that so many times that I don’t want to hear it any more. But in reality, so often, that is what I do need to hear.

But just because I know the words with my head – does that mean I don’t need to know them as a message for my heart?

Psalm 23 contains so many promises that God has given us. It provides a more than adequate description of who we are, and who God is to us. But with every time we hear this Psalm and all it’s metaphorical glory, it’s another time that we let the awesome promises of God fade into every day repetition.

So when I realised that this was what God wanted me to talk about today, I had to dig deep to find the patience to listen to God as he taught me not to just dismiss something I have heard a few thousand times, but to really take the words from my head to my heart and know them as his message to me.

Promise 1: the lord is my shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

Line one could almost be a summary for the rest of the Psalm. And sadly today I’m probably going to let it. There just isn’t enough time to talk in detail about every line of this psalm, so bare with me as I try to take just a few and really discover what God has for us.

Dictionary.com defines a shepherd as “one who herds, guards, tends and guides sheep”. And if that’s what the Lord does for me, then really, I don’t need anything.

In this life, God is looking after me. Just as king David would have looked after his sheep when he was a youth, God wants to look after me. He wants to take us all, in our flock, to the green meadows by the streams where we can rest and renew our strength for his glory. I don’t need to worry about where I’m going, or who is coming. I don’t need to consider that there might not be enough food for us all there, or even stress about where everyone will be sleeping. Jesus says (Matt 6) don’t worry about your clothes, don’t worry about your food. “Look at the birds, the father feeds them, and aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” God is herding us to safety. Trust him and there is a lot less to worry about.

The Lord, my shepherd is also guarding me from danger. Even though I am walking somewhere new, somewhere I might not know, even somewhere dark that makes me scared for my life, God is there. The truth is that we are all walking thought a dark valley like this. The world is full of sin and we are living here. Thankfully God is our shepherd and is guiding us so we don’t fall. When we continually rely on our shepherd to guide us, falling is much harder.

The lord our shepherd is not only guiding us to safety, protecting us from danger and making sure we stick to the path, but he is also filling our lives with blessings. Our cups are overflowing with the wine he is pouring us. He is anointing our heads with oil. This is so significant for a shepherd because oil keeps the sheep safe from bugs which are deterred by the smell, as well as cleaning the wounds sustained in the days travel. God really is looking after us!

More than that, anointing with oil is used continually through the bible. Saul and David are both anointed as kings, Jesus the Christ or Messiah in Jewish or Greek translates as the Anointed one. In Acts the apostles anoint people when they appoint them places of responsibility and honour caring for the rest of the flock. 1st Peter calls us to live like anointed people of God.

What an honour it is to know that God, our shepherd is guiding us, keeping us safe, taking our fears and worries away and then on top of that anointing us as an honour! He loves us so much that he wants to bend down and anoint us as part of his flock!

The key to all of these promises found in only the first line of this Psalm, is that we need to believe it. We can all repeat the line “the Lord is my Shepherd” as much as we like, but taking it from knowledge in our head to a belief in our heart is another matter.

It says in Luke 12: “Don’t be concerned about what to eat and drink, your father already knows your needs.” God already knows our needs and he is providing for us more than is adequate. Because God is our shepherd, the one who is there to look after us and see we make it home safely we don’t need to worry, we don’t need to fear, we have all we need.

Promise 2: God’s love pursues us

I’d like to share with you now something I learnt when I was in Japan. This was probably about September of 2004 and I would have been in Japan for about 7 or so months. My best friend was a girl called Haruka who used to catch the train with me every day.

As well as catching the train with me everyday she was in my class, so we spent quiet a lot of time together. When I got stressed out about not understanding or assignments, she would be the one who would help me out.

One day she was feeling sick, so to say "thanks for putting up with me and i hope you feel better" after school, I went to the shops and got her a hair tie, and the I went to the train station, and I waited at the entrance that I thought she would come in by.

Now, as I was standing there in the cold, waiting, I had all these doubts nagging at me; "what if she felt so sick she went home early and I’m waiting for a person who will never come?" "What if she uses a different entrance?" "What if I didn’t see her come round?" Train stations in Japan are huge, and any one of these things could have happened.

And it occurred to me that that’s what Jesus was probably like, waiting for me to come round, to realise that He was the only way and all I needed.

He had Satan going "She’s not coming, I’ve managed to trick her to go the other way with some chocolate" "She's not coming, she’s already gotten on the train going in the other direction."

And it was tough for Him to stand there, waiting for me, as all the busy people brushed passed Him, nocked Him down, stood on Him and ripped His clothes, He stood there anyway because He believed I would come. He knew I would eventually come and He loved me enough to wait for me to come - no matter how many detours I took - no matter how late I was.

When I read Psalm 23, and the last verse, it reminded me of this story. Of how much Jesus went through to wait for me, but also how much love he had to have for me to do it. But, that last verse has much more than Jesus waiting for us. He’s not just standing around knowing that eventually we will come by.

The line reads: “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

The final passage of this Psalm is probably the one we cling to most. God’s love will follow us. But actually, the word follow has a better interpretation. The original Hebrew word translates better to the English word pursue.

Put that in the phrase and re-read it. “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life…” Jesus is not just waiting around for us, he is not just following us, he is pursuing us. He is chasing us down with everything he has. He wants so much to bring us home to him. God doesn’t want to see any of us fall away, he wants us so much for us to be the sons and daughters he created us to be.

God wants us to live in his house forever, where we belong. Luke 12 says: “don’t be afraid little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the kingdom.” That is the inheritance that God has planned for us – his kingdom, it’s where he wants to us to be and like a shepherd with his sheep, he is going to guide us, tend to us, protect us, and pursue us with his love, so that we can be there with him.

I have 2 questions for you today: are you going to believe the promises of Psalm 23 or will they just stay as ones you know in your head but don’t take to heart?

Is the Lord your shepherd?

This sort of thing
This sort of dream
This is what I’d want for
If saying no to my dreams
Wasn’t the easiest way.

All of these
Most of those
And even sometimes
When I’m not pretending
That where I want to be is anywhere but here

Translate me
And make sense
Of the rubbish I say
Make my heart
And my direction
Clear for where you want me

This sort of thing
This sort of dream
Could it be what is meant for me?

Give me your dream Lord
Even when I don’t believe that
Your dream can come true
For me.

Something i've read before many times was in my journal reading tonight and God in his glory really spoke to me and helped me understand more than just the story.

"And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it and patiently produce a huge harvest." [Luke 8:15]

To hear God's word: Am I listening and ready to hear God speak to me through his word, through his people or am I too busy doing things?

To cling to it: When i hear it - do i remember? when i read it - am i taking it in? Is God's word and truth the basis of my life and the document i can refrence with his Spirit?

To patiently Produce: am i helping others to grow? To produce we need to water, nurture, train, prune and love. Am i using God's strength to do so? It's not a quick growth but a slow process. Am i helping the harvest?

