with my feet on the dash.

2009-08-16T06:27:00.000-07:00

Having to log into blogger from an email I no longer use was starting to drive me bonkers.

I also find blogger a little difficult to just use for sporadic posts.

So... I have moved.

http://hushupsittight.tumblr.com/

It's been fun here. Ciao.

Bon Voyage.

2009-07-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

She really did it. Missing her already & I'm not sure it's been 24 hours yet.

Moonshine.

2009-07-22T05:38:00.000-07:00

This is my prayer at the moment; that I might be like this...

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

I'd love to actually write about the things I've been thinking about and going through lately with the church plant, new job, moving out, family parting over the seas, personality types, life - but I think I need to find another avenue for that - I think some people actually read this, which was not my original intention. So I'm going to have to stick to random internet links, chatterings about books & sermons, music, photoraphs, movie trailers and random comments.

Like this...

It's the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11, so I felt like posting this amazing photo of the moon.

More clever ads...

2009-07-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

Colour.

2009-07-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

I think these have been around for a while, but I love them.

Church mansions.

2009-07-15T04:59:00.000-07:00

This amazing architect, Christoph Moringhaus, designed these church buildings. Wow, I can not imagine what it would be like going to church in these buildings, kind of scary is one feeling that came to mind, and cold... but some of the window designs are pretty darn beautiful!

Please take me to see these movies. Thanks.

2009-07-15T04:44:00.000-07:00

Biblemap.org

2009-07-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

This is comletely nerdy. But also very cool.

Biblemap.org

Anything placed on a doily is ok by me.

2009-07-08T05:57:00.000-07:00

Credit: Sooooound

London calling.

2009-07-08T05:40:00.000-07:00

A few things.

2009-07-06T05:38:00.000-07:00

Street installations in Europe. Click on the picture to go see the rest.

Some videos...

Find more videos like this on AdGabber

Find more videos like this on AdGabber

I'll end this post with a random fact... some website calculated that I have lived for 8187 days.

The Year of Living Biblically.

2009-06-14T04:58:00.000-07:00

This guy says he attempted to live according to the bible for a year and wrote a book about it. The video below makes it seem like all he did was grow a beard and walk around in a robe & sandals. Not sure how this is actually living 'biblically' - but heck, I want to read the book.

Philips Carousel.

2009-06-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

This is amazing.

The Jakes.

2009-06-06T00:03:00.001-07:00

Since I'm sick in bed, it means I find a lot of cool stuff, and therefore I post a lot.

I wish I could paste the video straight into here, but I can't, so click on it & watch! This guys voice is beautiful.

http://www.purevolume.com/thejakes/videos/66388/Cough+Syrup

Music & mucus.

2009-06-05T23:17:00.000-07:00

This new EP by one of my old favourites, Mae, is so lovely. I can't seem to find where to buy it though. Click on the album cover to listen.

Meanwhile... this is how i feel...

Sick. I have a cough that feels like my throat is being slowed ripped away.

Good news is I made it through my first week at work, and tonight I am going to see The Middle East AND it's a long weekend: so there are more things to smile about. I love the Queen.

Gotta love a good ol' flash mob to lift your spirits.

2009-06-05T22:44:00.000-07:00

Hammertime.

p.s. I think I have swine flu.

Viva La Virus.

2009-06-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

Pretty rad that Empire of the sun made it into this, I always get proud when I see aussie artists doing well, but that's besides the point, this video is rad.

2009-05-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

This guys site is a total tome killer, some of it's morbid or crass, but most of it is pretty darn cool. (visit)

Snowflake.

2009-05-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

This reminds me of those amazing things you look into and spin around. Oh I love it.

create your own snowflake here.

Breathing earth.

2009-05-27T05:37:00.000-07:00

this website freaks me out a little. Just sit and watch the population figure change in seconds... so weird.

No, Mr. President

2009-05-27T03:54:00.000-07:00

One of the many reasons why I respect Mr. Piper...

I love how desiringGod.org puts these videos together, here is another one. You can't help but be affected.

Absence.

2009-05-21T02:02:00.000-07:00

I have been pretty absent from this things lately, mainly because I've taken a good break from the internet, which has been lovely.

So much has happened, I've moved out into a little place in Newtown (just down the road from my church which is rad!) and I got a job; the job that I blogged about having a bad interview. I got through three interviews & then was offerred the position, crazy huh!? It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks! I don't actually start the position until June 1st, but man, getting there was pretty heavy; I had to do a presentation that was due the Monday after the weekend I moved & then I had to try & get them to raise the offerred salary because it was way too low!
God is so good, I have no idea how I'd get through life without knowing of His complete & utter control over things.

The move to Newtown has been a massvie change; although I used to spend a large proportion of my time in Newtown, living here is a whole other story. We live surrounded by gothic shops, buddhist centres, cat apprecitation societies, brothels and homeless; it makes me feel... so... normal. I've already had one run-in with a crazy, yelling down the street, thank goodness my place has great security. Our (our, meaning mine & my flatmate Reanna) place is great, the convienence is amazing - I'm a minutes walk from everywhere. The main downside is that from about 7.30-10.45pm every night the Enmore theatre (my new neighbour) has their air conditioning on which vibrates quite loudly through our walls... pretty bad; I'm hoping I get used to it, quickly!!

Another clear sign that I've moved out of home is that I'm watching Home&Away as I write this. Only people living out of home working full time jobs watch home&away... boring.

I've been a bit homesick this week and so today, on my day off, I went home. I spent some cuddle time with my pups, breakfast with mum and the afternoon at the world press exhibition and a beer at the pub with dad. I have the greatest parents.

Thank you amazon.

2009-05-02T07:50:00.001-07:00

I have some catching up to do, fun :)

Recession reflections.

2009-05-02T07:23:00.000-07:00

I have been applying for full time positions ever since I got back from Kenya, nearly three months ago now (woah) and last Friday I got my very first interview. I was (and still am) very encouraged to get something, a response! The interview did not go as I had hoped but what it did do was give me huge insight into just how much I have gone backwards over the past six months.
I realised that since my trip I have come back with a different persepective, not only that, but I've come back without the passion for the music industry that I once had in such a totally geeky way - now my passion has shifted to a focus on overseas or cross cultural mission. I look at this shift in two ways, I get sad remembering 'what was' and 'what could have been' when I think about certain decisions I made in the path I have chosen in taking the time off to go overseas and finish up my small business and wonder where I'd be now if I'd stuck to my business or stayed on at the music network - on the other hand, I also look at it with great thankfullness.
Music used to be a total idol for me, it consumed my time, money, energy, devotion and so on, over the years this has shifted, slowly but surely and my desire has been moving closer to just wanting to glorify Christ in my every movement. For this change I am so thankful, but it has made me realise that living in this world, when that is your goal, is much harder. It's not a natural desire, living for music & success came much more naturally to me and the world gave me what I wanted when I saught after them. The more I look to Jesus, the more I realise that this world isn't it, it's just a part of it & heaven is the ultimate reward, remembering that what we do in this part is all to point to the next.

It's interesting being a part of the large number of young job seekers in this recession, but it's just the way it is and I believe it's what God wants for me right now. He doesn't want to go backwards & fix the direction he has taken me... he chose it, it's perfect, it's unfolding, and I'm trusting.

Some piccies from easter...

2009-05-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

Loveliness.

2009-04-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

I have been taking a nice little break from technology the past week or so. It has been lovely and is really just a taste of what it will be like once I move out, it looks like I may be rid of internet in my new home, aside from communication purposes. We shall see.

I feel like I have been blessed beyond understanding the past few weeks. I can not even understand why I am deserving of such blessing, but I accept with a thankful heart, with praise to the Father who gave it all to me. I've had the pleasure of enjoying many peaceful days in the blue mountains with family & friends (&even my puppies) - sleeping, reading, drinking much tea & good wine, wood fires, glorious day hikes, beautiful food, morning coffees, mind boggling & joy soaring sermons, sifting through antiques, playing scramble & uno, celebrating birthdays and soaking in Gods word.

All of these blessings and I still know that I am not home yet.

Old friends & bookends.

2009-04-07T04:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, I will be there. Broke as it will make me.
I am willing.

Pack those bags.

2009-04-07T04:24:00.001-07:00

In exactly a months time, I am going to be a resident of my very own apartment on Enmore Rd, Newtown.

Byebye to being an irresponsible child. eek...

I already miss my dogs just thinking about it. oh, and of course my lovely folks! it will be interesting to see how I survive without them, but I look forward to the time when I'm writing about it.

Graduation. a road trip.

2009-04-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

I am heading off with my family in half an hour to take the long road trip to Armidale (UNE) so that I can attend my graduation. To make it bearable my parents said that we can stop via the hunter valley on the way home for some wine tasting. hooray.

