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Listening To: citiepoint HOPE IS ERUPTING – awesome album. someone posted one of their songs on fb and then i was hooked. i love having fresh worship, esp leading up to preaching
This Weekend: its our daughters women’s conference PREDESTINED FOR A PURPOSE – i’m so excited i could burst. one more sleep. today while praying i was just so moved by the potentiality of what God can and will do. lives restored. marriages healed. destiny determined. He is so great and gracious. i am speaking tomorrow night and then am SL on saturday morning and then hosting a chat show on saturday afternoon. excited much.
Coming Up: i’m also preaching twice in july, a morning and a night service. stoked! priv’d.
Reading: the explicit gospel by matt chandler. so good.
nervous: so the conf is this weekend. i’m also going antihistamine free this weekend as i have allergy tests on monday. yikes. praying i am fine and well and protected. will be taking my own food and eating what i know is totally safe. will be stretching to trust in God for safety and health.
looking forward to: a turkish delight hot chocolate tomorrow with my friend
Listening to: really enjoying new life worships’ GREAT I AM – just replaying it over and over on my nano and into my heart, reminding myself of the promises and greatness and faithfulness of God… also very much still loving Newboys GOD’S NOT DEAD and bethel’s THE LOFT SESSIONS
on the box: loving Touch. i think its my new thing. not replacing LOST, but good quality tv that keeps me entertained and intrigued.
reading: just finished Axiom by Bill Hybels – quality book aka AWESOME. so want to take EVERY principal and apply it and live it. challenging and provoking.
coming up: excited to be service leading this sunday night at church and most most most excited to be involved in our women’s conference coming up in june as the friday night speaker and another role on the saturday.
today: priv’d to have our mums group starting up after the holidays and ANZAC day – love our mums and their lives and the rubber meets the road faith that we HAVE to have as mothers and wives and women, and then tonight we have the best housegroup in the world and digging into philippians with matt chandler
eaten: LOVE cakes! oh loving these GF, dairy free, egg free, soy free cupcakes. took them to our mums group today (to see if it wasnt just me who loved them!) and yay, a hit all round!
feeling: really really cold! need thicker socks!
Done: brought new winter pants for my ever growing children, brought ballet tights for the ever growing cold, almost finished Immerse, decided what i want for my birthday, had b12 injection
To Do: make the most of the buy 2 get one free shoe sale, buy more and thicker socks for myself, name my sons clothes, buy 2 wetsuits for school camp (son and husband)
blest: to have an awesome night out last night with our Mainly Music mums at a local cafe (run by one of our attending mums) with the theme of Friendship and Chocolate… though i couldnt eat anything i was certainly filled on friendship. lovely to meet our mums without their kids and sit down and talk and connect. and Mon Bichon cafe in Farm Cove, Auckland, is FANTASTIC. so blest!
LISTENING TO: been really enjoying Israel Houghton’s song JESUS AT THE CENTRE – such a powerful heart cry for Jesus to be Lord in my life, a powerful reminder for my heart!
READING: loving Joanna Weavers book – HAVING A MARY HEART and HAVING A MARY SPIRIT – so rich in inspiration and also practical application. Also reading Andy Stanley’s COMMUNICATION FOR A CHANGE which is an excellent book on preaching – whole half of the book is an illustration or analogy aka a story about a preacher who wants to improve and how he meets a man that can help him in unexpected ways
BAKING: okay so the other day i tried to make caramel slice and it failed SO BAD. today i am making peppermint slice, a new recipe from one of our housegroup guys and it is AMAZING! i think my husband falls more in love with me each time i make it.
IN THE WORD: i’m in jeremiah and mark at the moment, reading 3-4 chapts of each a night as regularly as possible. jeremiah is such a interesting prophet but i am amazed at his dedication to the Lord in such extenuating circumstances – he preached for 23 years with little or no positive result, but he continued to preach the words God gave him.
LOOKING FORWARD TO: the botany community day tomorrow – its at our local mall and our church, The River Christian Church, has a mini tent thing there and we’ll be giving out WATER FROM THE RIVER and balloons for the kids and doing nail art and fun cartoon tats, also for the kids. we’ve had tshirts printed for the teams there and its a great way to promote our church and let the community know who we are. really praying for open doors and open hearts and opportunity to talk to people!
COMING UP: next sunday our children’s church are having an outreach. i’m priv’d to be the guest speaker, on the topic of creation. both my kids are hoping to invite friends which is really special. i love watching them so naturally invite friends to somewhere they love, and praying that then paves the way for an encounter with God and revelation of His love
JUST: freaked out cos a HUGE bug just flew in the door! yikes!