Lord, use me as a good soil! I want you to grow in me.

Well Show one is over. My Goodness, i'm exaushted. I think the continuall rehursals over the last 2 and a half mths and the insane build up to the first show has finally hit me. Even when i left i thought i was ok, but it's just hit me.

What also has hit me was the amazing amount of support that i have in my family and my frineds. Everyone else has about... 20 people max coming to see them, and alot of thoes haven't booked yet. I have 14 plus 18 plus 24 people coming to see me and they are the people who have booked.

God has really blessed my life with people who are here to help me and support me. Even though i so often seem to suffer from too many friends syndrome and have to say no and feel bad about not being able to be there for everyone (including being in 4 places at once) my friends amazingly still want to stand by me.

So thank you to everyone who came, is coming and is continuing to support me in this show and almost everything else i attempt to do. Special mention to Steve who somehow ends up being last on my list of people to see, but manages to love me none the less. Thank you.

Man I love hanging out with people who love God just as much as me. Needless to say, camp was awesome!! I woke up thinking - Yeah! camp is finally here!! - on Monday and i was not wrong. Camp was there and it was fantastic!! Following Steve up proved he had a strange obsession with going around round about a few too many times, and after a short, but scary moment where everyone in my car appreciated their assurance of salvation, we made it up to camp.

Not really needing to be there at 10 in the morning, most of Monday was spent having free time. :D the morning was filled with some quality jam sessions with me on Piano, Elizabeth on flube and Kris on Guitar, with random people singing in the back ground. After we tired of this, Elizabeth and I went to "town" and picked up some fish and chips for everyone.

By the time we finished lunch, Jasmine's car full of girls arrived and we played games untill about 2:00 when it was free time at QUT camp, so we wandered down to vist some people. We played volleyball for a bit, I had a chat with Jim (man he's a wise guy :)), we were invited to afternoon tea and then we headed back up to chill out some more. During this chill out, the power went off (which included the pumps that gave us water) and i had to drive to "town" again to pick some up. On the way back - the power came back on :P

At 6 we wandered down to the LINC camp where we were having dinner and our final campers arrived. The 2 americans were in mourning as their team had lost the superbowl. That night after dinner, we played a number of funky games (Rachel has an endless supply of them!!) including the snort game, the wah game and the story game. :D

During this whole time, we ate huge amounts of chocolate and sugar and ended up not going to be untill rather late. Nathaniel got eaten alive by mozzies and text emily at 3 am telling her he hated this place. Rachel put in a vote for a "bug free" campsite next year :P i keep telling her that while she's in Australia - there is no such place :D

The rest of camp (sorry melissa i'm loosing detail) was just as much fun. Ross's talks on Vision and Evanglisim were really insitful. Ross has the nickname "Reverend Ross" becuase he spent a year as an intern just following his pastor around, thinking about becoming a preist. Our training on Surveys and sharing the KGP (which inspired this moment) went fantasticlly, as did our planning for 0-week. I really feel like i have a great team this year ready for us to share the excitement of God on campus.

Memorable moments included:
Falling out of bed on the first night. on the way down i smacked my chin dead onto the chair beside the bed (i was on the bottom bunk) before my knees hit the floor. Elizabeth woke up and asked if i was ok. by that time i was kneeling on the floor still trying to decide.

Ross putting Abby's pen up his nose, and when we noticed Abby saying "that's my pen!" but when Ross tried to give it back to her, the quick correction to "that WAS my pen"

The endless number of Cups and chocolate wrappers that were left around as we spent our days binging on tea and chocolate. (humm chocolate!)

Fun moments included:
Playing Marfia untill unGodly hours of the night, trying to convince Nathaniel that he shouldn't kill me becuase i was the Cop and Emily being a cold marfia for the 4th time in the row.

Abby doing kungfu streaches at 6:30 in the morning while Jazz and i ate "before breakfast" sinckers. (hummm chocolate)

Singing Happy birthday to Nathaneil while he was still in bed on Tuesday morning. Suprising him at morning tea with a cake, eating all but one peice which was left for Steve (the maker of the cake) which Nathaniel promptly forgot and ate 2 hours later.

Edgar doing a great job of vaccuming the whole place we made a mess of, and the amazing way we all cleaned it up so well.



Bring on 2007 at Griffith!! we are ready to take the campsus for Christ!!

after yet again breaking my car some more i feel like i have the most serious case of human stupidity ever. I really just want to skip all this learning and all this chaning and all this stupidness and go straight to the way God sees me. Why can't i fast forward the growing and just stand before God and have him say "you are just how i always imgained"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZG1en6IZZY&mode=related&search=

[i was going to be fancy and put in a link, but i'm too silly :P]

13/01/07

Hebrews 11:39
"All of these people earned a good repuatation because of their faith, yet not one of them recieved all that God had promised."

Faith is so hard in itself, but even harder to comprehend is that when it comes to God, sometimes we aren't going to live to see what he promises us.

Yet no one laughed at the memory of Abraham, Jacob, etc, after they died, saying they had wasted their lives for something that didn't come, on the contray, even though it did come to pass later on, they were considered to have great faith not great stupidity, for believing in something they never saw.

God I want a faith like that!

I don't want to be worried that people will laugh at me now, like people laughed at Noah when he was building the ark, but I want to follow you so much that when I die and your judgement comes, people will say - so that's what she was waiting for.

My Timetable

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My timetable is as yet unfinished. It currently spans over 4 days, many hours and also includes a clash :D

Yay for uni!

The grass is green,
The sky is blue,
There's not a cloud,
To spoil the view,
But it's raining,
It's raining,
In my heart.

Criteria for getting into Heaven

1. Believe in Jesus
2. Repent of your sins
3. let Jesus take control

So many people want to know what it takes to get to Heaven. They keep trying to do "good things" or "the right thing", but who knows how much of that will get you over the line?

When it comes to these three steps, it's easy for people to do the frist and even the second step. Believing in God is something that comes easily to us. Acnowlaging we have done wrong, if only in private, is also something most of us can get our minds around.

Step 3 on the other hand is hard. Who wants to let go? Still, if you wnat to take the first step seriously enough, why not?

People are strange and i don't try to understnad them and i'm not sure this post is making sense... but it's what i'm thinking about.