A friend from work has let me borrow one of his lenses, so I look forward to reporting back with some lovely roadtrippin' photographs when I return.

Yes, a whole weekend with my family. So nice.

Silhouette masterpiece theatre.

2009-03-30T05:13:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for some great art to buy for my walls when I move out. Among many other talents, I found this... (click on the picture, beware, you will fall in love with these pictures).

Screech & the 90s.

2009-03-30T05:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, so, I have a deep love for 90s teen tv shows, for example, the classic & witty 90210. I also love Saved by the Bell, who didn't?!

In case you've forgotten... (click here)

So you can imagine my excitement at the whisp of 'reunion'!

Hmm...

2009-03-28T03:12:00.000-07:00

Beer pong.

I won't lie, I do want to play this.

Smashing things.

2009-03-28T03:07:00.001-07:00

Some guy shot things with a pellet gun and took photos. Rad.

See the rest here.

(ps. didn't end up going to the inspection, they hiked up the price above my limit, lame)

My first inspection.

2009-03-27T01:47:00.000-07:00

I'm going on my very first house inspection tomorrow. How strange. But oh so exciting. I'm almost positive that just like with my job applications a couple hundred other people will show up and win the competition. But here's for trying!

Where the wild things are.

2009-03-27T01:44:00.000-07:00

excited about this.

M. Ward has pretty video clips.

2009-03-25T03:34:00.000-07:00

I like making lists.

2009-03-22T05:08:00.000-07:00

Things are looking much better this week; as much as I am still desperate to find a proper job, I am entering this week with a new outlook & it's going to be better.

I am going to be making some changes, & they are helping me get through this 'limbo' period.

1. Stay focused on the music industry - not let discouragement sway me away from my chosen profession.
2. Reduce my work hours at ticketek so I can spend more time working on church things, perhaps even one day a week devoted to resolved.
3. Exercise. more of it.
4. Reading. I'm going to attempt to read just as much of Christian books as I am currently chewing up on fiction/biography.
5. Spend as little as possible. Reanna & I think we may have found a place in newtown, which means I'll be moving out in about a month, this means it's time to save as much as possible while I'm still rent free.
6. Networking. for job opps. call old work mates & catch up. Update & pimp resume.
7. Drive as little as possible. I think buses&walking are better, & cheaper.
8. Print&frame Kenya paintings/photographs; re-organise bedroom.
9. Start volunteering at juvenile prison on Sunday mornings.
10. Pack my lunch. every day. so that I do not gobble junk.

I think these changes will make this weird stage of life actually a pretty good one.

fast forward please.

2009-03-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

I just got 'another' rejection email, but this time from a job I was so positive about, a job I really felt qualified for and in with a shot. I even had some friends with connections recommend me. But when you're up against 350 other hopefuls, all of that is vapor.

It's very difficult not to feel discouraged. I've started thinking I may be stuck in casual call center work for the next 6 months even. eurgghhh, the thought hurts my brain.

I've started thinking about perhaps going to bible college while I wait for this financial crisis to nick off and leave us all alone.

I'd like to know what God is planning with this whole thing, I'm sure I'm supposed to be growing and learning through this weird stage of my life, but I am already looking forward to the days where I can look back and say 'hey, I'm really thankful for that awkward stage of my life, I learned to really lean on Jesus.'

fast forward please.

This is how I feel today.

2009-03-13T03:41:00.000-07:00

gross...

Animal love.

2009-03-12T22:32:00.000-07:00

Gingerbread face.

2009-03-11T21:34:00.000-07:00

Raddison & I baked last night & she made this for me.

I think it suits me better than the original.

I love weddings.

2009-03-11T21:18:00.001-07:00

My lovely friend, Rachael, got married to Jeremy last weekend.

My sister was a bridesmaid, and she was (is) beautiful.

(this photo was taken by beth, thanks betty)

Homesick. reversed.

2009-03-11T05:36:00.000-07:00

Goodness, how I miss seeing these beautiful faces each day.

I've realised that I haven't posted any photographs from my trip yet really, this is only the second. Every now & again I'll post one, a good excuse for me to keep reliving the memories.

News from kibera.

2009-03-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

This is Pato. He's one of the Kenyan friends from Kibera slum whom I have kept in touch with since coming home. Last night he sent me this;

"hi sis, i and my school mates had come from sharing jesus with some prisoners, and nine of them gave their lives to jesus. that made my day.
on our way back we got stopped by a five man gang with guns and they took our things but we were all left safe."

I have received such amazing emails of encouragement from a number of my Kenyan friends, their unstoppable fervor for the Lord is incredible. Contagious. I pray to be more like them.

Enabled to stand.

2009-03-08T22:26:00.001-07:00

All day I have been feeling yucky. Mainly about not knowing what to do, where to go, when to do it all & how it fits in. I over think things.

It took me all day to give into the Spirits (wonderful) nagging, 'just go read God's word!'

I'm doing the bible in a year, and this was included in today's passages:

Psalm 18
As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord is flawless.
He is a shield,
for all who take refuge in him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.

Want a Snuggie?

2009-03-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

Someone posted this on facebook. I couldn't resist re-posting it here. Hilarious. They kind of make people look like the monks from Sister Act - in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we see a cult spring up from these bad boys. But, I kind of want one.

The atlantic was born today, and I'll tell you how.

2009-03-07T04:27:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, listening to transatlanticism, loud through my favourite headphones, whilst drinking tea, is not enough.

But most of the time, I like to kid myself and think that it makes me feel better.

I think it does, a little.

I love Michael Scott.

2009-03-03T04:32:00.001-08:00

Totally depraved.

2009-03-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

These are not my words, these are some snippets from a sermon on total depravity I listened to by John Piper yesterday. It blew my mind.

1 Corinthians 10:31 - So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Sin, by its nature, is a falling short of the glory of God.

Romans 1:23 - exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

We are offered God himself as our treasure and we trade it for... you name it. The heart is a desire factory - it produces all kinds of alternative desires to God.

When we ask, where does God and His glory fit?, he's hardly even there - for the fallen, unregenerate, human being. His glory is simply not a treasure.

You don't feel the weight of sin when you use the list method, you have to bring God into the picture. The majesty, greatness of God and the pervasive demand of seeing and savoring his glory, that we don't do.

Romans 14:23 - But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

What is sin? Anything. The best things & the worst things. Anything that is not from faith, is sin. In other words, if you're not depending on God to teach you, enable you, empower you to do a thing so that He gets the glory... you're sinning.

1 Peter 4:11 - whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength the God supplies–so that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

Everything that we do, should be done, in reliance upon a redeemer to forgive us and an empowerer to enable us so that when it is done, the redeemer and the empowerer get the glory. Everything that is not done that way is sin.

When you stop to think about this, it means that this world is simply drowning, in a sea of sin.

Example: If I asked my son, 'I want you to wash the car, if you want to use it tonight to go to the basketball game.' And he gets really bent out of shape, and he hasn't set that in his schedule and he doesn't want to do it. And I said 'Barnabas, I don't want to be picky but that's the requirement, wash the car and sure you can have it tonight.' And he walks out of the room fuming at me, I am his father, that fuming at me is not a good thing, he should be willingly submissive, obey his dad, be thankful that he can use the car, wash it. He stomps out as thought he is not going to do as I say, and I notice an hour later that he is out in the drive way washing the car, and everything in his body is exuding 'I don't want to be doing this' and 'I'm angry at my dad for doing this'. Now he is doing what I told him to do, how does that make me feel? Is he obeying me? In the raw external sense, but not in the heart sense. He is being totally governed by principles different than his love for me.

That's the way unbelievers build hospitals. It is a good thing that hospitals get built and it is a good thing that unbelievers build them. God wants compassion to abound in the world, but the attitude if you actually boil it down to God issues, which are the ones that count, they're oblivious of God, they are not relying upon God, they are not trusting God - they are giving him zero attention of their time. So God is like me watching my son wash the car. The car will be clean tomorrow and that's my will for my son to drive it, but, my son is in rebellion.

To listen to the rest of this sermon, go to, http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Seminars/2280_TULIP_Part_3/

Debt, is, dumb.

2009-02-24T19:42:00.001-08:00

Would you like a McCruelty with that?

2009-02-24T00:15:00.000-08:00

So for the past couple of years I've been shocked and horrified by what I have learned about animal welfare amongst fast food chains, particularly, McDonalds, KFC & Hungry Jacks. I've never liked fast food, but on the odd road trip occasion when you're tired and a burger seems better than a service station doughnut (ick) I'll eat something. In the past month since being home I've been reminded three times of how I feel about this and have finally decided to make a stand and no longer eat fast food from chains where animal cruelty (e.g. caged chickens) takes place again. I'm not going vego, because I believe God has provided animals for us, under our authority and for food, but I do not believe in the abuse of something we have been given authority over, that's just messed up.

