Thanks

i have lots of thank you's to do today! last friday night we were supposed to have night games (outside - amazing race style) for NUTS, unfortunately the rain decided that that wasn't going to happen. anyway, thanks to Matt, Mills and Annie for their great idea and awesome help of turning cafe salvo into the hang out joint. i also want to thank Hannah, Steve and Steph for speaking wonderfully on soemthing they had been learning/praying about. thanks guys.

this week for 40 days of purpose we have been looking at fellowship. i have enjoyed the readings this week and matt's preaching on sunday more than the other weeks. i think i have been a bit grumpy recently, maybe getting caught up too much in my own life. so it has been a good reminder that i am here to love God and then love others.

Gideon

when i was in the states, i bought a jason upton cd on recommedation from fleur (she just recommended him, not specifically the album i bought, but that's besdie the point). anyway, i wanted to share with you the lyrics from one of his songs.

Gidoen

I don’t have the power
I don’t even have a clue
I don’t know all the answers
I don’t even know a few
And if I were really honest
And the truth were known of me
It may sound a little funny
But this is what My prayer would be

I don’t know what to do
But my eyes are on you
I don’t know what to do
But my eyes are on you,

My Lord I lift my eyes toward the heavens
I tune my ear to your command
Help me boast in my condition
You’re the God and I’m the man

have a great day - Fee

BOLT

we had BOLT (high school aged church) on friday night and the VCE ages kids ran it! they were brilliant. sarah was excellent. jess was excellent. phoebe added a new dimension to worship leading when she prayed 'that the devil would poo his pants...'.
but i would like to specifically acknowledge two more of them on my blog.
the first one is Dustin Lewis (i think he's 16??). he put together a multi media presentation and it was brilliant. i am in awe of his skill - firstly, that he can actually do something like that - secondly, how his thoughtful insights were. thanks Dustin for using your gifts and talents for God.
the other person in Kirsten Gourd (17). she preached. it was her first time. she was brilliant. firstly - she spoke clearly and precisely. secondly and more importantly she spoke challenging words from God. i thank you Kirsten for the effort you put into your preaching. she spoke about what kind of life would you prefer to live - for others, for yourself or for God. you're awesome KG.
i love you guys!!!

Bill Brown

on wednesday night i went to our monthly leaders meeting at church. the special guest speaker this month was Bill Brown, senior pastor at Syndal Baptist church. it was a great time and i was so glad i was there. he spoke on self leadership, and suggested that this a leader's toughest challenge and i agree. he was genuine and inspirational.

anyway, rather than me rave about about how much i enjoyed wednesday night, let me share with you the 15 questions that he asks himself regularly. (i don't know if he made these up or got them from elsewhere, but by the same token, i don't really think that matters)
1. is my calling sure?
2. is my vision clear?
3. is my passion hot?
4. is my character submitted to Christ?
5. is my pride subdued?
6. are my fears at bay?
7. are internal issues undermining my leadership?
8. are my ears open to the Spirit's whispers?
9. is my pace sustainable?
10. are my gifts developing?
11. is my heart for God increasing...and is my capacity for lovin deepening?
12. am i accountable to others?
13. am i nuturing my family relationships?
14. am i often and regularly on my knees?
15. am i intentionally developing relationships with people who don't know Jesus persoanlly and loving them into taking him seriously?

so my challenge to you, as it is to me, is to ask myself where could i grow more?

ski trip's gone and so is mum

so i am thinking that today is the first day in 7 weeks that my life is back to normal. no more holidays, no more mum being around, no more ski trip to look forward to. but i am kind of excited by that - well not by mum not being here, but the rest. out of the last 7 weeks i have spent 5 away from home and while all 5 weeks were great, i am happy to return to some sort of normality and feel like i am in touch with my friends again. i have missed many of them over the last little while and feel a bit out of touch with them all. so that will be great. it's a bit nerving though to think that i am back to 'normal' life, when this week i have at least two things on every night this week. some school, some church, some hanging/dinner with friends, but that doesn't leave much time for me, but then again, that's the way it always is. there's just so much to fit into life. bu ti love it. i don't want to waste it.

anyway...

ski trip was great. the staff were great, the kids were great, the skiing was great, shame about the weather. oh well. it didn't spoil the week. it's all good.

mum's gone now and that's a little weird. her plane got delayed before she left melbourne and then she got to her first stop over in auckland and her plane got delayed again. i am hoping she has made it home to seattle, but i haven't heard yet...i really hope she's there now! i think it will go down as one of the longest trips between melbourne and seattle ever.

so my last little piece for the night...on sunday our church is starting an 8 week program caled '40 days of purpose'. i am actually quite excited about this. it should be great. that's all i have to say on the matter now, but i'll try and remember to give updates along the way.

well, i've been out of action for a little while now, but hopefully this is the beginning of me being back on track!!!

love Fee