Noosh News : May 07
Final Count Down
With only 30 days to go before I leave Sydney, the final count down is well and truly on and I'm in the final stages of preparation for my big trip. I do believe that May has been the fastest month this year as it seems to have just flown by in a whirlwind.
God has been working in my heart to consider who I am in Him and to find contentment in Him no matter where I am or what I am doing. A few years back, I remember feeling convicted of this contentment through the confirmation of a verse three times over. Initially, I heard the verse at a seminar and I thought to myself, that is a really great verse of encouragement. A few weeks later, I heard the same verse again on the radio and again, I thought, I must remember that verse because it is so encouraging. But each time, I kept forgetting to record it or to remember it in full. Eventually, one day, having never done this before, I let my bible fall open on a page to see what God had for me and bang … there it was … that very same verse AGAIN!! It was from 1 Timothy 6:6: "But Godliness with contentment is great gain." What amazing reassurance for me now that as I seek to turn my world upside down in order to walk closer with my Great God and Father in Heaven, I can know that with contentment, I will also have great gain.
I have also been pondering how painful it is going to be to leave Sydney as I have such wonderful and heartfelt friendships here that have forged bonds of relationship deeper than I could have ever hoped for and dreamed possible. Truly I can say that I am being torn from the loving arms of my greater family unit, my family in Christ and even just writing this makes my eyes swell. I also know that this is a true testimony to how God has worked in my life. When I arrived in Australia some 11 years ago almost to the date (24 June 1996), I knew approximately 5 people here. Now I will be walking away with the happiest memories of my life, the deepest friendships which will endure the separation and time apart, and the closeness of brothers and sisters who've known each other a lifetime through good and bad, happy and sad and yet still loved and accepted without question. I thank God with the gratitude of a sinner who deserves nothing, for the blessings in abundance that he has lavishly poured out upon me here in Sydney. My cup is overflowing and overflowing still … and I am not worthy but I am thankful.
I recently read a passage from a gem of a book, which I love, called "Alone with God" by Michael Warden which reminded me to put great works in perspective.
"The great work we are all called to, is to develop a "great heart" for God. This is the greatest work for every Christian. Nothing is more important. That's right - nothing matters more to God than the condition of your heart before Him. Now I will tell you a secret. Many Christians spend the best years of their lives striving to "do great things for God." But despite their great efforts, they end up missing God entirely in the process. They do not understand that God's point in sending Christ was not so that we could do great things for Him, but so that we could know Him. God is all about relationship - that is His passion. And it should be our passion as well. So, as you seek the Lord in your life, remember this secret. Do not worry yourself with striving to "do great things for God." Instead, always make it your ambition to have a great heart for God. If you do this, you'll find that the "great works" will take care of themselves." (pg 96)
How good it is to be reminded that God is interested in the condition of our hearts and not our actions. There are hundreds of references to our heart - guard your heart, love God with all your heart, don't harden your heart, look for God and serve God with all your heart.
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
All these remind me, that whatever people look at on the outside, is not nearly as important as the knowledge that God is always looking on the inside to my heart.
Bon Voyage
Ahoy Me Hearties … the Pirates are coming to town! I have coordinated my farewell party for Saturday, 23 June 07 - "Pirates & Pioneers" of the Calabria will be sailing away on a Bon Voyage to remember! All those who will be in Sydney on this night, are welcome to attend, so email me if you have not already received your invitation … a farewell not to be missed!
Ship News
I've recently received confirmation that my pre-ship training will be held in Bremerhaven in North Germany (just north of Bremen and west of Hamburg) following the Global Orientation ("GO") conference. The ship will be sailing from Croatia up to Germany for the final stages of the refurbishment and fit-out, so it is likely that I will be based in Bremerhaven for approximately 3 months from September to December before the ship sails for ministry. I am very excited about being part of the final refurbishment project as the ship enters its final preparation stage for launch.
Lots of people have asked me where the ship will sail to and at this stage, I have no idea, but you can keep a track of current news regarding the progress of the ship, via the official Logos Hope website: www.logoshope.org
Other News
I celebrated a very low key 35th birthday with close friends over a BBQ brekkie brunch on Sunday, 13 May at Shelley Beach in Manly. It was a beautiful autumn day and this was one of the first birthdays in Sydney that I have been able to have an outdoor celebration, as it was not too cold. However, the weather has definitely turned on the chill factor recently and winter is now upon us.
