Fighting for Botswana!

For those of you who don't know, I have been accepted to be part of the Salvation Army's Mission Team, Project 1:8 when they go to Botswana, Africa in December this year. I am really excited to be going and to be a part of the work that God's doing over there, even if it is only short term.

I just wanted to give you a bit of background about what I'm going there to do. I will be leaving on 30th November and returning on 23rd December. While I'm there I will be working at the Salvation Army Maiye Camp. "The camp's mission is to facilitate and provide, through partnerships, quality psychosocial support to orphans and vulnerable children and youth in sub-Saharan Africa." (www.masiye.com)

Our aim while we are there is to:

1. Encourage the people in the local Corps/Centres
2. Learn the issues associated with poverty and HIV/AIDS
3. Pray intelligently for Botswana
4. Assist in leading camps with local camp counsellors
5. We will also be visiting other Army programs and projects, which will include the Home Based care program which is run by the local Salvation Army Corps. They provide Palliative care and Psycho social support for the sick.

Mission Teams aim for short term missions is not just to take Jesus to people who desperately need Him...but it's also to equip people who are in mission in their own church, to empower them and encourage them to become more effective in their churches and communities. Going to Africa might seem like a really exciting thing to do...but it's not a holiday! It's going to be challenging and even life-changing. This is something that is surrounded by ALOT of prayer and only God can get us there and teach us what He wants us to know!

In writing this blog I am asking for your support! I have never been to Africa before. I did camps for disadvantaged kids for 9 weeks in California, USA...kids who were in foster and group homes etc. It was a challenge but one I'd take up again and again if given the chance. However, Africa is a whole different story. These kids are orphans who are in some way affected by AIDS or Hepatitis and a whole bunch of other diseases...some of them, it's sad to say, are curable diseases...and yet they aren't being cured because they can't afford it. I want to ask that you support me in one of the following ways...if not both!

1. Prayer!
Ephesians 6:18 says, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
1 Timothy 2:1 says, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone."
And James 5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Nothing is going to help me and the others on the team more than prayer. If you feel that there's something you want to do for these people in Africa and you just haven't been called to go or it's beyond your means to help in any way, PRAY!! Prayer is our most POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE tool ever! Dont EVER underestimate it and think 'I'll just pray.' Don't just pray...pray with all your being! Because its your direct line to God and He wants you to offer up your prayers and requests to Him in FAITH knowing that He has the power to answer ANY prayer! Nothing is impossible for God (Matt 19:26)

2. Financial support!
In Acts 2:42-47 Paul speaks about the believers meeting together and committing themselves to the teaching of the Apostles. It speaks of many miracles and wonders. In verse 45 is says, "Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."
In Matthew 19:21 Jesus says, "Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow me."

By 30th September I need to pay $3700 for this trip, not including vaccinations etc. I want to let you know from the outset that this is something that I have felt God calling me to do for some time now. I know, and He has proved this in the past, that no matter how small my finances are to start with He WILL provide the means to get there! I know He is the GREAT provider! What I am asking you to do is to pray and ask GOD if He wants you specifically to support this. I believe that God has something for me to do and to learn in Botswana. For this reason I know He will be faithful and get me there. I am asking you, whoever you are, to prayerfully consider whether He is pressing at your heart to support me in this mission.

If you feel that God is leading you to support this and sponsor me then please send your sponsorship/support money to Jodi Hoffmann PO BOX 3121 Erina, NSW Australia 2250...or for more info email me on jodi.hoffmann@aue.salvationarmy.org

Thank you for your prayers and any other support you can offer!

Bless you guys heaps!!

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting for happiness

You know I've been thinking the last few days about what it takes to be truly happy. What does it mean to be happy? What does it feel like to be really content? I looked up the word 'happy' in my Australian Oxford Dictionary and this is the definition it gave:

"lucky, fortunate; content; indicating state of excitement, nervousness, recklessness..."

I know people who are just unhappy people. Young and old...people who are just so unhappy and find so much to complain about that they forget about the things that make them happy. They complain their life away! I think it's really sad. So, what makes people happy? I mean, what does it take to be TRULY happy?

Some people would say...a life partner. Hey, I put my hand up to that! Yes, I would LOVE a life partner...or atleast that it's revealed to me if Im after the right one at the moment or not...or its revealed to him that I am the right one... haha...But, is he going to be all that will complete me and make me truly and totally happy? Yes, he would make me happy...he already does...so if we got together ofcourse he'd make me happy...I'd feel more complete if I had him in my life!! I believe he would do that for me! But, he wouldn't be ALL that I need in my life to COMPLETE me and make me totally happy and content.

Other people say that money makes you happy. Money makes the world go round and if you have enough of it then you're truly happy. Heck, some people even believe that to have material blessings means that you're truly blessed and complete. Let me remind you of a few people. Let's talk about Michael Jackson. A man who seemingly had it all...fame, money, all that the world could buy him. But where has he ended up. Bankrupt and despised by nations of people. Inside I'm sure that he is screaming because of the issues he has and yet money didn't fix a thing. Money didn't complete him. Matthew Perry...playing Chandler in Friends, possibly the most successful sitcom ever, alongside Seinfield...still didn't make him happy earning millions and millions of dollars and he's been in and out of rehab trying to kick drugs and alcohol. All that money could buy him didn't make him happy. Why do we focus so much time and effort on money. It's not going to last. What if we lose it all? If that's what we rely on to make us happy then we're stuffed...money comes and goes. We can't take it with us when we die. What good is it? It has no eternal rewards.

Then there are those who think that being thin, beautiful and popular makes them happy. Alot of you may not know Judy Garland...Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz...I'm a big fan!! I know I know I'm old fashioned...HAHA...and proud of it! But, I discovered something about Judy Garland this year that really made me feel sad...being the avid fan that I am. Judy Garland lived a terrible life. From about the age of 12 she was a star, singing and acting. She was the most sought after child star for years. But from the start she was told she wasn't thin enough...at 12years old. She wasn't fat at all...maybe a bit of puppy fat at a stretch...but she was fine. She was a kid. But her mum got her onto dieting pills (which today we call speed and opium) and before long she was addicted. She was RICH and had all this fame. She lost loads of weight and got married a whole bunch of times. But it didn't make her happy. She had 3 kids but it didn't make her happy. Men loved her but it didn't make her happy. She died from an overdose of 'diet' pills. In the end, being thin and beautiful and popular still wasn't enough to make Judy Garland content and happy.

Why do we believe the rubbish that the world feeds us? Why do we think that such superficial stuff is going to make such a difference for the better in our lives, and we chase after it only to be sorely disappointed when it doesn't work!? We are so silly. In Ecclesiastes 3:11-13 it says this...

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.

Have you got food in your fridge? Have you got a roof over your head? Have you got clothes to wear? You are so blessed! And yet we find it so hard to fathom that! Where do we get this mindset that the things of this world are going to make us happy? They don't! They fade away...WE fade away! We can't keep this body of ours! So why do we spend so much of our life worrying about the way we look? I'm not exempt from that. Trust me...I've had BIG self esteem issues in the past...not being able to live with myself at all because I just couldn't stand myself the way I am...big and unattractive...but I've discovered who I am in Christ...and its been a HARD slog..and its still not easy...but I know that God loves me anyway..and man that makes me happy! To know that I have someone who loves me REGARDLESS of what I do or say or what I look like...He truly loves me the way I am... flaws and all...that's an awesome feeling!

You know what? Life is life! It's tough! Sometimes it can be really hard. But, we have a God who far outweighs anything that this world could throw at us...and yet we still look for happiness elsewhere! If you are living for Christ and living in His will then you will find true happiness, completeness and contentedness. It won't always be easy...and in fact you won't EVER experience total eutopian trouble-free happiness all the time till you die and go to Heaven!

But while we're here, stop waiting for life to happen and for life to get easier...stop waiting till you earn enough money, drive a fast enough car, marry the right person, have a big enough house with the right number of kids...stop waiting till you finally afford your next holiday...CHOOSE to be happy NOW!! Life is too short for you to mope around complaining about every little thing that comes your way...you can't do anything about it by worrying about it...so why worry? (read Luke 12:22-34)...CHOOSE to be happy! Don't let every little thing get to you...annoy you...stress you out...hurt you...just be happy because Jesus loved you so much that He died for you...the enemy has been defeated and death couldn't hold Him down...so lift your voice in victory and make your praises LOUD...shout out to God with a voice of TRIUMPH...shout out to God with a voice of PRAISE!

Be happy my friends...and when you meet someone who is always unhappy and complaining about life...remind them that Jesus loves them...give them something to be happy about!!

Fight for happiness!!

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE...

