The Next Chapter

Saying 'good-bye' to Australia

          And 'Hello'
 to my Indiana home....

There wasn't a day that passed in Australia that I wasn't filled with awe at it's beauty. Even in the rain, there were just so many amazing sights and sounds. I often wished that the people back home could be there to enjoy it with me.  I even feared that leaving that paradise and returning to a home surrounded by corn fields would be difficult. Yet, last week when my grandson asked if I missed Australia, I was able to honestly say, "only the people." I am glad to be back enjoying the sights and sounds of my Indiana home.

I do desperately miss the wonderful people who made my life so rich while I was there. They are family to me and I think of them often.  You can't live among such incredible folks for three months and then fly away without having some serious sorrow knowing that you may never be able to hug them, share morning tea with them, laugh with them, and walk closely beside them this side of eternity. They enriched my life and broadened my horizon.  They helped me to see how very important it is to be an encourager. They helped me to see myself and know myself better than I ever had. They allowed me to use the gifts God has given me to pour into their lives. Facebook, email and skype are great tools to keep us connected. And I am so grateful for that. But I long for time sitting across from them, just sharing life over 'tea and crumpets.' (okay, I only actually had tea and crumpets once, but you get the picture.)

I am also grateful for the home God has provided for me right here in Indiana. As I sit on the porch composing this blog I can hear 5 different kinds of birds, an insect or two, squirrels scampering through the woods behind the house, swans clumsily landing in the lake across the road... and... is that the sound of a garter snake rustling through the leaves from last autumn that got trapped in the early growth of Lily-of-the-valley right beside me?  No worries, there are no poisonous or deadly snakes to fear in my yard here.

Home is a beautiful place to be. If I lose everything, I  pray that I will never lose the ability to be grateful for all the blessings with which God surrounds me every single moment of my life, no matter where I find myself. I want to fall asleep praising Him every night and wake up praising Him every morning.

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends. His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."                                                          Lamentations 3:22-23  NLT

Two Wonderful Weeks with the Wang Family

Meet the Wang Family... Emily, Andrew and eight-year-old Shirley.   They are solid members of Journey Church. They love God and are anxious to bring others to know and follow Him.  Not sure of the names of those 2 guys in the background. 

Emily is a homemaker and loves to have house guests. You can find her chopping and cooking or reading at any time of the day. Cooking and learning are her passions. She also volunteers at Shirley's school 2 afternoons per week.  The food has been delicious and nutritious.  She is a beautiful, warm person who cares deeply about others and prays faithfully.  She is teaching in the pre-school class at Journey once a month.

Andrew is a research Chemist currently working at Griffith University.  He is full of personality. He is a great husband and father.  He does the dishes after every meal and will not accept help from anyone.  Says he likes the feeling of accomplishment.  He has a great since of humor and is Shirley's best bud.

Shirley is in year 3 at Pacific Pines Primary School.  She  loves to read and write and would rather learn that play.  She has seen few movies and never played a video game, yet somehow she is still able to live. 

She just started learning the violin and has mastered "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and  "Hot Cross Buns"

After school every day she does lessons in Chinese and loves the challenge.  She is never bored, because there is always something to be learned.  She is a great writer and someday plans to be an author and a veterinarian. 

She likes to play with friends....

Walks to school in the rain without complaining...

Keeps a tidy room, making the bed meticulously and caring for her dirty clothes.

This is my room while I am here.  Very comfortable with artwork above the bed by, none other than Shirley!

We have had a fabulous time getting to know each other; teaching Chinese customs and western traditions.  We listen well to each other and the language barrier has been minimal.  Each day we share stories and learn more about each others backgrounds and families.  They are now part of my family and will remain so.  It is hard to believe that in such a short time my family has grown so much. I will be leaving behind some amazing people, yet taking with me the richest memories.
Thank you, Lord, for this amazing experience and these amazing people.

If Jesus Had Lived In A Rain Forest...

If Jesus had lived in a rain forest the parable of the sower found in Luke 8 would have had a different twist.  I think he would have talked about the seeds of the Strangler Fig that were placed, by birds, in the crevices near the tops of other trees. The seeds would stretch to reach the sun that would never make its way to the floor of the forest due to the lush canopy overhead.  As they grew upward they would also send down roots on the outside of the host tree until eventually they would find the rich soil they needed to sustain a long and healthy life.