MAKING TIME TO: listen to and relisten to the JUSTONE women’s online conference – some amazing speakers and awesome challenge and inspiration!
ON THE BOX: my husband and i have been watching Fringe S3 on dvd a couple of nights a week… there doesn’t seem to be much on real tv so this has been awesome. good bonding connection time for us both. now just have to wait for S4 to come out on dvd!!!! in saying there isnt much on real tv i’ve been enjoying PERSON OF INTEREST – because it has Ben from LOST as the main actor (Michael Emmerson) and i am still a LOST freak, and also ONCE UPON A TIME because i, since i was a little girl, have been fascinated with fairy tales.
PROUD MOTHER MOMENT: yesterday evangeline had a mini ballet exam. her ballet teacher got each of them in pairs to go over all the positions and some other ballet moves. she gave each of the girls a small trophy afterwards. it was such a proud mother moment and evangeline did very well. and the light shinning in her eyes says it all!
FEELING: excited about opportunities arising and by what God is doing in our housegroup. love seeing lives changed and people living their lives for Jesus, with Jesus.
Listening To: loving the song AFTERMATH by Hillsong United at the moment. i first heard it on code orange revival and just loved it! Elevation Church just sing just the bridge – And I know that You’re with me, Yes I know that You’re with me here, And I know Your love will light the way but i love all the other lyrics too. will be a worship wednesday song coming up soon, i promise!
On My Wishlist: is the new bethel worship cd coming out this week i think. have been so blest by their song COME TO ME – over the past month it has been such a God given song, as if HE was singing His love over me afresh
Reading: just finished karen kingsbury’s LONGING yesterday, great characters and continuation in the series. love how she makes God real in ordinary peoples lives. also finished a bio about joyce meyer which was fascinating. i have just kinda got into joyce this year and really respect the way she faithfully speaks to people with great compassion and strength. the book made me appreciate her journey even more and i love how she pours out the money she gets from royalties from her books and things into meeting her community through the Dream Centre in St Louis. did not know that. ka pai joyce.
On The Box: well on the puter box at the moment i am about to watch code orange revival (and i must say i love how they’re all wearing some orange!) but on the tv box we’ve been rewatching season 2 of FRINGE. well first time watch for me, but rewatch for my hubby. was always on too late and so i ignored it and then got into season 3 so thought i better do some catch up. have been loving the retrospective point of view we get – such a well written and crafted show!
Praying about: some new opportunities heading my way. had a sleep in (aka stay in bed while the rest of the whanau is up and about) and time to pray this morning as the downside of holiday time is that sometimes as a mum its active duty and not the time i have during school time to stop and breathe and more deeper seek God… but pondering some things and asking God to guide me for His purposes, and confident that He will make His way known to me.
excited about: really feeling like this is a year to dream and see dreams fulfilled. so i am excited about that
eating: lots of waffles. we’ve been having waffle dates with our housegroupies, having them round and making waffles and testing diff toppings, and talking about the significant things going on in their life this year…
Enjoying: the E100 bible plan, our mums group are reading it together and i also follow my own reading plan and its just cool how God weaves His themes and love and grace throughout His Word. and neat how the Holy Spirit makes it alive.
In the Word: apart from the E100 as i just mentioned i have my own reading plan. planish really. im currently reading through the NT a few chpts at at time, loving the contexting and flow on of ideas from one chpt to another, and also now just in Ezekiel. i’ve just finished psalms. but loving loving loving Ezekiel, he had such an encounter with God and God so encouraged him and promised to be with him.
Encouraged: by a lovely humbling encouraging comment and award on my blog the other day… i am such a words of affirmation chick… and then today i got another one: Claire is a stay-at-home-mother and blogger from New Zealand. Her One Passion One Devotion says it all. She’s all about one thing and one thing only. More times than not, I leave her site lifted, closer to God.from Looking For God
Looking forward to: our 11th wedding anniversary coming up next month… am already making plans for our date night, babysitter organised… going out for dinner somewhere, mostly so i can wear the dress i brought for a friends wedding… and so i can have good convo with my hubby!
LISTENING TO: still loving the new gungor album “Ghosts upon the Earth” – and it captures my heart (and ears) afresh each time i listen to it… got a freedownload from noisetrade the other day (they are legend providers of free new christian music!) and loving Freelance Whales . I’m also on the look out for some simple and well done christmas carols for Mainly Music, so yes, Christmas music has started playing in our house. already. yikes!
READING: i have a few books on the go… a tim keller one – and i love his simple but deep and theological explainations about faith, christianity, other religions and atheism.
