Adventures, Lingering, Longreach

 

 

The beginning of November saw a change sees a change of pace for us. Don has just returned from a three day ministry trip in the north west of QLD. Stops at Cloncurry, Julia Creek, Normanton and Mt Isa made sure the days were filled to capacity. Pastors Scott, David and George packed in with Don to visit the churches at the stops. 10 hours of flying in the Saratoga, took them over some rough terrain and it was an enjoyable and enriching trip for all involved.

 Some times the ride was a little rough due to the heat and thermal winds but they all managed to hold their lunch.

 Our country Australia is rough and rugged and brilliant in colour, especially from the air. Being able to fly is a great blessing and saves many hours on the hot, bumpy and dusty roads.

 

 

Normanton church is 3.5 hour to fly by plane from Longreach, or 10-13 hours by car. The aboriginal painting that you can see in the right hand corner is of the last supper. The pastor and his wife cooked Don and the others up a wonderful dinner that night of Mackerel and Barramundi to celebrate the occasion.

 

 

This Crocodile statue is a replica of a real crocodile that was shot and killed by a woman in Normanton some years ago.  It is 28 feet 4 inches in length and weighed around 2 tonne.  Imagine coming across this one while having a dip in the river.  Apparently there is one to rival it's size in the river at the moment.   Fancy a quick swim anyone?

Don was even able to catch up with his sister Lenita in Mt Isa.  It had been over three years since they had seen each other.

And then of course there was little Steele to coo over, the newest addition to our family. 1, 2, 3 awwww.

 

 

 

So here we are doing what we know God called us to do, in a way that is unconventional and not at all how we planned.  It is simply marvellous!  All of His ways are. It is like we have been given a gift and are still unwrapping it one layer at a time.  And each layer of paper that is removed reveals a new blessing, an new gift just for that season. 

 

This Sunday morning was spent at home (a rarity for us) and as I watch my boys play in the warm Longreach weather I see them growing up before my eyes.  Just last night we played our first family games of Uno.  We no longer have toddlers but little boys who are full of life and love.  On Tuesday Sam and I fly to Brisbane for his heart appointment and we go with fresh reassurance of God's goodness to us. A renewed realisation of his greater plan for each of us.  I cannot possible ask for more than that.

 

 

 

One day at a time.

Less hurry, more linger.

Incidental fun, learning and teaching.

More joy, to chase away the blues.

Meandering with God, enjoying His comfort.

Taking The Scenic Route

This weekend has seen us face many new challenges, so I thought it must be about time that I share them here.  As most of you know I blog to share our family life, to rally people to pray, and in the process I work things out with God, hoping to help others as well.

Our call to MAF is not going to take the path we originally thought. Over the last month any things have happened to bring about this change.  The two most pertinent being:

• God has brought to Don' and my attention that it is not possible for Don to complete Bible College this year, as well as finishing the flying training.  For us to continue our course of action and do this is would all need to be completed this year, as otherwise we would have no income after that.

• We received news on Friday that the cost of the remaining of the flying course has now increased by $6000-$10000.  This is when the door was finally closed to us following our present course of action.  God has closed the door. 

It is not the enemy.  We feel at peace.  At first we were disappointed, but as we waited on God and he spoke to our hearts we realised, this is His way.  And His way, is ALWAYS better then ours, no matter how it looks at the time.  We know God can miraculously supply the money needed and already we have had offers of people wanting to help. But we cannot, when we know it is not God's will that we do. 
For the last month, God has been talking to us about open doors, and the scripture Jeremiah 29:11 has been ringing out loud.  So we know now that God has closed this door, that another will shortly open. 

So what does this mean...

• It means that we are still moving toward serving with MAF, but at a much slower rate.  WE have asked MAF to give us an indication on our suitability to serve with them, using the information they have (interviews, medical, psyche etc).  If this is favourable, then we will continue to pursue this calling. 

• The open door we are waiting for is a job for Don.  We trust God that he has something ready somewhere, for him to go to.  It may mean that we need to move again. In fact it is highly probable.

• Bible college will be completed by distance at Don's own pace.

• Don will continue to fly now until he achieves his Commercial Pilot's License (CPL).  At this point he will cease flying at ACMA and just continue with Bible College until the end of Semester or until he finds work.

