No, I'm not going to start quoting the lyrics of the song... But I was struck again this morning at church what it means to worship. It's not about the music, the melody, the instrumentation, or how good (or bad) your voice is... Worship is about where your heart is at with God. Are you singing the songs to praise Him, or to hear your voice above the person who's standing beside you? Are you proclaiming the lyrics over your own life, or singing aimlessly while your mind wanders elsewhere?
I am definitely guilty of those things! Don't get me wrong here... I'm by no means saying that I am in a constant state of perfect worship where I am fully engaged and connected with God. Distractions happen to everyone. What I'm trying to get at here, is that our GOAL in worship shouldn't be OURSELVES! Worship is about God. About glorifying, praising, and exalting His Name higher than any other name.
I will leave you with this short blog and something I said this morning at church while I lead worship: Don't sit back and wait for some magical moment in worship to happen in order for you to engage and pursue God. He is already pursuing you -- He's already at work. So meet Him there. Just fall face-first into His presence.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Am I Lovely?
I've started reading "Captivating" by John & Stasi Eldredge (again), and am only three chapters into it but it's already stirring up in me so many thoughts, emotions, and revelations.
It all starts with a question that girls/women everywhere ask (whether out loud or internally): "Am I lovely?" Little girls ask their Daddy's, "Do I look pretty?" as they twirl in their pink froofy dresses; teenage girls ask their crush "Do you think I'm hot?"; and women ask their boyfriends and husbands, "Am I lovely? Do I captivate you?" Perhaps these questions come often times in non-verbal forms. Instead of asking your man straight out if he thinks you are captivating, you watch his every reaction as you step out of the bathroom in your brand new dress, hair and make-up done, and see if his face says, "WOW. I can't look away!" We, as women, long to be desired, and long to captivate the men in our lives. The problem is that we often allow that desire take over what we have to OFFER. The authors put it best when they say, "There is a radiance hidden in your heart that the world desperately needs" (p.42). Don't let the desire to be captivating overtake the radiance in your heart!
For any men who are reading this, it is important to note that even women whom you would never guess would ask the question, "Am I lovely?" still do wonder from time to time. That may be hard even for other women to understand. We so readily compare ourselves to each other, to women in movies/tv/magazines, and to strangers on the street. We think things like, "How could SHE ever wonder if she's pretty? Look at her! She has perfect long legs, and mine are short and stumpy!" We take whatever we don't have (and perhaps want) and justify the idea that that person couldn't possibly have insecurities, and must just be looking for attention. Can I caution you against the trap of comparison? We are all DIFFERENT. We all look different, speak different, desire different things, have different dreams, and ultimately have different fears and insecurities.
So what's the answer to the question, "Am I lovely?" The answer comes not from the people around us, or even from ourselves. No... The answer comes from God. He is the One who determines our worth, our value, and our "loveliness!" When we are searching for those answers from the men or other people in our lives, we lose sight of the main thing. Because people will fail us. They will say one thing and do another. They will make us doubt their sincerity, trust will be broken, and ultimately that question will remain unanswered and leave us feeling inadequate. But when we run to our Heavenly Father and do a twirl in front of His Throne, He will answer, "Yes, my daughter. You are lovely. I have crowned you with glory and honour" (Psalm 8:5). For our worth comes from Him. We have been "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 134:14) in His image (Genesis 1:27).
It all starts with a question that girls/women everywhere ask (whether out loud or internally): "Am I lovely?" Little girls ask their Daddy's, "Do I look pretty?" as they twirl in their pink froofy dresses; teenage girls ask their crush "Do you think I'm hot?"; and women ask their boyfriends and husbands, "Am I lovely? Do I captivate you?" Perhaps these questions come often times in non-verbal forms. Instead of asking your man straight out if he thinks you are captivating, you watch his every reaction as you step out of the bathroom in your brand new dress, hair and make-up done, and see if his face says, "WOW. I can't look away!" We, as women, long to be desired, and long to captivate the men in our lives. The problem is that we often allow that desire take over what we have to OFFER. The authors put it best when they say, "There is a radiance hidden in your heart that the world desperately needs" (p.42). Don't let the desire to be captivating overtake the radiance in your heart!
For any men who are reading this, it is important to note that even women whom you would never guess would ask the question, "Am I lovely?" still do wonder from time to time. That may be hard even for other women to understand. We so readily compare ourselves to each other, to women in movies/tv/magazines, and to strangers on the street. We think things like, "How could SHE ever wonder if she's pretty? Look at her! She has perfect long legs, and mine are short and stumpy!" We take whatever we don't have (and perhaps want) and justify the idea that that person couldn't possibly have insecurities, and must just be looking for attention. Can I caution you against the trap of comparison? We are all DIFFERENT. We all look different, speak different, desire different things, have different dreams, and ultimately have different fears and insecurities.
