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Do you Trust Enough to have Joy?
Do you Trust Enough to have Joy? I feel like I’ve gone through a number of trials in the last couple of years. I became deathly ill and almost died… and after planning to spend a year in Ukraine with my missionary parents to recover from the illness, God allowed a war to break out 2 months after we moved to Ukraine. We were not able to stay in Ukraine, and had to quickly make alternative arrangements. We ended up bouncing around Europe and South Africa for a couple of months before eventually returning to Australia, where we faced a new problem. We had come back to a city in the middle of a rental crisis, and at the time, my body was still too weak to work. One
Finding Peace Amidst the Chaos
Finding Peace Amidst the Chaos With only two months remaining until Christmas and New Year's, the world around us seems to be moving at an ever-increasing pace. The Christmas season is often associated with joy, celebration, and the birth of Jesus, but it can also bring with it a whirlwind of activities, shopping, and social obligations. Amid the frenzy, it's crucial for us to take a step back, slow down, and focus on what truly matters. Embrace the Advent Season As we approach the Advent season, a time of anticipation and preparation, it's an excellent opportunity for us to embrace the spirit of slowing down. Advent, derived from the Latin word 'adventus,' meaning 'coming,' is not just about counting down the days until Christmas but it’s about preparing our
How Big is Your God?
How Big is Your God? How big is your God? Do you feel like you can you comprehend him fully? Does he fit inside your neat little “box?” Evylyn Underhill once said, "If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshipped." I’d like to confess something. There are aspects of God that are mysterious to me. I do not fully understand the Trinity. I sort of get it and I can sort of describe it, but I struggle to fully comprehend the doctrine of the Trinity in all its glory. I also struggle to understand exactly how God’s sovereignty and human responsibility coexist in the same world. Why does God, who is the very definition of love, not put an immediate
How to Pray When There Are No Words
How to Pray When There Are No Words How do you pray for situations that are almost too horrific to comprehend? The devastation of senseless terrorist attacks. Children being sold into slavery. Widows and orphans living with little or no hope. Our hearts ache. The burden (rightly) sits heavily on us. We cry out to God…but sometimes, we can’t find the words to pray. When we’re lost for words to pray, a wonderful ‘go to’ is the Bible. Reading aloud Psalms is a wonderful way to align our thoughts with God’s. Recently, I came across an article1 that spoke of ‘Imprecatory Psalms’. Do you know what they are? I didn’t until this week. In the Bible you will come across imprecatory Psalms. For example, David says in Psalm
Trying to Be Like God
Trying to Be Like God Trying to stay in control. Trying to know everything. Trying to be at every event. Trying to… be like God. Since Genesis 3, we’ve fallen time and time again for the false promise that we can be like God (Genesis 3:5). This came home to me recently at a conference I attended. A Pastor by the name of Zack Eswine shared how we struggle to accept the boundaries God has given us. You see, we want to be able to do everything! In theology, we call that ‘omnipotence’. Only God is able to do anything he pleases. We overbook our calendars, wanting to be everywhere at all times. In theology, that’s called ‘omnipresence’. Only God can be in all places at all times. We want to know
What Will it Take to Reach Australia?
What Will it Take to Reach Australia? Australia is a big place. If you don’t think so, you’ve obviously never travelled from one end of the continent to the other! Australia is the world’s largest island and its sixth largest country (after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil). Australia is also home to more than 26 million people. 26,505,980 people to be (somewhat) precise (according to Worldometer). 26+ million people all made in God’s image and all in need of God’s grace and mercy. Just like the size of our nation, the spiritual need of our country is great. According to social researcher Mark McCrindle, the last 40 years in Australia has seen a significant shift away from Christianity. In the 1981 census, three in four Australians (76%)
Jesus Loves Me, This I Know (and oftentimes forget)
Jesus Loves Me, This I Know (and oftentimes forget) What an incredible statement! Jesus loves me. Jesus. Loves. Me. A few weeks ago, we sang a song called “I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)”, and it has since been playing on repeat in my head (and on my Spotify account). As I have been reflecting on the lyrics of the song, I have been reminded of just how often I assume his love for me and I forget to actually dwell on it. I forget to meditate on just how incredible his love for me really is! And I also forget to live in light of it. I forget to live in such a way that reflects that I am loved by Jesus. How about you? I stand amazed in
What is your Purpose?
What is your Purpose? Have you ever wondered what your purpose is? What your goal in life is? Why you are on the planet? The Bible has an answer for you. You don’t need to figure this out on your own. In Genesis 1:27, it says: God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. We were created in God’s image, which means that we were made to love. In 1 John 4:7-8 we read, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” When Jesus was asked what
