Tag Archives: god

Psalm 103 – The Eternal & I: Intertwined.

Posted in AccessTheStory, God by

We looked at Psalm 103 at AccessTheStory rhythm this morning. Two questions were asked:

1. What do you learn about God?
2. What do you learn about us? 

I grabbed two highlighters (one orange, one blue) and marked the words that described or were relevant to a) God, and b) me.

As I read through the 22 verses of Psalmy-goodness I soon realised the lesson for today was simple: The Eternal and I are intertwined.

My orange & blue highlighters had created a picture of the relationship that defines me.  A visual that showed how God (the Eternal) and I, interact, cross-over, relate, come together, compliment and oppose all throughout this story.

We are body, emotions, mind… He is Eternal. (v1-2)

We offend, He forgives and releases. (v3)

We are sick, He heals our diseases, more than any doctor. (v3)

We are famished and withering, He fills us with beautiful things and satisfies us. (v5)

We are weak, He makes us strong like eagles. (v5)

When we are crushed, wronged, enslaved, raped, murdered, He is just and makes the wrongs right. (v6)

We cross the line, He is patient. (v8)

We struggle against him, He lovingly stays with us. (v8)

We make mistakes, He doesn’t punish us like we deserve (v10) but instead takes away all our crimes. (v12)

We revere him, He expresses love. (v13)

We are temporary (v15-16), He is Eternal (v17).

(…. you get the picture….)

It seems you can’t get to far with one highlighter before you need the other, and then before you know it, you swap back again. The Eternal.. His people… Him… Me… We are intertwined.

IMG_4600

 

Jesus is the fishing expert (John 21)

Posted in AccessTheStory, God by

Picture this.

You’ve got a bunch of guys out on a fishing boat, a couple of them are professional fishermen. They’ve been out all night and have caught nothing.

Early in the morning a guy is standing on the shore (so not even near the boat or where they were fishing). He yells out to the fisherman, “Have you caught anything yet?”.

The story tells us the fisherman replied with a one-word “No”.IMG_4272

(My friend Matt has some insight here and wonders if the tone of their “No” offered a hint of exhaustion? Irritation? Embarrassment? Perhaps…)

The guy on the shore then yells out and tell them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat.

You’d think at least the professional fishermen would’ve thought of that already.

Anyway, the moment they cast the net on the right side the story says “they were unable to haul the net in because it was so full of fish.”

Turns out, the guy on the shore was Jesus and He knew exactly where to cast the net.

In the context of my life right now, there’s an element of Jesus asking me to cast my net even though I can’t see any fish. While it can be liberating to not know where the next step is going to take you, it’s pretty awesome when you take that step of faith, ‘cast your net’ and see what happens.

Here’s a few other things I’m learning from this part of the story:

1. You are not always the expert. 

Consider your expertise. Now consider that someone else knows more about that than you do. It’s not always easy to allow someone else to lead or teach you, especially if it’s some bystander on the shore. I doubt it would’ve been easy for the fisherman in the boat to take Jesus’ advice, but I bet they were glad they did.

2. Always be open to surprise. 

The story talks about the catch like it happened instantly. You’d think this would mean the fish were near the water’s surface and possibly visible, but if that were true the fishermen would’ve seen them. So, was it the casting of the net that drew the fish in? Who knows. I don’t think the details mattered to the fisherman as they drew in their nets full of fish.

3. Saying ‘yes’ to Jesus = Rewarding step of faith. 

The guys in the boat had nothing to lose by casting their net on the right side. They’d been out all night and had caught nothing. Ever been there? I have. It’s a bit scary. Next time you’re at a dead end and you feel like you should do something random, just do it. You might just land a huge catch.

[Every Monday I catch up with the ATS crew and we ‘story’. I hope to have more to share with y’all as I discover more about the greatest story ever told]

 

Checkpoint: Part two. Post Conference.

Posted in God, Life by

[Originally published 18th March 2014]

Last week I shared this post – part one of this checkpoint which is proving to be quite the turning point for me… 

There are some verses in Psalm 38 that reflect how I was feeling last week. Words like “my heart pounds, my strength fails me, even the light has gone from my eyes” (v10) described what life has often felt like in recent months. Prayers like v22-21, “Lord, don’t forsake me; don’t be far from me my God. Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Saviour” were similar to what I carried on my heart as I arrived in Sydney for Colour Conference*.  