Jodi

Fighting for RED HOT passion!

Yesterday I had the most encouraging and exciting day! I felt SO pumped up for God and so excited about my youth and my job here and my church!!

I was out with one of my youth, Talitha, and we stopped into a small clothing shop. They sold heaps of funky, off-the-wall stuff. Not your mainstream 'Supre' type stuff. Anyway, while Talitha was paying for her shirts she was talking to the salesman about how awesome the clothes were cause they were so different. He was obviously SO into retail! You could see it and hear it. He lived and breathed it. He was GREAT at his job and really knew what he was talking about. Talitha also seemed really clued in and really knew her stuff. Then she started to tell him about the JC'N'ME brand cause it was similar to what she was buying...she told him about some stuff she owned. She told him it was a 'God thing'. I was so blown away that she so casually slipped it in there and really got him where he was at. Retail was definately his thing! There was NO doubting that! And heres this 16 year old girl who happens to know a bit about clothing and she just hits him with God in such a relevant way that he understood. Now, it didn't even have to be anything huge...but it was DEFINATELY a seed that was planted!

In 1 Corinthians Paul talks about how he planted seeds that Apollos watered and GOD made grow!! So neither Paul or Apollos were anything...but only God cause He made it grow! I shared that with Talitha and told her how encouraged and blown away I was that she stepped out in faith like that and that we know that God will send someone to water the seed and He will make it grow! I just couldn't get it out of my head all day! I was SO excited to see her share in such a simple and relevant way! And I got to thinking, thats ALL IT TAKES!! Some RED HOT passion for Jesus, and the simplicity of the Gospel and BAM...we're reaching out for souls!! YEAH!! Man, Im so pumped!!!!

But, my day didn't end there...oh no my friends, there were MORE blessings and encouragements on their way!! I stopped into Talitha's place and her siblings were all home from school (Talitha's an apprentice hairdresser, hence the reason she wasnt at school hehe) Anyway, her younger brother, Morgan, who is also in the youth group, asked me if I still do Flipside...the lunch time program I do at his school. Morgan's never been interested in coming along cause he hangs out with his friends at lunch and they only get 2 half hour breaks...so its really not much time. But, I told him that, yes, I still do it and he was welcome to come. He said that he was interested in coming because he has a friend who wants to become a Christian but his folks wont let him! So, Morgan wants to bring him to Flipside so that he can still get his dose of God and might hopefully be led to a full committment to Christ!! Man, even Morgan, at 14 years old, in grade 9, has RED HOT passion for Jesus and wants his friends to have it too!!!

I started thinking, man, I want MORE of that!! I want to be so RED HOT with passion for Jesus that I am absolutely bursting at the seams to share with people!! I mean, I am, but sometimes I think...not enough!!

Last night I went to a building plan committee meeting (our church is going through a building project) and I have to say that I was even more excited after being there...I seriously felt like I would explode after all the blessings that my day had unfolded...haha! Last night in the meeting it was RED HOT with passion and visions and dreams of what God is going to turn our church into and how its growing slowly but God is ALREADY showing His faithfulness since we stepped out in faith and got serious about this project. It was awesome to sit in this room with these passionate people who really know their stuff and are really just SO keyed into what God's vision is for this place! It was awesome!! The meeting normally goes for 2 hours (it's meant to go for 1 hour) but last night it went for 3 hours!! And it felt like 1!!! There was so much excitement and so much positive talk and clarification on this vision and I just left there feeling SO totally in awe of God and the work He is doing in this place!!

Tonight we had our first worship team practice. I have started a 2nd all age worship team in the church with another guy on board with me. It was really great! We sang the song 'Out of my depth in your love!' These are the lyrics:

I wanna be out of my depth in your love
Feeling your arms so strong around me
Out of my depth in your love
Out of my depth in you!

Learning to let you lead, putting all trust in you
Deeper into your arms, surrounded by you
Things I have held so tight, made my security
Give me the strength I need, to simply let go

I love that song!! Its such a great song and a great reminder! Too often we hold things so tight and we don't allow God to work. We put up shields and don't let God use us to reach out to someone. We try to vandalise visions cause we dont have enough faith to understand what God is going to do! We try to lead instead of letting God lead! I challenge you to make that your prayer...'give me the strength I need to simply LET GO!' Give me the strength I need to be RED HOT with passion for you!! I wanna be out of my depth in you, Lord...fighting for you ALL THE WAY!!

BE RED HOT WITH PASSION, FRIENDS!!

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting for purity!

What's the first thing that comes to your mind when I say Im going to talk about fighting for purity? Sex? Drugs? Alcohol? Well, yeah...all of that! But I do want to speak about one in particular...sex and respect. Don't freak out...I'm not getting too detailed here! haha. But, I am keeping it real!

SEX! Its such a big thing in our world today! Is there ANY TV show that doesn't in some way promote sex or promiscuous behaviour? I used to think that Home and Away and Neighbours were great because they are so tame and nothing like that would happen! So I thought...but this week I saw an episode of Home and Away where a couple slept with each other for the first time and they're only 15/16 years old! Another character on Home and Away is single and pregnant and doesn't even know who the real dad is!

This is the stuff we let into our loungerooms and worse...into our minds! This is the stuff we're watching and condoning! We watch a movie and think how lovely it is that two people develop an attraction for eachother throughout the movie and then end up sleeping together...some don't even get as far as getting to know eachother! They go to a club and gaze accross the room at eachother and 'sparks' fly and they leave together and go home and have sex...after meeting for the first time! How lovely!! NOT!

We have completely and utterly downgraded what sex was created for! God created it to be something WONDERFUL between a husband and wife who are so in love with eachother and have publicly committed their lives to eachother under God! People say all the time that they love eachother and that's why they do it before marriage! I don't doubt that people love eachother who are not yet married...I would hope that people do get into relationships for love (although, the sad reality is that most people dont!!) but the only way you will know for sure that you are together forever is to have that ring on your finger...and thats when you are united as one! When you give yourself away you are giving away a piece of yourself that you will NEVER get back again! The only person who should have that part of you should be your husband or wife!

Now, this is not to tell all you people out their who have not kept yourselves pure that you're bad bad people and that there is no longer any hope for you! I am also not writing as someone who hasn't been there and done that! I haven't always been a Christian! I've gone further than I should have...I've foolishly and freely given away parts of myself that I can never get back!! Do I regret it? Yes! Do I live with that regret? No, not anymore! I have dealt with it and God has shown me His AWESOME grace!

God showed me that when I gave my life to Him I gave Him all I had left! I was a pretty big mess when I gave God my life! I had destroyed and given away so much of myself...but God COMPLETED me again! He renewed me TOTALLY and made me whole again!! I won't ever get back what I gave away...but instead, God has renewed me making me a NEW person, with a NEW and fulfilling life! EVERY part of me was made NEW!!

So, if that's you, then let me tell you...there is STILL hope for you! Don't feel like you can't come to God with that stuff! Cause you can! He wants you to! He wants to renew you and give you a FRESH start! He wants to make you WHOLE again! No matter WHERE you've been!

The other thing I wanted to talk about with purity is respecting yourself in how you dress! I see SO many young girls wearing clothes that hardly cover anything! Even Christian girls who are thin enough to wear a mini skirt that reveals everything the minute you sit down and cross your legs! And this is not me speaking as someone who wishes I could actually get away with wearing that sort of stuff if it actually fit me...haha...but this is serious stuff!!

Turn on the news...how often do we hear stories of girls being raped or in some way sexually assaulted or abused or harassed? We get so angry and disgusted at that...but what fuel are we giving them?! There are some really disturbed people out there! There are people on the prowl! I don't say this to freak anyone out, but ITS REAL and you need to know and be aware of this stuff because you just don't know who's out there...so you need to protect yourself however you can!

Ok, girls...this is for your information! Boys are HORMONAL!!! I know I know...crazy huh? I mean, who knew?! Yes, girls are hormonal too...but we handle it better (just slighty more moody)...its the truth...not trying to be funny here! Boys see a girl and it's their natural instinct to look! If they see a girl wearing a mini skirt and a shirt that's tight enough to be mistaken for paint on your chest then their hormones are gonna go wild!! Now, this is not to say that all boys are oogling pigs who wolf whistle at any passing chick! But they still can't help but look! The thing is what happens next! For some it turns into lust and a very wild imagination and it ends there! For some they control it and move on. But then there are those who just don't know their boundaries and anything could happen! It could be a sleeze who grabs your butt! It could be someone who stands so close you can feel their breath on your face and they try to get close to you! Then there are those who don't know how to control it...and they're the ones who end up famous...with their faces on TV as the person who raped and murdered a young girl in a park!