But there is more to this story than survival. As the Strangler Fig sends down its roots, they actually choke the life out of the host tree.  Eventually there is no trace of the original tree and all that remains are the columns of roots, completely hollow in the center, yet strong and tall and full of life.

As I saw these trees in the rain forest here in Australia I kept thinking of the lessons to be learned from the Strangler Fig.  At first I thought about how, when allowed to find a home within our lives, sin will easily take up residency and what seems so harmless in the beginning (just a tiny seed) becomes deadly, destroying our very soul. We have all seen it happen. I am seeing it in the lives of some families that attended Journey Church in the past, but have allowed sin to dominate their lives and are now nothing more than empty people living empty lives.












From another perspective I could see something beautiful happening. Something that I want so desperately in my own life.  Something Paul talked about.  I want to die to self and the desires of the flesh. I want to realize how insignificant I truly am. I want to decrease so that Christ might increase.  I want to let go of life so that I might be transformed into a new creation.  I want people to see Jesus alive and well and not be able to see Jackie at all.  What I have to offer alone is worthless, but when I am completely enveloped in His will I am strong, capable and ready to go where He wants me to go and be who He needs me to be.

12 Days In Paradise

Waterfall flowing through the Natural Arch 

I think it has been obvious to all that my first 6 weeks in Australia have been filled with amazing sights and wonderful people.  The arrival of my hubby made it a true paradise. He rented a car and had no trouble driving with the steering wheel on the right and our lane on the left.  We traveled as far north as the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef and enjoyed snorkeling around Lady Musgrave Island. We went into the hinterlands and enjoyed the natural arch and the waterfalls. Australia Zoo took us up close to the kangaroos and koalas (yes that is a real koala in his arms) and we visited the light house in Byron Bay in New South Wales.  

He is back home now but we have dozens of pictures and memories to last a lifetime. 

God is so Good!

The view from Best Of All Lookout of New South Wales all the way to the coast

One of many friendly kangaroos at the Australia Zoo

Snuggling a live koala at Australia Zoo

On Lady Musgrave Island, Great Barrier Reef

Waterfall somewhere near Springbrook Mt. One of several beautiful sights.

A Walk In The Garden

A week ago the pre-school class at Journey Church colored a picture of the Serpent in the Tree of Knowledge enticing Eve with the fruit.  That is always the way the picture looks, no matter the curriculum. Satan is in the tree tempting Eve to have a bite.  This morning, however, as I read Genesis 3 my mind’s eye saw a picture of a cunning creature walking and talking with Eve in the periphery of the garden; the places where Eve’s daily life would normally take her. She knew to stay away from the center of the garden where the forbidden fruit grew. Her relationship with God was strong and she had no desire to disobey Him.  The Tempter had to come to her. 

I picture Satan visiting her in the safest part of the Garden, having small talk, building a comfortable relationship, before he began to attack the good and proper thinking that God had established in her.  God had surely warned her that she must listen to His voice alone, lest she be drawn to a place of certain peril. But Satan, being the crafty one, knew he had to convince her that he was her friend; a comfortable fellow with which she could easily relax; a comrade who could be trusted.

As I work with the people of Journey Church, these new followers of Christ, I see people who love walking with God in the cool of the Garden. They are happy with the new relationship they have with Him, yet there are times in their week when they struggle to see the Tempter as evil, because he has walked with them long enough to have built a relationship with them. They readily hear his voice and easily turn to see what he is saying. They do not see the danger, because they are in the Garden where they walk with God.

 “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” asks Satan.  He takes a bite of the forbidden fruit in front of her, looking alive and quite well.  “You will not die…You will be like God,” says he, as juice drips from the corner of his mouth, smiling at the sweetness of the harmless looking fruit. 

What I am observing here in Australia are common temptations that bring about the death of a beautiful and innocent relationship with God. It is the temptation of a relationship that is unwholesome, the fire of unbridled anger, the self-centered spirit that refuses to “prefer one another in love,” the lure of the bottle to settle the troubled spirit at the end of a difficult day, the call of just one more ‘need’  that interferes with much needed family time, the unforgiving attitude that keeps couples looking back to what was rather than looking forward to what can be. 

