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Challenge for Familiarity

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When I first boarded a plane I was filled with awe, excitement and appreciation. Everything from the clouds outside the window to the food amazed me. After years of flying, those feelings have changed. Now as I board a flight, familiarity has tainted my experience with cynicism and entitlement. I get annoyed when I have a middle seat or when i don’t get ice in my drink. It becomes more about my comfort than appreciating the miracle of flight. This is an example of familiarity creating walls, not freedom. So what does that have to do with God or how we relate to Him? As a young Christian, I have asked a lot of questions about how to have a good relationship with God. How can I be consistent when my life was constantly changing? I thought that if I could achieve a place of feeling close to God and then somehow maintain this, then I was doing things right. I thought familiarity was maturity. Eventually, holding the weight of that mindset was crushing me. God didn’t want me in a
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Chapters 4 and 5; April and May

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Greetings from Brisbane!! Time is flying by here at YWAM Brisbane. In my last update I shared about my new role as the leader of our worship department and joining a ministry called Creative Development Ministry Team. I am excited to share that through the challenge of transition, I am enjoying this new position of leadership and I continue to be hopeful that God is taking this community in a new direction and I get to be a part of that. I heard a sermon recently where the speaker shared his perspective on worship leaders. For a long time I have seen worship leading as an opportunity to help people encounter God so that then they can go out and live lives with Him. This is true, but something the speaker shared in the sermon was how leading worship is a beautiful fulfilment of God’s commandment to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and love your neighbour as yourself. This resonated with me so deeply because it reminded me that even though in this season I am not going
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Chapter 2, into Chapter 3 // February and March

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I feel like after months of treading water, it is finally shallow enough that I can feel the sand beneath my feet. I can stand, giving my legs and lungs a much needed break. When I was in Mozambique at the end of 2015, I felt God burn on my heart a passion to see worship and prayer change people, cities and nations. I wanted to be involved in the movement of God that was being birthed out of hungry and holy worshipers releasing a sacrifice of praise all over the globe. Also, I wanted to see God move as I walked in obedience as a worship leader. I have been waiting and waiting for the last year and a half to see an outworking of these promises really happen, where I was given the authority and platform to lead and impart. So back to the treading of water, God is faithful. I feel I have finally reached my destination. Sand under foot and my tired body emerging from the mass of dark, aggressive waters behind me.                                         We use the phra
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Chapter 1 - January 2017

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  I find that often the first chapter of a book is a mix of meeting new exciting characters or concepts and the mundane task of the combing through details that will help bring understanding later on, but read a bit boring. I would say that describes my January, chapter 1 of 2017. It has been exciting being back in Brisbane and dreaming about the future. I have met so many new people who are currently on their 6 month discipleship school and others who have committed to staff here at our ministry base as full time missionaries. I am also looking forward to new opportunities coming my way in the months to come. However, all this has been balanced with the combining through details of transition and everyday business found at a ywam base. I have been involved with the base's hospitality department and also cafe' ministry since moving in December. So what that has looked like has been running and planning base events, caring for quests, and making our center more of am inviting
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Prologue before Chapter 1

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If you haven't noticed, my ability to update my blog has hit an all time low. I haven't fallen completely off the earth, but out of the many ways I try to share whats happening in my life, this way has been neglected. But in reality, your life has kept moving, and so has mine. As the new year approaches I have thoughts such as, "Maybe 2017 will be the year my blogging is on point." and "Maybe my New years resolution will include working on my communication skills.". I look at 2017 as almost a new volume to my life series, a new book waiting to be written. But first comes the Prologue. Designed as an opening to a story, the Prologue establishes the context and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. If you are on my list for email updates or follow me on Facebook, this will be more of a review. I Co-lead a YWAM School of Worship Outreach to the USA this past June/
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On Our Way // US of A

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We have finally arrived to finally leaving!! School of Worship 2016 is off to America the beautiful this Monday. We will be in the USA for 2 months, traveling to 7 different states and will be partnering with different ministries and churches who share in our vision to see a fresh move of God in America!! We will use our passion for leading others into an encounter with God to encourage and serve cities across the States! Here our our locations from start to finish..... Redding, California Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Washington DC South Jersey Nashville, Tennessee Kansas City Detroit, Michigan Grand Rapids, Michigan Also, meet the team!! Devan (USA), Lindsey (USA), Daniela (Switzerland) , Alex (USA), Nate (USA), Janicke (Norway) , Jared (Canada) , Trayza (Canada)  Here are some details on some of our ministry opportunities while on outreach. California: We will spend some time at Bethel Church, an amazing church community who have an amazing heart
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From the Class Room to the Nations!!

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It has been an incredible few months here on the Gold Coast! Life as a missionary in ywam is always changing and moving, but God is creating in me more of a consistency of heart and faith. Our students on the school of worship have almost finished their lecture phase of the school and in a few short weeks we all head to the USA for outreach. Last week I was given the opportunity to speak on the school on "Reaching the Nations through Worship". It was amazing to share my revelations and stories with these guys and challenge them in their perspective of worship ministry. throughout the week we covered how we need to value our personal history with God and value community. I also shared about my journey and many of the things God has been teaching me while in ywam and Mozambique about hunger, sacrifice and holiness. We also looked at what God is doing in the world and how there is a new wave of worship and prayer that is fueling the greatest revival the world has ever experi
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