9 January 2020

A controversial post ? Doubt it !

The Guilt of leaving a crisis...
The other day I needed to leave Bairnsdale and the relief centre for the fires..and I left behind a group of people still serving. 

I felt guilty about that.

I also noticed others going through similar feelings of needing to be present and active amongst the trauma situations.

I am guessing at times we all feel like that. 
I could have, should have, would have....

But none of us are super human and if we go too hard for too long we will all crumble and then others have to pick it up anyway.

Why is it we cant live balanced lives ? 
Why is it that we live with this guilt and almost a savior complex ?

Like the situation will be better if we are there ?

I think deep down inside of us each we want to help others.
I think its because we want, deep down, to be a part of the solution and not add to the problem.
(Just my thoughts no expert advice here)

The problem is, if we work too hard for too long, we get grumpy and careless and start damaging the very ones we were trying to help in the first place.  I have observed that first hand.

I reckon there will be countless times in our lives where we get opportunity to serve and care for others, and there will also be countless times when we will need someone to do that for us as well.

The true wisdom comes in knowing when to back off, and allow others to step up, and relieve us. Knowing when to be served by allowing others to serve and assist us in the situation we find ourselves in.

Over the past couple of weeks I have also observed some pretty crazy caring folks.... people sacrificing holidays to serve others, to help... to be a part of the solution somehow...doing what they can.. these people are hero’s in my book.  

But even they know that the human body can only take so much before it in fact crumbles under stress and strain.  

So ministry, and service and caring requires balance and wisdom and most of us will take our whole lives to work that out.

Is it so controversial to also say that in the middle of these situations we find jealousy arise ? Where we find some folks saying and doing things that are a bit mystifying ?  

It’s not your job, get out of the way, etc etc.

Humanity is an interesting thing isn’t it ? Brings out the best, and brings out the worst in people just like me, and maybe just like you.

When you walk with people through their crisis you find often, that an honest and true relationship forms. Folks share their lives with you and its a privilege beyond belief to be a listening ear and a caring voice. 

To do what you can when not much can be done.

To pat their dogs, give them a drink, cry and laugh with them... walk with them for a bit, find a bed for them, help look after their pets, get them some food, and be the hands and feet of Jesus ... its not a cliche, its the truth of Christianity.

In the good and the bad and the ugly, its nice to see true care. Thankyou to my friends in the The Salvation Army who have served in these past weeks and will continue to serve in the coming weeks.

But also thankyou to those others who have served who are not Christian.  

Life will go on for most of us and its up to each of us how we live it out.

I encourage balance and rest in the middle of the stress.

Yes there is work to be done.... and we will do it better together than trying to do it alone. The situation in Australia right now with these fires is very hard for any of us to understand, but when we stand together, work together, allow each other’s gifts and strengths to be utilized, then we will make a difference to our world, that will make sense. It’s how God created us.

Let’s learn from this, let’s keep praying through this, and Let us never forget, that ultimately everyone of us, no matter what title we have, or label placed upon us, no matter what role we work in presently, we are each and everyone a child and servant of the Most High God,  and He is the key reason why we do what we do.

We are The Salvation Army... The Army of Salvation, a group of people committed to see people saved and set free for Jesus Christ and that is the main thing.

Bless you today as You serve Him.









1 January 2020

2020... Day 1.



I start this new year 2020, January 1... with some positive hopes and dreams..

I want my life to win, to be optimistic and positive.

I want to defeat some inner challenges and to try and combat the ways I handle things around me.

I have a good wife, an amazing family, we each have some huge challenges ...
but it (the challenges)doesn’t need to stay that way, we can all win and I seriously hope for 2020 that in fact that is the case. Wins for each of us.

One of my plans for 2020 is to record a daily journal of thoughts and observations. 365 days of opportunity. A blank canvas. Waiting to be written each and every day. It is up to me how I live it and what I do with my own 365 days.

It’s up to us each .

We all have exactly the same amount of hours and days to live out, and until we are called home... it is up to each of us in how we will live out those days.

2019, and even 2018 were incredibly challenging ministry years for me (us) but one of the brilliant things about a brand new year is to face it with optimism and hope.
And thats what I am doing today. Dreaming for a good year.

A year where my calling, and the deep, very deep desire I have to please my God, is fulfilled in crazy amazing ways in my ministry role.

I want this year to lift my game in some ways.... To stretch my spiritual tent pegs.... to be more disciplined in some personal ways, and also to live out with integrity my call.

I actually believe that God is calling us each to specific ministry tasks as His kids... and we say, we are not called...but actually we are all called to something somewhere...if its being a plumber or pastor or professor... or politician.... do it for His purposes.

I dont know if people still do it these days, setting resolutions or goals for the year ahead... but I like to.

I think its in our nature to hope for better days. To dream of better times. To see opportunity and possibilities.

Some try to dash those dreams, to pour cold water over our hopes.

Can I encourage you as I do to myself also... take each day as it comes, we only really have this day..today... we can’t change yesterday.. or last week or month or even year... But we can choose that this day will be a positive one.

I am hopeful, very very hopeful that the desire that God has placed in my heart..that really only He and Me know about... will find its way to the surface and be used by Him for His glory. and His glory alone.

When I was commissioned as an Officer in The Salvation Army, I was trained under the banner of being a “Messenger of Hope”, I still pray these 24 years on... that this is still the case for my life.

Gosh who would want to be a messenger of the opposite.

Have a great day and a great year. And remember..

Please remember...

#itsallaboutJesus.

Always has been and always will be.



The Spiritual Experiences of my life. (Wondering about my Wandering) (It’s kind of Ripley’s…)

It’s always good to be reminded or to remember what God has done in your life. Recently, I hit a bit of a low spot in my life.  Things had c...