Please watch this so that you can understand what goes on & perhaps you'll think about taking this stand with me. (don't let lil ol' pammy deter you).

This does not have to do with fast food, but it's part of an Oprah ep I watched a few weeks ago. It's horrifying.

Bored & unemployed.

2009-02-15T05:09:00.000-08:00

Job hunting is the pits. There are a million jobs available for things you don't want, that you pretty much forget what you actually do want, and nobody gives you a chance to figure that out. I'm hoping that unemployment will be a rare occasion in my life.

Although, I'm not completely against all the extra time for reading in bed.

A good song, no, a great song.

2009-02-08T16:49:00.000-08:00

Heavenly Father
You always amaze me
Let Your kingdom come in my world
And in my life

Give me the food I need
To live through today
Forgive me as I forgive
The people that wrong me

Lead me far from temptation
Deliver me from the evil one

I look out the window
The birds are composing
Not a note is out of tune
Or out of place

I walk to the meadow
And stare at the flowers
Better dressed than any girl
On her wedding day

So why should I worry?
Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
You know what I need!

Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong

The kingdom of the heavens
Is now advancing
Invade my heart
Invade this broken town

The kingdom of the heavens
Is buried treasure
Would you sell yourself
To buy the one you've found

Two things you told me
That you are strong
And you love me
Yes, you love me

Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong
Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong

Our God in Heaven
Hallowed be Thy name
Above all names
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven
Give us, today, our daily bread
Forgive us weary sinners
Keep us far from our vices
And deliver us from these prisons

Your Love Is Strong by Jon Foreman

Life in Kibera.

2009-01-05T05:31:00.001-08:00

There are very quite different worlds here in Kibera, which mean that the poverty and heart ache do not hit you straight away. There is a shell of smiles, loud music, friendly people & thriving business and so it takes a few days of getting to know some of the people and get in a bit deeper for things to hit you emotionally. When you come somewhere like this you expect to be hit with a wave of grief at the sights you see around, but I just haven't. The majority of people living here choose to do so, and one of my YCT friends even said she wouldn't choose to live anywhere else, she loves it here - but then you probe further and she admits she would not want to bring up kids here. So it's really opened my eyes to see the media's tricks in how they portray slums. These people generally love living here and are happy, and a lot of NGO's come in saying they know what the peoples needs are and unsuccessfully try to fufill them. Patrick, our YCT leader was explaining a lot of that to me the other day, he sees it happen so often that he wants to help set up a placement type organisation to tell people who come in what the needs in Kibera truely are, he knows because he's grown up here and has now devoted his life to ministering in it. He told me the main need is teaching people how to set up and run businesses because the parents will leave very early in the morning and not return till about 8pm that night, leaving their kids to look after themselves, but the 'looking after' but doesnt happen, they will often go without breakfast and lunch, they will wear the same clothes almost every day until they are unwearable and they run around the slum in the muck & without anyone to discipline and care for them in the day. We ran two days of kids programs with the YCT team this week and those were the kids that came along. The little boys will very often be in tattered dresses because that's all they have and the smell of the kids when you hug them makes you sick in the stomach. It was such a joy to spend time with them though and care for them and we shared the story of Noah & the ark about Gods faithfullness (which we were told to teach them all very last minute, T.I.A). Then yesterday we spent the whole day at a childrens home, running a church service, classes and games for the kids which was such a joy! The family vibe they have there was amazing, and the kids are inspiring to be around. One example of why a kid was there was because when he was about 5 his father killed his mother, but now he is praising God because if he had not ended up at the orphanage he would not have heard about the love of Jesus. It blew my mind, these kids are just so strong they really put me to shame. I'm not sure what I would do without my parents.Even just this morning we whent to an another orphanage just for ages 0-3, mainly abandoned babies, and i spent hours just nursing tiny little babies, over 80% of them (and in fact all people in kibera) HIV positive, and a number of them malnourished and with disabilities. It is so impossible to imagine that anyone could look into their eyes and then abandon them.The effects of the riots this time last year are pretty stark as well, we've been visiting some of the YCT members homes and hearing about their lives and how during the fighting they would hide under their beds at night, walk over bodies in the street and had a family friend burnt alive. It's pretty hard stuff to hear, but when they talk about it they say it with such blank, matter of fact tone that you almost don't even register what they've just said. Kenyans just pick up the peices and keep living life. And the YCT members just trust God with all their hearts, they're a real challenge to me.Another challenge that we have witnessed first hand here is the bible teaching.They have what they call 'African theology' - most pastors are not trained and equipped to teach from the bible, and they therefore more often than not pull out a verse from the bible and teach a message completely out of context. They are also very into things like prophesy, (where they predict the future saying that God has spoken these things to them) and we witnessed this first hand early in the week, the things prophesied were very clearly not from the bible. It's a big problem here and is a big hurdle that the YCT team come into contact with continuously. We have been seizing the opportunity to open up our bibles at every opportunity that we get, showing it's importance and priority in our lives. Please pray for Kenyan committed Christians to be able to go to bible collage, Kibera is in such need of trained pastors who are not foreigners, so that people are not being lead into confusion and false teachings.Tomorrow is a day off which we are all pretty excited about, we're going to go and find western food and see a movie! Thank you so much to all for your emails and prayers. I love hearing your news and God is really answering prayers so evidently. There is so much for us to do here and we were originally worried that we would be ineffective and idle - it's been quite the opposite!Happy new year!!

Beginning of the next chapter.

2009-01-05T05:30:00.000-08:00

I have realised that my emails have been very very long, I'm sorry to put you through the guilt of not really reading all of them. Every time I begin writing to you again I say "I'll try and be brief" and I really do try! It's impossible to be experiencing the things I am and then confine them to two paragraphs on a page. I so long to send you some photos, but I don't think that I'll be able to do that maybe until I'm in Thailand, or when I get back home.

I'm now back from northern Kenya and we have now settled into our new home for the next 3 weeks on the outskirts of Kibera slum in Nairobi. It's very surreal to be in Kibera after such a long time of reading about it, seeing it on the news (if you can remember the politcal violence which arose this time last year) and seeing photos - to now being in it! I'm not sure it has actually quite sunk in yet. We've only walked in amongst it twice and it's only been a day and a half, so I'm so I'll have much more to say about it later on, but if you want to get a feel for where I am, just go to youtube or google and type in 'Kibera Slum, Nairobi' and you'll get a good sense. There are over 1.3 million people living here in this tiny area, it's pretty overwhelming. But the ministry that Youngsters for Christ (who we are working and living with for our remaining time in Kenya) is amazingly inspiring and encouraging. The young people running it (all about 20-25ish) all grew up in slum and have now devoted their lives to helping people in Kibera and telling them about Jesus, giving them hope. So it's an absolute privledge to be working with them. They also have an intense humour, laughter is constant.

I hope you all had blessed Christmas days! I had a very interesting Christmas indeed, I don't think I could have ever imagined spending Christmas away from my family in desert Kenya, but God was good and really blessed us with a joyful focused on his son. We kicked off the day with church (not sure if I have mentioned this yet, but if you get out of church under 3 hours you're lucky!) - the youth put on a play of the Christmas story which even though was all spoken in Rendilie, it was hilarious and entertaining, Kenyans are great entertainers!! And we knew most of the youth from camp which was special.
We then went back to the Swanepoels for an amazing roast lunch, myama choma (roast meat, in this case goat) and all the sodas we could stomach! It was the bext Christmas present! It's amazing how food becomes such a luxury when you're away from home, we have been craving things we don't even eat that much back home, like chocolate, coke, fruit and salad! I then actually spent the afternoon in the back of Nick & Lynne Swanepoels land rover cramped up with about 15 rendilie as we dropped off an elderly man who have been bitten by a scorpian earlier Christmas morning back to his hut. It was quite disturbing to see him, he barely looked alive, and who knows whether he will even survive. The scorpian bites happen daily up north and are worse than any snake bite you can imagine, they are largely fatal and cause the most agonizing pain you can imagine. We saw quite [at this point in my email the computer just shut down randomly, so now i'll have to re-type a far amount, I've now started to get use to this in Kenya, things just break, or don't work A LOT, or planned things don't happen or people don't show up etc, they saying we've taken a liking to is 'T.I.A' - meaning This Is Africa] a lot of scorpians around, so praise God that none of us were hurt.
We then spent the evening saying our goodbyes to the three South Africans who had spent the past three weeks up north with us, and the Swanepoels, which was quite emotional because we really had created a beautiful family up there. I am so thankful to God for Grant & Loki Swanepoel and how they looked after us. They are an amazingly selfless & faithful couple, please remember to thank God for them in your prayers.
We left at 4am the next morning back into the army truck we drove up in and I sat on to front roof to watch the sun rise up over the beautiful northern kenyan desert mountains, I am so hopeful I will return there in the future. My time has run out but I'll breifly mention our safari in the Samburu national park... incredible! we just drove around freely in our big truck and chased hordes of elepants and a leopard, and buffallo, giraffe, warthogs, antelopes and i had breakfast sitting on a log with baboons. I think that gives you a enough of a taste of that.

