Stuff Bec Likes...

It's pretty rare that I find something on the internet that is worth going back to again and again, that consistently produces edifying, amusing and/or engaging material.

I thought I was onto a winner with the podcast from Mars Hill, such rich teaching. (Although they need to rethink their stance on women in ministry, and their understanding of the subordination of women -- they really fail to understand the scriptures in historical context on this issue. Otherwise I really love their teaching as it is so Christocentric and also deals with the real issues that people face.)

Another goodie is the "I appreciate Christian pickup lines" group on Facebook. If you haven't joined it, it is quite simply THE BEST group on Facebook. Some highlights...

• "If you were a leper I'd still hold your hand, even if it wasn't attached"
• "You are a Galatians 5 fruit salad"
• "How many times do I have to walk around you to make you fall for me?"
• "I have familiarised myself with all 5 love languages, in fact, I invented 4 of them."
• "Hi, I'm Calvin. You were meant to choose me."

But in the past few weeks the top spot has been taken out by the "Stuff Christians Like" blog. It is priceless, a real gift to the body of Christ. It's a bit prophetic in nature I think, in that it draws attention to some things that we do/think that are a bit silly. Helps us to take ourselves a bit less seriously. At the end of a hard day, it really puts a smile on my face.

God bless,
Bec

Wooohooo!

This is just a quick post, I had an amazing day today, saw the "above and beyond all that we can ask or imagine", and am just amazed at how God is moving.

My boyfriend and I have just got involved with a church that works on the multisite model, and they had their first service today at the new site in our area. We have been feeling called over the last few months to become involved and so it was awesome to finally be there today and see the vision come to be.

The expected numbers were 200 committed to the new site, however the turnout this morning was 750! And they had to turn away 50 cars, because there wasn't room to park! And it turns out that 500 of those who made it into the building are committed to the new site. As the venue only seats about 350 (there were people hanging off the balcony and standing room only!) they've decided that from next week (i.e. the second week that the site will be operating) that we'll have to go to 2 services!!

I am just so excited to see what God will do in the area through this church, and to be one of those "unworthy servants" that He will use to do it. I have a great sense of expectation, not in the church itself so much, but in Christ who "is building His church". It will be exciting and challenging to be involved in the work that God is doing in the area of Melbourne. Also feel very much at peace that this is our home, and where He has called us to be.

So yes, it's an unrestrained "Wooooohoooooo!" on my part! Our God is an AWESOME God :-)


God bless,
Bec

My Theological Worldview

I love those quiz thingys you can take on the net... Such a wonderful diversion from productivity ;) Found this one mentioned on another blog, and the results are interesting!!

What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists. Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 82% Reformed Evangelical 75% Neo orthodox 68% Emergent/Postmodern 64% Fundamentalist 57% Classical Liberal 39% Roman Catholic 32% Charismatic/Pentecostal 32% Modern Liberal 25%

God bless,
Bec

New Semester Resolutions

Each Semester I make a resolution to be more organised and to consistently apply myself throughout the semester. This usually falls down around week 3 and by the time major essays are due it's a mad panic to read through the required amount of reference materials so that I can write something that answers the question. The stress is nasty, and leaves me exhausted. It is all exacerbated by the fact that I still get good marks, which I am never happy about because it encourages my leave-it-to-the-last-minute attitude.

So here are my 'New Semester Resolutions':

1. Do the assigned reading each week
2. Pick all essay topics in first week (getting started seems the hardest part)
3. Figure out what is due when, and what overlaps with other assignments
4. Minimise overlap between assignments by finishing some early if they clash so I can concentrate on one at a time
5. Start reading for major essays from beginning of semester
6. Get good regular sleep, keep late nights to a minimum
7. Observe Sundays as a Sabbath
8. Don't work overtime
9. Schedule regular quality time with important people in my life
10. Prioritise staying 'in community' at church, keep church commitments reasonable
11. Learn to say no to invitations, avoid overcommitting!!
12. Be sensible about amount of time to spend on things, prioritise and then do what I can in reasonable timeframes.
13. Study in College Library / with friends, studying at home alone it's too easy to get distracted and waste time
14. Set clear achievable goals for each study session
15. Keep resolutions beyond week 3!!!!!!!


God bless,
Bec

References to oneself by implication in other blogs

It was a bit of a funny day today blog-wise. I made a comment on another blog where I made reference to some people who had a major influence on the beginning of my Christian walk (I didn't mention them by name). By coincidence one of those people on their blog mentioned in passing having read a comment that had referred to them by inference (they did not mention me by name either). Interestingly, this person has also referred to me in previous posts mostly without use of names.

Now I could mention names, but that doesn't seem to be in the spirit of things, so this post will continue only to refer to those persons by the use of the personal pronouns "they" and "them" :-)

I would like to say that I am very blessed to know them. That I am still years later so very grateful for the grace that they and their family showed me when I was at my worst. I think that as Christians it is easy to talk about grace as a theological concept, it is completely another thing to live it. These people lived that in a way that was exemplary and really caused me to understand for real that God is a God of unconditional love, and that His love and grace were for me, not because of who I am or what I've done, but because of who HE is and what HE has done. His grace has been so very real in my life since then. It is a continuing pleasure and joy to share my life with these people. And although God has been really good to me since that time showing me amazing grace, I have sensed recently that there is still wreckage, for that I am truly sorry. It is one of my most frequent and fervent prayers that the grace God has shown me will be even more abundant in what remains of the situation that needs to be healed for everyone who was involved.

I hope that as they read this they would know that I appreciate them so much and the incredible way that they chose to love me. I pray that the Lord would bless them and keep them, make his face to shine upon them and give them peace. They truly bring glory to God.


God bless,
Bec