America?!??!?!?!

That's right! 

You've heard (read) correctly.  God is telling me to pack up and move to America before September ends!

Who?  What?  When?  Where? Why?  How?

One question at a time...

Who/Why?

So this last year has been a battle of getting my health in order and also getting my attitude in order.   I took a month away in New South Wales and Victoria to try and clear my head and look at my options.  This however didn't go to plan, with having a car crash in Bathurst, just outside of my destination (Oberon) and meant that I had to change my plans around a bit.  Some great family friends, Peter and Shirley-anne were very accommodating though and were able to drive me out to Bathurst's Charles Sturt University, in the third week of my stay, where I was wanting to find some information out on the Bachelor of Nursing / Bachelor of Paramedicine, which I had planned to start next year.  After having a tour of the campus I found out however that the course had changed since I was looking at it 5 years ago and it was no long a dual degree but a degree in nursing first and then a graduate diploma in paramedicine.  This news rocked the boat a little and whilst I was still eager to partake in the course it wasn't what I was aiming for. 

Within 24 hours (just over 2 weeks ago) I got an invitation from the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base director in Colorado, who I had the privilege of being a student in his week long classes on Spiritual Warfare last year, to come do a DTS (Discipleship Training School) in Denver, Colorado,  I was really surprised to receive this invitation as for me, a DTS was the furtherest thing from my mind.  I still was struggling with hurts and fears from the one I attempted last year and wanted to be a lot stronger relationship with God, after running away from Him for 3-6 months, before I even looked at doing a DTS again.  However, I asked God if this exact offer and timing was what He wanted me to do and He said "YES!".  The more I tried to talk my way out of, the more it was confirmed that I was to do it!  Several other confirmations took place to encourage me that I was hearing right from God and it was then that I started getting serious in filling out applications.

What?

What is a DTS?
The Discipleship Training School (DTS) is designed to help you understand God more deeply, live more like Jesus and identify your unique gifts and purpose to use in missions.  DTS is a full-time, residential training course which begins with an 11 or 12 week classroom phase, followed by an 8-12 week outreach time. The DTS emphasizes cross-cultural exposure and global awareness, preparing students to answer the call to "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations" Matthew 28:19 (http://www.ywam.org/Training).

The paticular DTS I have applied to do is called Young Peoples DTS.  Its aim is to reach the people under the age of 30, using people aged 17-25 years old.  The Young Peoples DTS provides a place for rich community life; the chance to hike, fish and reflect on God's amazing creation away from the distractions and disruptions of the everyday conveniences of our normal lives, where one will be trained up and then sent out to show God's message, or as YWAM says it "To know God, and make Him known" (For more information of what I'll be doing check out: http://www.ywamdenver.org/training/young-peoples-dts/).

When?

As I have said above, I will be moving to America before September ends.  This is because the DTS starts October 1st and will continue on until February 15th (with seven weeks in an International setting outside of the YWAM Eagle Rock).  So I will be overseas for roughly 6 months.

Where?

This DTS is located at Eagle Rock, Colorado.  Just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Golden Gate National Park (https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=39.832186,-105.433002&hl=en&num=1&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A&source=gplus-ogsb).  Which will mean I will be in America from October 1st, 2012 February 15th, 2013.

Why?

Because, as previously stated, I feel like God is instructing me to drop all plans and thoughts of the future that I have made and follow His direction.  This includes moving to America.

How?

This is where you come in!  Without you, and God, I literally have no idea how I'm getting over there.  God has provided enough funds (from the last time you supported me with interest) for me to book a flight overseas but with God's help I also need your help for the tuition and outreach fee.  Tuition costs $3, 540.00 - This includes twelve weeks of tuition, food and housing.  Course books, personal care and laundry are also on top of that price.  Some of the teachers come from overseas; like how the Colorado base director, Peter Warren, taught our Spiritual Warfare class in Newcastle last year, there are lecturers all over the world, who are experienced in a topic, that come and teach at a DTS.  Then, after the tuition/lecture phase there is the outreach phase.  The cost for this phase ranges from $2,500 - $3,600.  This covers 8 weeks of an International project and 1 week debrief at the end of the outreach.  Air fares, visas, landing fees, housing, food, travel and additional outreach costs are included in this price bracket.  Again, personal things like laundry, souvenirs, personal care, extra snacks, extra activities, etc., cost extra.

Dot dot dot...

So this is what I believe God is telling me to do.  I've applied.  I've been accepted.  Now comes the interesting journey of visas, plane tickets, packing, scheduling, and lots of surprises.
I know God given me the challenges that I've faced these last couple of years for a reason.  I don't know yet what it is, but I'm learning more and more that it's about the journey with God, not the awards and recognition you get from people around you - although sometimes that would be nice.

I would really appreciate any support you can give me right now, whether that is through prayers, hugs, encouragement, financial, or anything.  
I really hope you have a  great weekend.
GBUG (God Bless U Good)
Kara Martin 

Upcoming Posts

Post on the similarities between God and marriage coming up soon... as well as a few already handwritten on self-pity and if I can remember, maybe fear?  Stay tuned...