We also celebrated Mother's Day on the same day as my birthday and I thank God especially for my Mum who is always willing to serve and continues to support, nurture, care and love me. I think that it is so important to remember that our "Mums" may not be perfect (and neither are we), however, they were divinely appointed to each one of us. And, whilst I know many people have difficult and sometimes painful relationships with their Mother, Jesus reminded us that one of the greatest commandments is to "Honour our Father and Mother" - no one will ever be able to replace their unique positions in our lives! So I praise God for Mothers and Fathers around the world! I think he should have added, "Honour your friends" too … because friends are the family you form bonds with when your real family are far away!
Finance Update
My financial support raising has been going well and I have been so blessed by the generosity of once off gifts which have paid for my GO Conference and my travel costs to get to the ship in full, so praise be to God for this. However, currently, I am still a little short of my monthly target and need to raise approximately $340/month. If you feel God's prompting, in whatever capacity you are able to give on an ongoing basis, please email me and I will send you a "Financial Partners Support Form". Thanks again go out to the faithful financial supporters I currently have who have caught the vision of my mission and obeyed God's calling.
Prayer Warriors
I have continued to add a Prayer Point for prayerful supporters and recently, this prayer was answered in an amazing way! I received an email from my flat mate's mother whom I have never met in person. She told me that she, along with a beautiful group of faithful and righteous women who live in country NSW, are "Prayer Warriors" who regularly engage in prayer warfare (intercession) on behalf of others and they want to pray for me as I journey on the ship, especially in emergency times when prayer is the only sustainable source of redemption and protection that I will have. I was so blown away and thankful to God for raising up such amazingly faithful women to pray for me in this way and along with the prayers of many faithful friends, I feel that my life and my mission will be covered and protected by God's hand. Praise the Lord - this is amazing and so vital and encouraging. God is so good to me!
Suffer Little Children
Last weekend, I went to visit a friend of mine who has a very sick baby. This gorgeous little girl has been in hospital since she was born and is now 8 months old. She has recently undergone another stomach operation to correct her problem and when I saw her with so many tubes coming out of her, my heart went out to her. I was so blessed to be able to pray over her and to share with my friend about God's healing power. The heart-breaking thing was to suddenly be exposed and immersed into a world of so many sick babies who are being cared for. I was so touched to see their plight and to glimpse the battles that faced them, along with their desperate parents. I was convicted to uplift them to Jesus for healing. I am sure that I am going to experience many sick babies and children along the way, however, I will continue to pray for these precious sick babies right here in Sydney and for their weary parents who may not have the hope, the strength and the power of God to sustain them through their living nightmare. Please join me in praying for them. I went back to visit the little patient and she was smiling, gurgling and played with my hair as I held her, which was really encouraging but the road ahead is still long and painful.
I also want you to know that I will still remember your prayers, your needs and your lives and I want to be praying for you too so please make this a two way street and send me your prayer points in the months ahead.
Praise & Prayer Focus
Thank you for taking time to intercede on my behalf in prayer to God.
* Praise God for the generosity of many who are investing in the Kingdom of God
* Praise God for bringing faithful and righteous Prayer Warriors to intercede for me
* Praise God continually for His faithfulness in raising up supporters who are contributing generously in finances and prayer
* Pray that God will send angels to watch over all suffering children, to ease their pain and heal their broken bodies
* Pray that my stress levels will be measured and calmed through God's transcending peace
* Pray that I will able to complete all the tasks ahead as I prepare to leave Sydney
* Pray for wisdom, discernment and strength as I talk to others and share my mission
Food For The Soul
"We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
"Endurance is the simple, profound commitment to pursue and obey Christ's commands whatever the cost, whatever may come. Endurance takes you to the land of "no matter what" …The great battles of spiritual life are not fought on the mountaintops of spiritual revelation, but in the lowlands of monotony. The real victory of life in Christ comes when we are willing to obey even when no one is looking and obedience seems pointless." (Alone with God - pg 105)
God's richest blessings in Christ to you … Vanoosh :o)
With only 30 days to go before I leave Sydney, the final count down is well and truly on and I'm in the final stages of preparation for my big trip. I do believe that May has been the fastest month this year as it seems to have just flown by in a whirlwind.