I can honestly say that there was definitely a specific agenda to my being in Sydney. After months of feeling ‘deactivated’, with no clarity, living with a posture in my spirit that could only be described as down-trodden, I heard words like “you will rise“, “you have permission“, “it is personal” and these three words that cut right to the core of me, “GET. BACK. UP.“

#woah.

I was also reminded that one of my strengths is how I pour myself into what I do and that’s OK – but – I need to guard my heart (Proverbs 4:23) and be mindful of what I’m pouring myself into. 

God could not have been more specific. 

So, what does that mean for me? Where to now? Naturally I returned home chewing on those questions and keen to debrief with a close friend and mentor. Which I did. (I love a good debrief!)

I believe now, that after a few months of rest and recovery, it’s clear the next big adventure is before me, and it’s time to get back up and go. Step one involves the launch of a new ministry organisation, “Access The Story” happening next Saturday, to which you are invited, and where you will find out more of the story and adventure ahead. 

My journey up to now hasn’t been easy, but it has shaped me, taught me and obviously led me to this point today, so in the end, I am grateful. 

I am grateful… 

… for the time I could spend in Sydney, with my awesome mum, in an atmosphere of encouragement, love, community and good teaching. 

… for the specific lessons, breaking the hold my past still had over me. 

… for the power in simply choosing to be grateful! (Go on, try it….) 

… for the sale the “Superdry” store had that meant I could come home with an awesome present for my husband, Darren. 😉 (Two hoodies for the price of one? Yes please!)

… for fresh revelation that through it all I am called to love relentlessly, just as I am loved first, because darkness trembles at a love like that. (And I wanna be the kind of person that makes darkness tremble…. Don’t you?) 

As usual, my weekend at Colour Conference did not disappoint, and I confess – I did buy a conference t-shirt… I will probably wear it twice and then promote it to the pajama’s drawer. #sawitcoming

J xx

I’m done defending God.

Posted in God by

[Originally published 5th October 2012]

Bet you’re wondering what the heck I’m on about. Am I crazy? Well, probably, but that’s not the point…

Recent life experiences have been showing me there are some elements to the missional lifestyle that need some tweaking. Some responsibilities are mine, some are not. Here are some thoughts…

1) I’m done defending God. He doesnt need me to fight a battle He’s already won. 

My idea of being a good witness involves knowing the truth (check!), believing it (check!), living accordingly (trying to!) and telling others about it (whenever I get the opportunity). But when I get a chance to talk about it, I will no longer jump on the defence (or worse, the attack) as if I have something to prove. God can and will do the proving for Himself.

“Sometimes the idea of mission seems like a gathering of an army to go and conquer something. It seems goal specific, like the default is about us achieving something for God. Gaining some kind of authority.” (Some thoughts from my friend and teacher, Tim Hein) 

But we’re not actually called to do something for God and establish His authority – He has plenty of that all by Himself. There’s a difference between those who bear witness to authority and those who carry it.

2) I’m done trying to impress people with my theological understanding. (Like I know that much anyway…)

When I was recently faced with the truth that one of my friends had a terrible time growing up, do you think I had some deep theological answer for them? Nope. I was speechless actually. I just wanted to cry and give them a big hug.

I’ve realised now that my ‘training’ was about shaping my heart, mind, character, & aligning my life with Gods purpose for me. It’s not about my spoken language. All too often I find that there are no words to say when someone shows you how deep their hurt goes, how broken they are. Instead I think about James 2:14-20 where it says “I will SHOW you my faith by my DEEDS.” (NLT, emphasis mine)

Note: It says deeds. Not bible college degree…

Deeds. Behaviour. Attitude. Lifestyle.

(Seems more action based than spoken word, no?)

3) I’m done telling God where He needs to go.

I wonder what God thinks when we rock up in someones life and say to Him, “Righto God, lets get to work!” I imagine him rolling his eyes and thinking, My dear beloved, bless your cotton socks, but do you not realise I love this person like I love you and have been here since the beginning of time?

