lessons so far
Something wonderful happened today.
I have been looking forward to lectures this week because we have a fantastic speaker in Ross Tooley. When I first saw him, I was pretty disappointed because I thought he was going to be a boring old man. Well he did speak slowly, and was less energetic that I hoped. But this man was full of wisdom and experience. There were just such gems coming from him. Ross is a veteran missionary, number 11 YWAMer and his passion for evangelism was clear.
We’ve been getting wonderful speakers so far. Peter Brownhill was very Aussie in style, C was an excellent teacher. Hmm…it takes one to know. He’s very animated, dramatic and delivers his points very clearly. After his teaching on worship, he got the whole class on their feet dancing with wild abandonment, looking really undignified but full of freedom and joy.
Ari was so inspirational. He’s like our coach, always prompting us, guiding us. His life story totally disarmed the class, convincing us that confession is not about judgment, but God’s freedom and love. And on the actual night when we did the confession (application night), you could really see the wisdom as he very pastorally ministered and prayer for each one of us twice.
Ross didn’t just lecture us…He preached to us. After the first lesson, I was burning inside. He asked us what we were going to do with the next 50 years of our lives.
“Give me 50 years!!” That was my cry. Being one of the oldest in the class, I’m not too sure I’ll have 50 years. But that burnt deep down inside my heart, a mission. I don’t want to be too sure about anything now without asking God, but I think I’ve just been given a time line.
What to do with it? I’ll find out.
The rest of the lessons this week by Ross were very simple stuff. Things that I have even done before, like acts of kindness. I was bursting inside to tell someone, anyone, everyone that I’ve done so many projects with YMM before. But that was just pride acting up. Sigh…Anyway, Ross peppered his lessons with many life stories, many of which are so inspirational. He took us, with his stories, to NZ, to the Philippines, to Kona and back to the Bible, back to Christ. I realized that men who walked closely with God don’t need too much material in their sermons. Just verses and life stories. This man’s life is amazing. 40 years with YWAM. And you can tell that he’s a missionary. He dresses simply, gets excited about evangelism and refuses to even take compliments.
At the end of today’s lesson, I just felt this conviction about evangelism and prayer. There was a pregnant pause before Ross started to pray as he closed the lesson. I just felt my desire to grow increase. I wanted more of the passion to inspire others to know God. I wanted to know Him through prayer.
Then Ross walked up to me, laid hands on my head and started to pray for me. A few things came up. That God wanted to do something in and through my life, and that Perth is not a mistake. I think God knew I needed that assurance that my steps are in order with His will. That Perth was not a wrong step.
My friend said this about me: “so you look terrible, eat terrible, feel terrible, do terrible chores, speak terribly.”
That’s honestly like the summary of how things are looking now.
In the physical.
I do struggle a lot in the physical.
Chores are tough. Food is never enough. People don’t always understand my English…
BUT it’s wonderful! Because I feel connected to God again, and this time, He’s teaching me to strengthen this bond with Him. That’s more important than anything else. Just as my physical body is being stretched(6am morning exercise, sports and chores), my spiritual man is also undergoing training.
I just felt totally envisioned and geared up to know God in a deeper way.
Give me 50 years!
the art of losing myself
in giving you praise
consume me
from the inside out
I have been looking forward to lectures this week because we have a fantastic speaker in Ross Tooley. When I first saw him, I was pretty disappointed because I thought he was going to be a boring old man. Well he did speak slowly, and was less energetic that I hoped. But this man was full of wisdom and experience. There were just such gems coming from him. Ross is a veteran missionary, number 11 YWAMer and his passion for evangelism was clear.
We’ve been getting wonderful speakers so far. Peter Brownhill was very Aussie in style, C was an excellent teacher. Hmm…it takes one to know. He’s very animated, dramatic and delivers his points very clearly. After his teaching on worship, he got the whole class on their feet dancing with wild abandonment, looking really undignified but full of freedom and joy.
Ari was so inspirational. He’s like our coach, always prompting us, guiding us. His life story totally disarmed the class, convincing us that confession is not about judgment, but God’s freedom and love. And on the actual night when we did the confession (application night), you could really see the wisdom as he very pastorally ministered and prayer for each one of us twice.
Ross didn’t just lecture us…He preached to us. After the first lesson, I was burning inside. He asked us what we were going to do with the next 50 years of our lives.
“Give me 50 years!!” That was my cry. Being one of the oldest in the class, I’m not too sure I’ll have 50 years. But that burnt deep down inside my heart, a mission. I don’t want to be too sure about anything now without asking God, but I think I’ve just been given a time line.
What to do with it? I’ll find out.
The rest of the lessons this week by Ross were very simple stuff. Things that I have even done before, like acts of kindness. I was bursting inside to tell someone, anyone, everyone that I’ve done so many projects with YMM before. But that was just pride acting up. Sigh…Anyway, Ross peppered his lessons with many life stories, many of which are so inspirational. He took us, with his stories, to NZ, to the Philippines, to Kona and back to the Bible, back to Christ. I realized that men who walked closely with God don’t need too much material in their sermons. Just verses and life stories. This man’s life is amazing. 40 years with YWAM. And you can tell that he’s a missionary. He dresses simply, gets excited about evangelism and refuses to even take compliments.
At the end of today’s lesson, I just felt this conviction about evangelism and prayer. There was a pregnant pause before Ross started to pray as he closed the lesson. I just felt my desire to grow increase. I wanted more of the passion to inspire others to know God. I wanted to know Him through prayer.
Then Ross walked up to me, laid hands on my head and started to pray for me. A few things came up. That God wanted to do something in and through my life, and that Perth is not a mistake. I think God knew I needed that assurance that my steps are in order with His will. That Perth was not a wrong step.
My friend said this about me: “so you look terrible, eat terrible, feel terrible, do terrible chores, speak terribly.”
That’s honestly like the summary of how things are looking now.
In the physical.
I do struggle a lot in the physical.
Chores are tough. Food is never enough. People don’t always understand my English…
BUT it’s wonderful! Because I feel connected to God again, and this time, He’s teaching me to strengthen this bond with Him. That’s more important than anything else. Just as my physical body is being stretched(6am morning exercise, sports and chores), my spiritual man is also undergoing training.
I just felt totally envisioned and geared up to know God in a deeper way.
Give me 50 years!
the art of losing myself
in giving you praise
consume me
from the inside out
posted by ch-eology at 11:00 PM
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