My new friends are young in their faith. They are receptive to someone holding up that x-ray machine so they can see that the beguiling temptations that lure them are, at the core, merely a crafty enemy seeking to destroy their new found faith.  They listen. They hear. They ponder the options. Sometimes they turn away from the center of the garden where the forbidden fruit grows and sometimes they slip back in and take another bite.  But now they have been told. They have tasted the sweeter fruit of walking with God in the garden of life and, for most of them there is repentance and restoration.

I guess people are much the same… no matter the hemisphere they call home.  Please continue to pray for these beautiful people who have become my dear friends. Pray that they will see that sin never pays what temptation offers.  Pray that I will lead effectively with wisdom and love.  Pray that their particular temptation will be less and less enticing and they will enjoy those quiet walks with God in the garden.

The Walk

Today was a beautiful day in Pacific Pines. The breeze was heavenly so I determined it to be the best time for a walk.  You have no idea how brave I felt heading out on my own in a suburb where all streets are 90 degree slopes; all streets are uphill; all streets curve so that you can't see where you have been or where you are going. And did I mention that I am completely directionally challenged?
In the picture above, if you can spot a utility trailer in a driveway, you are looking at the house that I left on this courageous journey. I took this picture about half way up the first hill. You may choose to believe that I simply turned around to snap this beautiful shot of Victoria Drive... or if you know me better you know that my legs had turned to led, fiery, molten led.  I stopped and turned around, walking backwards up the slope hoping to ease the fire in the muscles that have been happily dormant for most of my life.  That lasted for about ten feet and it was apparent that I needed more of a break to catch my breath. So glad I had my camera with me to make me look like a tourist rather than just a totally out of shape middle-aged woman. Do you think I fooled anyone? It came in handy several times on that walk. When I couldn't remember which street I was on... stop and take a picture while praying for my guardian angel to show up and direct me... take another each time I needed to rest... take another whenever I felt myself turning blue from oxygen deprivation...  I got several nice shots of the city in my hour long adventure! By the time I return to Indiana I will be in much better shape... right?

At the top of the first hill there is a T and you can turn right and go up this hill or turn left and take a steeper hill. I turned left.  Must have been the oxygen deprived brain making the decision. 

Beautiful cloud shadows across the hinterland (mountainous region on the edge of town)

The sky was beautiful all day.  It was clear tonight and I could see constellations unlike the typical dippers I see at home.  The Southern Cross and Orion. The universe just keeps getting bigger and bigger to me. 

So many places to stop and pray for the city and all the lost people who need to meet Jesus and follow him.

 Please continue to pray for the ministry of Journey Church as we try to reach a community of people who are lost and don't even know it. I can feel the Spirit at work in the hearts of the believers and in the three short weeks that I have been here I have been able to see their level of commitment deepen. God is preparing the laborers and the harvest is ripe. Your prayer support is highly sought and valued by Journey Church.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Today is Valentine's Day in Australia. For all of my friends in America who are spending it alone... without their true love by their side, I just want you to know that, having already been there a day ahead of you, the world doesn't come to a screeching halt.
 It's just another day... another opportunity to love God and love others.
I wonder what the world would be like if there was more thought put into loving well, than being loved in a way that meets our needs or expectations.
I am truly blessed to have a husband that loves me in a way that helps me to be free to become all that God calls me to be.  People say we are lucky. After 35 years our love continues to grow stronger and our joy becomes more complete.  Not because we are lucky, special or perfectly suited to each other but because we are both committed to honoring each other above ourselves and praying for each other.  It doesn't come naturally, but once you have tasted the sweetness of it, eventually it becomes a way of life that you never want to be without.  Today I am on the other side of the world from Dana, wishing he were here with me, but knowing that our love grows stronger even apart because of a God who makes it so. Feeling pretty blessed!

Pictures from Down Under

Beautiful scene from the backyard pool of a family from Journey Church. They live in the same neighborhood as I, but at a higher elevation.
They are a lovely family: Greg and Kim, Maddie and Christian.  Keep them in your prayers as they seek to establish a godly home for their children.

I am standing in front of the building that Journey is privileged to rent every Sunday. It is a wonderful building and part of Pacific Pines Primary School.

We arrive two and a half hours before church starts for a variety of reasons. This Sunday I discovered that the room had been used for a variety of science experiments and set up took a bit longer.  I think that must have been a very fun class for the kids!

