TGE... finally

my lady

i know ive already done a WHOLE blog on her, but she deserves more than blogs, so i think that blogging about the best part of my day is ok :)

CORINNA

we go on random adventures sometimes, they usually consist of driving somewhere and enjoying a quiet time and some delicious snacks, such as cashew nuts, fizzy beena, and assorted cakes and pastries. i like doing this, not just because of the God and the food factor, and we often go to amazing places aswell, such as on sunday we went to sublime point near wollongong, and the view was breathtaking, it was amazing. but this is not why i do it. i do it because i love my lady. shes tops. we have fun together, i spend most of my time in stitches, SHES HILARIOUS. and we often talk about God too. and i like that.
SHES PRETTY MUCH THE BEST WOMAN I KNOW. AND IM BLESSED TO HAVE HER.

its kind of about nothing... i was bored...

im not sure what this blog is about, i just wanted to write something. there are a few ways i could go. im thinking about how God is sustaining me through a hard busy and stressful time, im thinking about how God has blessed me with an amazing lady, im thinking about how God has given me a tremendous crew of friends who i love to death, im thinking about how or why people would want to live a life without God, im thinking about what im going to have for lunch, im thinking about what i should choose to do next year, im thinking about a lot of other things as well. when, i have half an hour to fill, this is what i do. i kind of like it. i like to try and think about what God would have me do. then i more often than not get saddened, due to my inherently sinful and selfish perspective, i struggle to see through what i want to see, and see what God intends. but then i realise that there is nothing i can do about my sinfulness effectively, i repent of it, realise JC has taken the penalty for it, and try my utmost both prayerfully and practically to live a life void of sin, but as romans reminds us, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. and another verse im reminded of, he who thinks he is without sin, deceives himself. not sure where its from.
my mind just jumped to somewhere else and im feeling in awe of my friends and their godliness. three friends in particular, who will remain nameless. all three have gone through ridiculousy hard times, and all three have put others and Gods plan before themselves, and made my jaw drop. their willingness to trust in Gods sovereignty over their lives, rather than become resentful or doubtful, and their attempts to be prayerful and christlike in all situations and act as they think God would have them act, has been such an encouragement to me. i can see how the spirit is working in them to further God's kingdom, and that down right blows my mind. its easy to say like, God is everywhere, and Gods plan, and bla bla bla, but like, its actually true. its actually happening right now, in and through and around us. AMAZING.
i do wonder how people can deny it. i do wonder, how people can get up, work 5 days a week, have a drunken weekend, and then work again, then drunk again, and just keep doing it. i do wonder what they feel they are acheiving. i wonder what kind of ignorance they must have, and how they must decide to ignore the futility of their lives every single day. to wake up, and say, i know that this serves no purpose to anyone, but i dont care, and im going to keep going even though i know everything i do is meaningless, and im just a product of random evolution, effectively a mistake, a product of some primordial ooze, an anomalie within the universe that is alone, and has no purpose, no role, no end goal to speak of. i think, to have faith in something so dismal, takes a stronger man than it does to have trust in God. God just makes sense. Gods fingerprint is on the design of creation, from the enormity of the galaxies, to the complexity of the human mind. no fragile weak human mind coud have created our world, i mean, we cant even understand it let alone come up with it. to deny God, seems ludicrous, and i feel sad for those who do.



wow.... that was random and unexpected.
chow mein to all.

Some Fun Hobie Shots

ps- tge to come, one at a time people, one at a time

a good book, not THE good book, but a good one nonetheless

reading a book at the moment called; Going the Distance, Staying Fit for a Lifetime of Ministry.

and it is most excellent. it talks a lot about different kind of stuff, but mostly about how people involved heavily in ministry often "burnout" ie. wear themselves out, emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, and they stop ministering, in whatever capacity they were. as someone who is keen to go into fulltime ministry hopefully soon, i thought it might be wise to wise up on this sort of thing. so far so good. i read a chapter today on depression which was very much enlightening.

post reading it, i am happy to say depression is something i struggle with. and ironic sentance if ive heard one. the book helped me realise that depression is the way of dealing with loss, and it is not a bad thing unless you let it be. but the thing i liked the most was how it pointed out depression is not born of the absense of the thing or person you love, but the attatchment you have to it slash them. it explained that we are going to experience people we love in our lives, who have to leave, for various reasons, but if we are relying on God before all else, our dependance on our friends slash loved ones shall change to a dependance on God and an appreciation and thankfulness for the friends we are blessed with. we can enjoy all that God gives us while still having a sense of detatchment from the world and all which occupies it.

its strange to think about depression being a good thing, but i think i have come to realise that its really not that bad. i did a talk last term at jackos about relying on God through the hard times, and i think that depression is probably one of the hardest times and yet most common ive ever experienced. i can see how people leaving my life in the past, and people leaving at the moment, and people who will soon or in the future, are just people. i love them more than anything else in the world, but they are just people. God is the only constant thing, the only eternal thing, the only one who loves me, unswervingly, constantly and unconditionally, and He is always there. Hebrews says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. i can love those around me, and mourn when they have to leave, but loving the one who will never leave is the best and easiest thing to do when you think about it. He cant ensure a life void of depression, but He can ensure the way to cope with it.
Through Him.


peace out team.

the gloriousness of TGE

oh my... a better and more rewarding week has not been had by myself for the longest of times. a tremendously tiring endeavour, the great escape 06 did not disappoint. muchos fun was had, muchos learning was had, muchos singing was partook in, muchos encouragement and growth too. a few souls were saved aswell, i had the priveilege to witness one of these first hand. a more humbling and exciting experience than seeing a child understand jesus and his grace and realising he is a christian and a part of gods family doesnt exist to my knowledge. witnessing the expression of joy come across a face which now knows the salvation he has come into is a truly amazing thing.

some highlights;

DANCE PARTY; take that year 8 girls, challenge me to a dance off....

SOIREE; good job falcs and ailie, muso's were amazing to, teared-up as always...

MY BOYS; aka the men entrusted to me for the week to take care of, gettin to know lil maxy and cam was truly a gift from god.

JNR's; chilling with the junior guys, espesh the year 8 kids, men and WHOA-men alike, very encouraging, seeing JC workin in lives so young is so encouraging, and letting them get to know me just as a person, was good fun, little simmo and his family guy quotes, priceless...

LUKEYS LOVE TALK; never seen anyone so passionate, truly moving. the most clear and explicit explanation of Gods tremendous love in JC ive ever heard. the Spirit sure did provide.


a note from rhys to all you readers; go out and USE and CHANGE from your tge experience. dont come home and forget all youve learnt. let Him work in you, let others know the love you saw on camp, let others understand the certain hope we have in our eternal future. exercise the freedom you have in christ.