Rebellion ~ There's a Rebellious Root Hidden Within... One to bedug up and burnt to begin with

(RANDOM THOUGHTS... from 6/1/2012)

I've never really thought of myself as rebellious, not in the way that society defines rebellious. If I didn't have a teacher agree with me at school, or let me get my way, I accepted, understanding that they had the authority and knew best for that situation. I didn't do graffiti, or drugs, or try to skank anyone up... I did get into swearing a bit in primary school, which has been a habit that the sails can blow fully if I don't watch it, but that was partly due to just wanting to fit in with the crowd of friends I had.

However the last 24 hours have brought further thoughts on rebellion to light. My walk with God. Right now I want to throw in the towel. Give up. It seems too hard. Life seems too hard. No, I am not suicidal. I am just frustrated... call it rebellious! I don't understand what is happening, what is going on, where I am meant to be, or who I am... and I know that that's meant to be okay. I don't have to know, no one does, except God... but sometimes knowing that God knows isn't the most comforting thought. It isn't right now.

For almost a week I have struggled with God. I have felt that I am to take time out and spend time with Him, but I can't. I can't, because my attitude stinks and is making it seem impossible or improbable and unimportant/unfruitful. I know that reading the Bible should help my situation, but I get stuck on where to read and what to do. There is something repulsive about doing this. Something that seems to scream further pain and death. I get stuck on the fruitfulness of it all and the point of trying to connect with someone when it feels so isolating. I get so stuck that I don't even bother... I'll slip into watching television shows, movies, reading books, saving encouraging photos, slipping into old comfort habits - one involving eating food, even though I'm not hungry, or just staring at facebook waiting for someone to upload a status (for almost half an hour)... to just fill in the time... to just try to avoid what I know I need to do, because I don't know what else to do. It's pathetic! But it's also rebellious.

I can't remember what my thoughts were on this last night, but I realised that I've got a rebellious root inside of me. A root which I know has affected my relationship with God and wants to make me vomit up a vengeance of hurtful, hateful words, but I know not what the source nor what the words would contain, just the feeling of regurgitation at the back of the throat. What is this rebellion and where did it come from?

The picture of the closed fist holds close to my character lately... If I am frustrated (more with myself or God, than anyone else) I will lash out... not in tongue, but in action, and it is something I've had to work on. It's an act of violence against authority - I am still working out where I got a dislike for authority, because I hadn't realised I had any negative feelings towards authority until the last few months passed, but it is definitely one big can of worms.

There's the story of Jonah (also symbolised in most people's minds by a big fish, or a whale) which displays rebellion to God. God told Jonah to go to Ninevah... Jonah ran in the opposite direction to Ninevah, which didn't make Jonah's path easy at all (thanks Cookie for the lift up). In this story, this factual event of life that actually did happen, Jonah rebelled against God, but he was also running out of fear. How often do we run? How often do I run? I run a lot... I didn't realise it, but I do. I haven't done much physical running lately... actually I haven't done any, but I have ran a lot spiritually and relationally, and that is rebellion... knowing that you should be doing something and avoiding it at all costs. Who knew fear ties in with rebellion? I sure didn't!

I run because I'm scared; I don't know what the future holds; and so I run to where I feel comfortable, which is sometimes running away from everyone, physically and mentally... I am realising today that I don't know where God is in my life; I don't know who He is; and part of me doesn't care because I've tried getting to know Him and I can't hack it anymore... which won't end very well... it would probably turn into Jonah's story very quickly... good thing there's no whales nearby... But I also realise I've been a bit of a Martha as well - out of the story of Jesus, Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). I've been trying to find God through all these means and find restoration impossibly, and it has come to no avail. I've been Thomas, who's seen God and all His movements, in my life and in others, and yet I still doubt... and I just don't know what to do any more. I don't want to lay down. I don't want to give up. I don't want to slip into my old past, or let a new future come full of all the mistakes I have done and more... but I don't know how to stay out of this fiery storm that is blowing my way and a part of me is willing to stand on the bonfire and receive the scorching flames.

But what about you? Are you rebellious? How are you rebellious? Is God telling you something that with your mindset seems too hard?

My step at the moment is to not take another step. I do not want to delete friends or updates I get on people because it hurts, which it sometimes does, but I do love seeing what God is doing in their lives and the lives of others through them. I do not want to become bitter and resilient to a loving touch because of pain. I do not want to declare that I will never do YWAM or anything to do with God because I am not good enough, and I do not want to become that rebellious (or rebellious at all) that I can't even find God in nature, which seems to be the only place I can see Him in my own life at the moment. So these are my steps, and out of curiosity, not hypocrisy, what are yours? What are you doing to find God and make Him more a part of your life? How is He incorporated into your life - a weekly appointment on Sundays? A half hour every day? Or every second of your life? Or like my YWAM room mate, whom I love heaps did, she made weekly dates with God where she'd dress up and plan a meal and everything to share with her beloved! So what are you doing?

A quick question posed...

DO YOU THINK A REBELLIOUS ATTITUDE AFFECTS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?

How?

(Image obtained from http://duplexchick.com/files/2011/02/question-box1-300x300.jpg, it is not my own).

A Discovery of Age. A Discovery of Growth.

Over the last few days I am realising that I'm more like a child than an adult. Sure I may be the age of an adult and have the knowledge close to an adult's intellect, but I have the mentality of a child. To be honest, after living out of home for just over 3 years, I don't think I was ready to move out of home.