So please pray for our ministry in Kibera, and for my heart, it is very weak when it comes to poverty and suffering and Kibera is FULL of it. Please pray that we will be effective and encourage many lives for Christ.

Love to you all.

Katie.

letters from kenya...

2008-12-29T23:54:00.000-08:00

so i haven't been able to access this blog since being in kenya, but i have been able to send out a few email news letters. so since i now have a chance to get on here i thought i'd just paste in the newsletters so that those not receiving my emails can read. they are long, so i'm sorry for that, feel free to just skim. believe me, if you were here you'd have as much to say as i do! it's hard to cut things down! enjoy. & merry christmas!!! hope it was a joyful day for all.

Hi all, this is Jackie on behalf of Katie. She has had a bit of trouble with internet access and for some reason couldn't update her blog or send a mail out to you all. But she has managed to send me her first update to pass on to you all, enjoy!!

letter one...
Hujambo!
I have now been in Nairobi Kenya for two days, I arrived with most of
the team early yesterday (kenyan time, it's now Monday 10pm here) so
as you can imagine, the jetlag has set in! I'm exhausted, so as much
as I would LOVE to send you a long, detailed email about things so
far, I need to prioritise getting to bed soon, but i really wanted to
get in contact with you all at least briefly before out team jumps in
a big army truck on Wednesday and begins out 15 hour journey to Korr,
in the north of Kenya, where we will be spending three weeks living
with the Rendilie people and having out youth camp etc. it is highly
likely that I wont have internet access the entire time while I'm
there, so you may not hear anything from me until i return to Nairobi
after Christmas. I will have my mobile (+61418402405) which is on
global roaming, but i highly doubt there will be any reception there
either, but if you feel like sending a msg in the next few days I may
get it :)

It's been a bit of a blur the past couple of days, the travel over was
longer than i've experienced in a very long time, 10 hours to
Guangzhou China, then a 7 hour layover, then another 12 hours to
Kenya. I'd love to tell you our hilarious (and kind of worrying)
stories with the Guangzhou airport officials disappearing with our
passports for hours, but i don't have much time and I'm sure you're
more interested in what it's like in kenya. but thank you for your
prayers, we all arrived safely, and the whole thing went very
smoothly, I slept a lot on the flight over and felt completely at
peace (I'm usually a terrible flyer!!), so praise God for that!

Flying in over Kenya was amazing, I had a window seat and just peared
out over the beautiful green land, covered in mountains and even
spotted a few tiny specs of giraffe profiles which got the heart
racing for sure! I was landing in Africa! if i got excited about
seeing little girrafe specs you can imagine how excited i was to see a
whole group of about 7 just hanging out near the airport when we were
being driven to our lodge!

Nairobi is the capital, and there are people everywhere! it even seems
like there might be more cars than people, the streets are insane, i
just get the giggles all the time when we are driving somewhere
because there are no lanes, and everyone just drives where ever they
want to, it's a complete free for all, and if you're not pushy about
it, you get no where! the Matatos are everywhere as well, they are the
main mode of transport for kenyans, like buses but they kind of look
like those crazy 'wicked' vans that you see backpackers use around
Aus, and people just hop on and off, and there doesn't seem to be a
limit to how many people they squeeze in there. We haven't ridden one
yet, but I'm sure we will when we're living in Kibera slum next month.
there are these strange giant white vultures (birds) that sit on top
of most of the trees which is so weird to see when you're in a city,
but it doesn't really feel like a city at all, every building seems
half built, and it the majority of housing is pretty horrible, the
shiny new fancy cars completely contradict the way they live but i
guess that's what a lot of people seem to prioritise.

the people here are beautiful, Kenyans are mainly tall and slim and
just have beautiful smiley faces, we have felt so welcomed by them so
far which makes it much easier to be here away from home. We are
staying currently in Mayfield lodge which is where all the AIM
missionaries stay when they're passing through, so it's been amazing
getting to chat with people from all over the world and hear about the
work that God has called them to do in different parts of Africa. we
thankfully have wonderful toilet/shower facilities here which has been
a nice welcome too, i've been told my shower tonight may be my last
hot, and proper shower in a long while, so I'm going to enjoy every
second! We've basically just been having orientation classes and
languages classes so far, our Kiswahili teacher is fantastic, his name
is Ezekial and we pretty much end up spending 80% of the class
laughing our heads off, he is hilarious, and I'm loving learning the
language, I seem to be picking it up alright because of the bit of
study i did before coming, which has really helped! but I still feel
like an idiot speaking it to Kenyans, they politely just laugh or
smile in response because we sound so Australian.

the team I'm with are lovely and we all seem to be getting along
really well, we are all very different and from different backgrounds
which could have potentially been a tension builder, but it seems to
have worked in our advantage, but please do pray that this bond will
remain, and grow each day, as the next 2 months will be a reall
challenge and we will really need to step up and support and love each
other in ways we never have had to before, especially since we only
met a few days ago.
Tonight I began to realise how tough this trip is actually going to
be, I'm extremely excited to get going, but we're really going to be
roughing it, and in Korr we'll be getting an opportunity to really
live like the rendelie people do, which is great, but also frightening
because they have cultural traditions that are so foreign to me, e.g.
drinking animal blood, working in extreme heat etc, So I do feel a bit
anxious about how I will react to those sorts of things but what's a
mission trip without pushing the boundaries of my comfort? I'm
positive my boundaries are going to be pushed, and that will be a
great learning, growing experience for me. We've also been told that
when we get back to Nairobi, we will actually be living 'in' kibera
slum, for the three weeks that we work with the kids there. that blew
my mind because i've been looking at photos, seeing video etc of the
place and even that is a shock, but to live amongst those people and
experience how they live their life will be just amazing, (but really
really tough).

Ok so I'm going to go enjoy my last beautiful hot shower in a while,
prepare my devotion that I've been asked to give tomorrow at breakfast
(yes, they just come up to you and ask you to prepare something for
all the guests... no pressure or anything, haha) and then hopefully
get some good, deep rest for more language leanring and training
tomorrow. The basic rundown of my coming weeks is - Tuesday night we
stay just outside of nairobi in a German mission camp because it is
their truck that we will be traveling to korr in with two of their
teams, and then we head off on our 15 hour adventure across kenya (to
korr) around 5am on wednesday morning. when we arrive in Korr we will
have a few days to get to know the area, the people and various
ministries that are going on there before heading off to prepare for
our youth camp which will take place about an hour away from korr.
then next week we will have our youth camp, then we go back to Korr,
help build/paint a house for one of the missionary couples how have
just moved there, and spend Christmas there with them before heading
back to Nairobi (i think that in between Korr and coming back to
Nairobi we may do a safari, but we haven't really been told yet). then
when we get back here we will move over to kibera slum for the last
three weeks. so that's a bit of a run down to give you an idea of
where i'll be over the next little while as i won't unfortunately be
in much contact.

please pray for safety as we travel on Wednesday, for good health, for
the rendelie people that they would welcome us and that we would form
great relationships with them, and for the youth camp, that the time
spent with the Kenyan youth there looking through ephesians and just
hanging out will be blessed and fruitful! Please pray for me as I
learn to trust God more, I'm starting to remember how far away I am
from you all, especially my family, and I need to stop dwelling on
that and focus on the adventure to come.

sorry if this has been long & rambly, I'm still jetlagged and I'm very
overwhelmed by all of the sudden changes and overload of information
i'm being fed, so who knows what I've just written. i hope it's
helpful for you to know what i'm up to and where I'm about to head.

I think i've already begun falling in love with this country.

Lots of love, and prayers. Hope all is well in Aus.

Lala salama.

Katie

letter two...

