Blessings

This year, I am committing to writing at least four blogs. Of which this will be the first! Haha.

I also might put up some of my recent sermons for people to read. ;)

So anyway, this year started off with a bang eh? Or something to that extent. With floods in Rochester and surrounding areas we were very busy offering emergency relief and support to flood victims.

Then of course, school holidays finished straight away and we were barely given a chance to catch our breath (and plan!) However, everything is rolling along smoothly (well. somewhat.)

There were a couple of things I wanted to share in this blog which have come to mind throughout the year already.

Firstly, someone asked me not so long ago why I was happy most of the time and what made me happy. I was quite taken back by this question because I had never thought about it before.

I was even more taken back because I never realised how happy I was! There have been times in my life where 'happy' would have seemed impossible... and the only reason I can give to my happiness today is the transforming grace and hope I have found in Jesus Christ. That might be hard for some people to comprehend and they probably dont really understand what I mean until they have experienced it for themselves. But I can truly say, I was lost but now am found. And I have come from the darkness into the light and I'm staying away from that darkness!

Ask me about it one day and I will tell you exactly what I mean!

So that has me excited and it gives me a passion to share the Gospel with others and the transformational power of God. Something else that also makes the flame burn brighter is prayer.

On Wednesday night I was finally able to attend a prayer meeting at the church. I was incredibly blessed by this small group of people who met to pray. There was enough holy spirit in that room to transform a country! And there were beautiful comfortable silences that I have never experienced before. I cannot believe how long we prayed for. Time flies when you're praying!
But the power I experienced in that room the other night is something I am not going to forget.
There is power in prayer. And prayer is what's going to revive this thirsty church.

I am so excited about what is happening at Echuca Moama Salvation Army this year. I am so excited about what is planned for the future and I am SO passionate about seeing the lives of our young people get transformed in a holy way.

I cannot wait! Can you?

If Only It Were Christmas Everyday

Well it has been awhile (say, 6 months!) and a LOT has happened in that time, so here's a quick overview! I quit my job at Lead On Ballarat and am now working as the Youth and Children's Ministry Assistant at the Echuca Salvation Army Corps, which I am VERY excited about. I love my job. It's all God stuff and it's marvellous.

So this means that I have actually moved to Echuca, living by myself, bought a horse and having a ball and meeting brilliant people. And most importantly, I am now in full-time ministry. Praise Jesus for an answered prayer (or ten!!!). That's the update.

Even if no one reads my blogs, I still find great value in having a place to post my thoughts and feelings etc etc etc.

Anyway, I have had the urge to blog all week and now I finally get the chance, so I am excited!

I have had an amazing past few weeks here at Echuca. The month of December has been full of blessings and I rejoice in God for that. I witnessed one of our youth recommitt their lives to Christ, children who pray openly in the congregation ALL the time (I'm blown away), children who portray Jesus, young people full of enthusiasm and opportunities galore to share Jesus with the community.

Now having said all this, I don't want to disillusion you. There are challenges. Heaps of challenges. And sometimes I feel a little worse for wear. But where would we be without these challenges? And where is God going to change lives when change is not needed? Exactly.

Anyway, this week we have been out and about in the community down at Bunnings. Bunnings has given the Salvation Army a wonderful opportunity this year to get involved in the community. So we have held 2 BBQs down at Bunnings and tomorrow we are running a kids clinic where we will build nativity scenes and get to share the real Christmas story with children.

I delight in this kind of stuff. We have also been handing out War Cry's and Kidzone's all week (even the old War Cry's) which many people were delighted to receive. One lady told me how her granddaughter used to receive Kidzones and she was so happy to be able to get her another one again.

So I praise God for the Christmas season. Not only because we celebrate the time where he gave us something more precious than we deserved, but because of the opportunity it presents us with to share with others the Gospel and care for each other.

If only it were Christmas all year? Well it should be! Why can't it be! Let's learn from this Christmas and spread the joy all year round.

Yours in Christ,

Loz

Minties

I remember you somewhat
Before you disappeared
You were full of life
The person I most feared
Revered.