I moved out because it seemed easy. I wouldn't yell at Mum, I wouldn't cause tension, the travel was less... it was easier... it appeared more convenient. But I wasn't ready to move out. I was running away. Running away from conflict. Running away from hurt. Running away because flight appeared easier than fight. Who knew that one day I'd realise that I'd still have to fight... I'd just have to fight with all the issues that caused flight, weighing on me too.

That is not much fun, in fact I believe it's harder now because when you're trying to deal with the issue you're still stuck in the age of that which you first flew instead of fighting, and so rationality, logic, and emotions are all tied in together and blended together, so that it's harder to see the clear border between it all.

(I wasn't going to bring God into this mind bubble of thoughts at all, but I believe that...)

The same could go with God...

How often do we run away from God - whether we realise it or not? We may not have run away from God in the sense of saying 'I hate You God, I'm going to do what I want to do", nor may we have had God tell us clearly to do something and gone "Nup! That's too hard. I don't want to do that. I'm not going to do that. Maybe later..." But what about our fear?

As I've said above, we may not have been asked by God directly to do something, and out of fear or feeling of incompetency refused, but at the same time how much do we let fear hinder us? God may not have told us to do something... but we may be limiting our potential, the potential that God gave us, and thus God, by fear, which limits God and His movement in us!

For example, asking and going for help may appear too hard, so we don't. Seeing a stranger in need, when we're with friends, may put us in the bad books with that group of friends (afraid of people's opinion) and so we pretend we haven't seen that stranger in need. Stepping into unknown territory - new city/ new job/ new church/ new school / mission trip / uni course, etc. may appear too daunting, not worth the fear and awkwardness involved, and so we stay where we're comfortable, but at the same time uncomfortable, because we're hurting / we're feeling stunted and not growing / we're getting bullied / we're bored / we're feeling alone / we're feeling hopeless, etc. Don't stay - MOVE!!!

Staying is saying that you don't believe God has your hand in His hand. It is saying that you don't trust that in these difficult circumstances and fears of the unknown, that you know God does know what is going on; He does have your best interests in mind; and He only gives good gifts, even if they do hurt at first because not all growth and healing is pain free - sometimes the bad bits have to be cut off first; the diamond's rock edges have to be sanded off before the real gem can truly shine, with all of God's original intention!

Staying limits God! Not doing anything is like treading water - you can swim backwards to where you've been, but know that that's the location that caused you the most pain and got you into this mess to start off with; or you can just tread water, where you're comfy at the moment, but your energy will soon run out and you'll drown, or get caught in a rip (very strong current) which will take you back to where you were, where you don't really want to be; OR you can swim forward, towards a rescuing island, which like God, has what you need to survive the rough seas of confusion and exhaustion!

This has become my goal over the last year... every time I fear physical things - no matter how scary, I force myself to attempt them - to do it! Because I know that it'll grow me and if I don't do it, then I'll regret the missed opportunity, because you wonder how that opportunity may have affected you, shaped you, stretched you, made you grow...

Fears over physical obstacles, aka physical fears, I find a lot more easier to deal with and push myself to overcome; but emotional and spiritual fears I find a lot more challenging to take on in battle and so this is my declaration, that I will be treading water no more, because I want to know and believe God does have the best interests in mind for me and actually step out in faith and action and believe!!!

(My game face is on... GO THE BLUES!!!)

A Change of Plans; A Change in Directions; In God I Trust!

Hi all,

How is everyone going? Life here in Newcastle has so far been an interesting journey. One, not quite yet over, but taking a completely different directional turn of events.

Whilst my school, the Compassion DTS, of 18 people, are going on outreach (9 of them being my team that is heading to Byron Bay, Toowoomba and Cambodia); I will not be joining them on this adventure. Nor will I be staying at the YWAM Newcastle base for debrief and commissioning, as is what usually happens after outreach. Instead I will be taking a different path. I don’t know yet what that path is exactly, nor am I writing this update to seek pity or sympathy, or any other emotion, but I am letting you know, as you have supported me currently, and in the past, for several reasons.

One, is to let you know that my plans have changed.

Two, is for those of you who have supported me in the lecture phase, thank you! Your money did not go to waste… do not feel like it did. Whilst part of me is struggling with the thought that this was a complete waste of time, I KNOW God is doing something, and it started here at YWAM Newcastle. I have learnt so much here, and it is somewhere in my head (and hopefully making its way down to my heart), and I have you to thank, for giving me this opportunity to get to know God more; to know Him more on a personal level and not just on a theological level (that we often slip into).

Three, is for those of you who gave me money specifically for outreach. I have already contacted you if your money did go towards outreach fees, and it should be in your email inbox now. Please let me know what your decision is. I am happy if you want your money back, but I will also be blessed and will accept it, if you want your money to go into the account I’ve set up for when I do complete a DTS or do some other God-called mission trip. I will not spend any of this money, unless God leads me into doing something for Him again (it is set aside for God-called work), which I am trusting and believing He will, as I have no reason to be alive, except by His grace and glory. This is not me giving up something because it’s hard. I am not giving up. This is me, changing direction, to seek further help, with the advice, encouragement, and support of YWAM Newcastle, on being restored more physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, where YWAM is not equipped to do so.

