Stop. Start. Carry on.

Happy Birthday Upright Gen (Oct - Nov) from Des Shannon on Vimeo.

Scurvy

And by-the-by you should head over to Derek's blog:

derekellens.blogspot.com

to see some amusing photos from when we commandeered a boat last weekend.

Note the awesome Movember stylings. And please excuse Luc's appreciation of banoffee pie. He's from Plymouth.

Ruh-row

This is Esther. She came over fresh from DTS in Belize to be a part of One Friday for 8 months. Isn't she gorgeous?! She planted her roots in the shop and was such a breath of fresh air in my life, everything with a smile and a fake british accent. Wonderful wonderful Esther. She's now back in Idaho and she sent an email to the team; here's a portion:

"Hey guys hope all is well down under. The last week I was working at the Boardstore in Maroochydore I had the blessing of hearing two incredible testimonies of some of the impact we have had on the community. I meant to share these with all of you before I left but it got put on the back burner. I hope this encourages you all as much as it did to me.

One of my first customers of the morning was a mom, her son, and the son’s friend. The son was only around 12-13. They spent a good deal of time looking around the store. Once they had found a few items the mom came up to the counter to purchase the items while the two boys continued to look around the store. As I was ringing her up the mom grabbed a skater Bible off the counter. I told her they were free and she could take one. She replied by saying: “oh no thanks we have one at home.” She then proceeded to tell me that her son has the read the skater Bible cover to cover and it’s slowly falling apart. They moved from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast a year ago and came into our store when they first arrived on the coast. She complemented us saying that every time she has come into the store and her son absolutely insists on taking there business to only the Boardstore when it comes to all there skating needs. What made me so happy is that the Skater Bible this little boy had been given early on had read it over and over. And bonus, he was a skater through and through.

Later on that day an older lady came in wanting to speak with one of the guys. I told her I was the only one working that day and I could do my best to answer any of her questions. She told me that she was taking a class at the local community college on community development. The class she was with had been assigned to find out how local sport locations affect the community and find out about the people who frequent those facilities the most. She had to have been in her fifties and had been assigned Alex Skate Park. Earlier that day she visited the park to interview some of the local kids who skated there. She told me she was a bit intimidated approaching the typical “skater.” She started off by approaching a group of guys. She asked the various and basic questions about skating. The group of guys started telling her about some of the other things that happen at a skate park such as drinking, smoking, occasional fights that break out and then they started telling her about this group who hangs out on Friday nights at Alex. The boys told her how were there every Friday night to put on a free BBQ and that all of the guys work at the Boardstore. One of the boys spoke up and said “all the guys down at The Boardstore are Christians, there always there to answer any of our questions but they don’t shove their religion down our throats.”

The lady when she was talking to me was really impressed that the group of “rough around the edges” boys had so many compliments to pass on about the crew at the boardstore. The lady and I talked for a bit and I told her all about the things we do in the community. I told her about skate church, skate BBQ on Fridays, the skater Bible, and filled her in on all the happenings that go down with One Friday and The Boardstore. Before she left she told me that when her teacher had assigned her to the skate park she was scared and intimidated to speak to a “skater.” She walked out of that store with a complete change of heart. She was blown away that the guys at the skate park gave us so many compliments.

I walked away from working that day so uplifted. Hearing that a little boy had read the Bible we gave him a year ago over and over, front to back. What the second lady who was working on her University project didn’t know by reveling what all those boys at Alex had said about us was that we had been making a real impact in those kids lives at the skate park.

I just wanted to add one more thing to this very long e-mail. It was something I found myself thinking after I got asked the question by a church member when I arrived back from Australia. The question was “so how many people accepted Christ while you were over there?” I thought for a second and could have made up an answer but my answer was I don’t know. And I was completely comfortable with that answer. Why should I know how many people I lead to the Lord? Is that for my own personal glorification or to brag about it to a congregation. Just because I don’t have an exact count of the people I converted doesn’t mean in any way that I wasn’t doing the Lords work. So I hope that this little light bulb moment that I had encourages all of you. You guys are blessing people all around you whether you realize it or not. One of those people you blessed was me. I can’t thank you all enough for everything all of you blessed me with. Keep up the good work. You’re making a difference in the world one step at a time."

What an encourager you are Esther! You rule. She's now working in a ski resort shop, no doubt being an absolute blessing to everyone there. Part time snow bunny, full time radical Jesus loving ray of sunshine. Miss ya x

The Gateway to Croyde

Earlier this month I was given the opportunity to be a leader for the Gateway club's annual holiday to Devon. More than 200 Mencap members from across the UK get together each year at a holiday village for goodtimes and not a small amount of friendly competition... members of our group won the fancy dress, connect four and swimming amongst other things - Woking cleaned up!