So what's the answer to the question, "Am I lovely?" The answer comes not from the people around us, or even from ourselves. No... The answer comes from God. He is the One who determines our worth, our value, and our "loveliness!" When we are searching for those answers from the men or other people in our lives, we lose sight of the main thing. Because people will fail us. They will say one thing and do another. They will make us doubt their sincerity, trust will be broken, and ultimately that question will remain unanswered and leave us feeling inadequate. But when we run to our Heavenly Father and do a twirl in front of His Throne, He will answer, "Yes, my daughter. You are lovely. I have crowned you with glory and honour" (Psalm 8:5). For our worth comes from Him. We have been "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 134:14) in His image (Genesis 1:27).
Monday, March 26, 2012
I'm Back... But Not As You Knew Me!
What inspired me to blog again? Afterall, my adventures in Sydney, Australia have come to an end (for now at least!) and what could I possibly write about in a "kristinlenodownunder" blog at this point? Well, I was perusing through my Facebook yesterday and came across some old Notes I wrote. It has inspired me to start writing again. That being said, this blog is no longer a "Down Under Update" but rather just... me! Thoughts, things I'm learning, stories, and new adventures! So, we'll see where this goes...
I'll start out this blog by summarizing a big chunk of what I learned while I was in Australia. Many of you may have already heard me talk about this in bits and pieces, but I will elaborate a bit more on my thoughts here. I would say the number one thing that God taught me in my time away in Sydney and at Hillsong Church was about SERVING. Let me break that down for you:
I went into my year at Hillsong College with the thought that I had a pretty good grasp on what it means to serve in my local church, and that I had a pretty great attitude about it too! What I learned, was that my attitude on serving centered mainly around what I wanted to do and not what was needed. I served where I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted... Sometimes we just need to be gap-fillers: people that are willing to serve where they are needed, and not necessarily where they want to be. And let me tell you... That's a hard lesson to learn. It's a humbling lesson to learn -- and our pride doesn't like that one bit. But from experience I can say that it is one of the most valuable lessons I have ever learned. How to serve with a heart that says, "Where I am needed?"
I learned how dramatically important it is for every member of the body of Christ to serve in the church that he/she calls Home. Not only does God call us to serve one another and express in Corinthians the function of each part of the body being so important to the whole, but it integrates us into the greater community of our church. It allows us to feel PART of something greater than ourselves. It connects us, refreshes us, and brings us closer to the heart of God. Can I encourage you, that if you're not already serving in your home church, that you get involved? Just ask, "where am I needed?"
Also, in relation to serving, I experienced to a degree I never have before, serving with excellence. Everything that is done is expected to be excellent. That doesn't mean perfect, or without any flaw, but it means that you give the best you can, the most you can, and do it for the glory of God. There is a bar that is set for every area of ministry, and each member of that ministry is aware of it and strives to attain it with the realization that it is there for a purpose. When we serve somewhere, we should be doing it for God -- and that means giving our very best, not our leftovers. This concept of excellence should also spill over into every area of our lives: church, worship, giving, work, school, relationships... Everything! That's definitely something I'm still working on, and I'm sure I will have to work on for the rest of my life.
There's so much more I could say about things I learned while I was in Aus, and I'm sure a lot of that will come out eventually on here. For now, I will draw this blog to a close (it's also time for class and I just wanna post this thing!)... But I'll be back! :) Thanks for reading.
I'll start out this blog by summarizing a big chunk of what I learned while I was in Australia. Many of you may have already heard me talk about this in bits and pieces, but I will elaborate a bit more on my thoughts here. I would say the number one thing that God taught me in my time away in Sydney and at Hillsong Church was about SERVING. Let me break that down for you:
I went into my year at Hillsong College with the thought that I had a pretty good grasp on what it means to serve in my local church, and that I had a pretty great attitude about it too! What I learned, was that my attitude on serving centered mainly around what I wanted to do and not what was needed. I served where I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted... Sometimes we just need to be gap-fillers: people that are willing to serve where they are needed, and not necessarily where they want to be. And let me tell you... That's a hard lesson to learn. It's a humbling lesson to learn -- and our pride doesn't like that one bit. But from experience I can say that it is one of the most valuable lessons I have ever learned. How to serve with a heart that says, "Where I am needed?"