And fourthly, I am telling you this, because I would really appreciate your prayer and support. I don’t need any discouragement, as my mind is creating enough of that already, nor do I want you feeling sorry for me, as it’s another “incomplete” thing… but your prayers would be greatly appreciated. I have no idea what God has in store for me. All I know is that right now it’s not YWAM outreach, and it’s probably trying to get some holistic help so that I can be who God originally created me to be. Whether that is in NSW, or WA, or Vic, or outside of Australia, I don’t know. All I know is that who I am right now, how I feel (incomplete and broken) is not how God wants me to feel or what He’s made me to be.

Part of this update is also for my YWAM school mates (Compassion DTS). You guys are absolute legends. Whilst I struggled to connect with you at first, and was delegated as the tour guide (which I did enjoy), I can never replace the time I’ve had with you guys, with anything better. I know I was here for a reason. I know that each of you have taught or inspired me. I also know that you guys will do amazing things on outreach (and after). You are so God-focused, it’s AMAZING! Keep letting Him be your guide, your fore-runner. Let Him be the scout in front of your army. Follow in His footsteps.

I know I should have told you guys (Compassion DTS) this on Wednesday, when I told you that I wouldn’t be joining you on outreach, but I also have a tendency to push people away, and I have been doing it a little bit the last few (4) weeks, more this week, and will probably also do it next week too. I am not pushing you away because I don’t want you, or have been hurt by you, but because I don’t do well with leaving people, with saying goodbye (remember ‘rejection’ coming up in Father’s Heart of God week?). It’s more a subconscious thing… which ends up hurting me more in the long run (as I sometimes think I am the one being pushed away) and it’s something I am trying to work on (ask some of my best friends – I did it before I came to DTS). So I am letting you know now, so if you think I’m behaving a certain way because of something you have or haven’t done, it’s not because of you, it’s because I’m hurting and trying to put up security walls of protection out of insecurity… But remember that you have significantly and positively impacted me, and God will do amazing things with, for and through you – LET HIM!!!




I also want to say thanks to all of you who have supported me through this. Thank you to my prayer and financial supporters, for all the support you have given me in getting me here and staying here. I wish I could show you more gratitude than just a mention in this blog post… you guys have played a huge role in the changing of my life.






To the Compassion DTS leaders, thanks heaps (akun) for having the patience to put up with my struggles, and for trying to guide me onto the right path; for not letting me quit; for letting God speak through you to me, even when it seemed weird or I didn’t seem to accept the word that He had for me and hurt you through the process. Thank you for taking the time out of your life (even though it’s what God has called you to do) to minister to all of us and for obeying God – even when you were in a new phase of life and wanted a chance to settle into that new step of life.





Wanda nalu (thanks) to my team mates, for coming alongside the solo-Aussie and letting her into your groups of friendship; for dealing (and coping) with me when I was upset or isolating myself, and praying for me when I was unwell. Thanks for caring, when I didn’t deserve it.



And last but not least, thank you to all my friends and family back home. I know that you, of all people, would probably find this hardest to hear (and I haven’t told a lot of you – nor really anyone, even here in Newie, until now, because I don’t want to hurt you), but know that God has a reason for it – whilst I don’t know what it is, I am relying on Romans 8:28 and what I know of the character of God, that He will use this to bring His name glory, and it will all work out for good. I love you guys, with as much love as I understand, and am so thankful that God has placed you in my life throughout the years. You have each moulded me into the woman I am becoming today. Thank you so much!

Now back to the more 'formal' stuff...

As I have said above, I’ve learnt heaps, and when I’ve had a chance to process, know clearly what I have learnt (and it’s in my heart) I am hoping to post some of it here, to share with you what your support has helped me in. Two things that have surfaced a lot and have been slowly becoming clear in the last two months are that I cannot place God in a box and expect Him only to show up in a certain way, for if I do that then I might as well be like a horse with blinkers on… unable to see fully, and potentially missing out on what God actually wants to show me. The other thing is that Jesus is a rescuer… I don’t know how He is a rescuer yet… but I am believing that He will rescue me. I do know that He’s rescued us all from our sins and we have authority, under His name, to step out from that bondage… we don’t need to live in our sin; we are not held down by our past or our family’s past… we are a new creation; we are FREE in JESUS’ name!

Whilst I don’t know what the next few months entail; whilst I came here in hope that God would show Himself to me and give me steps to take for the future… a guide of what He has in store for me; whilst everything is up in the air, and I at this moment, I am angry and hurt with God (and trying to deal with it), I am also trusting in Him, as there is no one else in this World who knows what all of us should be doing AND still loves us, even when we’ve walked away from Him and His path for our lives. So at the moment all I know is that I am trusting God, and whilst I’m looking at different options, the only definite option I have and know at the moment is to trust in God!

Again, thank you for all your support in getting me and keeping me here, and for the love you have shown me (whether you’ve known me for only a couple of months, or for my whole life), it’s meant a lot!

I hope to hear how your lives are going and what you’ve been up to while I’m been away. Have a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Years and GBUG (God Bless U Good).

Kara

Eight Weeks in Compact-Mode

Hey guys,


It’s been awhile since I’ve given you a lengthy update. How are you all?
How’s life?

