Starbucks Red Cups

Here’s the thing, I'm getting sick and tired of reading so many posts about the Starbucks red cups. Let’s be realistic, the company have not waged a war on Christmas. They have not taken Christ out of Christmas. They have done what many company does at this time of year, they have changed their marketing. I have been to McDonald’s this afternoon and I got a coffee, on my cup was a reindeer, this cup has not caused me any offence whatsoever, do you know why? Because the real meaning of Christmas is so much more than consumerism, or having a Santa or whatever cute picture on your coffee cup. Christmas is about Christ – Emmanuel, God with us.

Christmas is about the retelling of the story of how God, the creator of the universe has made the massive step into our world, became a baby and it is the looking forward to his return.

There are so many more things for us to be getting our panties in a twist over. Let me take you on a journey, there are homeless people living in our communities, there are families who struggle to feed their loved ones, there are elderly people who are isolated and lonely this winter. There are people who are struggling to heat their homes.

Get a grip people, there is so much more to Christmas than this. This is what the bible says that God asks of us:

 “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,    and this is what he requires of you:to do what is right, to love mercy,    and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 5:9)

And again, what else does God ask of us as Christians?

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;    ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,    and see that they get justice. (Proverbs 31:8-9)

Basically, what I am saying to believers who are getting upset is to gurn up suck it up princess and every other expression that I can think of, there are bigger things than a red cup to be getting cross with.

Straya Mate

I've been living in Tamworth, NSW for a while now. It's pretty amazing to see how God has brought me here to a place where I can serve Him and His people in such a different way. I'm studying PTC at the minute and going through The Introduction To The Bible as my first module. It's pretty amazing to study. I keep getting excited each time I come to read the textbook and the passages that it's asking to be read. This week, we where looking at God's creation in Gen 1-11, then looking at the new creation in Revelation 21&22. Stopping a while in Isaiah 65 to see the prophecy of the new heaven being declared so early on. It really excited me, but created so much more of an urgency to share the gospel with people. I mean, Jesus WILL return. He will bring with Him a new order and a hope of no more pain. But because My Lord is coming, it makes it so much more important to reach the people who don't yet know Him!

I'm loving working in the school environment, it is such a blessing and comes with real joy-filled moments. Like some of the year 10 girls inviting me to come and watch them do their commerce presentations - I felt like such a proud mummy figure to see all the hard work that they had put in! And they were delighted that I had come to watch them! (I'm finding it's the little things that we can do for the girls that creates opportunities for speaking truth into their lives.)

I've had the opportunity to share my testimony twice formally while here and then I got to share with the girls when they informed me that I looked like I once was a rebel... That made for an interesting conversation, but I really hope and pray that they may continue to ask questions about who God is and what he can do for them in their lives.

The church, a body of hurting people worshiping a God of all comfort..

It's been a long week. I'm tired, I've been working night shift for most of it and by now, it's Sunday evening and the last thing I wanted to do was go to church. I would have far rather spent the evening in bed with a movie avoiding social contact. However, my mother had been to church this morning and came home to inform me that our minister had been asking how I have been keeping, that he would really like to see me at the service.

Cafe Church begins at 6:30pm and by 6:15pm, I was still in bed convinced that I would not be leaving the house.

It's always when I least want to go to church, I find that God speaks the loudest. I'm not sure whether it is to do with my spirit feeling more tender or whether God is screaming right at me. Whatever it was, I was glad that I went.

We have just began a new series in James this evening. The verses that our minister stopped on where the following [emphases mine]:

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 

As I said to begin with, I'm tired. I went to church because my mother wanted me to.

I arrived, took my usual seat, beside a few of the older ladies from our congregation, (I find when I don't want to be there, if I sit with them, I'll learn something no matter what...)

Looking around the hall, tonight instead of seeing a group of people who I usually am convinced have got it all together, I seen something far more beautiful. I seen a body of hurting people coming together to worship our God, the God of all comfort. The God who has experienced trials, pain and every human emotion possible.

We are not people who have got life sorted out. I'm glad that we're not.

But more so, I'm glad that at the end of all our pain, we will receive a crown of life.

When God speaks, it feels like he is screaming at me.

I'm glad of this also.

God is in control of the tide

Yesterday, I went to my thinking spot... It's been a long time since I've been, because of painful memories, because of difficult times, I have decided not to go down. 


Yesterday, I decided to go back, to see if I could meet with God in a quiet place. 


I believe that my God will never fail to turn up and meet me where I'm at, whether that is in church with my Christian family, driving my car, or if it is on a rock beside the sea (my thinking spot). 


I was right, my God, the God of the bible - the one who made the heavens and the earth, he showed up just as I had hoped.


The tide was rough yesterday, the winds were harsh and the day was just pure bleak. I think it almost resembled my mood for the best part of the day. 


I was listening to Matt Redman during the drive up to the thinking spot, "Lord, Let your glory fall". This song declares about God: "You are good, you are good and your love endures, today..." It couldn't have been a more fitting song for the time of reflection. 


As I sat there, reflecting upon the day to come and what had already been, I felt a sense of calm amidst the storm of life.


The tide, as I said was fierce, but something said God is in control. He is in control of the sea, even when it seems that it is wildly out of control. The same can then be said of life, God is totally in control of life. He is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow. When he makes a promise to hold you, in the midst of the storm, he will. 

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: 38, 39) [NLT]

My prayer is that as you read this, you may be reminded that no matter how difficult the circumstance in life is, God, the maker of the heavens and the earth, the one who calmed a storm... Yes, He is in control.