Perhaps instead of trying to lead God and inviting Him to work with us, we need to get behind Him, and see what He is already doing in the hearts and minds of people. That is the message I am to carry, not one I create myself, expecting God to turn up and support whatever I’m doing. (How obnoxious!)

4) I’m done working in isolation.

A large part of my job involves me managing a project that sees 6 different teams, each operating on different Saturday nights, serving and helping all kinds of people in need on Hindley Street, Adelaide.

The individual teams may not know each other or cross paths much, but when we gathered all the team leaders recently, we heard so many stories about the same people each team were encountering and supporting from week to week. Amazing!

I sat back and thought to myself, what an incredible example of what it means to be a part of a mission that is bigger than just your individual activity. 

Isn’t that what the Church is meant to be? A global movement of believers, who by a seemingly unintentional system of seed planting, are in fact impacting the world through God, for God.

So…

I’m done defending God. He doesn’t need me fighting His already-won battle.

I’m done trying to make an impact with my words when our actions speak louder anyway.

I’m done trying to make God move somewhere when He just wants me to go where He already is.

I’m done working in isolation and I need to better represent the global movement I’m actually already a part of.

Instead, I will continue to dedicate this life to becoming the person I was created to be*, partnering with what God is already doing, bearing witness to a growing movement of  Christians awakening to what it means to BE the Church, not GO TO church.

Just saying.

J xo

(*I am so far from perfect, thought life was worthless, until You showed me who I am. Not here by mistake, no luck, only grace. I’m on my way to who I am. Not who I was. Not yet what I shall be. (Sample of lyrics from “I Am” – by Kirk Franklin)

A story that shapes hearts. Including mine.

Posted in AccessTheStory, God by

[Originally published 9th March 2012]

It’s been almost four years since a local church easter camp hosted the raw and unpolished pilot of Immerse. That weekend marked the beginning of an incredible journey for me, and many others (it would now seem). Having just returned from my tenth (!!) Immerse experience, I felt it fitting to mark the occasion with a reflective blog of sorts.

We recently spent five days with this years Year In The Son students on a journey through the greatest story ever told. A story that breaks down preconceived ideas about a God that was once distant and unobtainable, and reveals his loving heart and relationship with his creation.

The setting was beautiful.

{Horseshoe Bay, Port Elliot.}

 The students were inviting, fun, adventurous and ever so sarcastic… (That last bit could be something I inspired and maybe even encouraged… whoops!)

The Story was confronting, challenging, inspiring, restoring, encouraging and motivating. We wondered about what it would have been like to be there – what we would have seen, smelt, felt, tasted…?

{The separation experience}

Once again, I saw a genuine community form around laughter, prayer, inclusion, and the courage to ask questions we may not have the answers to – yet. We dared to venture into the realm of the heavenlies and walked out with reshaped hearts.

{Re-telling the story with some artistic flare.}

{Inside the story room}

We even played duck, duck, goose. (Sadly, no photographs were taken of this.)

But at the end of the day, the reward is not in the friendships made, the laughs had, or the new range of instagram photos I have to share. (Although they are all great things, of course.) No – it’s when you read the thank you letters from your students and you can’t hold back the smile….

“… to experience the bible in such a practical way has made it come alive!”

“… I’m actually excited to pick up my bible now.”

“… I’m feeling more confident in my faith and loved what I learned.”

“… the way we received it, I think it will stay with me for a long time.”

If I could selfishly ask for any more than this, it would be that the story inspired a new group of movement makers, dedicated to sharing the story with others.

Perhaps there will be many more that will mark a number ten against their list of Immerse experiences. I surely hope so. Not because it is some revolutionary answer to contemporary youth ministry in Australia (although, I do occasionally wonder…) but because the journey of these past four years has made me, shaped me, taught me and led me to the very position I am currently in. And let me say, the view from here is amazing. A little scary at times, admittedly, but amazing nonetheless.

To my four special girls, you were indeed a sprinkle of delight in my life. (Get me a bucket.)

😉

Just saying.

J xo