Life for me, down in YWAM Newy is going great. There’s a lot of things happening, some great, and some not so great, but when you know that God is in control of everything, do you really need to worry about the things that aren’t going as initially planned?

I’m about to start my Week 9 down here, which is ‘Lordship’. Already I have attended the following weeks and topics:

Week 1: Hearing God’s Voice (taught by Sarah McCutcheon – YWAM Newy staff)
Week 2: Father’s Heart of God (David Stevenson – YWAM Newcastle Base Director)
Week 3: Fear of God (Mark Brokenshire – Education Dean of YWAM University of the Nations, Australia)
Week 4: God’s Character (Natalie Neubauer – YWAM Newy Staff)
Week 5: Bible Study (Jonathon Spainhour – YWAM Townsville Staff)
Week 6: Spiritual Warfare (Peter Warren – YWAM Denver, Colorado, Staff)
Week 7: Holy Spirit (Keven Norris – YWAM Uni of the Nations - Kona, Hawaii)
Week 8: Evangelism (Stevie Lujan – YWAM Newcastle Staff)

There has been so much taught, and so much to take in (and apply to life) that I am amazed my brain hasn’t exploded. I can’t really explain what we’ve learnt, as I think my brain started to have the retention span of a sponge, and so whilst I know it’s in there, I can’t pull it out of the millions of neurons that are located within my skull… but I will endeavour to list the highlight I’ve learnt from each week.

Week 1 (Hearing God’s Voice)
It’s a relationship NOT a formula. It does not happen instantly; like friendship, it takes time… The more you hang with God, the closer that friendship will form. Each person hears God differently (hence there is no clear formula). We need to share the relationship with God (taking time to listen to Him, when we talk to Him, and let Him feed into us) and not just stalk God (like we do on facebook)!

Week 2 (Father’s Heart of God)
God made Himself vulnerable, by wanting us to call Him Father. There is two types of pride – big wheel pride (the one we often think of) and little wheel pride (‘I’m nothing’, ‘worthless’, etc. – saying that you’re less value than the value God has given you) (Numbers 13:32: If you see yourself less than God sees you; then eventually others will see you, the same way that you see yourself!).

Ask God what His opinion of you is…

Mine was:
“God loves me like a newborn child is first loved by their Father. God sees me as His blood daughter – unable to lose the identity, the value, the worth!” (Wednesday 12th of October, 2011)

Don’t reject the blessings (or compliments) God has given you!

Week 3: Fear of God (FOG)
• Society has changed its standards over time; signified by pre-modernism, modernism and post-modernism.
• Satisfaction comes through fear of God.
• Every society has 7 spheres of influence.
• Knowing God through the Bible, Jesus, creation and revelation!
• When we fear God (out of respect), our desire for sin lessens.
• Get your needs met by God, not by man!

Summary: Recognise God as all powerful! But a fear out of reverence, with His love and care for us; resulting in our dislike/hate of evil doings.

Week 4: God’s Character
How we view God depends on the lens that we decide to look through (e.g. history of a rough life – we can look through that lens, as if God is mean and harsh).
We can see God’s character by looking at nature. This was really cool because it was and is probably one of the loudest ways God speaks to me!

For example, sitting on a cliff edge ledge, jutting out from Fort Scratchley, overlooking Newcastle, taught me the following about God:

1. Ocean waves – God is releasing, refreshing, renewing… each wave brings new life, like each breath of God we inhale.
2. Watching a big coal ship being guided into port by 3 tug boats – seeing where God has been after, but not necessarily during – God is guiding.
   
   
   
   
3. Seeing lizards fossicking in and out of the ledge, even though there’s a 10-20 metre drop below, they’re secure and just gliding in and out of the crevices, knowing they’re okay. God is cheeky/adventureful-adventurous!
4. Butterflies flying around flittingly and fully (only being alive for 3 days), just enjoying life and living it to the fullest joyfully. Living for the moment!
5. God is strong, powerful, thick, undefinable… Looking towards the horizon, and seeing thick storm clouds coming in, making the horizon’s line between the clouds and ocean indistinguishable. God cannot be defined!
   

God wants our full attention and focus! He is a jealous God! He wants our full love and affection!

Self-summary: God cannot be put into a box; however we can try to put Him in a box, based on our history/past. It is only through realising this point and being more open minded and changing our attitude, that we realise that God is so much bigger than we can ever describe. We need to become childlike, trusting without questioning!

Week 5: Bible Study
Basically this week was different ways to interpret the Bible; from doing a basic grammar lesson to using different Internet sources. A lot of the information can only be presented in context of the full week, so I can’t really allocate specific points to this area, except that we went through Philemon, as a class, and the whole week’s lecture was over skype. An interesting week of lectures, that’s for sure.

Week 6: Spiritual Warfare
I really appreciated this week’s lectures - The structure, the information, and the amount of references. It was taught at Tahlee (An old Christian Bible College, near Port Stephens), with great views, in amongst nature. We joined two other DTSs (Discipleship Training Schools), one being from the Cook Islands, and the other from Island Breeze (Woollongong). All of us were serving YWAM staff and leaders from all over the South Pacific and Australia, in YWAM’s National Leaders Meeting. It was AMAZING!!! I made some great friends in the few days I got to share the experience with. I also experienced my first vision (from God) here, in one of our weekly intercession meetings we have… which I may share in a later post.