God has been working in my heart to consider who I am in Him and to find contentment in Him no matter where I am or what I am doing. A few years back, I remember feeling convicted of this contentment through the confirmation of a verse three times over. Initially, I heard the verse at a seminar and I thought to myself, that is a really great verse of encouragement. A few weeks later, I heard the same verse again on the radio and again, I thought, I must remember that verse because it is so encouraging. But each time, I kept forgetting to record it or to remember it in full. Eventually, one day, having never done this before, I let my bible fall open on a page to see what God had for me and bang … there it was … that very same verse AGAIN!! It was from 1 Timothy 6:6: "But Godliness with contentment is great gain." What amazing reassurance for me now that as I seek to turn my world upside down in order to walk closer with my Great God and Father in Heaven, I can know that with contentment, I will also have great gain.
I have also been pondering how painful it is going to be to leave Sydney as I have such wonderful and heartfelt friendships here that have forged bonds of relationship deeper than I could have ever hoped for and dreamed possible. Truly I can say that I am being torn from the loving arms of my greater family unit, my family in Christ and even just writing this makes my eyes swell. I also know that this is a true testimony to how God has worked in my life. When I arrived in Australia some 11 years ago almost to the date (24 June 1996), I knew approximately 5 people here. Now I will be walking away with the happiest memories of my life, the deepest friendships which will endure the separation and time apart, and the closeness of brothers and sisters who've known each other a lifetime through good and bad, happy and sad and yet still loved and accepted without question. I thank God with the gratitude of a sinner who deserves nothing, for the blessings in abundance that he has lavishly poured out upon me here in Sydney. My cup is overflowing and overflowing still … and I am not worthy but I am thankful.
I recently read a passage from a gem of a book, which I love, called "Alone with God" by Michael Warden which reminded me to put great works in perspective.
"The great work we are all called to, is to develop a "great heart" for God. This is the greatest work for every Christian. Nothing is more important. That's right - nothing matters more to God than the condition of your heart before Him. Now I will tell you a secret. Many Christians spend the best years of their lives striving to "do great things for God." But despite their great efforts, they end up missing God entirely in the process. They do not understand that God's point in sending Christ was not so that we could do great things for Him, but so that we could know Him. God is all about relationship - that is His passion. And it should be our passion as well. So, as you seek the Lord in your life, remember this secret. Do not worry yourself with striving to "do great things for God." Instead, always make it your ambition to have a great heart for God. If you do this, you'll find that the "great works" will take care of themselves." (pg 96)
How good it is to be reminded that God is interested in the condition of our hearts and not our actions. There are hundreds of references to our heart - guard your heart, love God with all your heart, don't harden your heart, look for God and serve God with all your heart.
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
All these remind me, that whatever people look at on the outside, is not nearly as important as the knowledge that God is always looking on the inside to my heart.
Bon Voyage
Ahoy Me Hearties … the Pirates are coming to town! I have coordinated my farewell party for Saturday, 23 June 07 - "Pirates & Pioneers" of the Calabria will be sailing away on a Bon Voyage to remember! All those who will be in Sydney on this night, are welcome to attend, so email me if you have not already received your invitation … a farewell not to be missed!
Ship News
I've recently received confirmation that my pre-ship training will be held in Bremerhaven in North Germany (just north of Bremen and west of Hamburg) following the Global Orientation ("GO") conference. The ship will be sailing from Croatia up to Germany for the final stages of the refurbishment and fit-out, so it is likely that I will be based in Bremerhaven for approximately 3 months from September to December before the ship sails for ministry. I am very excited about being part of the final refurbishment project as the ship enters its final preparation stage for launch.
Lots of people have asked me where the ship will sail to and at this stage, I have no idea, but you can keep a track of current news regarding the progress of the ship, via the official Logos Hope website: www.logoshope.org
Other News
I celebrated a very low key 35th birthday with close friends over a BBQ brekkie brunch on Sunday, 13 May at Shelley Beach in Manly. It was a beautiful autumn day and this was one of the first birthdays in Sydney that I have been able to have an outdoor celebration, as it was not too cold. However, the weather has definitely turned on the chill factor recently and winter is now upon us.
