Unforgettable

I remember when I was about to go on my first summer break after a year at university. My cousin had convinced me that doing something meaningful with our holidays was the way to go so we signed up for a 5 week stint on a missionary ship called Doulos. We were living in Frankston at the time, a southern suburb of Melbourne, and my concept of the world was quite limited. Sure, I wanted to make a difference, but I hardly ever broadened my thoughts past...well, Frankston.

My experience on Doulos blew my mind. 300 missionaries from 35 nations living and working together to impact the world one port at a time. Brilliant. My initial stint on the ship took us from Freemantle to Albany, Western Australia, but living in close quarters with so many cultures gave me a new love for the nations. My desire for making a difference had suddenly exploded from Frankston to… the world!

A year later I went back on the ship for 13 months but those stories are for a later date. For now, I want to put this challenge out there to all our university students. In 15 years time when you look back on this holiday break period what will you remember? My advice is - do something you’ll never forget.

To Toughen or Trust?

Trust is a difficult thing to build. It takes time. A long time. Often we assume that people should automatically trust us and yet we aren’t as sure of their credibility.

I guess the longer we live, the more opportunities there are for people to break that trust. To let us down. Sometimes badly. I tend to be a ‘cup half full’ kind of person and look for the best and of course that has meant I’ve been burnt. But I reached a point that I needed not to lower my expectation of people but to lift my expectation of God.

See, if you expect the worst of people you will inevitably draw it out. You wont give them room to show you how capable they are and they wont rise to the occasion. On the other hand we haven’t even begun to stretch God’s capability. He constantly shines through in places where others fall short.

So when it's time to make that choice with the people around us - to decide if we can step out and lean on them, to open up and let them in, let's not forget the God-factor. For any relationship that's honouring to Him will be an opportunity for Him to prove His honour. They may fail, but He will not. And if they do, He will be there to carry you through.

I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. Psalms 138:2 NLT

Hold Her Heart

This week I was reminded of the journey I went on to find my biological father. I was sorting through some paperwork and my pile of articles, phone numbers, and various sources of information fell out. He left before I was born, and when I went through depression that was one endeavour I thought might be important for my healing. The outcome of that journey was the discovery that he had passed away. I had missed my chance to meet him, but I was able to grieve and close that chapter.

I share this story because sometimes we don’t know what people are carrying around. Sometimes there are painful discoveries, tormenting secrets and heavy burdens that weigh on those around us. Sometimes they never get the chance to share with us - it seems inappropriate or they don’t want to spoil the mood of our conversations. Sometimes it’s just too painful to speak the words.

I don’t remember if I shared with anyone at the time how that journey was affecting me. But I know that at different moments throughout my day to day life the feelings of abandonment, the sense of loss and grief and a deep sadness about choices people make, will resurface. And it’s become a habit to turn them into a prayer. And to feel along with others what they may be experiencing as well…

Hold Her Heart

The questions come
Without response
With every memory
Pain engulfs
You see the tears
That others don't
You wipe them dry
When others won't
Hold her heart Lord
Hold it near
Embrace the one
That You hold dear

Where Great Minds Collide

I noticed this banner today and it got me pondering unity. A few years ago I realised that it’s possible to hold a view of unity that can cause problems. Big problems. Obviously endeavours are easier to organise, plan and execute if everyone involved has exactly the same perspective on everything that’s happening. However, in most cases these endeavours involve bringing together the minds and hearts of individuals with varying perspectives. Trying to bring conformity to these minds and hearts inevitably brings pain rather than anything of lasting significance.

So does that mean unity is impossible? Well, no, because unity is not about everyone doing/feeling/believing the same thing but bringing differences together to achieve an outcome.

I have worked with many people that function very differently to me, sometimes so differently that strong clashes have emerged...hmm...marriage is an obvious example! But I have seen that powerful, positive, life-changing endeavours have come about not through situations of perfect harmony but instead through disjointed, uncomfortable, awkward differences, finding a rhythm together and achieving something unimaginable. Unity is truly where great minds collide.

How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore. Psalm 133:1-3 NIV

Speak Life

I wonder do you have memories of words that were spoken to you and changed the course of your life? For better or worse, words have this kind of power. Careless, thoughtless words can often haunt us decades after they were spoken. I have seen many people completely broken by these kinds of words. I guess that's why I am so determined to be a deliverer of life-giving words.

I remember the first time I had a strong desire to share an encouraging word to someone I didn't know. It went something like this, "God sees you, He knows what's going on and He cares." Well, she broke down in tears and that became a normal occurrence as I began regularly sharing with people. Sometimes He'll give me a picture with meaning, sometimes a verse from the Bible, but always something that uplifts and encourages people in steps closer to Jesus.

I believe God wants to regularly interact with us in this way - through the Bible, through circumstances and through each other. Just the other day I was in a salon and felt an overwhelming desire for the hairdresser to know how much God loved him. We ended up having dinner with him and his colleague, praying with them and sharing some encouraging words.

To say they were impacted by this, is an understatement. If negative words had been pulling them down, then that encounter has begun to reverse the effect. They will never forget that God brought a couple of Aussies across the ocean, and gave them courage to invite strangers out for dinner and pass on words specifically for them! But God loves doing that. And I love watching Him do it, so bring it on God!

Speak Life

Knowing what should be
Yet stuck in reality
Feel healing that could be
And know it's not from me
Seeing the unseen
So perfect, so clearly
He's there in the distance
Yet walking right near me
These moments of victory
Outweighing the tragedy
Simple, inviting
Glimpse of tranquility
Move us in Your time
Perfect in every way
Speaking what’s truth
Every word You say
Prophecy, people
Call forth His Spirit
Speak life, people
This world needs to hear it

“I heard his voice. At the sound of it I fainted, fell flat on the ground, face in the dirt. A hand touched me and pulled me to my hands and knees…
 While he was saying all this, I looked at the ground and said nothing. Then I was surprised by something like a human hand that touched my lips. I opened my mouth and started talking to the messenger: ‘When I saw you, master, I was terror-stricken. My knees turned to water. I couldn’t move. How can I, a lowly servant, speak to you, my master? I’m paralyzed. I can hardly breathe!’ Then this humanlike figure touched me again and gave me strength. He said, ‘Don’t be afraid, friend. Peace. Everything is going to be all right. Take courage. Be strong.’
 Even as he spoke, courage surged up within me. I said, ‘Go ahead, let my master speak. You’ve given me courage.’” Daniel 10:9, 10, 15-19 MSG

New Horizons

Look who’s here: Mountain-Shaper! Wind-Maker!
He laid out the whole plot before Adam.
He brings everything out of nothing,
like dawn out of darkness.
He strides across the alpine ridges.
His name is God, God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
Amos 4:13 MSG

On the way home from the Philippines, I looked out the window to this magnificent sight and thought of the new horizons ahead of me. Now don’t get me wrong - there were also current/future challenges running through my mind at the same time! But the overwhelming sense was that God had lifted my eyes to see something greater beyond all of that. The God who brought everything out of nothing, dawn out of darkness, had opened my eyes to a deeper level of intimacy with Him, and a greater awareness of His involvement in my surroundings. The God who has charge of the universe is interested in the tiny details of your life and mine, and He is involved in incredible ways. INCREDIBLE. UNBELIEVABLE. MIND-BLOWING ways.