Some of the points I learnt from this week are as follows:

Westerners have a harder time grasping the concept of spiritual warfare, because we generally believe in only what we can see and touch. Satan’s power is real, but God is in control overall. The devil is not at fault, for everything that happens. God gave us a choice to choose a lifestyle, as well as tools we can use. If we don’t guard our own mind, spirit, and body, than we can’t blame God for not protecting us.

God is not limited by anyone or anything, but He does limit Himself!

There IS power in prayer!

God has given us authority to speak against Satan, but we have to know AND believe that we have that authority!

God values love, over control. His mind can change! He did not create any of us to be evil. Nothing limits God!

Everything God created is sanctified (I Corinthians 10:25-26). We pray over meals to sanctify it (originating from Paul’s time, where it may have been offered to idols, etc. – sort of like halal I guess) (I Timothy 4:5).

Week 7: Holy Spirit

• Our Worldview affects how we handle God.
  
• The Holy Spirit may have a harder time getting through to us, because of our worldviews.
• We have emotions and physical pain for a reason, they’re both good!
• It is okay, and should actually be encouraged, to express how you’re feeling in church and in life. If you don’t feel like worshipping, say so! Tell God how you feel… God, I don’t feel like worshipping… God I am angry at You, but follow it through with a BUT (like David did)… God I feel alone, everyone has abandoned me, but I know that You are always with me and I will praise You for it! Stuffing the emotions, is not giving it to God, nor are you dealing with it.
• If you’re not actively seeking out a deeper relationship with God – Your love is growing cold – this is relevant to our relationships in marriage and with God! You need commitment AND desire in anything that lasts!
• We need to go to God first, as our root source of help!
• Our relationship with the Holy Spirit, is the same as our relationship with God, it takes time!!! DON’T GIVE UP!!!!!
  

Week 8: Evangelism
God dwells where there is tension! Do you see a need or a problem, and you want someone to fix it? Why don’t you fix it? Why don’t you do something to change it? Do you not feel qualified enough, or that it’s not where your gifts are meant to be used? God works best when we’re out of our comfort zone!

If you can’t share the love of God out of your own experience, don’t share it. What point is there to us evangelising, if we can’t say how God’s changed our lives and show it? It’s like trying to sell a cake to someone who needs to know all the ingredients and what the flavour is, and we have no idea what to tell them, because we didn’t make the cake, or try it, before selling it…

God’s biggest expression of love is not that He’s forgiven us, but that He’s made us. We were created for bigger reasons than to just be forgiven. Everything in creation is based on relationships! We were created in the image of the trinity; chemical elements are relational particles, and humans need relationships! Nothing exists that does not have some relationship component in its structure.

Jesus needs to be at the centre of the relationship, and evangelising! We do not want something like Jones Town to occur again, where the focus of Jesus was lost.


(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S_d1eVv0E8)


So that was what I’ve been learning these past 8 weeks. There is so much content that could be further explained in what I’ve written, and even more that has not been written.

This last Friday I also had the chance to experience the American holiday ‘Thanksgiving’, it was definitely a very thankful time. We had so much food – including American tasting pumpkin pie, apple pie, jelly, bread rolls, brownies, etc. The main thing I found interesting though was the easiness of slipping into an attitude of frustration or negativity. We had some guests over, and so with table places only created, decorated, and set for the All Generation DTS and the Compassion DTS, there were not enough seats for about 10 of us, including myself.

I had been looking forward to the night’s celebrations all day, and to not be a part of the central celebration hurt – I wanted to experience the full flavour! This opened a can of worms where I felt frustrations at the pace of some of the activities that had occurred in the afternoon and the fact that there were guests there too… I really had to examine my heart deeply and realign my attitude.

It was my choice to help some friends with their errands at the pharmacy and shops, and it was my choice to decide to change out of wet clothes, into something dry; and thanksgiving is a time that is meant to be shared… so if I wanted it to be, I could be thankful we could share an essence of YWAM with people that weren’t originally from YWAM (which I did decide to do) and was also able to make our own special thanksgiving celebration, between the 4 of us (all from Compassion and none of us having experienced Thanksgiving before). It was a great night!




There have also been a few more things that have changed, and I will let you know what they are, but for now, I think I need to end this post, blog it, and allow you guys to read it, before you fall asleep from how long it has become.

Let me know how you’re going, and until next time, God Bless U Good (GBUG).

Eight Weeks in Compact-Mode (photos to come)

Hey guys,

It’s been awhile since I’ve given you a lengthy update. How are you all?
How’s life?

Life for me, down in YWAM Newy is going great. There’s a lot of things happening, some great, and some not so great, but when you know that God is in control of everything, do you really need to worry about the things that aren’t going as initially planned?