Hi everyone, this is Katie's sister again emailing you a few bits and pieces of Katie's news. Internet access will continue to be rare. Enjoy:

We arrived in Korr late Wednesday
night after spending the entire day travelling in this hilarious
german army truck and everyone has told us how rare it is to arrive in
one day with no break downs of trouble along the way!! so God really
blessed us with that. the trip was AMAZING! i got to see soooo much of
Kenya, it's a beautiful country! and we saw elephants! and antelopes!
And we weren't even in a national park yet! The villages are incredible. We drove out to
visit one of the clans yesterday in Korr (there are 8 clans and 53
little moving villages around Korr) and it blew my mind. Think of the
simplest and toughest way to live and this was it, remember that this
is in the middle of the desert. about 20 kids came to shake our hands
all practically naked and each time we would greet them they would
giggle uncontrollably because seeing a bunch of wazungu's (white
people) is so so rare for them. they followed us everywhere while we
were taken on a tour of the village. the women look about 70 but are
apparently only 30/40 (the sun and hard life ages them) the life
expectancy of a rendilie is about 39! the rendilie warriors stun me to
quiet respect, they look amazing! they are lathered in colourful
beads, and red cloths with feathers on their heads and their hair is
really long done up in tiny tiny braids which is died red and falls
down their back. we gave them a ride back into town and they sat by us
on the back of the trucks, and i felt like i was around royalty. they
rarely get in cars so they were laughing out the sides, but my eye
kind of stuck on their huge gun to make sure it didn't go off, haha,
their guns make them a little scary.
i could talk forever about the Rendilie people, it is such an honor to
be living here with the Swanepools, they are an amazing missionary
family and have really really challanged me about Gods purpose for my
life. The life out here is TOUGH, and that would even be an
understatement, it's super hot, just alll the time, and the water
tastes gross because of the filtering but you have to drink it because
otherwise you get too weak. my health has been good, praise God, I've
only been sick once because i took my malaria tablet on an empty
stomach...

we will attend our first Rendilie church service tomorrow morning, and
then in the afternoon we will make our way to Ngudunit for camp (about
an hour from here), we have to perform a song in church tomorrow and
then next sunday we have to run the entire service!

letter three...

Friends,

So much has happened since I wrote to you last. It's going to be
absolutely impossible to update you on all of the things I so long to
share with you all, so I'll attempt to just pick out a few things. I
actually started writing this email to you 3 days ago and then had to
run off to a team meeting and haven't had time to get back on the
internet since. We've been back in Korr from camp now for about 4
days, I absolutely love it in Korr, in fact I love all of northern
Kenya (at least the places I've been), I'm going to be very reluctant
to leave and go back to Nairobi. The beauty here is to much to explain
in words, every day is so surreal.

I'll start with tell you a bit about camp, especially since a lot of
you helped pay for campers to attend and eat etc (your money & your
prayers were such a blessing for these teens to get to come to camp).
We returned from Ngurunit (about an hour from Korr in between a bunch
of incredibly beautiful giant mountains) where the camp was held. The
first couple of days we stayed with the Knowles family (missionary
family who have been living there for about 13 years, they have 7
really beautiful kids whom we have really befriended here) and helped
get the campsite ready, buidling chos (pit toilets), gathering Kuni
(firewood) etc and then before we knew it the campers arrived.

We slept in a little nursery room with all of the girl campers, on the
floor, that was an experience. It was very crowded, and loud and
uncomfortable - but it was also great to live within a close proximity
to the girls for a week, and show them that we were there for them and
not for ourselves. The girls would get up around 4am each morning to
fill up their buckets and get showers, and i still have bruises from
the cement floor, so not too much sleep was had - but thankfully since
we have been back in Korr we have had some great time to rest!

The camp was such an amazing experience, the campers were from all
around Northern Kenya and at first I really struggled with the culture
gap between us. I felt so different, and the truth was, I was
different. The way I have grown up is so opposite to them, and
connecting with them at first was a real challenge because I felt like
I had nothing to say that would interest them. God really answered my
prayers though and by the end of the week and was able to connect with
a number of the girls in my discussion group and have some great
conversations with the boys too. The girls here are SO shy, they tend
to cover their faces whenever they smile or laugh, and the boys are
opposite, they are hugely outgoing and will come striaght up to you
and ask you immediate questions about your life and what you're doing.

The most encouraging thing about the camp was the amazing teaching
from Gods word. The talks were so faithful, and the gospel was
presented over and over in such a clear way. Remember in your prayers
to praise God for his faithful servants here in Northern Kenya, the
missionaries and Kenyan pastors are so solid in their bible knowledge
and the churches here are getting really top notch teaching. I've
really notcied that here, even the bible translation program here in
Korr is an incredibly long, intricate process to ensure that it is as
accurate as humanly possible!

Each day we would spend a large number of hours in the church singing,
and hearing Ephesians explained, more singing, tesitmonys, more
singing, devotions, more singing... and more singing. Our butts got
really tough by the end of the week, we thought we'd never be able to
sit down every again, the benches were tiny wooden planks and we would
sit for hours on end! It was a real test of my patience!

We would then break into discussion groups, have chai, play soccer,
(we also taught them touch rugby! they didn't seem too impressed,
soccer is pretty much holy here, I said I was a liverpool follower
becuase it was the first team I could think of, and if you don't have
a team, you're basically a nobody!). Everyday we ate beans and corn...
that was a huge challenge, it was horrible, and my body could not
handle it so most days I'd got without, and then everday I would see
my dinner alive before we ate it. That took some getting used to, I
really struggled to find a way to re-fuel each day when the food was
so tough, and there was no time to rest - but God really sustained us
all no matter what. And the the campers the food was maybe three times
more than what they would get at home, so I would feel terrible not to
eat.

The biggest thing the campers were challenged with was the fact that
just because you go to church choir and have Christian parents doesn't
mean you are a Christian - and another huge challenge for the
Christian campers was how to respond biblically to their traditional
rituals which praise other Gods and superstitions which are such a big
part of their life, to not do them is to be shunned by family. And a
number of the pastors got up to share their amazingly couragous
testimonies of how they have dealt with such difficult decisions and
said no to participating in certain rituals. The Christians here
really need prayer for courage, strength and wisdom with these sorts
of stuggles. It's just not something we face in Australia.

Since being back in Korr we have also gone out to one of the villages
about an hour away from here in between a big rock hill with the
Knowles and Swanepools for an outreach and to help build the dam they
have been building for the people there. That was definitely a
highlight of my whole trip so far. The women went into the village and
we all sat under a big tree with all of the Mamas (traditional village
women with their beads and traditional dress etc) and all of their
little naked bubs and Beth Knowles spoke from Matthew about the
Christmas story to the women in Kiswahili, while one of the local
girls translated into Rendilie, and then Loki translated into english
for us. The women there are so eager to hear about Jesus and they just
have no one to explain it to them expect for a couple of times a year
when Beth Knowles goes to visit. When we were leaving one of the women
went up to Beth and said, we need a church here - what a request. Pray
for either some Kenyan pastors to take up that call or some
missionaries to to this village who are so longing to be taught about
Jesus. There are so many remote little villages like this one out in
the desert who have never heard the name of Jesus before, and they are
longing to know.

We camped that night out under the stars next to the big rock hill
which was amazing! I woke in the middle of the night to see a hyena
chasing a camel down the road just next to my bed! We woke up really
early to climb the hill so watch sunrise and it was the most beautiful
view I have possibly ever seen. Just land for miles and miles covered
in those african looking trees and huge big mountains off in the far
distance. I couldn't have been happier to be in that place at that
time. We saw a bunch of baboons running about up there as well.

Back in Korr we have been mainly doing a huge amount of spring
cleaning of the Swanepools home, which is a massive task, because the
reality of being a missionary in a remote and tough tough area is that
things are contstantly breaking and dust is constantly building up
everywhere! So each morning we have been working like crazy to get
this place in shape which is really satisfying to be able to help the
Swanepools in this way, they have been nothing short of wonderful to
us and I feel a bit like they are parents while I'm here for me, it
makes me a lot less homesick than I feel I could have been by this
stage because there is such a lovely family vibe here. We've also been
doing home visits to friends we met on camp and pastors etc -
yesterday I went to visit Laurence who is one of the teachers at the
primary school here and he was the Kenyan leader in my group on camp.
I got to meet his wife and beautiful little baby girl and drink chai
with him in his home while he showed me all of his wedding photos and
stories of how he came to know Christ and the challenges of the school
and living in Korr. He is such an inspiration, just so so thankful to
God for everything, even though things are so hard. I prayed for him
and showed him photos of my family, he asked to keep one of the photos
so he could pray for us, I was so touched by this so I'll be taking a
photo of his family at church on Christmas to take back for my family
& I to pray for him.

I'm going to end this here, because I'll be very suprised if any of
you even make it down this far, it's much more interestesting for me
to write because I've experienced it all, but it may not mean all that
much to you, so I understand if it's a challenge to get through my
babble. Please keep praying for the team and I that we would continue
to be well used, and be a great encouragement to the people here. I've
also got my first tummy bug yesterday, so please pray for health.
Mainly just praise God for how faithful he is, and the amazing things
he is doing for the Rendilie people in Kenya.

Love to you all, and I look forward to hearing your news. I am trying
to pray for you all while I'm here too. In case I don't get back on
here for a while, Merry Merry Christmas!

God bless,

Katie.

New plans.