Here you see a traditional Australian Bar-b.  No open fires allowed.  Even in the parks they provide gas grills rather than the fire pits we have in America.
About once a month they have what they call a 'sausage sizzle' after church to promote time for visiting and unity. Just wrap a piece of white bread around it, top with onions or bbq sauce, if you like, and enjoy!
Shall we throw another sausage on the bar-b for you?

We drink primarily water here. Understand why?
Groceries are quite high and the Ravells have families over for a meal a few times a week to build relationships. Pray that God will stretch their dollars to enable them to continue this ministry of hospitality.

Meat pie and veggies!  My Super Bowl lunch. Yes, it was on here and I watched the whole thing.... but I didn't eat the whole thing... too much mince. That's what they call the mixture of meat they use, which is lamb and beef (I think). If it isn't, don't tell me!

God's Kids

Everywhere I go I meet children who were created in the image of the Almighty God. All of them need to know that the One who made them did so for a purpose. They need to know that He loves them deeply and is calling them to walk with Him.  They are all so beautiful and so precious in His sight and in mine. Their summer break is ending and people are just coming back after vacations and various activities. I was told that there were 7 children missing that are normally in attendance so next week we should practically double in size!
Pray that I will be attentive to God's plan in the lives of these little miracles; that I might be able to create an atmosphere of excitement among the future leaders of Journey Church; that the Spirit of God will stir up a passion to make disciples of these beautiful kids.

However... God is Faithful!

At this writing I believe that I left my home four days ago. I will, eventually, know what day it is, but for now I am content to simply ask someone.  Once I have attended worship on Sunday, maybe I will have my bearings. It has been a wonderful experience. Not because there were no difficulties with the journey, but because those difficulties gave opportunities for me to see God at work on my behalf.
I was scheduled to leave last Sunday HOWEVER I left a day later than scheduled due to high winds in Dallas that delayed my flight and would have caused me to spend a night at LAX, which didn't sound at all inviting. Rather, I called my father who lives in Fort Wayne, the city of my scheduled departure. He was happy to bring me home with him for the night and take me back to the airport the next afternoon. The extra time we had together was beautiful for me. GOD IS SO FAITHFUL!  My sister and I talked most of the night away and I was up by 4 a.m. so I was truly ready to sleep on the plane when it left LA that night... HOWEVER... it didn't leave that night, but was delayed into the middle of the night while the technicians and mechanics replaced the censor in one of the doors that was falsely indicating a leak in cabin pressure.  I believe that I was on that plane for 20 hours altogether. By the time it took off I had been up for about 25 hours and I am certain that sleep came somewhere between the engines revving up and the wheels lifting off the ground. In spite of any bumps in the road, I had such peace and joy in my spirit. GOD IS SO FAITHFUL!
I was able to get the message to my host family, the Ravells, that I would be arriving a day later due to the Dallas situation. HOWEVER, the departure delay in LA caused me to miss my connection to Brisbane from Sydney. The airline took care of securing the next flight to Brisbane, however time spent in customs kept me from making that connection, so they rescheduled me for the next flight out.  No worries on my part... I had complete peace because (say it with me...) GOD IS SO FAITHFUL.  All was well, HOWEVER, I had no phone or wifi to contact David and let him know that I would not be on the flight that the airlines told him I would be on! AND since I went through Customs in Sydney rather than in Brisbane I would not be in the same section of the airport where we had arranged to meet.
Fortunately, in Sydney I was able to pay for the use of a computer and send out a quick email telling him my flight number and scheduled time of arrival, then say a prayer that he would check his email before leaving the house.  For him, there was an hour drive to the airport, but with recent rains causing flooding there were many detours.  Guess what? Yep! You guessed it... GOD IS SO FAITHFUL!  I arrived at the Brisbane airport and as soon as I came through the door I looked up and saw David and Bethany Ravell in exactly the right place at exactly the right time...arranged solely by a faithful God. They arrived just as the plane was connecting to the gate.
There have been so many times in my life when I have felt "God is faithful, however..." because circumstances controlled my views of God's faithfulness.  HOWEVER... when God sets about to "renew your mind by changing the way you think" it turns your life upside down and your entire outlook is transformed. Circumstances are simply circumstances.  I am seeing more and more that when you look for God in those situations, he is always there and HE IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL.

A Mind Transformed

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world,

 but let God transform you into a new person

 by changing the way you think...."  