I had so much fun with this group of lovely people and though I was left physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of the week, I also left with a more open heart and better understanding of the Mencap posse. One thing that left a strong impression on me was being around so many people who were themselves 24/7 and didn't care who thought they were cool or not. I could learn a thing or two about that.

Awesome bits that come to mind...

Nick getting wrapped up in tin foil like a chicken drumstick

Ian one of the group remarking to a leader that "half of them are faking you know" when we were out on a trip within earshot of members of the general public

Members of the group shouting "MY AGE!" at any number under 30 during bingo every night

The Elvis tribute act getting members of our group a bit excited

The Lady Gaga tribute act having a wardrobe malfunction and getting everyone a bit more excited

Watching small children get sprayed with water full in the face with no warning by a mechanical dinosaur

Any time that Jolyon gave a salute or made a farting noise or both

Sitting next to Linda whilst she heckled a sheep shearer

A leader with another group looking so much like Rob Bell I actually thought he was for a few days

Cutting shapes on the dancefloor with Pat my 70-something chalet-mate who turned out to be a natural and talented bodypopper

All of the guys who dressed up as women for the fancy dress (not including the man dressed as Wonderwoman, that made me want to poke my eyes out)

The disco every night was like being at successive wedding receptions - cheesy music and a floor full of people who just didn't give two hoots what anyone thought and were out to have a rollicking good time. I didn't think I still knew the dances to Tragedy and the Macarena. I did. So did they. Heaven.

If you see an opportunity to get involved with Mencap or something similar, do it. If you don't love it I will give you a thousand dollars*

*not true but do it anyway.

Fancy dress night featuring Linda as a hot air balloon

Brian the caveman

Our winners Jolyon the scarecrow, Zoe the lion, Pete the Dorothy and Nick the tinman

with my clown buddy Pat before we let loose on the dancefloor.

I wish I had a photo of that.

And what have you come as?

I am more than a little jealous of Wally's hat

Elvis belting it out

My other chalet-mate Rona

Getting drenched in dinosaur spit and loving it

The best photo of a live sheep you have ever seen

And the leaky dinosaur...

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin' on the riverrrrrrrr

Boardstore got the start of a facelift last week with Boris and Kodan heading up the knock through into the Gallery. Making a big hole in a breeze block wall turned out to be more work than Big B expected but the boys got 'er done and it looks awesome. The gallery will now house our longboards, scooters and protective products, leaving the main shop core skate. Whilst the boys were making use of the power tools I seized the opportunity offered from emptying the shoe wall on account of the dust to paint the slat wall tango orange (why not?). This led inevitably to painting of other areas which now looked a bit grubby. There's still work to do but the space we now have is most excellent.

Super much thanks to Kodan, Esther, Isaac, Melody and Blair for helping out you are all very excellent and well done Boris for managing to use power tools safely after two nights of little sleep. Nice one.

To Jimbo's and back

Vicki came to see me this week, all the way from blighty to see little old me. It was a super snazzy time which included 20 hours of driving going down to our furthest Boardstore in Port Macquarie run by Rob and Boris' friend Jimbo. Drivingvandrivingvaniamdrivingthevan. Vicki heard that alot this week. I was very blessed by her trip she is uber special to me and a massive encouragement. Love you girl.

The Facilitator

Sounds like a bad action movie perhaps starring Vin Diesel. Or Angelina Jolie. She could play me. Or perhaps not.

Last Monday I was asked to stand up at base worship and catch everyone up on my ministry. What I was doing, more importantly what God was doing. I was freaking out the week before. Seven months ago I was doing the Create2Skate workshops and running weekly girls nights but the workshops ended, I received no response to doing another set and the girls nights fizzled out. Sitting thinking about it I was suddenly scared that I wasn't doing enough and I didn't know what to share. So I shared this...

Boardstore is an example of Business As Missions (BAM) as opposed to Business For Missions. There is a company in Australia called Network Communications that was founded to fund missions and actually pays for the Australian Christian Channel on TV. Rad. We are not like that. Boardstore IS the mission. The purpose of Boardstore is to connect with the skate community and show God's love, make Him known, in that community.