I’m about to start my Week 9 down here, which is ‘Lordship’. Already I have attended the following weeks and topics:

Week 1: Hearing God’s Voice (taught by Sarah McCutcheon – YWAM Newy staff)
Week 2: Father’s Heart of God (David Stevenson – YWAM Newcastle Base Director)
Week 3: Fear of God (Mark Brokenshire – Education Dean YWAM University of Nations, Aus)
Week 4: God’s Character (Natalie Neubauer – YWAM Newy Staff)
Week 5: Bible Study (Jonathon Spainhour – YWAM Townsville Staff)
Week 6: Spiritual Warfare (Peter Warren – YWAM Denver, Colorado, Staff)
Week 7: Holy Spirit (Keven Norris – YWAM Uni of the Nations - Kona, Hawaii)
Week 8: Evangelism (Stevie Lujan – YWAM Newcastle Staff)

There have been so much taught, and so much to take in (and apply to life) that I am amazed my brain hasn’t exploded. I can’t really explain what we’ve learnt, as I think my brain started to have the retention span of a sponge, and so whilst I know it’s in there, I can’t pull it out of the millions of neurons that are located within my skull… but I will endeavour to list the highlight I’ve learnt from each week.

Week 1 (Hearing God’s Voice)
It’s a relationship NOT a formula. It does not happen instantly; like friendship, it takes time… The more you hang with God, the closer that friendship will form. Each person hears God differently (hence there is no clear formula). We need to share the relationship with God (taking time to listen to Him, when we talk to Him, and let Him feed into us) and not just stalk God (like we do on facebook)!

Week 2 (Father’s Heart of God)
God made Himself vulnerable, by wanting us to call Him Father. There is two types of pride – big wheel pride (the one we often think of) and little wheel pride (‘I’m nothing’, ‘worthless’, etc. – saying that you’re less value than the value God has given you) (Numbers 13:32: If you see yourself less than God sees you; then eventually others will see you, the same way that you see yourself!).

Ask God what His opinion of you is…

Mine was:
“God loves me like a newborn child is first loved by their Father. God sees me as His blood daughter – unable to lose the identity, the value, the worth!” (Wednesday 12th of October, 2011)

Don’t reject the blessings (or compliments) God has given you!

Week 3: Fear of God (FOG)
• Society has changed its standards over time; signified by pre-modernism, modernism and post-modernism.
• Satisfaction comes through fear of God.
• Every society has 7 spheres of influence.
• Knowing God through the Bible, Jesus, creation and revelation!
• When we fear God (out of respect), our desire for sin lessens.
• Get your needs met by God, not by man!

Summary: Recognise God as all powerful! But a fear out of reverence, with His love and care for us; resulting in our dislike/hate of evil doings.

Week 4: God’s Character
How we view God depends on the lens that we decide to look through (e.g. history of a rough life – we can look through that lens, as if God is mean and harsh).
We can see God’s character by looking at nature. This was really cool because it was and is probably one of the loudest ways God speaks to me!

For example, sitting on a cliff edge ledge, jutting out from Fort Scratchley, overlooking Newcastle, taught me the following about God:

1. Ocean waves – God is releasing, refreshing, renewing… each wave brings new life, like each breath of God we inhale.
2. Watching a big coal ship being guided into port by 3 tug boats – seeing where God has been after, but not necessarily during – God is guiding.
3. Seeing lizards fossicking in and out of the ledge, even though there’s a 10-20 metre drop below, they’re secure and just gliding in and out of the crevices, knowing they’re okay. God is cheeky/adventureful-adventurous!
4. Butterflies flying around flittingly and fully (only being alive for 3 days), just enjoying life and living it to the fullest joyfully. Living for the moment!
5. God is strong, powerful, thick, undefinable… Looking towards the horizon, and seeing thick storm clouds coming in, making the horizon’s line between the clouds and ocean indistinguishable. God cannot be defined!

God wants our full attention and focus! He is a jealous God! He wants our full love and affection!

Self-summary: God cannot be put into a box; however we can try to put Him in a box, based on our history/past. It is only through realising this point and being more open minded and changing our attitude, that we realise that God is so much bigger than we can ever describe. We need to become childlike, trusting without questioning!

Week 5: Bible Study
Basically this week was different ways to interpret the Bible; from doing a basic grammar lesson to using different Internet sources. A lot of the information can only be presented in context of the full week, so I can’t really allocate specific points to this area, except that we went through Philemon, as a class, and the whole week’s lecture was over skype. An interesting week of lectures, that’s for sure.

Week 6: Spiritual Warfare
I really appreciated this week’s lectures - The structure, the information, and the amount of references. It was taught at Tahlee (An old Christian Bible College, near Port Stephens), with great views, in amongst nature. We joined two other DTSs (Discipleship Training Schools), one being from the Cook Islands, and the other from Island Breeze (Woollongong). All of us were serving YWAM staff and leaders from all over the South Pacific and Australia, in YWAM’s National Leaders Meeting. It was AMAZING!!! I made some great friends in the few days I got to share the experience with. I also experienced my first vision (from God) here, in one of our weekly intercession meetings we have… which I may share in a later post.

Some of the points I learnt from this week are as follows:

Westerners have a harder time grasping the concept of spiritual warfare, because we generally believe in only what we can see and touch. Satan’s power is real, but God is in control overall. The devil is not at fault, for everything that happens. God gave us a choice to choose a lifestyle, as well as tools we can use. If we don’t guard our own mind, spirit, and body, than we can’t blame God for not protecting us.

God is not limited by anyone or anything, but He does limit Himself!

There IS power in prayer!

God has given us authority to speak against Satan, but we have to know AND believe that we have that authority!

God values love, over control. His mind can change! He did not create any of us to be evil. Nothing limits God!