Girls, I can't stress this enough...you are ALL beautiful...no matter what shape or size or what boy you have hanging around you...God created you AMAZING!! God doesn't make junk! He thinks you are just stunning!!! So, you don't need to plaster your face with loads of make up, wear the shortest skirt you can find and paint on your shirt everyday! There are so many nice clothes out there that are respectable and are still fashionable or trendy or whatever it is you're looking for in an outfit! Trust me, they make it with sleeves, high enough to cover your clevage and also long enough to cover your knickers!

I'm not saying this to be harsh or anything like that! Im saying this so that you're aware of what's out there! Don't give these disturbed people the bait they're looking for! And have enough respect for your Christian and non Christian brothers to dress decently so that they don't fall into temptation or sin! Have enough respect for yourself to be a bit more modest and not attract the wrong kind of unwelcome attention!

Guys, I don't want to let you off the hook by saying that it's all just natural and bound to happen and you can look at girls in lust cause its normal! That's not true either! Something to think about...when you see a hot chick and tap your mate and say 'Hey dude, check her out!!' 1. Are you respecting her? 2. Are you respecting yourself and your own purity? 3. Are you respecting your mate and his purity? 4. If it was Jesus sitting next to you would you ask Him that? Yes, hormones are natural...but you CAN control it!! When you see a 'hot' chick you can choose not to look or not to disrespect her by devaluing her as a person and oogling over the size of her chest or the length of her legs!

Guys also hold alot of control...now, I was tossing and turning on whether I should tell you this or not incase you took advantage of it or got a big head or got on a power trip or something...but I believe my readers hold a certain level of maturity and can deal with it...guys, girls tend to fall for you guys REAL quick...they meet a great guy with a great personality, he's funny, sweet, attractive...everything shes ever dreamed of! She is no sooner declaring to atleast one of her girlfriends that she's met 'the one' and that she is so besotted with him, heck, before long she's declaring the big 'L' word!! (ok...not ALL girls will be like this...bear in mind, I am generalising!)

So, this is where guys get the control...most guys are pretty dense and don't notice when a girl is interested...it's hard to believe...but its true! Girls try to do EVERYTHING to drop hints...but guys just dont know how to read those hints! You have to tell them straight out...sometimes more than once! So girls will do anything for the one she loves...she will run around for him...she'll get him anything he wants or do anything he wants...this is where I tell you guys to handle this with the utmost maturity! You have 2 options based on your own feelings!

Do you like/love her? If so and you've picked up on her feelings...(or even if you aren't sure you have...take a risk) TELL HER!! For goodness sake...put her out of her misery! If you ARENT interested...TELL HER!! For goodness sake...put her out of her misery! DONT flirt with her! DONT play on her feelings for you! DONT do ANYTHING that would even remotely suggest that you have feelings for her..because trust me...girls get confused about boys and their feelings VERY quickly! And if she is really in love with you then she will pursue it and she will fall deeper and deeper in love and will be utterly CRUSHED and DEVASTATED when you reject her! Respect her enough to talk to her about it!!

Ok...final words...a summary!! GUYS AND GALS...fight for your purity...don't give yourselves away at the drop of a hat..save it for your husband or wife...AFTER youre married!! Don't dishonour yourself, your fellow brothers and sisters or, more than that, GOD...by dressing in less than youre worth...and finally, DONT DONT DONT play on eachothers heart felt feelings! Respect your brothers or sisters enough to be straight with them and not fool around with emotions!

BE PURE, friends!

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting for life!

This week on the Central Coast a 16 year old boy, aided by a gang of kids younger than him, from Erina High School, stabbed and murdered a 15 year old girl at Forresters Beach. He stabbed her 7 times. I don't know all the details nor do I know why children so young would feel such a desire to murder someone, but I do know that these kids are still worth fighting for!

I do a lunch time program and teach scripture at Erina High school. It's right on our doorstep. There's a primary school next door to our property, Woodport Primary, and then directly across the road from Woodport is Erina High. I haven't done much there yet, there's already someone in place, so I've come in to help out with it, but as of today I've received more info of another program that I will possible take on board at the school (check it out at hillsong.com/shine)...At the moment the lunch time program, which is called Flipside, is running as a small Bible Study with only about 4 regular kids who come once a week. But we have faith that it will grow...one of those kids became a Christian through the program, not having any family background in church whatsoever...and another boy has been coming along after having a scripture class and staying back to ask questions...now he comes to Flipside every week! So who knows how big God will grow this!

I realised something today...I realised that there's a whole community of people out there who are just going to give up on these kids who were involved in this stabbing! A whole community of people who are going to be angry and distraught at this tragedy and this waste of a 15 year old girls life, and rightfully so! No one deserves to lose their life like that! But you know what, these boys didn't just take this girls life...but they have also taken their own lives...their life, as they know it, will NEVER be the same again! They have become outcasts! They are hated by so many now! They are despised and rejected! But you know what? No matter what they've done, God's love is SO big for these boys that His love will break through anything and will make a way for them!

Some of you probably think I'm crazy and maybe just a little dilussional...you might even think I have no heart for the girl who died and her family and friends! Well, you couldnt be further from the truth! My heart breaks for this girl and her family. As I said, NO ONE deserves to have their life taken away like that! What these kids did was indescribable and I wouldnt even try to make excuses for their behaviour! It was just WRONG! No if's, but's or maybe's! Jesus loves them, but He knows it was wrong too! But, what about this thing called GRACE!

This week I started my Bachelor in Theology and in my reading material I read the parable of the workers in the vineyard who were hired throughout the day, and at the end of the day they were still all payed the same amount...even though some had worked 11 hours and some only worked 1 hour! (read Matt 20:1-16) The parable explains that in the Kingdom of God, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Do you find it hard to grasp that if these young people find Christ and accept Him that they too will receive the same reward in eternity as you will...even though you have been faithful all your life and certainly never broken the law!? Well, that's what the Bible tells us! It also tells us that we are ALL sinners who fall short of the glory of God! So, if God can extend His grace to us, then He WILL extend His grace to these kids!

The question, however, remains...Will WE extend the grace of Jesus Christ to these kids? Do we believe that they were just as worthy of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross? Do we believe that they deserve to have Christ in their life and that they should dance in Heaven with us one day? I want to ask you to remove from your mind the fact that these kids have committed this crime! Strange request you think? I ask you to do this because while it is in your mind you are probably all thinking 'What's the best way that JUSTICE can be served here?' Well, that is not for you to question or to answer! God is a gracious God, but He is also a God of justice. These kids will answer to God for what they've done, you can stop worrying about that, but you can also stop casting stones as if we're better than them! In God's eyes sin is sin! We've all sinned and we've all fallen short of God's glory and grace...but we still receive it quite happily!! How then can people turn around and say that people who do these things should rot in hell!? God would never desire that for anyone!! His desire is that we make disciples of ALL nations and baptize ALL people in HIS Holy Name (Matt 28:19-20)...His desire is that we love our neighbour (Mark 12:30-31)...His desire is that we show people what life SHOULD be like! That we should show people what life with Christ is all about!

Someone lost their life this week in an awful way! Again, this proves that there is such an urgency to be reaching out to everyone we can reach out to...whether you think they deserve it or not! We don't deserve it either, but its freely available! My heart breaks for these kids and what this means to their life now! They have ruined their whole life...(although I have to say, society is not completely blameless in all this...murder and anger and hate is promoted in the media like nothing else and in same cases it's seen as glamourous and the right thing to do! In some cases it's used in comedy...is it any wonder that kids who grow up being taught and subjected to these things go out and do them...I know that we dont all do that...but I guess that society doesnt consider the more vulnerable and impressionable young people...or they dont care! We have alot to answer for!) These boys are going to suffer for what they've done...I could almost guarantee that! But I want to know, who is going to go and visit them and tell them that Jesus still loves them? Who is going to love them? Who is going to give them a Bible to read while they're stuck in prison with nothing but their lonely thoughts to give them comfort? Who is going to show them that Jesus WANTS to be their comfort? Who is going to bring them up in their next Bible Study and say a prayer for them aswell as the victims family and friends? Who will pray for reconcilliation for these kids? Who will pray for NEW LIFE to be breathed into them? Who will think of their family and friends who are devastated too? I know Jesus will...I know I will pray for them...WILL YOU?!

Fight for life my friends...fight for those who's lives are so destroyed and confused without our saviour Jesus Christ! While there remains one lost soul without the light of Christ, fight to the very end!

Your sister in Christ...

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting to set an EXAMPLE!

What does it mean to set an example to someone? Who can set an example? How old do you have to be? Is there an age requirement? Well...read this...