Last year I was working in Boardstore, meeting kids and parents. I felt like I was working in Ministry. With a capital. And then Rob and Boris asked me to take on the role of managing the shops which I happily accepted as I love a challenge, I love business, I'm a workaholic and an organisational obsessive (some people have experienced this side of me, others, such as my parents or anyone that sees my bedroom, may be confused by this revelation)

So I stepped into this new role which involved more and more working at the office and cutting back my hours at the shop, eventually relinquishing them altogether. I like being productive and I think I fill this new role well, but I was confused at first by the amalgamation of office job and ministry. Sitting at a computer 9-5 Monday to Friday didn't feel like ministry. And at first I felt like I needed to do more outside of these hours which would then be my ministry. But I've learnt it's not like that.

My job is ministry. God uses Boardstore to reach people. To meet people and build relationship and reveal His love and goodness. And God uses me to help keep Boardstore running. When I hear from Esther about a great conversation she had with someone in the shop I know that it is all a part of our ministry here. It is a part of my ministry. So when I'm sitting in the office doing stocktake or out at Bunnings buying binbags and chain, I am in ministry.


After I spoke Hensser, our base director, told everyone that the higher you go in leadership, the less it becomes about your personal ministry and the more it becomes about the people around you and facilitating what they are doing and in this way ministry is multiplied. I felt really validated in my role and for the first time I felt that I haven't taken a step backwards in ministry, but forwards.

I used the word ministry 12 times there. It kind of lost meaning in my head for a minute.
Vicki will be here in 3 hours and I am SUPER MUCH EXCITED!

Learning to love uncertainty

"The way of trust is a movement into obscurity, into the undefined, into ambiguity, not into some pre-determined, clearly delineated plan for the future. The next step discloses itself only out of discernment of God acting in... the present moment. The reality of naked trust is the life of a pilgrim who leaves what is nailed down, obvious and secure, and walks into the unknown without any rational explanation to justify the decision or guarantee the future.

Why?

Because God has signalled the movement and offered His presence and His promise."

Brennan Manning

Taking Upright Gen up Mount Coolum

Happy Birthday Upright Gen (July) from Des Shannon on Vimeo.

Yet another video

Jut thought I'd share this vid with you that Des and Shannon made for the youth from the church I visited last year in the Philippines who have birthdays this month. So you can see that there actually ARE wild kangaroos here! boing boing boing...

Happy Birthday Upright Gen (June) from Des Shannon on Vimeo.

Getting into the Werd (as Brian Sumner would say)

At bible study at the shop a week or so ago we watched a Nooma video called "Noise"

Here it is (with spanish subtitles if you are so inclined):

Aferwards we were discussing what noise we personally choose to subject ourselves to and we came to the decision to each choose something to fast for a week. Some chose their car radio, some their ipods. I chose watching TV on my own. I have a tendency to chuck on a dvd when I find myself with spare time. I switch off. I guess that's really what I want to do when I find myself devoid of tasks.

Maybe only a day later, in the quiet of my car (I don't actually have a car radio to choose to switch off, it's always quiet) I was thinking about the Bible. I was thinking how I believe and I tell people that the Bible is God's Word.

That it's God's story.

It recounts times when God has spoken to people.

It recounts times when God has stepped in and acted in amazing ways.

It tells us who God is and what He has done.

What His character is like.

It tells us about who Jesus was, what he did and what he was like.

And it will not be added to. It is a certain length of pages and a certain number of books.

And, often, to be honest, I cannot be bothered to read it. I'll pick up a novel first. I'll turn on the TV. I definitely haven't read all of it. If you count from when I started to really follow God and direct my life and my heart towards Him, I've had about 13 years to read it.

That's so lame.

I apologised to God and I decided to get serious about getting to know God through His word. Often I've just dipped into the Bible to find something that is relevant and applicable to whatever struggle I am having that day. I didn't read it with the purpose to getting to know God. But now I want to. So I found and printed out a reading plan that puts the books in chronological order (I like order) and started at the beginning.

So far I'm into Job (don't be too impressed, according to my list it comes halfway through Genesis) and I feel not necessarily that God is teaching me something to apply to my life through every verse I read but that I am getting to know God's history and character and that is good.

Also I'm seeing the danger of dipping in and out willy nilly. I had previously highlighted a verse in Job (I haven't been a highlighter for a while because I think all God's word is equally good but that's by the by) and I must have found it encouraging or relevant at the time. But looking at it in the context of the whole book it doesn't at all mean what I thought it did when I sliced it out. Context is SO GOOD.