COMING UP: tonight i’m off to my first Sistas Conference. Sistas Conference is a huge women’s conference held in my city, for women of all ages and stages and church affiliation. I’m so excited. i’m going with my best friend so its doubly awesome. i’ve never been to something on such a scale so feeling nervously expectant
listening to: loving bryan and katie torwalt’s album HERE ON EARTH… have a playlist with that and GOD IS ABLE by Hillsong pretty much on repeat on my nano. also loving the ultimate world cup and general advertise anything song LOVE WILL ALWAYS WIN by awesome kiwi band Opshop. its anthemic and so sticks in my brain in a very welcome way!
on my nano: enjoying Elevation Church’s series called PRODIGY – all the call and equipping of God. one of my most favourite subjects. brilliant. great football analogy too in the first week of the series. if only it fit the rugby culture and context… but nah, so i cant pinch it… Newspring church with leader Perry Noble are doing a great series on the book of revelation and are talking about sex at the moment (in case you dont see the correlation its because some of those early churches that got letters had some issues in this area) and is the first episode on it is great because it outlines some good biblical standards aka pick someone who loves jesus, get married and then have great sex. if you mess up the order you mess up the experience and blessing.
coming up: soon we’re heading away to our young adults camp. we take our kids because they’re kinda part of our group, well they’re part of tony and i and our people so graciously love our kids too. but of course in the lead up to any great camp there is plenty of prep. esp when you’re helping organise it. people with organisational giftings are amazing. i keep thinking some detail is going to leak out of my brain. fingers crossed its not an important detail! also coming up next month i’m the friday night speaker at our chicks conference. will be totally fun. but totally different from anything i’ve ever done before speaking wise. relishing the opportunity!
Exciting: i’m going to Sista’s Conference!
reading: just finished karen kingsbury LEARNING, she’s always good for a good read. she’s a master storyteller! also reading about steve jobs at the mo. reading about innovation and leadership. not because i’m passionately interested in apple computers. have been thinking about books that have really impacted my life, as one of the things we’re doing for the young adults camp is having a resource table with recommendations of great books. my top 5 are: sun stand still by steven furtick, death by love by mark driscoll, doctrice by mark driscoll and then it gets a bit hazy… i cant decide between crazy love by francis chan, praying hyde, any gene edwards book, fire on the horizon by winkie pratney, precious remedies by thomas brooks or the christian athiest by Craig Groeschel. i love books. books can make a difference. and its funny how all of us have different books that click with us and leave their mark.
on the box: watched torchwood the other night for the first time, miracle day to be exact and it was awesome. loved it. also watched the social network for the first time and give it a thumbs up despite the window it gives to terrible choices young people make socially!
wearing: well i love my camel cardy… i hope there is a summer version with short sleeves
eaten: adoring blueberry muffins at the moment. dont know why. just am.
cooking: up a storm making meals for my parents in law who have been sick… yay for slow cookers… and tried those oven bag thingys today… hope they taste nice… the house sure smelt delish!
new toys: at easter my cooktop died. like dead. so we got a lovely sparky in to check the thing and make sure it wasnt going to explode or do anything dangerous and measure up for a new one. only to discover that this ancient of days thing we had was bout 15mm bigger than anything on the market this century. yikes. so we had to get an insert for our benchtop. and that took forever because of slow decision making (we had a lot on our plate with sick parents etc) so finally now i have my new cooktop AND a new wall oven. which is fun. new toys always are. i esp like how this oven cooks everything at the same temp. not one side uber fast and one side uber slow. yes really.
expecting: to watch a lot of rugby in the next month or so as the rugby world cup is in my city. and my 9 year old is totally into rugby. i even brought a car flag.
thankful: for sunshine and full washing lines and the hugs of friends
LISTENING TO: God is Able by Hillsong is my new love and listen
ON THE BOX: haven’t really been watching tv much lately, been having early nights or at meetings or doing stuff… but i quite like Criminal Minds (the newer version), find it very compelling!
COMING UP: am preaching this sunday at our young adults service and also working on a brochure for our young adults camp (the latter being a very new type thing to do!)