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity!" 1 Timothy 4:12

So...the answer...no, there is no age requirement...anyone can set an example for people! The question is, what kind of example are you setting? Is it a good example or a questionable one...or a straight out bad example?!

As we grow up we begin to hold more power with the younger generation following our lead. Thats not just leaders and people who are beyond school...when you were in grade 8 didnt you think that people in grade 12 were the coolest and most grown up people you'd ever met?!...Or when you were in grade 4 you thought grade 8ers were so cool and grown up?! So even a grade 8er should be thinking about the way that they behave and what example they set. Too young you think? To worry about all that?...Well, thats what the Word of God says...dont let anyone tell you youre too young! We should be setting a good example for younger people so that in turn they can set a good example for others younger than them who are looking up to them...no matter how young they still might be!

Lets open it up a little and look at what this scripture tells us to do...'set an example...in speech'...Thats a tough one huh? That may just be the hardest one of all! How often do we speak about people behind their backs?... GOSSIP!...we never stop to think how that would make the other person feel if only they knew the cutting things we were discussing...you only have to think how it would make you feel to walk in on someone saying the same things about you!...hmmm...now theres something to think about!

What about things we actually say to people. In the heat of the moment people will often say something nasty to fulfill their self-gratification...but they dont think how that will effect the person directly...alot of you may not know this story...but Karen Carpenter (from the singing group The Carpenters) died of anorexia because someone said in an article at the start of her career that she was chubby...that began a HUGE downward spiral of years of suffering from anorexia before it finally claimed her life! The things that we say can seriously damage a persons WHOLE life! We need to think about that!

What about dirty or trashy jokes?! How often do we enjoy laughing at a trashy joke? Yeah, its good to have a joke and a laugh...Im convinced God has a sense of humour! But the question is, would you tell Jesus that same trashy joke? Guess what? He hears it anyway! I have been guilty of that lots of times...or even of just hearing someone else say a joke that I dont agree with and maybe I dont laugh at it cause its rude...but I smile politely and dont say anything! Isnt that just as bad? We need to watch what we say! We need to set an example for people in SPEECH! We have it in us to stand up against bad speech...if we have Jesus in us then we have the power to beat this!

'Set an example...in life'...this means watch EVERYTHING you do! What is your life about? Are you the kind of person who goes to church on a Sunday and on a Monday-Saturday people wouldnt even know it? Do people know what or WHO you stand for? And if they do, do they see you live it out? Are you 'walking in the spirit'? (Galatians 5) When you go to McDonalds and get an old burger and you take it back to get a fresh one, does the person serving you know youre a Christian? Are you kind to them or are you rude to them? Do you take it back and get angry with them and demand a new burger or a refund? Setting an example in life means ALL that you do! Even when ordering a burger! I used to work at Hungry Jacks...let me tell you, sometimes you have such a busy day and you are pushed and stressed to the max and all you want is a friendly customer and not a rude or snotty one...it seriously makes such a difference! Are you that person? Are you setting an example in life?

'Set an example...in love'...How often do you see husband and wife relationships where they proclaim to the world that they love eachother, yet at every turn they are bickering and biting eachothers heads off?! How many times have you heard a father tell everyone he loves his children, yet when he has a few drinks he lays into them?! How many times does a son say to his mum 'I love you' but never goes to visit or call her when shes all alone?! How many times does a sister claim to love her brother yet she seems to be so jealous of what he has that she doesnt?! What kind of example are we setting there?...We're saying we love eachother, but we arent showing it! We arent setting a very sound example for others! I've heard so many young people speak about how they never want to get married because their mum and dad got divorced and they dont believe in love...or that they dont know what real love is all about...(read 1 Corinthians 13...that'll give you some help) Its a sad society we live in when people no longer believe in love or believe that love is real...obviously these people havent met Jesus yet! So, what are we doing? Are we setting an example in love? Are we showing people what real love is all about? As I said...read 1 Corinthians 13...that will tell you what real love should be like...or you could just look to Jesus for the BEST example!!

'Set an example...in faith' Well, heres a challenging one! I think that alot of times we can go to church and not have very much, if any, real faith...we go and we enjoy worship and all of that, but when God asks us to step out in faith and do something we say no...we run away...like Jonah, we try to run to the other side of the world...but dont you worry, Gods gonna send that big fish after you!! hahaha! We say we trust God...but do we really? And it doesnt matter how many times we see God prove His greatness in other peoples lives, we still doubt that He will extend that same grace and those same blessings to us when we take a big leap of faith! You know, Jesus said,

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matt 17:20

So it really doesnt take a huge amount of faith...but we need to have even just a little bit...so when pay day comes around and theres a stack of bills to pay...take out your tithe FIRST and then say 'now, what can I afford?'...don't say to God, 'Hmmm...sorry God, cant afford tithes this week!' cause God would never say to you 'Ahh, sorry...cant afford to bless you this week!' Take a leap of faith...tithe your money and watch God work the rest out! Take a leap of faith and say yes to that overseas mission trip you cant afford and watch God provide the means to get you there...

I heard a story once of a man who felt called to go overseas...he told the mission team he was going to be going but he had no cash! It got to the day of departure and he turned up at the airport...the team were all saying to him, 'Dude, what are you doing here? You're not going! You have no ticket, no money, no VISA...youre not going with us! Sorry man!' But, he was CONVINCED God was asking him to go! He had to take a quick pit stop at the bathroom and when he walked out, much to his surprise, he was in the country God had asked him to go to! No ticket, no money, no VISA...but an open toilet door to his destination. He sat in the airport for hours and hours waiting for his teams flight to arrive...they were shocked! But, all he had done was stepped out in faith, even though it made no sense, and God provided the way!

Are you setting an example in faith? Are you living by faith?

Finally, 'set an example...in purity' Well, its a tough society we live in. One that doesnt know much about purity! Switch on the TV or watch a movie or buy a magazine and all you see is sex, nudity and all kinds of things like that! Thats not what God designed us for! As Christians, we take the stand that we will wait for the sanctity of marriage! But, so many people dont! Either they 'slip up' and give in to the temptation...or they've been married 3 times before and think that that 'rule' no longer applies to them! Then theres people who dont go 'all the way' but they push EVERY boundary to go as far as they can without having sex and they say 'Thats ok cause we knew where to stop! We didnt have sex!' Did you really? So then WHY did you go as far as you did, cause let me tell you IT WAS TOO FAR!!! Guys and gals...true love WAITS!! No one knows how a relationship will pan out...you might be engaged and everything and 2 days before your wedding you open your ears and hear God loud and clear say 'This is NOT the one for you!' So, you call off the wedding...but how do you explain to your life partner when you finally meet them that you went that far!!

This is a question that used to really haunt me to be honest! This is a bit personal...but I've learnt to deal with it and God has extended His grace to me BIG TIME! I did not keep my purity! Before I became a Christian I gave it away...a few times...to different men! I thought I would find 'real' love that way! But, you know what? In one of those relationships I was abused in...in another he was a real rager...and it keeps going...none of them loved me...they just used and abused me! When I became a Christian I made the decision to also abstain till I got married...but I dreaded EVER telling my husband about my past! But God really broke through to my heart and showed me some AMAZING grace! He showed me that when I gave Him my life, He COMPLETED me and RENEWED me and made me WHOLE again...so any part of myself that I gave away so carelessly in the past, God redeemed! It doesnt make doing it right...but it shows Gods awesomeness and how great His grace really is!!

Dont give away your purity!! Save it for when you know that youve commited your WHOLE life to that person, under God...on paper...in the form of a ring on your finger...in the sanctity of marriage...and that means ANY form of sexual behaviour...even if its not 'all the way'! Treasure and guard your purity with all the strength that God will give you to do that!! Set an example for others in purity!!

You are not too young to set an example...God has instructed you to do it...so dont be afraid to do it!!

Lets fight to set an example!!

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting for Servant-heartedness

Before I start my blog I want to share some really exciting news with all of you...in December I am going to Botswana for about 3 weeks with the Salvation Army's Mission Team, Project 1:8!! WOOHOO...I just got accepted yesterday so its all still fresh and new and EXCITING!! God is great!

So...anyway...onto my blog! Servant-heartedness! Hmmm...what a topic! I guess this is also something that ties in with my last blog as something that we seem to fail on a lot! We have this 'Be Number One' mentality and it really doesnt leave a lot of room to be servant-hearted! But I want to specifically talk about being servant hearted!