This is an Excellent Song :D

So long and thanks for all the fish
So sad that it should come to this
We tried to warn you all but oh dear

You may not share our intellect
Which might explain your disrespect
For all the natural wonders that grow (around you)
So long so long and thanks for all the fish

The world’s about to be destroyed
There’s no point getting all annoyed
Lie back and let the world dissolve (around you)

Despite those nets of tuna fleetes
We thought most of you were sweet
Especially tiny tots and your pregnant women

So long so long, so long so long, so long so long, so long so long
So long so long, so long so long, so long so long, so long so long
So long so long and thanks for all the fish

If I had just one last wish
I would like a tasy fish
If we could just change one thing
We would all have learnt to sing

Come one and all
Man and mammal
Side by side in life's great gene pool

So long so long, so long so long, so long so long, so long so long
So long so long, so long so long, so long so long, so long so long
So long so long and thanks for all the fish

I'm Back :)

Yep, back from Bundy yesterday. It's a long drive, even when you have others in the car, although i have to say that i've done fantastically in buying my car, becuase it made it up to bundy on a half a tank of petrol! :) weee!!

I guess i'm not really here to say much important, but i'd like to reflect on something that i've started recently (before the new year :D hehehe).

Journaling. I've wanted to get into it for a while - probabaly since the start of the year - or in april or something, but i was sorta never able to get into the habbit of writing, or reading or having time with God. I think in that respect Project really helped, beucase every day we had time for it. There was a whole hour and a half for us to do a quiet time in. Doing it every day, and then seeing how i could fit it in, how much it helped and how much it got me into God's word really made the difference. Now i do it every day.

I will probably fail at some point (espcially when uni starts and life is busy again), and i'm not braging that i've done 27 days in a row (almost a month!!), but it is something that has made a difference to God's part of my life. Brining him in every day is so important, and when i make a point to do it in one part - journalling - he is usually so much more present in the other parts - as he should be. (look at my new addiction to dashes!! --- :P)

If you do nothing in the new year - be committed to God.

This is my fantastic big country Sista Sarah looking so cute as Fiona takes her photo at mt Cootha. (woah this is a great song!! long time no... hear... :D) Fiona and Sarah did a bit of a day trip while my parents picked up steve, they went to Mt Cootha and then over to a servo to by chocolates. Then they went to the local fire station and gave the chocolate to the fire guys. The Firemen were fairly shocked (as i imagine i would have been :P) but overall, it was a great guesture done by fiona and sarah and i'm proud of both of my sisters. :D (i think they have plans to do the ambulance people next Christmas... or is that next public holiday??)



I still can't believe Fiona wanted to take this, but this is the start of Christmas day at my house. :) Big moment in history for the life of Paula, but how pretty does she look while it's happeneing!! :D







The classic: everyone try to squeese in and smile :D My sisters are so beautiful. :)

For Melissa :D

Back in the New Testament
Parody of "Back in the U.S.S.R." performed by the Beatles and written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney (Matthew 5:17, Galatians 3:24-25, 2 Timothy 3:16)

Ooh I finally finished readin' the O-L-D Hebrew Testament last night
All the way I prayed that God would have mercy
Man, I'm glad that we've got Christ
I'm back in the New Testament
You don't know what you got till it's gone, boy
Back in the New Testament

Genesis was long -- I hardly noticed it
Gee, it didn't seem that long
Three weeks later on I'm stuck in Exodus
Wonderin' what the heck went wrong
I'm back in the New Testament
With Matthew, Mark, Luke and then John, boy
Acts of the Apostles, next the Epistles
Last the Apocalypse of John

Well, the Jewish laws came from God's own mouth
Please don't get me wrong
But God's own Son came to live 'em out
He told us that in Ma-ma-matthew 5 verse 17 all along

I'm back in the New Testament
We're only half done with this song, boy
Back in the New Testament

Well, you can't have Jesus Christ without
The Old Testament
The Law was given to point sin out
And lead us all to Christ - Galatians 3:24-25, my oh my

Moses' laws, the Psalms and Prophets they all count
Take them as your Daddy's word
Genesis through Malachi - I read them all
But admit that I prefer
To be back in the New Testament
You don't know what you got till it's gone, boy
Back in the New Testament

*NOTE: To get this song to rhyme correctly, whenever the word "Testament" appears in the chorus, you should pronounce it like this: "Test-a-MONT," so it sounds kind of French. Try it; it works! When the word appears in the verse, just pronounce it the regular way.

Matthew 5:17
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

RAHH!!!

I spent this morning cleaning up. Cleaning my room and the bathroom and toilet. Now (unlike when i returned from my 3 week absense) it is all very clean.

And then my dad comes in to my room and suggests i clean something... I'm not sure he understands. I cleaned all the things he asked me to clean already!! RAHH!!! and why were they messy - becuase i'd been gone!!! Honestly!! Go tell my sistes to clean something. I'm not looking for recignition but i'd like some respect - I'm 20 years old and i know when to clean stuff. When it's dirty. If anyone needs telling, it's my sisters becuase for over 3 weeks, they have been using a dirty bathroom and toilet.

RAHH!! don't tell me what to do - i'm old enough.

Rant rant rant :P and you know, i don't know what to do with this new blogger beter. What is the point?? it wasn't confusing before - why did it need to change. :P

Hello People

Project is going wonderfully well, forming the best realationships with the people in my group, espcially the girls who i'm living with, Pauliene, Erina, Anna and Steph. It's be awesome to get to knwo these people and see how God is using them :D

One of the coolest things about Erina and Pauline is that they both hear me sleep talk at night and then tell me about it in the morning :D So i just wanted to share some of this fantastic dream i had the other night with you :D:D

I was going to an opear or something at southbank and i was at garden city to catch a bus but for some reason i was wondering aroudn the car park. so i say to myself "come on paula! a car will never get you there in time! quick go to the busses so you won't be late" so i start to go back into garden city (using the fire, exit near woollies) when these 2 guys come up behind me, and glancing over my shoulder, i see they have a shot gun!!

So i say to them "what are you doing!" and they said to me "we are giogn to shoot people!" and i said "you can't do that! i won't let you in!" and they said "yes we can! let us in or we will shoot you" and i said "no i'm not goign to let you in! i'm going to pray for you!"

so i start pryaing for these guys and then they SHOOT ME - with a shot gun in the knee!!!! so i'm falling on the floor, being shot, the guys with guns are walking through garden city, people are screaming, security are running and i'm thinking... i'm goign to be late to catch the bus!!

Thankfully though this story merged with another story in dream land like dreams do and i was on my way to somethign with steve which was half his formal and half his 10 year reunion and half a big celebration for the broncos (who steve was apart of - during the night they kept coming up to him and saying "great game steve" and "nice save there in the second half!") and it was being held at this big old house with these strange goasthy looking people. And there was this girl who looked suspiciosly like liza minelli from caberet who kept teling me she was goign to steal steve and i said, "you can't do that, he's with me" and anyway she sat next to him and he didn't do anythign so i said, enough of this i'm going and the girl threw sequins in my hair (as opposed to the usual food or water or somethign) and instead of having an effect where my outfit was ruined, i looked quite good :D

so i'm walking out with these pretty sequins in my (strangly long straight and black) hair, and i see my sisters, but then steve comes up to me and tells me he's really sorry about the girl but his mum may or may not be addicted to alchole and he would really like my help beacuse she likse me but he dones't want me leaving to send her over the edge...