Romans 12:2 (New Living Translation)

I wonder if it is difficult to recognize a God follower in a world of ungodly people because we allow the circumstances of life to form our thoughts. How many times have I missed an opportunity to shine a light on the Almighty because I have chosen the dark thoughts that bring defeat.  As God prepares me for the mission in a far away place, He reminds me that I must surrender my thoughts to Him.  It is in that surrender that my mind and heart are transformed.

I will not see losses as defeat.  

Instead I will focus on what I gain in the lessons learned from that loss.

Rather than fearing the unknown that lies ahead, 

I will remember the One who holds my future securely in His hand.

I will not dwell on what I lack,

but be grateful for all that I have.

I will not cry for the family I leave behind,

but will love the family I will gain across the ocean.

I will not cast judgement,

but love unconditionally.

I will not hate my weaknesses,

but depend on the Master whose strength is magnified there.

I will not beg God for answers, 

but thank Him that the answers are already being worked out by His hand.

I will not worry about those at home,

but will trust God to meet their needs.

I will look ahead.

I will trust God.

I will listen.

I will follow where He leads. 

I am surrendered.

The Call...

Never have I been more passionate about the vision to which God has called me.Never before has it been more clear that the time is now to discover the mission field where that vision will come alive. Never before have my prayers been more earnestly seeking God's will.  Never before have I experienced more peace in God's waiting room...  Maybe it is because I didn't have to wait long for His answer.
My prayer, "Lord, open the door wide so that I can know for certain that this is the place for me to minister to parents who truly desire to follow You and plant seeds of TRUTH in the heart of their children.  Provide for me a clean canvas to paint the beautiful scene of Your Church partnering with families to become passionate followers who change the world, beginning in the home. I want nothing more than to be a godly woman following your leading. I will go where You lead and do what You have called me to do, just show me the way."
Then the telephone rings. It is Jeff Matas calling from Indiana Ministries.  "Jackie, God has placed your name on my heart. There is a church that Indiana Ministries has planted that is full of new believers who desire to launch an effective ministry to young families and need someone with your passion and experience to guide and encourage them. This would be a 3 month assignment."  Never in my life has God answered a prayer so promptly! Jeff continues... "It is on the Gold Coast in Australia, and a mission assignment so there will be no salary."
Did I just say to God Almighty... "I will go where You lead and do what You have called me to do, just show me the way?"
I don't know the way to Australia! God speaks to my heart... "I do." 
I haven't the means to travel so far away from home! "I have unlimited resources for those who will follow."
I have to have an income and I will be giving up 3 months of income and won't have a job when I return!  "I can provide for you better than you can provide for yourself. I know the plans I have for you...plans to give you a hope and a future... and this is part of that future."
I have never traveled alone beyond state lines nor have I ever traveled abroad. "I made the planet and know it well. I will be your guide on the other side of it just as I am here."
I don't have a specific formula for building such a ministry. "I know what they need, you just have to listen to me."
I am not a master at my trade. There are more gifted people than I. "But I have called YOU."
But, my family! How can I leave my husband, my children and my grandchildren for 3 months? Haven't you also called me to be a faithful guide to my own family? "Your witness to your family is worth so much more when you are obedient to Me. Your surrender speaks my name louder than your presence with them."
I board the plane in 11 days.  I have heard the call of God. With the support of family and friends and the hand of God holding me tightly, I will follow him and I will undoubtedly be transformed; shaped by the sacrifice of leaving my precious family and the blessing of meeting new believers on the other side of the world... but mostly shaped by a willingness to be a lump of clay in the hands of the Potter being shaped into the vessel I must be to answer His call.

A Godly Woman?

I don't exactly fit in the template of a godly woman as described in Proverbs 31. My husband may praise me and my children are a constant blessing to me, but I have never planted a vineyard, spun flax or sold a handmade sash to a merchant. Yet, finding myself in a difficult situation and wanting to handle it well, my constant prayer became, "Lord, make me a godly woman. I don't even know what that looks like in this situation, but it is the desire of my heart to be pleasing in your sight and to allow these difficult days to mold me into a vessel you can use."
His molding started with my heart. He held it in his hands until it was once again warm and pliable. Then he 'renewed my mind, by changing the way I think."  When my attitude and outlook changed and my heart was filled with his love I began to notice that I was being transformed into a willing vessel, ready to be filled and used as He saw fit. Another wonderful journey in my life was beginning and He was making me ready.