Our best example of someone who had a servant heart was Jesus. Lets look at His example because that's how we will understand what having a servant heart is all about! Well, Jesus came to earth as one of us. He didnt come as someone who had all these riches and great clothes...the best brands...you know what I mean...you know, the NIKE robe or the Billabong sandals...and He didnt come with the choicest donkey to ride into town...the BMW model...He didnt have a mansion with loads of maids and servants who would wait on Him and feed Him grapes and dust the piano...He didn't walk around town expecting people to bow down to Him and make a big fuss and go 'Hey, Jesus....can I have your autograph?!'...you can just picture it cant you...Jesus wearing His NIKE robe, His Billabong sandals, and of course His designer sunnys...with the Jerusalem Techno Beaters blaring really load behind Him as He strides in to town on His BMW donkey waving with a cheesy smile that says 'Hey, how you doin?'...and then He clicks His fingers and His maids run on over and start giving Him some air con with their big palm leaves! Is that what you picture when you think of Jesus and His life? I don't!

So what was Jesus really like? What was He about? He could have had all those things if He wanted to...so why didnt He? Why did He choose to live such a humble life? Ok, quick recap...Jesus was born to the virgin Mary and her soon-to-be-husband, Joseph. They weren't royalty or anything by any means...He was born in a barn! Yes, with donkeys and other animals watching on. It wasn't the most hygeinic or appealing of births (although most births aren't appealing...haha). He grew up as a simple carpenter. He didnt start His ministry till He was 30 years old! That first 30 years He just lived with the people. He did meet with and share with some people as a boy in the temple but apart from that, He didn't do anything till He was 30. So, what did He teach us about servant-heartedness?

Well...being servant hearted is all about taking the back seat and letting other people do stuff...so, not being number one all the time! Not trying to run the show and be in control all the time, but allowing others to use their God-given gifts and talents to be involved. It's all about HUMBLING yourself! Jesus knew it all. He had more knowledge than anyone else and He had more control than anyone else...and infact He had more of everything than anyone else! Everything belongs to Him! But He didnt flaunt it! He didnt come in and say 'Im the bomb...look what I've got...look what I can do!' No, Jesus was HUMBLE! He was a servant! He had a servant heart.

When I looked up the word 'serve' in the dictionary 2 definitions stood out to me (there were a few) The first one was "To give homage and obedience to" and the second one was "To act toward (one another) in a specified way". So when we serve God, are we being obedient and do we serve Him with homage (or respect)? Is that our heart? When we talk about being servant-hearted is our heart filled with homage and obedience to God? What about towards others? How do we act towards others? Do we respect them? Do we serve them?

It's interesting isn't it...we say that we need to be and want to be more like Jesus...we preach it...we sing it...we tell people that we 'live' by His example...but are we being true to that? Jesus was our greatest example of being a servant! He didn't try to put across to everyone that He was the 'bees knees'...even though He was...He loved...He cared for...He mentored His people and showed them the right way to live...but He did it in a way that was relevant to them and He didnt make them feel inferior or not worthy of His time or attention...and He did it with the intention that He would train them up to be His leaders here on earth...you see a good leader needs to be servant-hearted and needs to be training people up that will take over for them. The only way to do that is to let go of your pride and LET others step in!

To be servant hearted you need to let go of your pride! You cannot hold onto that because if you do you cant have a servant heart and you cant have a flourishing ministry! Some of you Im sure are thinking 'Wow...thats so true...I know someone just like that! I know someone who needs to be more humble! Not me though...Ive got that down pat!' Well, thats not why Im writing this blog...infact Im not even suggesting that I have it all down pat and that I am a perfect example to follow! The perfect example is Jesus! I know I can be proud at times! But, we are good at that arent we? We're good at hearing God speak in a sermon or a message or maybe in a blog...and we're quick to point the finger and say 'I know someone like that!' Well, this is a message for ALL people because there is no one on this earth who has mastered this! At times we can all be a bit pride-filled when we think we're right and dont want to admit we're wrong! Sure there are beautiful people out there who are very servant hearted (like Mother Theresa was)...but we are not perfect! Only God is...thats not to say give up and never try to acheive being like Jesus. But its saying that we are not perfect and so we need to be open to rebuke and we need to always be striving for more and more of Christ! Thats what we live for!!

So, if youre in leadership...or any role...take a look at what youre doing and ask yourself...'Am I being servant hearted? Could I help someone clean up instead of expecting them to clean up after me? Could I empower more people and train more people to take on my position when I go? How could I better serve the people around me? How can I be more like Jesus?'

Lets fight to be more servant-hearted!! Dig in for more of Jesus...trust me, you can NEVER get enough!!

Bless you all...

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting to be Number One!!

Tonight I am preaching at Youth Church and I am going to be speaking to the young guys about the call of Jeremiah...really hounding the point that at any age God will call and use people!! Dont let anyone tell you youre too young...

Anyway, my 2nd point in my message will be 'Stop thinking its all up to you!' and thats what Im going to blog about today because I dont have enough time to say as much as I want in my sermon...they might fall asleep...haha...

This is something that I really think we fail on alot. It's something we just keep coming back to...we always want to be, or we think we need to be, NUMBER 1!! We can always find someone who has more than we do, or someone who has the job we want, or someone who seems happier than we are...we can always say, 'when I was a kid I never got away with that'...or 'I never had it that good'...or 'I never had a house that nice'...or 'I never had that much money'...and we become bitter because the 'whole world' has more than you...and the next thing we do is start to envy other people and we start to WANT what they have and what we think should 'rightfully be ours!' It's as if we're saying, 'God, the way you blessed me was just not good enough...I should have had this, that and the other...just like everyone else!!' Do you know what God would say to that?

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man...Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven." (Luke 6:20-23)

God blesses us all differently for a reason...He doesn't want us to be ungrateful because some seem to have more than we do...big deal...so someone has a bigger house...or a nicer car...does it matter? Do you have a roof over your head? Are you alive? Do you have food? Well you have far more than millions of other people across the world...so what are you complaining about? We have this mentality in western society that says we need to be number one and have the best of everything...and as Christians we fall into that trap...but God doesnt want us to have riches on earth...He wants us to focus on our riches in Heaven!! So lets start with that! Lets keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and on Heaven...because the things of earth will fade away...but HE will last forever!!

So, that takes care of material stuff...what about life?...careers?...social standing?...there are people who think that they need to be number one and do everything themself and have the top notch job because they deserve it more than anyone else does! I am a firm believer that if you have given God COMPLETE control of your life then He has you EXACTLY where He wants you to be...I can hear someone say, 'But dude, I clean toilets for a living...I wanna be in ministry...when's it gonna be MY turn!?!'...to that I say this...Cleaning toilets IS your ministry!! Imagine this. You are a Christian cleaning a public toilet and a chick walks in crying and distraught...you quickly pray and ask God to give you the right words and you turn and say 'Are you ok?'...who knows what comes next!! God could do something amazing through you...maybe thats your ministry...maybe its that the people you work with dont know Jesus...but they will through you!! Whatever God has got you doing right now...thats where youre meant to be!!

God doesnt want you to be number 1...because HES number 1...and He always will be...and in your life, He always SHOULD BE!! So, let me challenge you today...is God number 1 in your life? Or are you too busy trying to be number one without leaving the control to Him?

Something to think about ;)

Bless you all LOADS!!

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting for acceptance!

I've realised something. We spend too much time fighting for acceptance!! Let me explain...

I have spent my whole life fighting to be accepted...I'm an Officers/Pastors kid...I've moved around alot compared to an average person. I have been to 4 different primary schools and 3 different high schools. The longest I've spent in any one school was 3 years. That's a lot of schools! Especcially for a kid growing up who wants stability and the same friends. Fortunately I still ended up ok...I think ;)...I guess that's another topic for discussion! hehehe...but it taught me alot...it really did! I learnt how to make friends and how to be more outgoing etc. Although I also learnt a little about trust too. Because I've moved around so much I tend to meet people and trust them straight away...and let me tell you, I've been hurt and stomped on SO MANY TIMES trusting people!! I won't stop loving people but I will be careful about how much I put out there...thats for sure! However, despite being outgoing, I also spent ALOT of time fighting to be accepted...not being myself but trying to fit in with everyone to be accepted...smoking 40 cigarettes a day...drinking and getting smashed lots...getting with guys coz it was wat everyone else was doing...but being used and in cases abused...so its not like it made me feel any better! None of it was real! I thought it would make someone love me...but it didnt...

Anyway...I realised that I've never felt content with who I am. I'm not thin and, lets face it, I'm not exactly Miss Universe! I'm not the smartest person and I don't have the greatest sense of humour! I've always felt inadequate and felt that I needed to be all of those things...thin, beautiful, smart, funny...etc...and basically everything else that the media tells you you have to be! I've always thought that's why I have such bad luck with men and why I either don't attract them or I end up with the ones who hurt me...I've always thought that I could be better than I am!! But it's all been superficial stuff!! Like the way I look...I can't stand the way I look...but you know what? Jesus loves me and He made me the way I am...looks and all...for a purpose!!