We also celebrated Mother's Day on the same day as my birthday and I thank God especially for my Mum who is always willing to serve and continues to support, nurture, care and love me. I think that it is so important to remember that our "Mums" may not be perfect (and neither are we), however, they were divinely appointed to each one of us. And, whilst I know many people have difficult and sometimes painful relationships with their Mother, Jesus reminded us that one of the greatest commandments is to "Honour our Father and Mother" - no one will ever be able to replace their unique positions in our lives! So I praise God for Mothers and Fathers around the world! I think he should have added, "Honour your friends" too … because friends are the family you form bonds with when your real family are far away!
Finance Update
My financial support raising has been going well and I have been so blessed by the generosity of once off gifts which have paid for my GO Conference and my travel costs to get to the ship in full, so praise be to God for this. However, currently, I am still a little short of my monthly target and need to raise approximately $340/month. If you feel God's prompting, in whatever capacity you are able to give on an ongoing basis, please email me and I will send you a "Financial Partners Support Form". Thanks again go out to the faithful financial supporters I currently have who have caught the vision of my mission and obeyed God's calling.
Prayer Warriors
I have continued to add a Prayer Point for prayerful supporters and recently, this prayer was answered in an amazing way! I received an email from my flat mate's mother whom I have never met in person. She told me that she, along with a beautiful group of faithful and righteous women who live in country NSW, are "Prayer Warriors" who regularly engage in prayer warfare (intercession) on behalf of others and they want to pray for me as I journey on the ship, especially in emergency times when prayer is the only sustainable source of redemption and protection that I will have. I was so blown away and thankful to God for raising up such amazingly faithful women to pray for me in this way and along with the prayers of many faithful friends, I feel that my life and my mission will be covered and protected by God's hand. Praise the Lord - this is amazing and so vital and encouraging. God is so good to me!
Suffer Little Children
Last weekend, I went to visit a friend of mine who has a very sick baby. This gorgeous little girl has been in hospital since she was born and is now 8 months old. She has recently undergone another stomach operation to correct her problem and when I saw her with so many tubes coming out of her, my heart went out to her. I was so blessed to be able to pray over her and to share with my friend about God's healing power. The heart-breaking thing was to suddenly be exposed and immersed into a world of so many sick babies who are being cared for. I was so touched to see their plight and to glimpse the battles that faced them, along with their desperate parents. I was convicted to uplift them to Jesus for healing. I am sure that I am going to experience many sick babies and children along the way, however, I will continue to pray for these precious sick babies right here in Sydney and for their weary parents who may not have the hope, the strength and the power of God to sustain them through their living nightmare. Please join me in praying for them. I went back to visit the little patient and she was smiling, gurgling and played with my hair as I held her, which was really encouraging but the road ahead is still long and painful.
I also want you to know that I will still remember your prayers, your needs and your lives and I want to be praying for you too so please make this a two way street and send me your prayer points in the months ahead.
Praise & Prayer Focus
Thank you for taking time to intercede on my behalf in prayer to God.
* Praise God for the generosity of many who are investing in the Kingdom of God
* Praise God for bringing faithful and righteous Prayer Warriors to intercede for me
* Praise God continually for His faithfulness in raising up supporters who are contributing generously in finances and prayer
* Pray that God will send angels to watch over all suffering children, to ease their pain and heal their broken bodies
* Pray that my stress levels will be measured and calmed through God's transcending peace
* Pray that I will able to complete all the tasks ahead as I prepare to leave Sydney
* Pray for wisdom, discernment and strength as I talk to others and share my mission
Food For The Soul
"We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
"Endurance is the simple, profound commitment to pursue and obey Christ's commands whatever the cost, whatever may come. Endurance takes you to the land of "no matter what" …The great battles of spiritual life are not fought on the mountaintops of spiritual revelation, but in the lowlands of monotony. The real victory of life in Christ comes when we are willing to obey even when no one is looking and obedience seems pointless." (Alone with God - pg 105)
God's richest blessings in Christ to you … Vanoosh :o)
posted by Vanoosh at
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