2008-11-28T05:14:00.000-08:00

Departure day has now been moved to tomorrow morning. We were able to get a flight through China and avoid the whole bangkok airport thing.

Flight
Sat 29 Nov 2008 at 10:50am Depart from SYDNEY (TERMINAL 1 INTERNATIONAL)
Sat 29 Nov 2008 at 5:00pm Arrive at GUANGZHOU

Journey information
1. SYDNEY-GUANGZHOU, Travelling time is 9 hrs 10 mins
Distance travelled 4668 miles

Flight
Sun 30 Nov 2008 at 1:00am Depart from GUANGZHOU
Sun 30 Nov 2008 at 6:15am Arrive at NAIROBI KENYATTA

Journey information
1. GUANGZHOU-NAIROBI KENYATTA, Travelling time is 10 hrs 15 mins
Distance travelled 5450 miles

So tomorrow is going to be one heck of a day. Long would be the best way to describe it. The layover in China is 8 hours, but the good thing is the whole team will be flying together so we will have a good chance to hang out in China while we wait, eagerly. I'm not the best flyer, and my patience has never been wonderful, if you could please pray that I would be patient, and that the flights will be easy & smooth, that would be wonderful :)

We'll arrive in Nairobi just in time to head to church, wow, can't wait. What a great first thing to do!

First hiccup.

2008-11-26T13:17:00.000-08:00

My flight has been cancelled because of the whole bangkok airport thing. I'm slightly devastated because they can't rebook me until Monday afternoon.

A whole weekend of looking at my packed bag, and saying goodbye to my family, again.

Please pray that, if it's Gods will, the protests would seize in Bangkok & the airport reopen so that I can leave today still, or at least tomorrow. And if not, pray that I can be patient and use the next couple of days in Sydney productively, and that I'd be thankful that I'll at least be safe.

First lesson = His timing, not mine.

(thank you to all for your lovely messages of love & support, you're wonderful)

Departure day.

2008-11-26T05:17:00.000-08:00

It's about quarter past 12, which means about 15 minutes ago it became the day I leave.

I'm all packed, and I'm probably more organised than ever. I went into crazy organiser this week and it paid off. Feeling good.

Had a beautiful dinner (steak, as per request) with my family this evening. Probably one of those dinners I'll remember for the rest of my life. Praying with my family is a gift, and a joy, that I can't even begin to explain.

I have so many people calling, messaging and praying for me and this trip, that I feel completely at ease, so, thank you. thank you. thank you.

Bangkok airport is currently closed due to protests (article) - so I'm praying that it won't delay my flights, as my first flight is thai airways to bangkok before hopping on kenya airways to nairobi. I'm also hoping it all settles down before Meg and I holiday there in a few months, but I'm not too worried about that.

This has been a very sporadic post about not much in particular, but I felt it was necessary because next time I write something here, it will be from Kenya.

Until then, good bye Sydney.

Summer picture theatre.

2008-11-24T03:51:00.000-08:00

Summer movies, which i won't really be here for. but oh well, still fun to think about.

I'd also like to see twilight, now really, what is all the fuss about?

A photo graphic.

2008-11-17T07:02:00.000-08:00

(link)

Hang on the words you have spoken.

2008-11-15T22:25:00.000-08:00

Loving this album.

Touch your hands to water
Place them on the fire
Have faith
The flame will lose it's strength
Just touch your hands to water

Our lives will hang on the words
You have spoken
And we will wait for our God to return

Lift your hands to the Heaven
Let your heart be incased

G'day, I'm Kevin.

2008-11-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves some good background guitar music... don't they?

But I must admit, I'm impressed with their efforts to connect with the online generation. www.kevinpm.com.au

Obama & Mcain Dance off.

2008-11-09T20:21:00.000-08:00

Time.

2008-10-25T21:49:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is October 27. Do you know what that means?

Two weeks until I finish my degree. 'Two' weeks... and then no more university forever.

One month until my last service at St Thomas North Sydney. Tonight is my fifth last.

One month till I leave for Kenya. Only 'one' month.

Three months until I return to Sydney via Thailand.

Three (and a bit) months until Foundation (church plant & my new church) kicks off.

Three months until I need to start looking for a full time job.

Five months until I move out of home.

The crazy thing is that none of that, above, even matters.
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where is rises. The wind blows to the south, and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it.

Ecclesiastes 1: 2-9 & 1: 14 & 3: 14

What matters is what God has given me, a faith & love that endures forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken from it. Despite what I toil for on this earth.

onemillioncan.com

2008-10-21T06:26:00.000-07:00

this is worth supporting. ten fold. end of story.

I think...

2008-10-07T19:07:00.000-07:00

I am going to try and purchase this bad boy before I jet off to Kenya. I've been struggling with the decision of whether to take my current SLR because it's so big and could be a) a nuisance and b) a security/safety issue - because it will draw so much attention with its giant lens etc. I want to simply be able to just take pictures, but not just regular pictures, really good ones with old school features so I can still have fun with my own settings etc. I found this little guy on the net and it seems to be perfect - compact so it wont draw attention but still with all the features I love, and a bonus of video too which was something I was also sad about not having on my current cam. It's not the cheapest camera in the world, but I found one discounted - so I'm going to try and sell my current SLR to help pay for it. Boringest post ever, but isn't it pretty.

The Lord's servant.

2008-10-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

22So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents with gentleness.
2 Timothy 2:22-26

no needy persons among them.

2008-10-02T05:56:00.000-07:00

I love seeing people open up, it makes me feel like they have found some kind of trust and safeness with me, and I'm thankful for that. In the context of the drop in center on Thursdays, it doesn't happen all the time, most weeks my conversations seem pointless, even thought I know God uses everything to his glory whether I'm effective, helpful or not. Tonight I met a guy who found out recently he has Hep C and HIV, just when life seemed to be getting better, getting good, and now, because of four years of being cut off from any family he has no one to support him & help him deal with this news. He just goes on with life, alone. I am so filled with happiness knowing that this never has to be the case. I'm not entirely sure if this man knows Jesus yet, but I so long for him to. With Jesus no one ever has to be alone and deal with life's joys and lows in their own weak, human strength. I take my blessings for granted WAY too much. Good health, a roof over my head, education, a loving family, friends, food, steady income... I can't imagine life without these things, and yet there is a horrifying number of beautiful people with none of them, and every time I go to drop in I meet one of them still loving, praising and serving Jesus with everything they have. They inspire me.
& yet, I still long for this day:
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Acts 4:32-35

The Power of Words & The Wonder of God.

2008-10-01T05:10:00.000-07:00

These videos are little tastes of the next desiring God conference coming up - I simply can not wait to hear these in full.

Two months away from home.

2008-09-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

So, my trip over December/January is locked in, and there are no more decisions to make regarding my where abouts over the summer.

I'm leaving Sydney on November 27 via bangkok.
Arriving in...

Nairobi, Kenya on Nov 28 - for my six weeks youth mission trip with Africa Inland Mission.

Then on January 17, I begin my journey back home with a ten day stop in...

Bangkok, Thailand - where I will meet my friend Meg for some super cheap backpacking adventures.

The end.

What the?

2008-09-24T05:35:00.000-07:00

Man I love Japan and the things they come up with.

Pray for our persecuted family.

2008-09-24T00:29:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to imagine the horror of this. We need to be praying for these brothers and sisters.

Kings on fire.

2008-09-18T23:35:00.000-07:00

This album is... well, a mixture of most things I love in music - darn rad!

Piano building.

2008-09-16T01:29:00.001-07:00

This is cool too, I have to do an essay on the bagpipes at the moment and this guys made one out of a rubber glove...

Spring.

2008-09-14T05:47:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure what to say here at the moment. I haven't been in the blogging mood the past few weeks - a lot's going on and writing about it just makes things real, and that can be hard when you're happy to be in denial temporarily.

& also... in about two months I will finish uni, no more study, no more tutes, assessments, blackboard, e-reserve, or readings... and the beginning of scarytown = kenya, full time work (doing who knows what!?), new church, new home. Awesome things, exciting things... but freakin BIG things.

I can't wait to be done with uni, but on the other hand it's been such a nice safety net before being launched into the real world.

Anyway, that's just a slice of the intensity going on in my thinking process at the moment. I'd be lost without God, for sure.

On a joyful note, it's spring!! and I LOVE spring!!

Burn your plastic Jesus.

2008-08-28T06:21:00.000-07:00

Oh man, in light of Mark Driscoll's talk the other night highlighting all of the false pictures of Jesus that this world has dreamed up, I saw a trailer for a new film called Hamlet2 and this is a portion of it:

Korr here I come.

2008-08-28T00:30:00.001-07:00

One of the team leaders of the Kenya mission I'm going on sent some photos to Em, who sent them to me, of the town where our team will be spending most of its time in December. It's amazing to have some visual idea of where I will be living for six weeks. Amazing.

the town of Korr.