It was all very strange adn i woke up soon after. :)

As you know I've been on my mission trip for the last week and a bit and i just wanted to give you an update on how we are going. :D

There are 11 of us all up, 3 missionaries and 8 students, staying at the Bible Collage in Towoong. Every day we have been "bussing" out in Jim's van to QUT Kelivin Grove campus. The international collage here is full of students and even more come in every day to take any of the English classes offered over the summer. Many of the students intend to continue studying in Australia next year by beginning bachelors degrees. It has been really good to get to know the students though things like conversation classes, soccer games, inviting them back to "base" (the Bible Collage) for movies and dinner and other fun outings that we have organised.

Many of the students share similar problems or troubles in coming to Australia; homesickness, English difficulties, finances etc. But a lot of them also have a common factor: They don't know Jesus. Many students we have talked to have said that they believe there is something bigger out there but they don't know what. How great is the opportunity God has given us to share with them that knowledge!!

The members of our team have had the chance to share the gospel with a student which has been a challenging experience for all. I met a lady named Alison last week. She is a TAFE teacher from China and was studying English teaching methods. She has a 10 year old son. I was privileged enough to talk to her about Jesus and God. She had many questions for me, like what God is like and why he tells us to do what he does. I spent nearly 2 hours talking to her about how God loved her like a father, just like she loves her son, and how he tells us to do things for our own good, so we don't get hurt. It was amazing to be able to share with her how God feels for her!

Over the next week and a half as we continue with our mission it would be great if you could carry on praying for us.
Praise God for the amazing opportunities that he has given us to share his word.
Ask him to continually renew us with the Holy Spirit, so we can show God's love in our actions.
Pray for the Christianity Explained courses that are being conducted to further explain the Gospel to students.
Thank God for those opportunities and ask him to open the hearts of the students on this campus, that they might hunger to know him more.

-- In ChristPaula

Steve's 21st Birthday

weee!! pretty picture of me from the big 21st birthday party! :D

Today is the big Bundy Day!! i didn't sleep much at all last night... *sigh* stayed up late (trying to make myself tired) with Tamora Perice. :) Good times, Good times.

Before that i read Pslam 71 which i think might just be the pslam that discribes exactly how i feel about God. Check it out :D

"Yes, you have been with me from birth, from my mother's womb you have cared for me - no wonder i am always praise you! My life is an example to many, becuase you have been my strength and protection. That is why i can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long." (71:6-8)

"Oh God, don't stay away. my God, please hurry to help me." (71:12)

"I will tell everyone about your righteouness. All day long i will proclaim you saving power, though i am not skilled with words. I will praise your mighty deeds, O soveregn Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just. O God, you have taught me from my earlierst childhood, and i constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do.Now that i am old and gray, do not abandon me, O, God. let me proclaim your pwer to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me." (71:15-18)

I have offically had my licence for 4 days. It is the most insane thing that has ever happened to my life.

I think it all just adds to me growing up - something which i think i want to put off for as long as possible. :P (incidently, i was filling up my waterbottle today and i was reminded of when my parents were away and i acutally filled the jug in the fridge up with filtered water instead of just from the tap and i thought "i live better with out my parents" - how strange is that!! Maybe i've come to the point where i really do live better (maybe that's not the right word) without my parents and that means i have grown up. Maybe that's what growing up is all about - it's not about the house, the car, the wedding, the job and the kids - it's about being able to take care of yourself... AHHH!!!!)

"You made the wind, you made the sea; why do you make so much of me?"

Happily though, i got an email today from a guy i don't really know very well, but i'd meet a few times with Student Life at uni. He just (very randomly) decided he wanted to email me and tell me he was inspired by the times that he did meet me. I think it's tiems like that - when i get emails/texts/conversations in which people say to me "i see God in you, and that's great!" which make me feel like i'm doing what i'm made to do. Like i've grown up enough to get my full time job exactly how God wnated me too.

I'm glad i'm working for Jesus and people can see that.

"Cos i'm fine,
Living on the back streets
Holding on to all that's mine
Hope just hasn't yet arrived
For me"

Woah... so i'm at uni... waiting for 11 o'clock to come so i can be in class and i'm listening to the classic sounds of radioy and wondering if Steve is going to order the cool shirt i want from thinkgeek.com. :) "To all th rest who have a mother and father..."

Kelly emailed me today and asked me if i don't believe in evoloution if i had another theory as to how the earth got here. I told her i had no idea (pretty much) how it happened, but i know why it happened. :) isn't that all that matters? I wonder why humans are obsessed with putting blocks in the way of things when all we really need to know is why:

Becuase God Loves us!! (it's the reason for everything - almost like 42 is the answer for everythign... except different :D)

I was reading the Screwtape Letters last night (by C.S. Lewis) and Screwtape mentioins to wormwood that "The Enemy" (aka God) wants servents who become Son's while their "Father" (aka Satan) wantss slaves. Intersting contrast

He also said that the angels told him that if they understood that the reason God did things was beucase of Love - the war between heaven and hell would end. so true. Cool as. Liked that book i did. :)

Anyway... i guess i should go and figure out how to change the language setting in word back to enlgish (how it got set to spanish is beyond me :P) so i can check my Latin American Music assignmetn and print it and what not... Bye!

Just becuase we need some Activity in the Blogosphere!!


1. What's my mood like right now? It's a "Wonderful Day" (by the Lads)

2. How's tomorrow going to be for me? I only have "26 Letters" (by Ben Glover) to discribe it and it's not going to suffice because i don't know yet :P

3. What kind of person am I? One who looks to "These Thousand Hills" (by Third Day) for everything she needs.

4. Am I loved? So much i can dance "El Tango de Roxanne" (from Moulin Rouge)

5. How can I achieve my highest potential? By knowing I am God's "My Funny Valintine" (by Frank Sinatra).

6. What should I do with my life? Only dream of living it as one of the "Pirates who Don't do Anything" (By Veggietales) ;)

7. What is my theme song? I'll never find "Love on the Radio" (by Alabaster Box) (does this mean i should give up my music dream??)