I have realised that I have wasted TOO MUCH time fighting for acceptance from the world...which will fade away and die...instead of thinking about how my amazing and ETERNAL Saviour, Jesus Christ, loves me SO much and how He created me the way I am for a reason and loves me the way I am!! He's even gone ahead of me and made someone and has prepared someone for me who will love me and treat me like a princess...and someone that I can love and treat like my prince!! hahaha...cheese central huh? hehehe...but SO true!!

But apart from all of that, if I am going to fight for acceptance why am I bothering to fight for the worlds acceptance when they're so messed up...instead of fighting for GOD'S acceptance who is perfect in every way? Well, here's a simple answer! I don't need to FIGHT for God's acceptance...all I had to do was ask for it and it was already there...I just had to receive it...and I did that! I've accepted God and Hes accepted me!! So, I have no reason to worry or to be fighting for anyone elses acceptance! When I insult myself and my looks etc then I am really insulting God...cause He made me this way!! Warts and all...hehehe!

So, why do we care so much about the world and their opinions? Why do we let people shut us down and effect us so much? What does God say about acceptance? In John 15:15-16 it says:

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."

Hows that for acceptance? Jesus CHOSE you! Jesus CHOSE me! He has appointed us to do great things and to be great people! He says that whatever we ask in the His name the Father will give us! He doesn't just call us 'servants' with Him as our Master...he calls us FRIENDS!! He's our friend!! He's accepted us more than anyone will ever accept us! Man, you wanna talk about real acceptance? Look back to John 15:9 & 13.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you...Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

He laid down His life for us! We cursed Him, we spat on Him, we disgraced Him, we hated Him, we mocked Him, we broke His heart!!! Yet He still loved and accepted us so much that He laid down His life for us!! Now that's real acceptance! We can be the biggest so called 'loser' in the world and He would still accept us! We could be the most overweight person in the world and He would still accept us! We could be the worst person in the world and He would still love and accept us!

If its real acceptance you want, look no further! Its available in Jesus Christ!! Have YOU accepted HIM?

Lets fight for people to accept Christ so they will share in His acceptance of them!!

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting for love

Well, I've decided to blog today about that four letter word that seems so foreign to so many people today...L-O-V-E - LOVE!

Gone are the days of happy families...gone are the days of free love...here are the days of 'whatever goes'! It's everywhere! It's all over TV, through magazines, papers, INTERNET!! It's everywhere! We live in a society that tells you that sleeping around is no big deal...there's no way you should wait for marriage because you need to 'try before you buy'...well I say...DOWN WITH THAT STINKY ATTITUDE!! Lets fight to bring back LOVE!!

Well, here's me writing...a single young girl with no hope of a relationship at the moment (not that Im not interested...just not on a two way street at the moment and can't seem to get off the street I'm on!! haha...some of you will understand that...the others I'll leave guessing...haha)...But thats ok...because Im in love with God...I know that people will probably think thats a cop out thing to say coming from a single girl with no relationship prospects at the moment...but you know what? I don't really mind. People will think what they think and I can't change that! However, I can blog about real love and you can make up your mind from there!

So wat is love? I have often pondered this question. There have been times when I thought What is love really all about!??...How do I know when Im in love?? And don't people ALWAYS give you the same cliche answer? You'll just know!! haha It always makes me laugh...and maybe one day I will 'just know' ...but there have been MANY times when I've thought I 'just knew' and I was wrong...I walked away from relationships thinking 'What was I telling myself? I wasn't inlove! I just wanted to be!' So, how do you know the difference between 'real love' and 'pretend love'?

Well, Im no expert in love really...remember, Im still single...it hasn't worked for me yet...but here's something I do know!...1 Corinthians 4-8a...

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails!

Love always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres! This is my first favourite part! haha...This might seem a bit girly, but hey, Im a girl..so tough luck!! haha...

Love always protects! Girls will know what I mean when I say that I've always dreamed of my dream husband being someone who will protect me. I don't care if they're fat or thin, ugly or spunky, tall or short...as long as I feel safe and protected that's all I ask for! Protection. It's a bigger thing than we think sometimes. How do we want to be protected? How SHOULD we be protected? A relationship with someone who will above all protect your purity. Thats the biggest thing! Especcially in the world we're in today! Someone who will respect you and not push the boundaries. As Pam Stenzil will say, 'If you want to know how far is too far...keep your pants and shirt on...otherwise its too far!' In a relationship you should never be self-seeking. But instead just be around each other! Hang out. Lots of hugs and little kisses. But, never about lust - only ever about love! Love protects your purity, protects from harm, protects from hurt...You know who the GREATEST protector of all is? Who will never fail to protect you??...God!! He says in Psalm 91:14 says "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name." How awesome is God!! He will ALWAYS protect us!! If we continue to call on His name He will continue to protect us!

Love is about TRUST!! Man, thats a biggy!! If you can't trust someone, theres no relationship!! Theres nothing!! There needs to be trust! God knew about trust! Now there's one person who will never let you down! In Psalm 9:10 it says "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." Praise God for that!! How true it is!! He has never, nor will He ever, forsake us or fail us!! You want a perfect partner in a relationship??!! Have a relationship with God! There's nothing that you need that He wont provide for you! God wants you to have someone that will never forsake you. He wants you to have a husband or wife who you can trust! Don't settle for second best! If you dont trust someone then it wont work! Trust in God! That always works!

Love HOPES! We have so much hope in the Lord. Romans 8:24-25 says "For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." We have this hope and assurance that we will one day dance in Heaven with Jesus! We will one day see His Kingdom! He gives us more than we could hope or dream of!! He has poured His favour on us! Love hopes! It hopes for better things! Real love puts its trust and hope in the Lord!

Love perseveres! Far out! I could tell you a thing or two about a certain someone who perseveres chasing after the wrong boys and never gets anywhere!! hahaha...Love is a beautiful thing...but its not an easy thing! Love hurts, love cries, love laughs, love enjoys, love hopes, love trusts...but love must also know about perseverance because without it love will fail! Society has the attitude that if things get tough you should give up and start somewhere else! Get divorced...dont work it out! Break up and move on. The night you break up with your boyfriend of 5 years go out to a club and pick up the first sleeze bag you meet. Society really doesn't know a lot about love! Real love perseveres! Real love sticks around long enough to work things out. Real love waits! It waits for the right person. When that person comes along, real love waits for things to happen naturally. Real love doesnt give in to lust. It waits for the sanctity and blessing of marriage! Real love perseveres...even if its hard....because the rewards are phenominal!! "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12 Real love perseveres no matter what happens!!

LOVE NEVER FAILS!! My favourite part of 1 Corinthians 13! I have had lots of failed relationships! I've had abusive relationships...I've been used...I've been hurt! I've failed in relationships and relationships have failed me! But true love NEVER fails! Jesus never fails!! Jesus is TRUE LOVE!! He is the only One who will NEVER fail!! Even when I am in a God ordained relationship with someone I know I will fail at times and I know they will fail at times! But I know that Jesus NEVER fails and I can always draw from Him and lean on Him when I fail!! David says in Psalm 119:76 "May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant." God promises His unfailing love!! He also promises His unfailing compassion in Lamentations 3:22 "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail." We can never be consumed by this dismal and sad world...because we serve a God who fills us with compassion and joy, peace an grace, mercies and blessings...but more than anything...we serve a God who fills us with His UNFAILING LOVE!!

So, after all that...what is REAL LOVE? What do you tell a society who says that love is all about sex and lust? Tell them that Jesus is what real love is all about!! He understands you and knows you better than anyone EVER will!!JESUS IS REAL LOVE!!

Lets fight for LOVE!!

Love you all...

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting for COMMITTMENT!!

Well...I just got home from church not long ago and I was a little disappointed at the attendance...dont get me wrong, I know that Gods Word says that where 2 or more are gathered Hes there...I know He was there...theres no doubt about that...but WHERE WERE THE PEOPLE??!! I think we are having committment issues!

I have to be completely honest here...it always surprises me that people don't want to commit to their church!! I know the whole 'go to where the people are at' comment...I've heard it...I agree with it!! I will preach it till the cows come home...I know we need to take church and Jesus to the community not wait for the community to come to us...but lets be honest with ourselves...is that where people are? Is that why people dont come to church some weeks...or they come to the morning service and not the night unless theyre involved...or vice versa...or is it just that they couldnt be bothered...Im not trying to be rude or harsh and Im not pointing the finger at anyone in particular here...but I think that we have a responsibility as Christian brothers and sisters to be honest and open about this stuff...to be able to rebuke eachother in Christian love...Im speaking in general here...if youre reading this and feeling somewhat offended...then maybe this is for you...I dont know...all I know is that church attendance seems to yo-yo a bit! And no one says anything...people ignore it...some condone it...well I say NO MORE!! I wont condone it...I think that people need to commit!!

