Check out a few of these videos I put together in the days after Cyclone Yasi hit Townsville:

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I can be ungrateful.

Shocking, I know.

But last night, I was headed down that path as I came home to our little flat that always smells like something is dying. Ants rule in the bathroom and spiders lurk under the walls in the shower. The more I thought about these things, the further into the muck of ungratefulness did I travel.

Shortly into my mental tirade, I felt a prick in my consciousness, rousing me from my dark thoughts of spraying Ant Rid everywhere with a power washer.

“You so quickly forget about all that you’ve been given.”

Immediately, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment and I started cataloging all the things we have received since being married. From honeymoons to matching drapes, there are few things in our life that we have not been given. We have been constantly on the receiving end from many, many generous people.

Which is why I believe I have some bragging rights. Not for me, but for the people who have consistently bent over backwards to see us do what we do.
And few have made more sacrifices than our parents.

They drop what they’re doing when they hear the garbled sound of their children’s voices through the phone lines. They send unreasonably large packages at Christmas time, to our delight. They wait, day after day, for emails from their dear ones who are halfway around the world, possibly affected by disastrous floods, cyclones or venomous animals.

We are not the only ones who sacrifice much for living over here.
Which is why, as part of my penance for behaving so poorly, I wanted to write this little account. And hope that all of you know how truly, truly grateful we are for each part you play in our lives. Whether it’s an encouraging email, baby clothes or a bottle of ant repellent….we are so, so grateful.

Cheers!

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As most of you may know by now, we’re expecting our first baby in 2011. Yes – we’re excited! It’s amazing, terrifying, incredible, miraculous news. Since finding out, our lives have taken a new spin and our world, it seems, is in upheaval.
It’s crazy that the presence of another life can change a couple so drastically. But we’re already changing…and maybe freaking out a bit,too. Not in the “how are we going to take care of this thing in a few months” kind of way, but in the “it’s no longer just us” way. We have a child to think about.

Talk about responsibility.

We’ve always said we never wanted to grow up. We don’t like acting old and we don’t like looking too far ahead. But this is sort of propelling us into adulthood and we, I guess, need to start thinking like adults.

But as much as we need to think in such a way, I can tell you that in no way have I been acting like one. My physical self is in a state unlike I’ve ever been and I was not prepared for the ramifications of creating a little being.

Sleeping, eating, playing games – everything is different. Instead of 3 meals a day, I’m on 6ish. Maybe more. The fridge is now a revolving door. Sleeping can happen anywhere, anytime. Sometimes, I’m up at 4, eating cereal and other times, I’m asleep until 11:30am.

I’ve also always prided myself in keeping my emotions in check. They are no longer under my control. ESPECIALLY my slightly competitive spirit that used to be endearing. No one wants to play cards with me anymore because I say the word “hate” too many times and throw the cards at the winner.

Combine all three scenarios (tired, hungry and competitive), God forbid, and I could lose some dear friends who are already hanging on to their patience with me.

So, if you’re planning on sending an encouraging word or letter, I highly recommended sending some chocolate as well. But not for me. Nick and some other friends could really use it.

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Download November 2010 Newsletter

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So.
I’ve been reading this book lately that has given me a little perspective on the lives of people in the Old Testament. The book, Lineage of Grace, is a historical fiction account of several important women in the Bible. Because there’s not all that much detail about these women’s lives in the Bible itself, the author explains the traditions and culture of their day to give their stories context.
When you read things like this with no historical context, it’s a little more difficult to picture what it would feel like to be, say Bathsheba.

She was a daughter and granddaughter of two of David’s mighty men and a young wife of another mighty man, Uriah. In fact, she had a home located close to the palace walls because of Uriah’s position. This is the first we hear of her in 2 Samuel 11:2.
“Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of his palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was and he was told ‘She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ Then David sent messengers to get her and when she came to the palace, he slept with her.”

That’s pretty frank. David saw something he wanted and got it. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve skimmed over that scripture, never realizing the full repercussions for his actions (and possibly her consent).

You see, David’s men were out fighting while he was at home. That wasn’t normal. Kings led their armies into battle and on this day, David may have been one of the only men in his city. In his idleness, he lusted and took what wasn’t his. And that’s not all…

Bathsheba became pregnant (probably scared for her life) and to try and cover it all up, David called Uriah home so that he could sleep with his wife. But being an honorable man (who had been called home from battle, leaving his men), he did not visit his wife. Maybe he saw through David’s plan. Maybe the other men were talking. Maybe the whole palace knew of David’s sin by that point.
David, frustrated by his own schemes to cover his sin, ordered Uriah’s death and made it look like the cost of battle. His war-hungry commander, Joab, had no problem sending Uriah to the front lines and made David look foolish by sending other men to their death as well.
Bathsheba was then taken into the palace (where, no doubt, the rumors were in full force) to give birth to a son, who later died because of God’s judgement on David.