If you do want to do a bible reading plan, I'd encourage you to get one that you can do at your own pace, not one that's dated (or just ignore the dates) as it's too easy to get a busy few days, feel like you're behind and give up.

Just keep reading. Only good can come of it.

"A Harmonious Event" or something equally as cringeworthy and predictable

After the skate conference Dave drove Josh up to us on the Sunny coast to judge a game of S.K.A.T.E. outside Boardstore and play an acoustic gig in the gallery. First prize was a $300 Boardstore voucher followed by one of Josh's pro model decks and a pair of his signature shoes for 2nd and 3rd so quite a few skaters turned out for it. Shannon brought along his massive bbq so we could cook free snags for everyone whilst Josh played some songs. Our friends at the Australian Christian Channel came down to film a piece on the evening and Josh spent time giving an interview with them at the end of the night. The whole evening had a really good vibe and went super smooth, praise God!

I'd encourage you to buy Josh's albums on itunes by searching for Josh Harmony, and pray for him and his family. He was a really great witness to the kids that came, super friendly and willing to spend time with anyone and everyone.

Check out one of the songs from Josh's new album below:

Chattychat in Tweed Heads

One of Rob and Boris's friends, Dave, organised the Christian Skaters Conference this year and we went down to check it out. As we all wanted to go, Des and I just went down for the day to check it out then came back so we could go to the graduation of the January Waves DTS and then cover Boardstore.

It was held in Tweed Heads down on the Gold Coast and was planned to be a few days of fellowship with various speakers and an outreach youth event. I was fortunate enough to be there when Rob spoke about what we do in One Friday Ministry on the coast which was really refreshed in my heart the reasons I am here and what I am working towards. They had flown over pro skater Josh Harmony to share some of his music and he also shared his testimony, reminding us that amongst everything we do in ministry, the most important thing is our relationship with God. A really well timed message for me to hear with everything I've been filling my time with trying to "get done." We were also blessed to have Stan Walker who won Australian Idol lead worship on the morning I was there.

We couldn't stay for the youth event but I heard it went really well and it was good to meet other people in skate ministry in Aus. Dave did a really good job organising it and I hope it happens again next year.

Mr Rob giving it the One Friday chat

Miss Nikki Hammers

My friend Nikki out here is really dear to me, she's such an awesome chick. About ten days ago she fell whilst skating the 15 foot vert ramp in Coolum and suffered 3 fractures in her pelvis. It's not healing at all so far and the doctor has told her it will be 6 months before she can skate again. She's understandably disappointed and very bored. Please pray that she would receive fast and full healing, that God would draw her close and give her patience and wisdom to rest as recommended. She has been accepted to do the snowboarding DTS in Switzerland in September which is obviously looking ropey now so please pray about that too, that God would speak to her about His plans for her. Thanks!

Reach the Beach 2010

I got my photos back from Reach the Beach hurrah! I forgot how long it can take to finish a 36 exposure film!

Reach the Beach is an event which our friends Mark and Melissa Geltch organise every Easter at Coolum beach skate park. They started it in memory of a young skater who tragically took his own life. Wanting to speak positivity and hope in Jesus to the local young people, they began this annual free skate competition. It takes them a lot of work each year and has grown and grown. God has provided some great sponsors to provide big prizes resulting in a high level of competition, drawing a huge crowd. Last year myself and my DTS outreach team helped on the day and this year again we were privileged to be a part of helping it run on the day.

Before the competition kicked off, Des gave the Easter message over the PA and then before the winners were announced Mark again spoke to the crowd about God. Free Skater Bibles were given out to anyone who wanted one and LOTS of kids wanted one!

It was a great way to kick off Pure Parks. The atmosphere was great, the weather stayed fine, we only had one injury (one too many but better than lots) and lots of people heard about Jesus. God is just so good.

A colour co-ordinated Melissa on registration

Mark speaking before prize giving

Be a member, not an attender.

Whilst I was back home Mum invited me along to the Alpha group that she has been going to. It's made up of a number of ladies who had kids going to playgroup at Christ Church and approached Sandra the vicar asking if an Alpha group could be set up for them. They're a rad bunch of ladies, so funny.