Seriously...people need to get real...if people were going out and speaking the Word of God on the streets or in a pub or something Id say 'Hey, that's fantastic...go for it!!!'...but the truth of the matter is...that's not where people are!! I know sometimes we get tired and we might have had a big night or a long day the day before...sometimes we get up and think 'I really just wanna stay home today'...I understand all that...sometimes I get up and think that too...I understand...but the question is...give in or not? I believe that when you get the urge not to go and spend time in Gods House worshipping Him for that hour or 2 on a Sunday, then thats probably where you should be the most!! Maybe its a little thought...'oh, i really dont feel like going tonight...I went this morning...that's enough!'...then you give in and satan goes 'YES! One more!'...

Yes, fantastic...you went to church in the morning! Thats great...and maybe God spoke to you...or maybe you didn't think He did...maybe you didn't hear Him...but since when is church about what WE get out of it anyway?...have we lost our focus on why we go...we go to WORSHIP GOD...thats it!! Its not about US...its about HIM...if He should decide to bless you in some way while youre there then He will do that...but thats not why you should be going...you shouldnt be going to try and see what you can get out of it...but you should be going to GIVE all you've got to God!!

I think of Daniel...what a great example...King Darius made a decree that said that no one could pray to anyone else but him for 30 days and if they were found doing so they would be put to death...thrown into a den of lions...now anyone else might have just gone the 30 days without praying...or if they were really brave they might have prayed in hiding...where no one could see them but they could still speak to God...but Daniel was committed...he wasnt backing out...he was standing strong...it was only 30 days...but Daniel lived for God...God was the air he breathed...isn't that the way it should be?? So Daniel prayed in full view for everyone to see...not because he wanted to show off and say 'Im so great...Im praying and being faithful!' but because he really was faithful...he prayed near an open window where he had always prayed...he didnt change anything for anyone...he was committed to God and he was committed to prayer! He was caught and thrown into the lions den and he STILL didn't give up praying...and you know what? it all payed off...because God sent His angels to protect Daniel and saved him from the lions!!

I dont think its much to ask really for people to be committed...its not me saying this because Im trying to be a snot about it...this is Gods stuff...do you think that God doesnt want you to be committed? God expects it! He expects us to be committed...!! He is committed to us!! Why do we find it so hard to be committed to Him? He gives us ALL His time...when we're asked to give a little of our time we find it so hard! We should be living our life for God...giving Him ALL our time!! Being completely committed to Him, to His church, to our church family as well as our own family!!

Take the challenge...FIGHT FOR COMMITTMENT!!

Your sister in Christ

Committed to FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE IN ZIMBABWE!!

HI AGAIN

Well, I know I just wrote something 2 seconds ago...but I just have to add more...sorry

I am talking to my friend at the moment who lives in Zimbabwe and again, I am forced to question the state our world is in right now!! It breaks my heart to see and hear about the devastation in our world. We take our freedom for granted!! I want you guys to understand how fortunate you really are! How BLESSED you are to live in Australia!!

Right now as I write, in Zimbabwe there are millions more people who are homeless because the country's Prime Minister, Mugabe, has just destroyed their houses to 'clean up the city'. Now people are homeless and dying while they wait for their homes to be rebuilt.

Get this...the G8 summit is meeting right now...one of their items of discussion is breaking the war on poverty in Africa...Zimbabwe, however, is not on their agenda because of the corrupt leadership in Zimbabwe. Why should these innocent people be made to suffer because of bad leadership?

So, the question is, why do they vote these leaders in when they know they're corrupt? The answer: They have no choice! This is what my friend told me, in his own words..."Basically elections dont mean a thing because there is so much violence outside the capital and people are forced to vote for the 'ruling' party in the rural and therefore basically there is no way they will lose" How cant this be happening? How can our world be falling apart like this? Worst of all, how can we be allowing it to happen?

Because of the most recent happenings in Zimbabwe (housing being destroyed) Australia has decided to ban the Zimbabwe cricket team from coming to Australia...how is that meant to help? We can do so much...all the ppl meeting for the G8 summit right now are all superpowers who can do something to help! But they are just brushing it aside!

I dont really know what to tell you here! I dont know what can be done? I dont know where to start in even suggesting how I think this situation can be fixed! But what I do know is that WE NEED TO BE PRAYING!! We cannot abandon these ppl. If prayer is ALL we can offer, then PRAY WITH ALL YOUR HEART!!!! But if you can offer more...then PLEASE do what you can!!

I really dont know what else to tell you...all I know is that my heart is breaking for my friend and his country and I cant even begin to imagine how broken God's heart is right now for His people!! So, please pray!! Pray for our broken world!! Pray for Zimbabwe!! Pray for the ppl there!! Pray for the leaders in Zimbabwe!! Pray for the G8 Summit...that they would change their hearts and add Zimbabwe to their agenda! Pray and believe that GOD WILL REIGN AND THE VICTORY WILL BE HIS!! THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD!!

Bless you all...

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi

Fighting for the cause!

Hi guys...

Well...I went to meet my new (3rd) niece today...Gabrielle...she is SOOO beautiful!! She looks just like her mum (my sister)! Man, I am sooo in awe of her!! She's fantastic!! She's REALLY tiny too!! She's such a GIFT from God!! She was AWESOME!!

My other niece, Olivia, is just SOOOO big now!! She will be 3 this year and I just can't believe how grown up she is!! Hearing her call me Aunty Jodi all day just SOO warmed my heart!! She talks so much now!! It's amazing how fast kids grow up!! Man, I miss being around them!! Thanks for moving me closer Jesus!! YAY!!

My favourite part of the day was when Olivia went and got her 'Jesus Loves Me - First Bible' and asked me to read her a story...she has her favourite story...the one about the sick daughter of Jairus who died and Jesus brought her back to life again!! It was sooo awesome...shes only 2 1/2 and living in a non Christian home, but GOD IS STILL THERE!! Even if at the moment He hasn't been welcomed...He's still there stirring in my 21/2 yr old nieces heart!! YAY FOR JESUS!!

Anyway...moving on from all my gushy stuff...cause I could talk about them FOREVER!! :) I am writing a blog today called FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE...kinda appropriate considering the name of my blog don't you think?! haha...I will also warn you that my blogs will be long...but I figure anyone who knows me knows I have alot to say...and since the majority of you delete my emails without opening them, I thought a blog spot seemed like a much better idea for those who actually WILL read my stuff :)

So here goes...some thoughts on my mind...well, again today, another long trip to Sydney and back...3 hours each way...lots of thinking time...haha!! Every time I catch the train I always pray and ask God for an opportunity to share with someone! For someone to sit beside me and I can start a conversation with them. But so far I've had no luck! No one sits next to me...maybe I smell or maybe I have a warning sign on me that says "JESUS FREAK!! Sit next to me and I WILL talk to you about Jesus!!" haha...I don't know what the dealio is...but I do know that I am dying to meet unsaved people here. I am new to the Central Coast and I have come into a Youth Pastor position where I work with the people in the church...well, I do Primary and High School Ministry too...but I feel like its just not enough! I want to meet more ppl!!

Ok, just to clear that up...schools ministry is FANTASTIC and I get the BEST opportunities to be in the schools sharing...the regular lunch time program I help with at the High School has only a few ppl in it so far...but hey, DREAM BIG right?! Then I also get involved in Auslife seminars...so far I've done 2 in the last almost 3 months I've been here, which has been FANTASTIC!! Challenging at one school...but SOOO rewarding cause at the end of the day HEAPS of students wanted to know more about Jesus!! YEAH YEAH!! Thats why I do it!! :) And then theres my BEAUTIFUL kindergarten scripture class!! MAN I love em!! They are just SOO precious and SOOO receptive!! THEY ROCK!! :)

But, there are so many more out there that I havent reached!! I wanna meet the random ppl on the bus and train and plant a seed in their life!! I wanna sit next to someone and speak Jesus into their life while I am waiting half an hour at Erina Fair for Fuji to arrive late...haha...love ya Fuj! ;)...I wanna meet the ppl in the community!!! I wanna see ppl won for JESUS!!