WEARING: my snuggly warm merino tunic and camel cardy and rocking brown boots
ABOUT TO: go out for cake @ Quirk Cafe in Howick with the short ones
HOLIDAY FUN: its school hols here, last official day today (unless you count the weekend) and we’ve had fun playing scrabble, went to candyland, ate popcorn, lots of playdates, made a movie with their mates, baked blue icing slice, had adventures at the shops, wore our pjs alot…
LOOKING FOR: a study type series for our young adult group
WISHLIST: i created a wishlist on amazon… it includes: Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus (RE: Lit) by Bill Clem, The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Andy Stanley, Death by Love: Letters from the Cross (Re:Lit) by Mark Driscoll, Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself (Re:Lit) [Paperback] by Joe Thorn and David: Seeking a Heart Like His by Beth Moore
ON MY NANO: really enjoying the Elevation Church (Steven Furtick) preaching series called TREATMENT on worry, depression and addiction. not because i have any of them (bad, cos lets be honest we’re all human and to some degree prob face all of those things in some degree!) but as a leader its good to store things like that in my heart and mind because people are people and i want to be the best kinda leader i can and and help and see people set free and live well. which Jesus makes possible.
WEATHER: is cold. but its not raining really this week much. just cold. there is snow in other parts of the country and rumours it was cold enough to snow here which would be a first time in hundred years type thing… yay for thick socks, singlets, hot water bottles and fires!!!
IN THE WORD: just reading in luke – i read a few chapts a day – a radical shift from my bible plan routine i had. was time to freshen it.
OTHER STUFF: tonys dad has been in hospital for 8 weeks with heart probs and then a superbug and other health related issues. has been really hard time on all the family. please pray for complete healing and also grace and wisdom through this season.
PRAYING: that i would draw closer to God and be who He has made me to be
STOKED: to see God save people
listening to: really enjoying my LOST soundtrack… i know i know… but also really into the new bethel BE LIFTED HIGH album, the more i listen to it the more it leads me closer to Him and into a attitude of faith and trust and lifting my eyes up to Him! have discovered a new group FREELANCE WHALES who are kinda indie folk type thing… their music is beautiful and makes me happy. also totally going in a GUNGOR phase – have their song THE EARTH IS YOURS running around in my head in a good way!
on the box: have rediscovered FRINGE. awesome. and i love their colour palette… yes things like that matter to me…
on my mp4: listened to a great message the other night about the call to preach – is a resurgence podcast (out of mars hill, mark driscoll) and was brilliant about how at great moments in history when God wanted to intervene He would send a herald, someone to speak the message, someone He would empower and speak to and through. very very good stuff!
reading: a few parenting books (by Danny Silk) and some other random stuff too
getting my craft on: last week i was a mother help in my sons class making soft toys. i am not a crafty person by nature. but i love my son and he had faith in me. i mostly threaded needles and helped a group of boys who would never master sewing while the skilled gifted grandmothers and mums that came had the girls and kids that showed great promise. my group was the Try Hards. and then in the afternoons i helped my kids make Easter Hats for the Easter Hat Parade tomorrow. think yellow, nests, chicks, bows, streamers… so a very practically crafty week
love: our church prayer meetings… so good to get together with a group of people to pray and seek God… love when people take the mic and pray and we agree… love when God speaks and leads us into prayer… love praying for awakening. love our church fullstop. love jesus.
coming up: i’m preaching at the end of april… and on good friday. which is huge. a huge priv. good friday. and its all about jesus, his death and salvation. praying for God to come and speak to me and through me
cool things: a housegroup invited a friend to church last night. completely unchurched friend. loved talking to her over pizza last night and the questions she had.
wearing: its mainly music today (preschool music/dance community outreach) and so i have my mickey mouse tshirt on. and my new gray cardy. mmmm cosy.
immerse: immerse is our church mag, it comes out quarterly. i have the final articles and now just need to format my heart out. love it!
eating: hot cross buns… mmmmm delish!
in the word: working my way through the smaller epistles and really enjoyed titus and the start of philemon… back into genesis and almost completed the psalms again… but just loving reading and being encouraged and building and His truth…
listening to: i want to be listening to the new bethel worship cd BE LIFTED HIGH – but i havent downloaded it yet so fingers crossed i’ll get an opp sometime today… have been listening to a really good mix i made of songs i like to pray too, songs that stir my heart and spirit. for me music stirs prayer and draws me in and keeps me focused. also totally loving The Ember Days, Jesus Culture COME AWAY and Ian McIntosh. Cindy Ruakere has a new album out too – KARAKIA – which is awesome – very uniquely New Zealand sound and all based and springboarding from a song called YAHWEH – beautiful sound, beautiful heart to it, good prayer music.
on the box: its new tv season here in New Zealand so there is now something to watch. very much like No Ordinary Family and Off the Map. have Inception out on dvd that i still have to watch too…
on my mp4: really enjoyed the GET BACK preaching series by Steven Furtick at Elevation Church, Charlotte. lots of good material and inspiration and challenge. and i love elisha too and each message comes out of something about his life. brilliant series by my pastor Peter Morton on prayer at www.theriver.org.nz which has really been firing our church up to pray – together and also each of us alone, in our secret place. i like a message that changes lives!