8. What is my best quality? That I did "Feel the Mountians Tremble" (By Hillsongs Worship).

9. How does my sex life look? "Visions" (by Magnify) - It's all about God's wonder which is so great stupid things like sex life don't matter at all :)

10. What's the meaning of life? To ask "Lord, Make it Rain" (by The Ferrett BandTM) and keep walking through :P

11. How do people see me? With something that's "Worth it All" (By Unknown) to live for.

12. Would I make a good catch? absoloutly - for the "Da Funkhaters" (by Elememtry Penguin)

13. How crazy am I? Enough to praise God in my "Shakles" (By Mary Mary)

14. Will I have a good life in general? If i keep my "Thoughts of You" (By BarlowGirl) there is no doubting it :)


15. Can (insert name here) ever really love me? Not if they only look at my "Clothes" (by BarlowGirl) :P

16. Can (insert name here) and I ever be more than friends? Only if they ask "Is you is, or is you Ain't My Baby?" (From some Musical) will they ever know :P (been there done that :P)

17. What's going to happen to me this week? I'll be "Holding on to You" (by Paul Colman) Lord, with all that i have!

18. Where will I be in a year? Whereever "You Led Me" (by BarlowGirl) Lord!

19. What is my biggest wish? For the "Sweet River" (by Paul Colman) of God's grace to continually wash me clean so i can be with Him forever.

20. What is the love of my life doing at this very moment? Doesn't it matter, because i know "I've got You" (by The Lads) :)

21. How will I die? knowing "i was there" (by Nathan Tasker)

22. What will happen after I die? I will be with the "King of Glory" (by Third Day)!! :D

23. How do my friends feel about me? That i was "Reborn" (by Rebecca St James) and i'm much the better for it! :D

24. Do people secretly lust after me? hahaha, becuase that's my "Favourite Time" (by the Lads) of the day :P NOT!

Old School Lads lyrics:

"I am alone in the darkness
can you hear me now?
Are you the same
or are you different somehow?
Can you love me?

Do you know my name?
When the tears fall
are you there to feel the pain?
Can you reach me here?
Can you give me what i'm looking for,
will you take away the fear?
Can i trust you?"

The Lads

"We are fishes of men, not keepers of the aquarium."

This is apparently something some one said heaps at the Hillsongs conference. The speaker, Dave Inkleman (don't quote that spelling) at SNL this sunday quoted it. :) He talked about how we are the body of Christ. Something which really stuck out was that the Chruch is not acutally a building. We, the people who meet to praise God, are the church. And it dosen't matter if the building is fallingn apart or big and well equipt for sound, it matters taht the seats inside are full of people.

A beautiful church building that is empty is not a church at all.


Further Notes:

Christ's mission was to seak and save sinners, we as the Christ's body, the people who make up the church have the same mission as Christ: to seak sinners and have Jesus/God/HS to do the saving. Our focus therefore should be outwardly focused: the church building is simply a tool to help us bring people to Christ.

We as the the body of Christ have the responsibility of sewing the seeds. This means that we have to fertlize, weed, and water --> get dirty!! God is responsible for the mirical of growth, and then we, or someone else has the joy of the harvest.

Salt is useless if it is still in the salt shaker and once it is added to something it can't be taken back out!

The church is the only orginisation in the world that exists for the benifit of it's non members... or is it "the churhc is the only orginisation in the world that should exist for the benifit of it's non members"?

"How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God,
And all will see
How great,
How great is our God...."

Last night at Amy's church's first youth service, they talked about who Jesus was. It's amazing sometimes that such simple truths can really be good to remember. Jesus came and lived the life of a man, but his one life has affected the lives of so many people more than anyone else. He is so extreeme that it comes down to 3 things - he is either a liar, a lunitic or a Lord. He has claims that are so amazing that you can't walk away undecided. Either you are for him or against him.

Nobody knew His secret ambition
Nobody knew His claim to fame
He broke the old rules steeped in tradition
He tore the Holy Veil away
Questioning those in powerful position
Running to those who called His name
(But) Nobody knew His secret ambition
Was to give His life away

He is most amazing, no body knew just how amazing untill he died and even today, i am continually blown away by how great my God is.

After reading Hoesa with Steve recently, and coming on a verses that said "it will be a terrible day when i turn away and leave you alone" (Hosea 9:1２b) and "God will reject the people of Israel..." (Hosea 9:17a) which sorta seemed to contridict things like "And i will be with you, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20b) and "as I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5b) I came up with this "House Analogy" to try to explain what i think is going on.


Imagine you have a house. It's got four walls and doors and windows. One day, you are in your house, trying to make it beautiful so everyone can see how pretty it is, when there is a knock at the door. You open it and It's God who says to you, "You are doing an alright job decorating here, but i've got some ideas that will make your decorations shine so brightly every one will want to see them. Some people may even be so jelous that they want to knock down your house, but it will be beautiful and I will have seen it."

You think about this and agree - you need help decorating your house, you were too short to dust down the cobwebs in the corners and there were somethings that just weren't sticking like they were supposed to. So you let God in. Life is great, it's hard work but the walls are stripped bare and sanded back untill you see the beauty that was underneath the gaudy wall paper. Sometimes the negibours come by, some of them are amazed by the work God is doing in your house and ask him to come into theirs. Others don't think it's so good and go out to buy more wall paper to cover up the natural beauty.

One day you look out the window as you are sanding with God, and you see the next door people have roses in their living room. They look very pretty and you begin to wonder what it would be like if you had thoes roses in your living room. God sees you looking at them. "Be careful," he warns, "The roses may look pretty, but there are thorns underneath that will cut and cause you pain. I will always be here for you, but don't try to take what isn't yours." [Genisis 4:7b and Joshua 1:5b]

A part of you listens to what God says; he's probabaly right - look at what he has done to your house so far! Surley he knows when something just won't go in the room. But a part of you looks back out the window and sees the roses again, looking beautiful.

That night, you sneak over to your neighbours house and take the roses from his living room and put them in yours.

In the morning God sees your hands and knows what you have done. The roses, which were so beautiful, had the thorns that have cut your hands. You have been scared. God shakes his head and says "You have invited someone else into this house, and though i love you, I can't stay here while you try to serve two masters." [Matthew 6:24] With that, God puts down the brush he was going to use to help you lacker your walls to make them strong and leaves your house.

He dosen't go far, just outside the door. He dosen't want to leave you, but he can't stay while you try to decorate your house without consoulting him, and listening to his advice.

For a while, you tell yourself you don't need God's advice on how to make your house beautiful. You were a good decorater before he came along. So you start to put things back on the walls and cover the beauty that God had discovered. But soon, you realise you want your decorator back. You can't seem to make things shine the way that he did, and it's not fun trying to re-decorate a whole house by yourself; it was alot more fun with God beside you.

So you open the door and ask God back inside. It's the hardest thing you have ever had to do, but God doesn't say anything mean, or even laugh and say "i told you so". [malichi 3:7b] He comes back inside with some bandages and cleans your hands that were scared and cut by the roses and the crime you committed and wraps them up. He goes with you as you take the rose plant's back to your neighbours house with an apology and a repentant heart.

And then together, you come back to your house and start once again to clean out what doesn't belong, and let the natural beauty shine through.


In Hoesa, the people of Israel had been ignoring God for a long time. They had been worshiping other things and trying to decorate their houses with out God's help. God was sad, but he was also frustrated. He was pulling out his hair becuase he loved his people so much, and they just didn't get it. He would have loved to stay with them, but when sin is invited in, God jsut can't stay around. He never goes far and he is always ready to come back when you ask, but sin and God just don't mix.