This is where the heart comes in.

Bathsheba was very alone. She was in a palace, full of concubines and other wives and was probably the center of rumors and ridicule. To top it all off, she lost the very thing that may have been her only hope in an otherwise devastating situation.

When I read all this, I became angry at David. What a cowardly man! Why didn’t he just do the right thing in the beginning? How could he take a woman just because he was king and then make such an ugly mess? And because he was king, who would say anything? The blame would be put on the woman!! How can the Bible say that he was a man after God’s own heart?

Nathan the prophet later confronted David in his court and exposed his sin. And instead of banishing the prophet or executing him, David fell to his knees and repented.

He sought forgiveness.

That’s when I realized – it’s all about the heart. There’s plenty of wickedness in the Bible (and in our world) and we see people openly mock God, making shrines in His temple and refusing God into their heart. But even David, one of the “biggest” sinners in history, pleased God through the humbling of his heart. God then continued to bless him and his house, giving Bathsheba another son by the name of Solomon.

I reread a lot of David’s psalms after reading this story. I saw his heart. He was a man that sought to please God and often, his flesh got in the way. But he never lost hope in the grace of God. He knew it was big enough for him and his faults.

I don’t know why I felt impressed to write all this today. It’s not even what I originally intended to write. I guess I’m just moved by the bigness of God’s heart and how so often, I refuse to let it affect me. Where did I get this idea that God is out to get me? Where did we come up with the notion that he throws down lightning bolts on His children?
I can’t accept that anymore. I won’t. I see too much grace and too much mercy in His character to believe that he wants anything else than my heart.

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Here’s a little recap of week 5 of my school!

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Hey folks – this past week on the school, we talked about the heart and purity of an artist. You hear from a couple of our students and also what’s happening around the base in this season. This week, we’re in with a couple of other schools, chatting about our DESTINY! Woo hoo! It’s actually been really amazing. Anyway – here’s another video!!!! Enjoy

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Hey guys! Just another video up about our School of Music that I’m leading here in Townsville. This past week, we talked about being purposeful musicians and what it means to speak up for others. But enough talking…have a look!!

Thanks for watching!

Sara

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I’m currently leading a school for musicians in missions and I wanted to give you a quick look at what we’ve been doing to the first week! It started last Sunday and as I have more time, I will give more detail but for now, this video will give you a pretty good idea!

Enjoy

* muso is the Australian word for musician. Ok, it’s just shortened really, but that’s what aussies do.

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I’ve been reading the good ol’ book of Deuteronomy lately. I want to know more about this amazing God that led an entire nation through the desert for 40 years…
I’ve been letting each chapter sink in, scrutinizing the text and asking questions as I go. I have to say the book is truly alive.

I’ve been thinking about Moses. Here was this man who, with little strength and courage, went back to the very place he spent his whole life running from. He then led this squirmy, complaining, doubtful hoard across the desert to a place he dreamed about for years.
The Promised Land.
And after dealing with his people, seeing the face of God, being led by a pillar of smoke and fire every day, being fed by heaven and so on, he comes to the border of the land that was promised to his people.
Then, get this:
God takes him up on the mountain and tells him to look over the river Jordan and across to the land that he has destined for the Israelites. And he says to Moses(my paraphrase)- “You will never go there. In fact, stop asking me about it. I don’t want to hear about it anymore. Instead, you are going to send someone who will receive all I promised you. Send Joshua instead.”
I can’t begin to fathom the emotional rapture Moses must have experienced. Here he was, staring at the very land he had been promised. It was right there. If he wanted to, he could go across that darn river himself and live the rest of his life where he was meant to.
But then he knew God would be against him. And Moses was more afraid of living without God than obeying the hardest of commands. I would have said a thousand things at that moment.
“It wasn’t my fault your people disobeyed you! I didn’t build the stupid calf! I didn’t complain about the Manna! I parted a sea with you, I’ve listened to your every command!”

But instead, he descended the mountain and encouraged young Joshua to have courage and faith as he took the next generation into the Promised Land.

Moses was not some incredible, good talking, strong leader. He was weak, impressionable and insecure. He was just like us. But he certainly had faith.

It made me think. A lot. If only I could obey God like Moses did. If only I could have faith like that. But then I remember – Moses didn’t have much faith in the beginning either. When he approached the burning bush, he rattled off a list of excuses long enough to anger the living God.
His journey fanned that small spark of faith into a consuming fire. And at the very end, faced with the darkest part of his life, he obeyed God with faith. It only took wandering in the desert for a lifetime.
Don’t be afraid of the desert. It’s building your faith and just like sands of a desert mold the rocks within it, so are we being molded by the hand of God.
He only needs a spark.

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