We have been through much this last weekend with all of this; first shock, then disappointment, then humility, then a sense of feeling lost.  So we just both held on tight and sat in God's lap listening to his heartbeat.  No profound sense of revelation came.  Just His steady heartbeat and then finally His amazing peace.  We know we have made the right decisions.  Now we just wait and act patiently for Him to point us in the right direction.

We have not failed.  In God's eyes, we have done all He has asked, and that makes us His obedient children.  He has blessed us here with great friends and an awesome church.  The people we have met have impacted out lives and we have impacted theirs.  That is what missions is all about anyway.  Even if this was the whole purpose to us being called to MAF, that is enough for me. 

We don't pretend to have this altogether, in fact we are more unsure of our future here than we have ever been.  But I know where my future is secure.  Jesus is building us a home in heaven and it is beyond what my mind can ever comprehend.  I know that when I see it, I will crumble at his feet and cry, because He knows me better than I know myself. We may not have much treasure left this side of heaven, but I know Jesus is storing up mine with Him. He sees our future and He knows what is to come.  And so we will trust Him now, as we always have and rest in the fact that he has plans to prosper and bless.

If you think of us, please pray for us in this time of endings and new beginnings. 

xx Nicole

Jumping Hoops

Saul, seethed, anger seemed to exude from every part of his body.  The followers of Jesus seemed to be growing by the day, despite him hunting them down like dogs.  He had been dragging them before the Sanhedrin and there were few stones left unturned in Jerusalem.  Why were they so intent on following some dead prophet! 
He had now gained permission from the Sanhedrin to travel to outlying towns, to further squash the rebellion and bring the followers of Jesus to account. 
Travelling the road to Damascus, the thoughts continued to irritate his soul.  He had thought once Jesus was dead, his followers would just disperse as they always had. Instead they seemed to surge like a growing flood. 

'Well not for much longer if I have my way'.

Little did he know, his world was about to be shaken to it's core.

...so begins the story of one of God's most memorable and recorded followers, the man called Paul.

I often wonder what the early followers of Jesus would think of the church if they were able to talk to us now.  The church has become too much like the world around us.  Instead of being set apart and different to what the world around us would have us be, be have gradually and sadly become a mere shadow of what we are destined to become.

The Kingdom of God, is one of faith and power, both of which have been stripped  from the church with such seduction, that we have relished in the experience.  We are too comfortable in our safe and unchallenged version of the gospel and have put on new robes to fit better into the age in which we now find ourselves. 

Since we have begun our journey to serve God in missions, I have been constantly challenged by the many hoops that we have had to jump through in order to prove ourselves worthy of service.  It has taken vast amounts of money, numerous interviews, applications, pshcye tests, medicals upon medicals, training and testing, all to bring us to a point of asking 'What does Jesus think?'  I doubt that Paul would ever have made it through the psyche evaluation, to serve in missions today.    It saddens me to think that someone who is called by God to serve in this way, might be turned away because they do not have the funds, medical approval or worldly aptitude to be up to the task. God does not look to the outer man, but looks deep down into your heart.  He sees your faithfulness and your obedience and He is uses this for His glory. He is not as interested in what percentage you got on your latest exam and if your left eye is marginally stronger than your right, whether you are a fisherman or a tax collector.   I cannot believe that he is happy with the way the world has overcome the church, and emasculated it of it's freedom in Christ, and power through faith. It is God who transforms and prepares, not man made and man led organisations.

I wonder if the church in Australia and around the world was not so bound by it's love of the world and it's ways, would we see the Kingdom of God come on the earth?  Would we see the captives set free because they see a different way to live, the only way to live? 

I don't know where our journey with missions will end up, but I do know that God has called us to serve; this is unmistakable.  The desire burns in my spirit like hot coals aflame with fire.  Don and I both feel the urgency.  God's desire to see His church do His will, will prevail.  God always keeps His word, He is not a man that He should lie.  The scripture below has been resonating in my heart today, as my frustrations grew.  The words were like honey to my soul.

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.(1 Corintians:27)

Please pray for us, that God would make the paths straight and that His will for us to serve him in this way will prevail.  We feel the resistance, but step forward each day in faith knowing who fights for us.

This post is not a reflection of any particular missions organisation but a general observation made over many years.  It is not written to offend, but as a reflection.