loving: the outbreak of prayer in our church – that its a priority this year – and that people are coming together to do it and that its been awesome. had most of the church come on sunday night to a church prayer meeting and it was awesome and stirring and humbling and powerful and moving and transformational. and then last night at our FIVE leaders meeting we prayed and it just was alive and alight and you can so sense that it is a new year and that something new is being shaped and there is much grace.
made: the most awesome chocolate chip cookies the other day. if i can say so myself.
coming up: well life is pretty much back to normal after things holiday down over January. so housegroup is in full swing and expanding and our young adults service has begun and so i have some great meetings to attend and messages to write. am preaching at the start of march and then each month from then on, so great adventures. my first assigned preach topic is prayer and worship.
weather: hot. humid. sticky. hot.
challenged: in 2 kings the other day i read about josiah and how he had a responsive and humble heart towards God.. and that made all the difference… i want to have a responsive and humble heart towards God and His people and His ways…
excited: about our wedding anniversary on thursday. its our tenth which is a major one so we’re going back to the restaurant we were blest to have our photos taken on. on our wedding day it poured. like really poured. we had planned to have our photos on the beach but it was so wet (and hot) that our photographer approached the staff at the restaurant – a beautiful restored villa with a vine covered deck – to see if we could have photos on it first. we had photos on the deck and in the restaurant and also on the beach. you cant see the rain in the beach photos, until you watch the dvd and then you see its torrential! all great adventures!
eating: Chinese food tonight for housegroup – is our Chinese feast and chopstick challenge – sort of an annual tradition…
listening to: totally into Ascend the Hill at the moment – they have an awesome guitar sound and a real hunger for God’s presence and God to come and move! and Jesus Culture (as always!) just got their COME AWAY album for christmas, well second christmas with my SIL family. so glad, otherwise i would have gone and brought it myself lol!
on the box: confessing that i’m totally bored with tv. now The Event is finished, and Lost is past… well, nothing entertains.
today: went with my kids, my MIL and FIL and SIL and her 3 kids to Kelly Tarltons – an underwater world with sharks and fish and stingrays and penguins. lots to do and lots to see.
looking forward to: FIVE (our young adults service) starting again soon in feb, esp with the new addition of our new youth pastor
beginning: the teaching year of housegroup – last week we had a social night, the ol’ classic housegroup dessert night but this week we’re kicking into the meat of the year. i’m really excited about this term – our focus is on the call of God, personality types and living out the call – kind of a who you are created to be and how to live that to the max type thing. should be some fun nights including one called I AM CIRCUMCISED. each night is an I AM (something beginning with C) (like CALLED, CREATED, CODED etc). last week we crammed 22 bod’s into our lounge. praying for God to come and ignite us with a passion for Him and desire to know Him and make Him known. praying for wisdom for my husband an i and connections with the new people. praying for new obvious leaders to arise so we can multiply outwards.
loved: Tangled. trying to convince the kids to go again. they’d rather go ten pin bowling.
had to laugh: my husband got me out of bed last night to watch a doco on sleep. i sometimes, like now, dont sleep all that well. so watched the sleep doco, and then didnt go to sleep until 2 am…!
inspired: by the sunday message this week at church on being motivated to pray. was awesome and with some real practical ways to tap into our motivational leanings to motivate us for prayer. was a click moment.
wearing: a cardigan for the first time this year. its cold. and windy. and floody in some parts even in auckland. but counting my blessings really compared to others.
expectant: of a move of God THIS year
encouraged: by a suprize opportunity – got asked to apply for the position of the east auckland area coach for Mainly Music. which i had to laugh at in a way because i semi fell into the up front role of our group by default. they needed someone to sing and dance up the front and i’d rather do that than do any admin or dishes. we have a fabulous team and a wonderful group of mums from the community who come and so really it is kudos to all of us. but i am a words of appreciation chick and so i appreciate being asked to apply for the role and the encouragement that went along with that.
thinking about: what to make for dinner tonight… not overly inspired…
reading: in between books. just read 3 books by bill johnson which were very good. there were some real nuggets in there – like the differences in preparation between saul and david in regards to their kingship and following God. a click moment.
in the word: just finished numbers, in psalms, isaiah and ephesians. got some fresh stuff from ephesians last night – love that!
favourite worship song: really loving come like you promised by ascend the hill but in the ministry time yesterday my soul longs by jesus culture played and though i’ve heard it often it was real fresh and alive… come like the rain Lord!
One Passion One Devotion 