Whatever has happened in your life, whatever you have invited in to help you decorate, God is only just outside the door, waiting for you to open it so he can come in and heal your wounds.

If mankind minus one were of one opinion, then mankind is no more justified in silencing the one than the one - if he had the power - would be justified in silencing mankind.
- John Stuart Mill

The cure for writer's cramp is writer's block.
- Inigo DeLeon

Money can't buy happiness, but neither can poverty.
- Leo Rosten

I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless lost under the surface
Don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)
Every step I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)

Can't you see that you're smothering me
Holding too tightly afraid to lose control
Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you
(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)
And every second I waste is more than I can take

And I know
I may end up failing too
But I know
You were just like me with someone disappointed in you

I've become so numb I can't feel you there
Is everything what you want me to be
I've become so numb I can't feel you there
Is everything what you want me to be


I think right now i feel like listening to my angry music...

Sunday Nite Live Notes

Saints have a terrible past, sinners have a brilliant future.

i came into the world an individual, i will not die a copy!

Christs Soilders:
1. we are not in charge
- don't judge by the harvest you reap, but by the seads you plant
- build an oasis in the swamp
2. never wrestle with the darkness, outshine it with light
3. Train like a soilder
- read the bible ---- DAILY
- pray --- DAILY

If you know how to love, you know God, God is not an exclusive
treasure, he is as available as air to all of us!!

It's not weather or not Jesus loves you - cos he does - it's weather
or not you love Jesus

Jesus love is unconditional
Entry to heaven (salvation) is condintional

*sigh* after going to the trivia night last night at the Pig and Wistle, and finding the announcer guy one of the most anoying people i have met, I am serverly a) reprimanded and b) challanged to remember that although i may find some people's traits anoying, they are still just as valuable to God as me. This means that even if i am really ticked off by them, i need to try to keep my feelings inside - give them to God - rather than voice them. :( my bad. I guess there will always be things to work on, no matter how hard i try. Thanks for helping me Jesus

Listening to Rebecca St James "I need you" has just made me think "How hard is it for so many people in this world to say that?"

I think one of the major reasons people today don't associate with a religion or want to be come a Chrisitian is beacuse they don't want to admit their inability to save themselves. Today's society continually paints a picture that says we need to be self reliant; that asking any one for help is out of the question and if you do, you will be laughed at for being ignorant. It is hard to ask for help, from anyone. It is hard to ask for help from some one you can't even see.

For Christians to openly admit that they asked for help, and admitted that as humans, they couldn't make it alone; that they needed Jesus, is something i believe makes people think again. The initial reaction from the majority would be scorn, but from others, and often underneath the scorn, they wonder "why are they happy asking for help?"

I know i can't make it on my own, I need Jesus. And i'm happy knowing i can't make it on my own. That makes people turn around and think "could there be a better way?"

I think today i need to remember how much I need Jesus to save me, and how great it is that i can sacrifice my human pride enough to say that.

Sunday night Live - Things to remember

God uses me NOW - not when i think i'm qulified enough

I am a rescued person. The person who rescued me, taught me how to do it - now it's my job to help rescue others!!

The Student Life Update


The Mid Year Conference was held at the Queensland State Government campsite at Currimundi from the 7th to the 12th of July. Students from Universities from all over Queensland came, the majority from the University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Around 10 students came from universities in Towoomba, 2 from Gatton and 8 from Griffith. It was only when i got to camp, that i realised that one of the goals that i had set at the begining of the year, to have five people from my campus on the Mid Year Conference, had been reached. Including me, six people from the Nathan campus of Griffith attended the conference. Praise God for answered prayer!!

During the conference, we did numerous things, such as worship, prayer, free time, soccer, games nights, walks on the beach, quiet time with God. Each day was started with optional prayer (for the early risers) and then breakfast. After breakfast we had a time of worship, with a great team lead by the UQ missionary Bill on guitar. After this, we listened to our key speaker. This year, Keith Farmer spoke to us on Jesus answer to the most important comandment; "Love the lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." Having studied for many years in the seminary, Keith's talks were very
thought provoking.

We continued after this with discussion and then quiet time before morning tea. For the 2 hours before lunch each day, we had training, where we were taught about living the Christian life, what it means to be a Christian and also we were trained in how to share the good news of the Gospel. The trainings were very helpful and practical. As i had done the first 3 trainings, I was trained in personal discipleships. When people become Christians, often they have no church back ground or support to help them grow in their new life with Christ. In Student life, when we bring someone to Christ, we ensure they are "Discipled", which means they have someone more mature in Christ that they can meet with once or twice a week to catch up with, answer their questions and also be accountable to. This week, the training i did to become a Disipler was very eye opening and made me so thankful for the wonderful support that i have from St Matts as a Christian.

In the afternoon we had a changing program, most afternoons we had 2 hours of free time, but we also had relationship seminars, campus time, and elective seminars to choose from, on a range to topics, such as Chrisitianity and Evoloution, Conflict Resoloution, Answering Tough Questions and how to Finish for Christ. After dinner each day we had night activities, worship, games, prayer and worship and summer project seminars respectivily.

The final night of the conference was the Commisioning Supper. It was a dress up night and we all came as someone from the last Supper. As we ate, served by the missionaries, each table worked together as a team to compleate fun puzzels. It was a great night, which ended in us praying for God to guide us as we went out on to our campuses next semester.

I couldn't believe it when it was all over, it was so wonderful to meet up with old friends as well as make new ones, and then to have to leave them again was sad. It will be a challange to go on to campus next semester with out the people who were such a great support this week with me, but with the continual prayer support that we give one another, as well as from our churches, God has nothing to do but to hear our prayer and build up a movement for him on campus.

I look forward to talking with everyone about this more and sharing my experinces. Thank you again for all the prayer support! God is so wonderful that he gave us such a great way to talk to him all the time!


More for the bloggers

I caught up with Norm when i was at MYC and for thoes who don't know, he is someone i met in Feb and again in March at Connextions. He is 75 years old, and has been with campus cursade (student life world wide) for over 25 years. he has only been working on campus in Aus for 2 years. When i saw him in Feb, he gave a talk about "how to be a lifer" which was all about finishing for Jesus. For me, that was so special becuase it's soemthing i want to do. I don't want my life to fade and be caught by this world, i want to be a Lifer for Jesus. Seeing Norm again, reminded me the importance of quiet time for developing my realtionship with God, and making sure i don't forget that he is the first and most important thing in my life.

Another thing that struck me was Keith talking about being a radical, counter cultural christians in today's society. He said that God loves us compleatly, and if we learn to love him back with our heart, soul, mind and strength, then we can learn to love others around us in the same way and then they will learn (hopefully) to love us and God as well. This kind of love is so radical in today's society so that if we love people in that way, we can't help but make a change.