Korr from a distance.

Rendilie huts.

For those I love who are hurting.

2008-08-27T20:58:00.001-07:00

There seems to be an unusually high number of people in my life suffering at the moment.

It can feel helpless when those around me face situations far from my own understanding. Prayer, love and the powerful word of God is all that I can offer.

This if for you... his people;

Isaiah 51
Everlasting Salvation for Zion

1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness
and who seek the LORD :
Look to the rock from which you were cut
and to the quarry from which you were hewn;

2 look to Abraham, your father,
and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
When I called him he was but one,
and I blessed him and made him many.

3 The LORD will surely comfort Zion
and will look with compassion on all her ruins;
he will make her deserts like Eden,
her wastelands like the garden of the LORD.
Joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the sound of singing.

4 "Listen to me, my people;
hear me, my nation:
The law will go out from me;
my justice will become a light to the nations.

5 My righteousness draws near speedily,
my salvation is on the way,
and my arm will bring justice to the nations.
The islands will look to me
and wait in hope for my arm.

6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment
and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation will last forever,
my righteousness will never fail.

7 "Hear me, you who know what is right,
you people who have my law in your hearts:
Do not fear the reproach of men
or be terrified by their insults.

8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment;
the worm will devour them like wool.
But my righteousness will last forever,
my salvation through all generations."

9 Awake, awake! Clothe yourself with strength,
O arm of the LORD;
awake, as in days gone by,
as in generations of old.
Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces,
who pierced that monster through?

10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
who made a road in the depths of the sea
so that the redeemed might cross over?

11 The ransomed of the LORD will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

12 "I, even I, am he who comforts you.
Who are you that you fear mortal men,
the sons of men, who are but grass,

13 that you forget the LORD your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth,
that you live in constant terror every day
because of the wrath of the oppressor,
who is bent on destruction?
For where is the wrath of the oppressor?

14 The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;
they will not die in their dungeon,
nor will they lack bread.

15 For I am the LORD your God,
who churns up the sea so that its waves roar—
the LORD Almighty is his name.

16 I have put my words in your mouth
and covered you with the shadow of my hand—
I who set the heavens in place,
who laid the foundations of the earth,
and who say to Zion, 'You are my people.' "

Oh my...

2008-08-25T04:15:00.000-07:00

I just can't believe this.

I really really loved that song, and even cried when he told his story on the new hillsong dvd.

Wow, just speechless.

"I've left everything to God"

2008-08-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

I just love the words that end this documentary. nothing is impossible with God.

I can't think of much else but leaving for Kenya at the moment. The more I go through life in Sydney, and the more I know of the tragic injustice around the globe, the more I know I want to devote the rest of my time on earth to helping suffering people through the word of God.

I am caught up in a culture of absolute material worship, and it pains me to not only watch it around me but more so to see it creep into my own life so often. Beauty, creativity, art & music can & should be celebrated as gifts from God, not attributes of 'coolness' - somehow our culture has become so consumed with the things that makes us 'cool' or 'uncool' and it hurts so many hearts, divides so many friendships.

I look forward to the day that what is 'cool' will be to be clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:11-13

Some olympic spirit...

2008-08-19T01:41:00.001-07:00

I rest on thee.

2008-08-17T05:19:00.000-07:00

we rest on Thee, our shield and our defender!
we go not forth alone against the foe;
strong in Thy strength,
safe in Thy keeping tender,
we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.

yes, in Thy name, o captain of salvation!
in Thy dear name, all other names above;
Jesus our righteousness, our sure foundation,
our Prince of glory and our King of love.

we go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
and needing more each day Thy grace to know:
yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.

we rest on Thee, our shield and our defender!
Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise;
when passing through
the gates of pearly splendour,
victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.

(hymn - Edith Gilling 1872-97)

Wow...

2008-08-05T23:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I turned down an internship position without even knowing if I was going to Kenya...
Half an hour ago I got a call from a job I have applied for asking me to come in tomorrow for an interview (because without a job I can't afford Kenya)...
Twenty minutes ago I received an email saying my application to Kenya had been approved...

Pretty much on my knees in awe right now.

No worries I'm going to...

2008-08-04T21:24:00.001-07:00

I've been struggling at the moment with understanding my feelings, yes, that sounds incredibly emo - but I don't mean it in that sad, sorry for myself kind of way, I'm actually amazingly joyful at the moment. I just don't know whether certain feelings I have are from God or not... does that make sense? Like I've had a lot of decisions to make lately (story of my life it seems...) and they've been decisions where no clear answer can be seen, not even a smidgen of an answer - although I do get feelings about them, like something in my heart which causes me to leap into a decision with a passionate, unstoppable and excited yes! or causes me to feel icky, like there is something missing that I haven't figured out yet, but something that just doesn't feel right, leading me to a hesitant, frightened no. The reason these feelings confuse me is because I've never been someone to take those things that seriously in the past, I'm not an 'emotional' person, and I'm not hugely 'charismatic' either. So how do you deal with that? I don't really know, and I guess it's not overly important, because in the end whatever decision I make was Gods plan all along anyway.

...

No Worries I'm Going to... by Bradley Hathaway

Wait Wait Wait Wait a minute
Hold up
STOP
...The press

I woke up today without that 5 million pound boulder of stress on my chest and now I feel blessed and can rest.

Oh! to rest these weary extremities that have been inflicted with infirmities unseen or experienced by them before

So tell me, what does the future have in store?

I don't know

I'm just going to let today be today, I'm going to wake up this morning with a smile on my face, look in the mirror brush my teeth and not wrack my brain wondering weather shes going to call me or not because when a girl says "lets just be friends," what she really means is "I'm never going to talk to you again."

Accept it
Move on
I just did

And after that I'm going to put on my play clothes, go in the front yard and climb that pecan tree like I did last week, but this time I'm not going to get halfway up it and start debating weather morality is...

A social adaptation
A product of Evolution
Or put there, by God

I'm just going to climb the thing and have fun like I did when I was a kid

And after that I'm going to go to vertebrate zoology class and listen to my boring lifeless instructer talk about how there are 50 different species of minnow in Arkansas alone.

But I'll smile
Nod
SHOW INTEREST
Act interested

(because that really is interesting if you think about it. Think about it)

And then after that I'll go home and have lunch. The same ol' boring lunch again! Two more fricken' frozen monterey jack bean and cheese burritos with a glass of distilled water and an Orange. But I'll give thanks that I do have food to eat because so many peple don't

And after that Ill go to work and paint But I'm not going to paint that boring eggshell white on that old ladys wall like she requested...no, I'm not going to do it. I'm going to pretend I'm a juvenile Leonardo Da Vinci and paint a stick figure masterpiece of a young couple frolicking in a field of flowers with little butterflies and gophers popping up here and there. (I'm sure the old lady will appreciate it later in life)

And after that, I'm going to have dinner with my Paw Paw and when he cries to me about how his arthritis is bad his own daughter rejects him he's sad, I'll put my arm around him and listen watch his old weary eyes glisten as he experiences my love for him.

And after that I'll go home, sit on the floor and start singing songs to the one that gave me this joy that I'm feeling, but it's more then just some fleeting feeling, it's eternal truth in which I am reeling.

And then at night I lay my head to rest without the slightest bit of fright or fret knowing I made the day the best I could

And that God truly is good

Perfect.

2008-08-02T08:39:00.000-07:00

I am intensely in love with sigur ros's music. Their concert tonight was unlike any other I've ever been to. I actually got quite emotional, music has not done that to me in a long time.
God is so good & generous for creating music, what a gift.

Sponsor me to give up technology.

2008-07-30T00:17:00.000-07:00

So, I'm doing the 40 hour famine this year - I really wanted my scripture class to do it as a group, but looks like we're not allowed, so to encourage the girls to still do it, I feel I need to lead the way. But I'm not only doing it for that, I just feel the cause that this years famine is going towards is such an important one, child trafficking in India.

This video gives you a little taste of what's going on, and why I'm doing this...

I'm going to give up technology for 40 hours rather than food, I figure technology will actually be harder for me than food. TV, phone, computer, ipod etc.

If you want to sponsor me click "here" - thanks in advance :)

Time for change.

2008-07-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:19-21

Tonight I failed at this instruction, and it was a trait that felt ugly. I am thankful that God is bigger than all of this, at peace because God is in control of all this and joyful knowing that he is faithful, unchanging and graciously forgiving. Praise God.

Inmates hit the floor.

2008-07-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

There's this prison in the Philippines where the inmates learn and perform dances all the time, I love seeing these supposedly hardcore prisoner men just really get into a good ol' dance.

p.s. This song has been in my head for at least the last three weeks now. grrr.

Overwhelmed.