Like a lion growling close by
Shaking in my gummies
I dare not pluck that which is not
Mine for the taking
Walnuts.

Before you disappeared
They all watched you
Licked your lips
Worshipped your presence
Minties.

You're gone now
But you disappeared long ago
Lacking the distance
Within a stones throw
Old.

Remember I came to visit
Our hearts touched
As did our eyes
I heard what you said to me
Wise.

Comforted by your coffin
Yet when I look at her
I can't help but feeling
Her own loss as mine
Love.

It's times such as
I start to remember you
And I know deeply that
It's moments like these we need
Minties.

This is what I remember most.
This is what I delight in.
Not that you disappeared before your post
Even though you were still fighting.

But that you left the way you did
It breaks my soul to know
Though they thought you couldn't
You felt each every blow

I am glad that I have known you
Before you disappeared
The things you do amaze me
You're different, the same as
Me.

Never Still Silence

Listening to his silence
A flame inside
Stilling from the violence
Heart run and hide

An unsuspecting victim
Stumbles on the trip
Waiting for the dictum
Or another soulless quip

Yet obedient the quietude
Motionless and cold
Fire burning bright
Melt this selfless mould

Bidding him to speak
Sweet words to the ears
The silence to break
So conquer the fears

"Not yet" he silently whispers
"Not yet. My child be still"
"Wait as my Spirit stirs"
"Let my silence spill"

Awaiting thou lovers call
In the silence of this cavity
Willing thou self not to fall
A victim of such gravity

Listening to his silence
The soul begins to fill
Breaking from the violence
Open to his will

Thoughts to ponder: church buildings and such.

If a churches main focus is in the main building; they are missing the point!

A question of "divine" inspiration came to me recently when I was pondering our church's mission and vision. The question was:

"How would you be Jesus to this community if you didn't have a church building?"

That question opens up so many answers, doors and ideas! How would you do church differently if you didn't have a place of your own... at least not in the sense of a church building. How would you do church differently if your focus was entirely outward, constantly outward all the time?

Maybe we should take a page from the early christians books... They met in their own homes and the Gospel passed from family to family. Why aren't we still doing this? Have we just complicated things a little bit?

Don't get me wrong. It's great to have a church building. But do we really need it? Truthfully? Jesus seemed to be a bit of a nomad to me... why aren't we?

Thoughts to ponder!!

Ramblings!

Hello World.
It seems that this warrior hasn't blogged in awhile.
It makes me wonder why.

What's been happening?
Christmas has come and gone and easter is well on it's way.

Here I am procrastinating again. There always seems like so much to do and no time to do it in. I'd love just to pause the world. What would be the implications of that though?

If I was to pause the world whenever I needed to or felt I needed to. I think if I paused the world for an hour a day every day for the rest of my life, that would be thousands of hours in which I've aged and I'll end up being older than people my own age. Make sense? I hope not. Ramblings...

This year is going to be an interesting year, and I know I'm going to learn alot and not like the process is will take to learn the stuff I need to.

God loves teaching us new lessons- but it takes us awhile to learn the lesson and sometimes it involves struggling and pain. More often than not. We don't appreciate the pain while it's there- but we love the outcomes. I know this is the case for me anyway.

Isn't that why the Bible says rejoice in the bad times and the good times? I think God knows something we don't here... Oh wait. That's a bit of an understatment hey? =P

Let's look forward to the journeys and lessons ahead of us. Hold our heads high and our eyes focussed on Jesus.

For Times I Feel I've Failed

I can do nothing right
Or so it would seem
Should I stay and fight?
Is this just a dream?

I thought I was okay
I thought I was bright
But it seems that something
Was missed from my sight

My mind now in turmoil
My hope slowly fades
I thought I could make it
Without escapades

Just when I could reach it
Just when it was near
Success has stripped me
and left me in fear

Yet rejoice my soul says
Rejoice and be glad
How can I rejoice,
when I'm feeling so sad?

Because it's not the end yet
It's not even the start
Just wait patiently
Soon you'll find heart

Store your treasures in heaven
Not here on this earth
For you've been forgiven
And know not your worth.