That's the coolest thing i can ever imagine; to be changed by God so much that people look and say "I want Jesus".

Other cool moments of the week included meeitng people from towoomba and finding out they are friends with Sarah. (hye Mancy!!) playing soccar/hacky sack with a soccar ball/volleyball with the soccar ball with the guys (nathan the dag, stephen, arron, sam (happy birthday!), patrick, Uncle John, soccar girl (sorry i foget your name) and the bryan boy (little dude), Playing the soccar match with 3 balls and winning for the LINC/UQ/USQ team as well as the regular soccar match (yeah! we won the silver boot!!), Seeing God challange me to step up to discipling with meeting Kelly and finally seeing God use me and other LINC people in the prayer night to really connect people to God.

Wade, Ron and Steve looked stunning in their disciples outfitis on the last night - hope to get the photos developed asap! :D

I got an email yesterday asking if i wanted to sing in the MYC band. I said no. And once i had done that i started to reconsider my decision. Why did i say no? *sigh* i guess the inner Introvert i appear to have living inside me once again surfaced and decided i would be so much safer and happier if i stayed in the shadows instead of taking the chance.

I'd say that there is probabaly an inner Introvert in everyone... even thoes strange extreem Extroverts.

Maybe it's there to balance things out...

Hello All, I'm back from New Zealand, and just becuase i sorta want to remember what happened, i'm going to type it here. :)

We got to New Zealand on the 24th of June, it was a beautiful day. I couldn't believe that it wasn't raining. We flew Emirates. which is an arab air line, but they had the most international crew i have ever seen. It was super cool. Also, they have this "award winning" entertainment system, which means that even in econemy, everyone had their own tv in the back of the chair in front. It was cool :) On the way over i watched "Last Holiday" which was really good. I liked it. :) Dad and i had fun playing with the touch screans while mum watched hehehehe.

Ross picked us up from the airport (sarah declared her snake skin shoes as we went through customs :P) and we went back to the Bailies. It is alwasy good to see thoes guys. I had a tea, and most other people had a coffee, but we sat around the table having a good old chat. We had hotdogs for dinner and then we got ready for the party. It was Ross's 50th birthday, but it was a fairly small thing. about 35 people, mostly close family friends and family. It was pretty fun though. Sarah and I were in action taking around plates of food and stuff - mum's training never fails :P - but we had a good night talking to the boys (Carl, Greg and Scott) and their friends Tim, Courtney and ... that gril... C... something. Meh... at around 10:30 we got sick of eating loads of food so we went out of the room they had it in and into the main hall place, and had a good time playing piano and what not. then I taught Greg and Scott and the girl to do some Modern Jive... ehhehe it was very cool. then we all sat around playing cards untill midnight. :)

Got home, and went to bed. I was a bit cold to start with, but otheriwse it was a good sleep. Sarah and i were sharing Carls room, or what will be Carls room eventually. They are still renovating their home... it's been going on for over 10 years i realsied, becuase i can remember in 1996 it only being half done. It's the most compleate i have ever seen, but the bathroom still needs finishing and then carls room... yeah long story.

Anyway, Sunday... we all slept in and then had left over food from the night befor efor breakfast, :) by the time everyone was ready, it was 11:00 and we were going shopping. We went to Dress Smart first, I got a cool levies Jacket and a pair of jeans. I had been physcing myself up for this, i mean, 5 days in New Zealand iwht my family- there has to be shopping. And besides, i could really use a pair of jeans that fit.... :) Anyway it was pretty Good, Carl and Scott and I had a lapse where we were judging other shoppers but otherwise it was ok, after shopping there for ages, we went to St Lukes which was another mall, but with more than just clothes shops :P we ate lunch there (yum, karage!!) and then did some mroe shopping. I saw some cool boots, but they didnt fit... meh. When we met back up, Ross said he was goign to go back and get this box set of Tin Tin episiodes. I was like... all the episiodes?? Man i want that!! They were on sale for only 50$ so bargin!! yeah for me!! :D:D

When we got back home we did some hanging out and ate chicken stuff and styed up watching Troy on TV and then realised the boys had to go to school (well Greg and Scott anyway) and went to bed.

Monday morning, i slept in and didn't get up untill about 10 when everyone else had goen to school and work and what not. After breafkst, we bused into the city and did some shopping. I went around with sarah who is this insane shopamaniac!! I got another pair of cool as jeans and a nice top from Glassons (sarah bought about 10 things, dispite the fact that she had been in the same store the day before.... 8-) ) we had lunch at Smith and Caughes (which is like the NZ verion of David Jones) and then did a bit more shopping (picked up a great pair of boots for 29$) and caught a bus home. Sarah wanted to stay in the City, but were were going out to dinner with Pauliene and Earnest (other NZ friends) and had to go home and get changed. :)

Got home, got changed, went back to the city for dinner. Chinese, Very yum. :) we were sitting down though, and they took away the chopsticks - clearly thinking we were forginers and wanted forks :P i was devastated!! so i asked them for 2 chopsticks - one set for me and one for sarah, and they only came back with one set - and gave them to sarah!! :P eventually i got a set and it was ok :) Ernest dropped us home which was good. The Bailes only live across the harbour bridge which connects the north shore of the bay to Auckland City. It's really close and has a great view of the city as you come across the bridge.

Tuesday we went back to the city and did more shopping, Sarah is insane. I went up the Sky tower (mum dad adn sarah had done it last year) and got a great view of auckland. the weather was just beautiful. I got too cool as dresses for Dancing. they look really good. :) I'm satisfied ehehheeh. After that we walked down to the other end of town and picked up a car and drove back home. Tuesday night we stayed up so late with the Bailies. Sarah straighted Gregs hair, and then he went to soccar which just made it curly again. hehehe. Ross opened the bottle of Moet he got for his birtday (v. expesive champane) and we sat aroudn teh table ( i drank vodka and orange :)) drinking it. :P We ordered gormet pizzas from the place where Greg works, they were super nice. One had chicken and cambert on it... yum!! afterwards, i sat in Gregs room listening to the musical songs he's going to sing in this thing he's got coming up. It was alot of fun. He introduced me to this cool song called "Big Ass Rock" from the full monty muscial. hehehe After that we went out and sat in the lounge room with everyone else. It was like 11:30... but we sat up for ages talking. Then we took "the couch photo" with a pillow where fiona would have been. *ahhh* the couch photo - good times good times.