2008-07-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

I realised today that in five months time I might be on my way here for six weeks...

Kibera, Kenya - one of the largest slums in the world, second largest in Africa.

I'm feeling relatively fragile about it all now, it's all of a sudden (quite dramatically) changed from a logistical thought of flights and medical shots etc to an emotional, frightening and exciting reality. Big decisions to make this week.

Journey take two.

2008-07-21T22:33:00.000-07:00

I've made a fair few decision since I last wrote about the beginnings of my looking into overseas mission for next year. God has cleared up a lot of things for me and although the 'wise' choices are not necessarily the ones I wanted... God knows best. Through a lot of praying and chatting with people I feel quite clearly that I need to stay in Sydney next year, partly because I don't feel I am mature enough to leave for a year, but mainly because I feel it is important that I stay committed to the church plant that I agreed to be involved with setting up a good number of months ago now. It launches in Feb next year and this whole time I had been longing to serve overseas when God had provided me with such an amazing opportunity to serve him right here in Sydney first. It will not only give me time to learn and grow up, but I also feel a very strong conviction that I need to be a, for lack of a better word, 'missionary' right here in my home city, and not only just when the church starts next year, but it needs to start immediately, right now. I've been convicted of this for a while but have been horrible weak at actioning my conviction, but God keeps ramming it home for me, every book I have read and sermon I have listen to over the past 3 weeks have all been saying the same thing to me.
So, I applied for a six week youth program trip in Kenya which will be in December/January with Africa Inland Mission. I am still quite sure I need my sheltered perspective of the world broadened, and my heart deepened & I am in a blessed position where I have so much to give (not meant in an ego trip kind of way, in a time, money, education, heart kind of way) - so I am not about to give up on going anywhere at all just yet, so I am praying that this Africa trip will work out, if God wills it.

He takes - to satisfy our soul.

2008-07-21T05:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the first piece of text I read while away that impacted me quite powerfully, it is a section of John Piper's poetry written about Job, at the time when Job lost his children and reminds me that, in Piper's words, 'God governs all things for his good purposes'.

And now come, broken, to the cross
Where Christ embraced all human loss,
And let us bow before the throne
Of God, who gives and takes his own,
And promises - whatever toll
He takes - to satisfy our soul.
Come, learn the lesson of the rod:
The treasure that we have in God.
He is not poor nor much enticed
Who loses everything but Christ.
(The Misery of Job and The Mercy of God by John Piper)

As I read this it made me think of the song 'Blessed be the Name' - which was a song I enjoyed singing (..for the first 20 times) but never fully understood until now, it was written about Job, and although Job praised God throughout all his grief... somehow I doubt he would have been able to sing that song in such a boppy, joyous way, as it is written... I now kind of find that song hard to sing - but that I guess is beside the point.

Some holiday lessons.

2008-07-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

I've been absent from this blog for a few weeks, so sadly I lost my momentum, but I'm back home and back into university life so I'm positive the posts will now triple as I continue to procrastinate. I have been away for the past few weeks and I have an intense amount of things I would like to say here, things I really want to remember if I had only written them down when they happened, so I'll do my best to recount some of the big lessons God has been so graciously teaching me over the past few weeks.

*God is the one that changes hearts, not me.
This seems like such a simple thing to be reminded of but it really hit home for me when I lead on a crusader HSC study camp two weeks ago now. It was staggering how many kids came into the camp with so many barriers up against Christianity and by the end of the week had pretty much all of those barriers stripped down, and yet, the majority still did not want a relationship with their maker. My first reaction to this was to get frustrated because I wanted them to know the love of Jesus so badly, and still do, but what God taught me is that I mustn't think like that, God is the one who softens hearts and opens eyes, I am merely just a piece of the puzzle, used to hopefully explain and live out the gospel as faithfully as possible and that's it.
Just as I was feeling somewhat frustrated that people could understand and believe in Christianity and yet still reject it, God lead me to John 6: 65, where Jesus says, 'This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the father.'
If the Lord has chosen for those kids to come into his kingdom, they will, and it will be in Gods good timing, not my own - but I think the harder thing to grasp it that fact that if God has decided for some of those hearts to remain stone, he will do so - it's in his hands.

After leading on study camp I spent a week with my family in Port Douglas, I have only just arrived home this afternoon and am fading quickly so I can't stay awake to keep typing any longer (as uni kicks back up this week, sad) BUT the great thing about the week was that I was able to get good reading done! So naturally that means I have many things that have stood out to me from various books and sermons that I was able to hear over the past week and will hopefully blog sometime this week so that I don't forget them!

Whose Christianity?

2008-06-26T07:13:00.001-07:00

I know I post fairly frequently on the whole US election campaigns, but I just find it all so fascinating. I found this video today of Obama, addressing faith & religion, recently...

Dance your way around the world.

2008-06-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

I know I only just posted a video, but after getting down about the state of this messy world, there are plenty of things that we can find joy in too. Of course for me that's hope in Jesus Christ, but there are many little joys just in human nature (which, in turn, reflect Gods beautiful character) which make me smile.

This video does just that...

It's nice to know everyone around the world likes to be silly from time to time :)

Take part.

2008-06-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

www.takepart.com

Beginning of a journey.

2008-06-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

A little while back I decided to begin moving towards seeing what doors God would open if began to plan to undertake a short term (anywhere from 3months to a year) overseas mission trip sometime next year (since I finish up my degree in Nov this year, hurray). So far it's been an absolute roller coaster ride, so I thought it would be good to document my journey with it all. It will be priceless for me to look back and see the process I went through, where it leads, what prayers are answered, what doors are closed and all of that. It's probably the biggest journey I'll have undertaken in my life so far, and it started the day God put the desire on my heart, not the day I will set foot on the plane to where ever I go... so here begins my journey towards short term overseas mission in 2009.

Up until now I've mainly focused on meeting up with various people who have already been on similar trips, just generally seeking advice, guidance and prayer partners. I picked three Christian mission organisations of which I felt encouraged by their work and felt on the same page with their statements of belief and vision, I picked CMS, OMF and Interserve. So far I have met with Interserve, and that meeting was truly the biggest blessing in my journey so far. It was only last Thursday, and ever since, I have continued to go through all the emotions possible. I can't even begin to explain what is going through my mind and heart right now. I think what prompted me most to begin writing it down is because at this time, it is all just so laid out in Gods hands and I can not see even a glimpse of what he has in store. In a big way that's frightening as heck, but in another, it's beautiful and exciting.

There are so many things to consider, think about & grapple with, decisions to make, steps to move forward and it's hugely overwhelming. The best thing about all of that is that God is not going to let me take this all lightly, it's not a game, it's not a holiday and it's most certainly not for myself.

There is a lot more I could write now, I have not gone into much detail at all, but my mind is so full that I just can't tonight... but I at least wanted to begin it. I hope that it can not only be a tool for me to document it all, but also, I hope it can be an encouragement to those who read this - and if you feel so inclined, it can help you to know how to pray for me, that with this trip I would strive to align my will with Gods so that I can be his hands and feet, faithful to his word and solely dependent on him.

Where I will end up & when it will take place, is just as unknown to me as it is to you. That's kind of cool.

dirty and left out.

2008-06-20T07:49:00.001-07:00

So because I have a quality father, I have been brought up not to hate many things, or even use the word... "because hate, is a very strong word" says dad, and for that lesson, I am thankful. BUT something I do hate, is how kids treat each other in high school. It makes my stomach turn and my heart tighten. I know that I was probably terrible when I was at school too... I mean I copped my fair share of bullying in primary school, so I knew how it felt, but high school came, with me somehow ending up in the so called 'rebellious' group (...'group' another word I dislike) and I'm almost positive I ignored, mistreated and looked down on people whether I remember doing it or not. It just seems over the past few months certain things keep reminding me of how horrible kids are to each other at school, how depressed kids get over loneliness and not being good enough, all because they don't have the right hair cut, or say the right things, or play the right sport, or like the right bands etc... it's all absolute ridiculousness. I hate the way guys beat each other up with their fists and girls with their words. It breaks, and shapes people. And it's sad. Really sad.

My sisters stories of left out kids where she teaches, put together with this film I saw tonight for the Sydney Film Festival, are what make me feel this way.

Obama has faith?

2008-06-12T03:19:00.000-07:00

Just an interesting article I read today.

(click here)

I was kind of warming to the idea of Obama becoming president of the US, I even thought it might be a really wonderful thing in history... but I did not even know that he supported abortion rights and gay marriage, amongst other things.

Just shows how clever Obama's campaign has been, I think I like him, but I don't even know the specifics of what he stands for.

little Gods.

2008-06-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

Even though I am aware of this kind of false interpretation of scripture, and what some would call 'brainwashing' mentality which goes on mainly in parts of the US... it still hurts my heart when I see it happening.