The theme this week was on Church and what Church is. We watched Nicki Gumble's DVD and then talked about what makes Church - the building? the people? What you do? It was great to hear them talk. What struck me was the notion that Church is a family of people and everyone is welcome but it makes all the difference when you choose to be a part of it. To be a member, not an attender. Looking back on my experiences of looking for a church, I did see a pattern that in those churches where I did not seek to become involved in the life of the church, where I did not serve the church body in a way, those were the churches I left easily. I might have got to know some people there and been fold of them, but it was the times when I served people that I felt most a part of the church family and most at home. I recognised that it started when I began to help out with Friday Night Group at SMOB and the pattern has continued with helping to set up the chairs at Good Life in Australia. Whatever it is, whether it's organising a cell group or vacuuming the floor, serving your brothers and sisters encourages that sense of community, of being a part of something. Of course you are still a part of the body of Christ if you just go along each week and sit in the back but I think you gain so much when you muck in.

So I want to encourage you; be a member. Not an attender. Make a choice, commit, get involved.

And check this out!

Thanks to the awesome ladies of Ottershaw Alpha!

Visiting with Fairview

Back in May I was invited by Graham to come and share at the Fairview group which is Smob's housegroup for people with learning difficulties.

They start off with coffee and catch up then have a time of worship and talking about God.

Graham had brought along a big map of Australia so that I could show them where I live, and had worn his Australia Tshirt and corked hat to fit the part!

I told them about what I was doing in Australia and they asked me questions. It was so cool, I loved meeting them all and hanging out with them. At the end they prayed for me and I felt so blessed. When they prayed for me it felt so genuine and from the heart and reminded me that prayer is simply talking to God, sometimes I think I make it way too complicated. Big thanks to all the Fairview group and everyone involved in running it, you are such a blessing.

The good endless cycle

I've been back in England for three weeks now, spending time with my family and catching up with friends. A couple of weeks ago I had a chance to share at my church St Mary of Bethany in Woking. I came to church prepared to share about Pure Parks and our plans for the project. However, when Steve my vicar saw me before the service he asked me to share during the "Fingerprints" slot in the service. This is a time where people are invited to come up and share with the congregation things that God has been doing in their lives, situations where we have seen God's fingerprints.

To be honest, I kind of panicked. I had nothing prepared and spent the first worship song praying about what to share. I felt God say "singleness" to which my immediate reaction was "nope too personal I'm not talking about that" and then came the reply that someone sitting there might need to hear about it.

So I stood up and talked about the last few months of my life. How although I was excited that all my friends were married and having babies, I had been feeling alone and left behind and had allowed this to pull me from God and distract me from ministry. I shared how recently one of my friends had phoned me and asked to meet to talk. He told me that his girlfriend had broken up with him and he was devastated. During our talking I encouraged him to look to God for his self-worth and identity. Reminded him how God loved him and his security needed to come from that rather than anyone else. And whilst I told him this I was thinking "but I'm not doing that, I'm not going to God for my security and value." God used that conversation with my friend to bring me back to Him, to turn me back in the right direction. He used a situation in which I was trying to bless someone, to bless me. I encouraged the congregation to go to God to know their value and security and to trust Him.

During the next song in church a lady came and thanked me, saying that although she is married and has a son, she realises she is looking to her job and her role as a provider for her son for her self worth, rather than going to God for her value and trusting Him. After the service two other women came and told me that what I said about being single spoke to them, having painfully come out of relationships recently. I still find it incredible when God surprises me with an opportunity to share when I have nothing prepared and then moves through it; I know it's Him and not me. If you feel God prompting you to share something, even if it takes some humbling on your part (it often does), do it. You never know who is there that might need to hear it.

Blessing and encouragement - it seems like a cyclic thing. You try to bless or encourage someone and end up being blessed and encouraged yourself. Awesome.

Hello Esther!

We have a new team member! Esther came to work with us as a part of her Discipleship Training School from the YWAM Belize base. She's been helping the ministry by working in the shop and doing lots of work on Pure Parks, researching where all the parks are and dividing them up into groups, not a small feat!

She's super lovely and I'm excited to have her on board (pun intended)

Pure Parks

Back in January one of our leaders Boris headed out to YWAM'S 50th anniversary conference in Canberra. He came back with a vision. To get a bible into the hand of every skateboarder in Australia. Whilst we can't measure that, we can go after it and make a big difference. This vision has developed into Pure Parks.

There are over 2000 skateparks in Australia, 250 in Queensland alone. The aim is to visit every park and:

• Pray over the park and the people who use it; against spiritual strongholds and for God's protection and presence in that area
• Clean up the park - litter picking and sweeping
• Hang out with the locals and offer free Skater Bibles

People from the local churches to each park will also be invited to help the church and the skaters get connected. The goal is to visit every skatepark in the next 5 years which would be a bit of a stretch for us to do on our own. Therefore we're also putting together a manual to send out to facilitate groups elsewhere in the country to visit parks in their area.