Wednesday i got up early to say good bye to Ross and Colleen befoer they went to work and Greg and Soctt before they went to school. Carl was sleeping :P then we packed up and got in the car and drove away. We went down town Auckland and found "the Tin Tin Shop' hehehe which was cool. I got a shirt and a long sleave thing too. fun stuff. :) then we did some more shopping - or rather i followed sarah around as she tried to get even mroe stuff before we left :P

When that finally eneded, we got in the car and headed back to the airport. The line was huge, the flight was obviously packed, but when we got up to check in, the girl said "oh you aren't sitting togehter" and then looks thought ful and decideds to up grade us...!!!! it was great!! we flew business class back to Aus. It was cool as, so much leg room and the food was so much better than econemye - too bad flying makes me sick :P We got in early and Fiona picked us up from the airport.

It was cool. Sarah, Fiona and I all sat up watching Mr and Mrs Smith - which fiona recently bought hehehe and went to bed about midnight. Mum and dad woke up about 6:30 this morning :P

Today, Scott, Carl and I all discovered the differences between real shoppers and the pretend shoppers.

While spending 4 hours shopping, we gathered numerous observations of our fellow shoppers. To distinguish a real shopper, one must always start with the feet. If the female shopper is wearing heals of almost any kind, or points, they are clearly a serious shopper. if the person has stylish flats, also it is posisble they are serioius, if they are wearing joggers - definatly they are not serious shoppers, they are just pretending.

In female shopers, the layering factor of their clothes is also a tell tale sign, with layers indicates a SS (serious shopper) and with out, a PS (pretend shopper). One must be careful not to be put off by someone with one stylish accesory, for a serious shopper, all criteria msut be met.


Incidently New Zealand is fun, :)

It's official, I will not be receving a 7 in Japanese.

My exam was today and before hand Nick and I went down to check my oral marks. Adding everything up, out of the 70% of assement we have had, I am on 55.65%. Which means even if I did ace my 30% exam, I'd only just make the 7, and we all know that's not going to happen.

At best, I can probably expect a 5.

Some people get 7's and then some people, no matter how hard they try, will never get anything better than maybe a 6.

I'm ready to go home at any time if; I live each day for my Father in heaven wher ehe has built a house for me. But i suppose, if i did not live each day for my Father in heaven, it would hardly be my home... would it?


weeee... random post!!

All around me are members of my Opera Studies class talking to each other and comparing notes and doing genral before exam craming. I am siting by myself, having talked to absoloutly no one since saying thank you to the bus driver.

A thought occoured to me however; what if Piano Repitoire dosen't have a timetable becuase it is an external subect? I doubt it though. It is very probable that i should email some one about it. Stupid music department. (incidently listening to my music class talk about Pelleas and Melisande, is just confirming all i know about the opera. I am just as good as them. How dare they marganilise me!!)

*sigh*

Poor confused Paula

Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to buzz and fly.

It’s the work of make up, therapy and strong drugs…

I’ll be perfect when I’m dead

If this is your first night at Music Club, you have to fight...

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

The fatal flaw in every plan is the assumption that you know more than your enemy.

People like to follow fools. They dont feel so alone then.

My toothbrush keeps telling me that the toaster is plotting against me. I tend to believe him because whenever I see the toaster, it's always smirking, and I haven't made toast in a long time, but I have great dental hygiene.

Yarrr, here there be treasure

Everything you are is everything someone else will want you to be

You’ll thank me when you share my politics

Scientists believe that the universe is infinite, or at least indefinitely finite.
The odds of there being life orbiting one of these stars is ten to the power of fifty-three against.
That is 1:1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.
We orbit a fortunate sun.

Larger than most fish

Balloon animial serial kiler

Emoticontraindication

Yesterday i was walking home from the bus stop and I saw a musli bar wrapper on the ground, and so, trying to do the right thing, i stopped and picked it up to throw in the bin. About 20 meters later, i see something else, a dollar. :)

"All things work for the good of God's kingdom"

As I was on the bus today going to meet with the Preist from my church, i was thinking about God and how great he has been to me, and that lead too all sorts of things, but eventually got me thinking about work. On the oval last week with Carl, we were talking about how, when one kid hits another (eg, Timmy hit's Tommy), more often than not, Tommy will hit back. It is really sad to see because then they both have to get in trouble and it is so impractical for life. Are we allowed to yell back when our bosses are eating our heads off for something?

So i was wondering, why do the kids hit back? Carl was saying that alot of the kids parents tell them to hit back, but I've been thinking while that may be the case, there is something else. The kids genrally know, if they hit someone, one of the supervisions will know and send the culprit up for time out (punishment :P). So why don't they wait untill us supervisors come along?

Why don't we wait untill God judges before we jump on top of people who hurt us? When was the last time that someone said something mean to me, and instead of being patient and waiting, i jumped back and said something eaquly mean or worse. Despite knowing that God is going to take care of it in the end, we continually feel we can't wait, that we have to jump in and take our revenge now. And it's not like the people around us are helping... People we think know better, who we can trust for good advice, can often tell us things that are really impractical.

I think it's time i remembered to listen to God first, and remember that if i hit back too, i'm going to be in time out for a while untill i can come to God and ask forgiveness. I'd ecnourage everyone to wait for the Big Supervisor before judging whoever has hit you. In the end, we are all in this together.

Where to start? I sat down last night and I worked out the next 3 weeks of my life in highliter on recycled paper. :) Now it is alot less confusing than I originally though. One day at a time and things will be over before i know it. :) I am currently listening to Gagaku, the court music of Japan, which i really slow and full of strange sounds. It's a good thing the little Dino is still asleep :) Better news than that is that I found my iTrip :) was in the bag i had already check about 4 times :P

The Sad News is that I have lost my ring. The ring i always wear. I stood up last night after watching TV and i heard it drop off and I looked around but i couldn't find it at all. :( I had another look this morning, including lifting all the chairs and taking off the cusions (despite the fact that i heard it fall on the floor) but alas, the ring was no where to be found. My finger feels naked. :( I might even have to get a new one.

In other news, Ron is coming to MYC! :D Steve is coming to MYC! :D Edgar is coming to MYC! :D Wade is thinking about coming to MYC! :) and Maq is thinking about coming to MYC! :) yeah for MYC! Nick however might not be coming becuase he's just gotten engaged to Nicole and they want to get married in December, so they are saving money... *sigh* oh well. It's still going to be a ball :D MYC!!

The American team at uni have been doing a great job of out reaching to the Nathan and Mt Gravatt students. I have spent so much time with them that I have almost very much perfected my American accent. :P It's quite amusing. I was talking to them the other day though, and they said something interesting about outreach. Sharing the Gospel with people is fairly spirituarly draining, and if you don't recharge, and get plugged back into God and let him fill you up again, eventually you are going to feel exausted and run down and like you can't go on any more. This matches up with what Norm said at the LINC retreat in Feburary. He has been living with God for so long, and he has seen so many people fall away, becuase they just die from spiritual exaustion. (should there be a h in exhaustion?) He said that a key thing to being "a lifer" someone who is following Christ, is spending time with God every day, and always working on your relationship with Christ.

Have I spent time with Christ today?