Everything God created is sanctified (I Corinthians 10:25-26). We pray over meals to sanctify it (originating from Paul’s time, where it may have been offered to idols, etc. – sort of like halal I guess) (I Timothy 4:5).

Week 7: Holy Spirit
• Our Worldview affects how we handle God.
• The Holy Spirit may have a harder time getting through to us, because of our worldviews.
• We have emotions and physical pain for a reason, they’re both good!
• It is okay, and should actually be encouraged, to express how you’re feeling in church and in life. If you don’t feel like worshipping, say so! Tell God how you feel… God, I don’t feel like worshipping… God I am angry at You, but follow it through with a BUT (like David did)… God I feel alone, everyone has abandoned me, but I know that You are always with me and I will praise You for it! Stuffing the emotions, is not giving it to God, nor are you dealing with it.
• If you’re not actively seeking out a deeper relationship with God – Your love is growing cold – this is relevant to our relationships in marriage and with God! You need commitment AND desire in anything that lasts!
• We need to go to God first, as our root source of help!
• Our relationship with the Holy Spirit, is the same as our relationship with God, it takes time!!! DON’T GIVE UP!!!!!
•
Week 8: Evangelism
God dwells where there is tension! Do you see a need or a problem, and you want someone to fix it? Why don’t you fix it? Why don’t you do something to change it? Do you not feel qualified enough, or that it’s not where your gifts are meant to be used? God works best when we’re out of our comfort zone!

If you can’t share the love of God out of your own experience, don’t share it. What point is there to us evangelising, if we can’t say how God’s changed our lives and show it? It’s like trying to sell a cake to someone who needs to know all the ingredients and what the flavour is, and we have no idea what to tell them, because we didn’t make the cake, or try it, before selling it…

God’s biggest expression of love is not that He’s forgiven us, but that He’s made us. We were created for bigger reasons than to just be forgiven. Everything in creation is based on relationships! We were created in the image of the trinity; chemical elements are relational particles, and humans need relationships! Nothing exists that does not have some relationship component in its structure.

Jesus needs to be at the centre of the relationship, and evangelising! We do not want something like Jones Town to occur again, where the focus of Jesus was lost.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S_d1eVv0E8)


So that was what I’ve been learning these past 8 weeks. There is so much content that could be further explained in what I’ve written, and even more that has not been written.

This last Friday I also had the chance to experience the American holiday ‘Thanksgiving’, it was definitely a very thankful time. We had so much food – including American tasting pumpkin pie, apple pie, jelly, bread rolls, brownies, etc. The main thing I found interesting though was the easiness of slipping into an attitude of frustration or negativity. We had some guests over, and so with table places only created, decorated, and set for the All Generation DTS and the Compassion DTS, there were not enough seats for about 10 of us, including myself. I had been looking forward to the night’s celebrations all day, and to not be a part of the central celebration hurt – I wanted to experience the full flavour! This opened a can of worms where I felt frustrations at the pace of some of the activities that had occurred in the afternoon and the fact that there were guests there too… I really had to examine my heart deeply and realign my attitude. It was my choice to help some friends with their errands at the pharmacy and shops, and it was my choice to decide to change out of wet clothes, into something dry; and thanksgiving is a time that is meant to be shared… so if I wanted it to be, I could be thankful we could share an essence of YWAM with people that weren’t originally from YWAM (which I did decide to do) and was also able to make our own special thanksgiving celebration, between the 4 of us (all from Compassion and none of us having experienced Thanksgiving before). It was a great night!

There has also been a few more things that have changed, and I will let you know what they are, but for now, I think I need to end this post, blog it, and allow you guys to read it, before you fall asleep from how long it has become.

Let me know how you’re going, and until next time, God Bless U Good (GBUG).

A Ten Minute Catch Up!

Hey guys,

Right now I am sitting at Gloria Jeans, on Darby Street, in Newcastle, where there is actually great Internet, super hip atmosphere and just a calm feeling about the area, and I have ten minutes free, before I have to leave to catch a train home... but I thought I would use this ten minutes to let you know quickly what has been happening. It will only be short, and I will try and elaborate a lot more when I come back here, on my weekend, on Monday, but in the past month, the following has happened:

Health problems.
God's healing hand.
Doctor's appointments.
Medical Expenses.
Unknown/undiagnosable health problems.
Growing in God.
Confusion.
Trust Lessons.
Friendships.
Serving YWAM leaders from all over the South Pacific and Australia, at Tahlee.
All nighters.
Homework.
Life Lessons.
Random Moments.
Trusting in God when nothing makes sense.
Support Fundraising (still about another $1500 to go)
Some financial support coming in (thanks Owen, Kay, Andy, Sam and Laura!)
Sign Designing for Youth Street, AND painting it!
Video documentary to show you guys what I've been up to (this is still in the process of being made, as I've only got my camera, and limited video editing facilities, unlike what I have at home - but it's still totally achievable).

So this is just some of what's been happening in this last month. I'm also looking into MailChimp, so hopefully that will also be another tool I will utilise in keeping you guys informed... and maybe (joining my Mum on) twitter (shock horror, I know!). I will endeavour to give you a full picture on Monday, when I make the trip back here again, but until, God bless and have the best weekend!
GBUG
Kara

What would the world look like, if we all showed just a little more love, a little less selfishness and a little more giving?