There are plans for a website so that you can go online and see which parks have been visited with information and stories about what happened and a photo of the team who visited.

I'm so stoked on this vision.

What you can do

• If you are in Australia and would like to organise a Pure Parks visit to your local skatepark or indeed are outside of Australia, have a heart for skaters and are interested in coming with a team you can get in touch with me at claire@boardstore.com.au
• Pray. You don't need to be on the same continent to reach these kids!
• Donate. We want to give Skaters Bibles out for free at all these parks and we've put the estimation at 13,000 bibles. They cost $5 (£3) to buy, if you would like to buy some that would be brilliant, you can donate online via the ywamwaves by clicking here: website http://www.ywamwaves.com/payments.pay.ews (If paying online by card, please write in the reference box that the donation is for Pure Parks Bibles)

God provides as per usual

I went round to my friends Rob and Lauren's house for an Australia Day BBQ yesterday and they offered me their spare room until space becomes available at my new house! So now I'm in a bed that I could sleep sideways on! So awesome. God is awesome, they are awesome.

Lauren, Nikita and Rob

Heels on Wheels starts up again tomorrow night as long as we don't get a storm...

Happy Australia Day!

Phew it's a toasty 32 degrees today and no-one's working because it's Australia Day and on Australia Day you have to have a BBQ. It's the law. I've been back for a week now and things are going great. I'm between houses right now just waiting for a room to become available in a friend's house in Mooloolabah. It's a lovely place to live, about ten minutes closer to work than where I'm staying now so I'm looking forward to moving in. It will cost more than living in YWAM housing but the prospect of sharing a room with three other girls when I come in so late from skating wasn't really ideal and I really wanted to be in a more homely environment rather than a house that always has people coming and going. So for the next few weeks I'm staying in a friend's garage then I'll be moving to my new room with a king size bed! (Thanks Andy you're awesome!)

I had a great two months back home over Christmas, it was precious to spend so much time with my family and to reconnect with my friends and all their new babies (and bumps!). I also appreciated the opportunity to share with many people at Churches and again the support I received had a big impact on me. A massive thank you to everyone who took an interest in the work I'm doing and supported me in prayer and financially. It really does make such a huge difference to my life and it's not something I take for granted.

One Friday Ministry

I've been having good talks with Boris about my role in the ministry and have started working more at the warehouse helping with the admin side of the Boardstores. I'm excited to get stuck in. Whilst I was in the UK the guys built and opened Caloundra Boardstore. I haven't managed to get a camera down there yet but here's a taster that Kodan took on his mobile:

It's smaller than the Maroochy store and has a different almost boutiquey vibe which is cool. I like that they have different identities. Plus all the woodworking done by friends who own a kitchen factory is super steezy.

Heels on Wheels will start up again on Thursday, I'm excited to see everyone again and want to plan a few girl's trips this term so we'll have heaps to talk about.

Last Saturday Skate Church kicked off 2010 with a skate and scooter competition. Mark and his family did such a great job and loads of kids came and heard the impact of the gospel through his talk. Praise God for Skate Church! They've been doing this event for years now, are a constant presence at Coolum skate park and must have seen and talked to so many young people in that time. God is really laying hammers through this amazing family who live by faith and push hard for Him.

Other ministry

Yesterday morning Des took the lecture for the current DTS for the introduction to "Hearing God." He spoke about being wholeheated and and not being double minded and did a great job. He asked me to share with them about surrendering rights and being open to hear God speak about things that involve sacrifice. I spoke to them about being away from my family back home and about surrendering my art to God last year and how much he taught me through those things. It was good to share and I feel God taught me even more about my experiences in those areas just through recapping them. Des and I were tripping out a bit over how this time last year that was us doing our DTS and now we're standing in front of a class teaching. It's awesome to see such a clear indicator of where God has taken you in just a year and it excited me to wonder where He will have taken me a year from now.

Over Christmas I had an email from a lady from the council asking if I would run some skateboard art workshops and a competition as a part of National Youth Week in April. I'm really stoked on the idea and think it'll be great to work with the council and build relationship with them as well as meeting more kids. I'll be giving her a call tomorrow to talk about it further, if you could pray for that I'd appreciate it.

Super cool.

Thanks again everyone, please do let me know if there's anything I can pray into for you. If you feel like you would like to partner with me financially in the work I'm doing please do let me know. Like the loaves and fishes, what seems like a small thing can make a big difference.

In Him with love

Claire