So, as I sat on the bus today on the last leg of my trip home from Sydney, I thought about how uneventful my train/bus trips had been (apart from reading over my sermon for Youth Church about a billion times!! I like to be prepared ;) ) I thought about the lack of opportunities and how I didn't meet anyone on the train! But then it dawned on me...well, I wasnt alone on the train! Maybe no one came and sat next to me, but HELLO, there WERE other ppl on the train...why didnt I just get up off my lazy bum and go and sit next to someone...maybe cause theyd think I was a FREAK for sitting next to them when all these other seats were empty...but WHO CARES!! I may never see them again...but thats beside the point...what if I could see them again...what if there was such an open door to share that they even started coming along to church! Hey, wouldnt that be GRAND?! or as Graham would say, it would be EUTOPIA!!! (hehe I love that word!!)

So, as I sat there pondering I thought about my blog spot...I thought, I've just created my own blog spot called fighting for the cause...and thats what I want to do...whats the cause? JESUS my friends!! He's the cause!! I'm fighting for Jesus to build His Kingdom and save lost souls, be able to disciple them, and serve those who are suffering in our community!! Thats the cause!! So, what have I done so far? Not a lot!! I havent really made an effort to move and meet these ppl I wanna meet! I've been sitting there, as I do on the train, waiting for THEM to come to me!! Ok, at this point I have the urge to SLAP MYSELF or kick my butt or something...Im such a BOOF HEAD!! Yes, thats right!! hahaha...but seriously, what am I doing? Good question to ask hey Tiny!! WHAT AM I DOING ABOUT IT?

Well, I feel challenged and inspired (yes Fuji, inspired...I am dreaming and being inspired ;)...thanks!) I feel challenged and inspired by God to go out and serve the community!! Im here to serve God and the ppl Hes put me here for!! I think of the BEST example of ALL time...Jesus Himself!! Look at His example here on earth...He went and spent time with the outcasts of society...the dregs as we would say! He touched the lepors and made them clean when the rest of society had disowned them and cast them out...He had dinner with the tax collectors...the ppl society HATED...one of them even became one of His disciples!! He cared so much for ppl that He cried for them...He raised them from the dead. The woman who thought she wasnt worthy enough to meet Jesus and simply touched His cloak in faith that even just a touch would heal her from her years and years of bleeding...He didnt ignore her like the rest of society would have...He acknowledged her and told her that her faith had made her well! The prostitute...the woman who society would shun...she came and washed Jesus' feet with EXPENSIVE perfume...did He tell her that she was unclean and an utter disgrace? No, He welcomed her and He let her serve Him in her act of worship to Him...everyone else thought they were better than her but they had not served Jesus or worshipped Him in such a beautiful and personal way! He didnt show favouritism...He didnt shun anyone or turn anyone away...He didnt cast anyone out of society...even those who had turned their hearts against Him, He still loved them!!

I want to be like that! I want to be like Jesus! I don't want to judge ppl or turn them away! I don't want to pretend Im better than someone because Im a Christian...God doesnt love me anymore than them! He loves us equally...because thats what we are...all equal in Gods eyes! I want to go out and LOVE ppl! I want to go out and SERVE people! I want to go out and SPEND TIME with people...because they are GODS PEOPLE!! in 1 Peter 2:10 it says, "...once you were not a people, but now you are A PEOPLE OF GOD!..." How cool is that?? We are the PEOPLE OF GOD!! WOW!! We are so unworthy...yet He still loves us and calls us HIS PEOPLE!! Man, I think that we SO dont live up to that! But it just shows how AWESOME God really is!! It shows just how amazing his GRACE is!!

I love that song...Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that SAVED a WRETCH like me...I once was LOST, but now Im FOUND...was BLIND but now I SEE!! Praise God!!

So, I will end it now...but I want to challenge you too! Dont wait for the world to come to you...cause trust me, THEY WONT!!! Go to them...BE JESUS!! FIGHT FOR THE CAUSE!!

Love ya's all...

DREAM BIG!! WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!! MATT 19:26

Your sister in Christ

Fighting for the cause!!

Jodi

time is short

Hi Guys
Well, Im sure you have all heard the latest headlines in the news...if not, this is whats happening. Just before 9am in Central London yesterday morning 3 bombs exploded in 3 seperate trains in an underground tunnel and another one above ground in a double decker bus. All of this has coincided with the decision on Wednesday to hold the 2012 Olympics in London and also the G8 Summit meeting which was set to start yesterday. It has now been confirmed that an Al Queda terrorist group in London have claimed responsibility for the attacks.
I received a call from my dad last night telling me to switch the news on and I was horrified and saddened at what was unfolding before me. My first thought was for my Pastors, Graham and Dawn, who are here on exchange from London and have family and friends there. They have since told me that they have had word that their family is ok...however, they still dont know if there are any friends or fellow Officers who have been affected by the blast. I thought of Graham and Dawn and thought of how awful it must feel to be here in Australia feeling so helpless. Not even 24 hours before the blast they sat on their lounge at home watching celebrations taking place after the announcement of the 2012 Olympics and having their own quiet moment of celebrations together with their son Timothy. Less than 24 hours later they sat in horror and disbelief as they watched their country being attacked and watched as the death toll rose and hundreds more were found injured. So far from what I saw on the news this morning the death toll was at 38 and those injured were 700. That toll is expected to rise dramatically.
After I got over my initial feeling of shock and disbelief, I felt, more than anything, completely saddened by this tragedy. We live in a country where we have been fortunate not to have been attacked yet, but in the last few years we have watched countries being attacked by terrorists and we have watched countries go to war with each other. We have seen thousands upon thousands of people who have lost their lives in these tragedies and we have seen thousands upon thousands of people who have been injured and in one moment their lives have been completely changed. Everything they know has been called into question. In one moment they lost everything! I think that's what saddens me the most. In one moment there have been thousands, even millions, maybe billions of people who have been effected by these disasters and they believe they have lost EVERYTHING!! I thought about how I would feel if this happened to me. If it happened here in Australia.
Not too long ago I was doing an Auslife seminar on Goals and Values with a grade 9 group. During the lunch break a few of us sat around talking. We had never met before. We were all volunteers. We started to talk about blessings. We talked about how people in places like Africa who know Jesus have such beautiful faith because they have no choice. They have so little and therefore they need to rely on God. They live by faith alone and God does amazing things! One lady disagreed with us, much to our surprise. She said that she thought that they weren't truly blessed or complete because they didn't have the material blessings. We were all a little shocked to be honest, but it made me realise that there are people out there who believe this, Christian or not. They believe that to be truly blessed means having material blessings. I told this lady that I believed that if I walked out the door today and lost everything I ever knew, I still believe that I would be a COMPLETE and BLESSED person because all I really need in life is God. He knows the things I need and He won't let me go without those things, but at the end of the day, if you stripped away everything else I want to be able to say that I still had God there when everything else was gone. I want to be able to say that God is so strongly at number one in my life that you could strip everything else away and still find a WHOLE person who is truly blessed because she has God in her life.
As I watched the events in London unfold last night I thought to myself how sad it was that so many people might perish who didnt yet know Jesus. People who didnt know this feeling of completeness. I thought of even the attackers. I thought how sad it was that somewhere in their life they got so completely messed up that they had such a burning desire to reap destruction and havoc on this world. It made me realise how short our time here really is. I think that sometimes we get this mind set that we are indestructable. We are invincible. Guess what? We're not!! We dont know the day or the hour that Christ will return. We know that in the end times there will be wars and such. Look around you at the mess the world is in right now. Are you hearing alarm bells? Well, Im not alarmed that Jesus is going to return soon. I cant wait for that day!! Isnt that what we live for?? But what does alarm me is that there are still millions and millions of people out there who havent truly heard about Jesus!! There are people out there who havent truly discovered what life with Jesus is all about. Maybe some of you who are reading this email are amongst those!
What I want to say to all of you, and I speak to myself here too because I felt God challenge me so deeply on this last night, is TIME IS SHORT!! We see this stuff on TV and think how terrible it is but think it will never happen to us. You cant guarantee that!! Because one day JESUS WILL RETURN!! What will you say to Him? The only thing He is going to want to know is WHAT DID YOU DO WITH JESUS? Did you accept Him? Did you give your life to Him? Did you share Him? Did you fight for Him? Did you love others and show them the love of Jesus? Did you take Him to the lost? Did you SAVE SOULS, GROW SAINTS AND SERVE SUFFERING HUMANITY?? People, hear this: TIME IS SHORT!! You do not know the day or the hour that He will return. In Luke 12:40 Jesus says, "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Have you shared Jesus with someone today? Have you accepted Jesus today? Are you ready for the day of His return? The door is ALWAYS open...you just need to walk through it...dont wait...you dont know how long you've got!! ACT NOW!
DREAM BIG!! WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!! MATT 19:26
Your sister in Christ