I learned how dramatically important it is for every member of the body of Christ to serve in the church that he/she calls Home. Not only does God call us to serve one another and express in Corinthians the function of each part of the body being so important to the whole, but it integrates us into the greater community of our church. It allows us to feel PART of something greater than ourselves. It connects us, refreshes us, and brings us closer to the heart of God. Can I encourage you, that if you're not already serving in your home church, that you get involved? Just ask, "where am I needed?"
Also, in relation to serving, I experienced to a degree I never have before, serving with excellence. Everything that is done is expected to be excellent. That doesn't mean perfect, or without any flaw, but it means that you give the best you can, the most you can, and do it for the glory of God. There is a bar that is set for every area of ministry, and each member of that ministry is aware of it and strives to attain it with the realization that it is there for a purpose. When we serve somewhere, we should be doing it for God -- and that means giving our very best, not our leftovers. This concept of excellence should also spill over into every area of our lives: church, worship, giving, work, school, relationships... Everything! That's definitely something I'm still working on, and I'm sure I will have to work on for the rest of my life.
There's so much more I could say about things I learned while I was in Aus, and I'm sure a lot of that will come out eventually on here. For now, I will draw this blog to a close (it's also time for class and I just wanna post this thing!)... But I'll be back! :) Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Oh My... It's Been a While!
I just realized I haven't written a blog since I got back to Sydney from being home for the break!… And I was doing pretty well, too. Oh well. Here's an update for you all!
The last two months have flown by, and I can't believe I will already be back home in less than two more months. So much has happened here in such a short period of time, and I am continuing to learn, be changed, and journey down this new path I'm on with a sense of amazement. God is teaching me and stretching my faith in new ways this semester with classes like Christian Doctrine and Spirit Filled Living, and also through relationships and ministry opportunities. It's definitely a journey, and I'm working through and processing so much every day.
I just had a week long mid-semester break, and I seized the opportunity to go see a bit more of Australia. I travelled with my best friend and my boyfriend (yes, also another update!... many of you will meet him when he comes to visit in January!!) to Gold Coast and Cairns to see the longest beach I've ever seen and snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef! And oh my goodness… was it ever beautiful. The water was so clear and SO blue; the sand was white and soft and went on for miles. It was a stunning sight, and I got to share it with two of my favourite people. Definitely an amazing trip.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Back in Aus!
It hasn't yet been a week since I've been back, but somehow it also feels like I never left! I have jumped right into classes, serving in my weekly/weekend ministries, and of course my social schedule! haha. It has been good to be back and get back into the routine I've been in for the last 6 months. I AM missing home as well though... It was so nice to be back and see everything that's been going on in Windsor! The new HPAC is looking amazing, and it was awesome to get a glimpse of the new building and programs that are happening there already! :)
Thankfully when I got back, I didn't have to worry about getting home from the airport by myself... My friend Bede (yes, an interesting name, I know!) has a car and he picked me up which was awesome!! Grabbed a bite to eat, and then headed home to see my lovely ROOMIE Angelique! Was sooo good to see her, and we spent the rest of the day/night together.
So far, this week has been pretty relaxing... Have had a couple days of class, and got my things organized in my new flat! Living with Angelique this semester, and have also got 2 new flat mates from the new intake! One is from Texas, and the other is from Finland! They are very sweet girls, and we all get along great (Thank you Jesus!!!) I am excited to see what this semester brings! Will blog again soon. :)
Thankfully when I got back, I didn't have to worry about getting home from the airport by myself... My friend Bede (yes, an interesting name, I know!) has a car and he picked me up which was awesome!! Grabbed a bite to eat, and then headed home to see my lovely ROOMIE Angelique! Was sooo good to see her, and we spent the rest of the day/night together.
So far, this week has been pretty relaxing... Have had a couple days of class, and got my things organized in my new flat! Living with Angelique this semester, and have also got 2 new flat mates from the new intake! One is from Texas, and the other is from Finland! They are very sweet girls, and we all get along great (Thank you Jesus!!!) I am excited to see what this semester brings! Will blog again soon. :)
Saturday, July 2, 2011
11 Days!
As you see by the title of this blog, I will be returning to the homeland in 11 days! I can't believe how quickly the past 5 1/2 months have gone by. It's crazy. I've been reflecting on all that has transpired through these months, and it really makes you realize how much can happen in such a short time.
I have definitely made some amazing friends here. People who are here for me through thick and thin, who challenge me and help me grow, and who I know will be in my life for the long run. I also know I've met a lot of people who will just be in my life for this season. But I know each and every one of them has served a purpose in my life in some way. It's cool to think about the amount of people we encounter in our lives. I believe that every friend, no matter how long they are in your life, have some sort of impact or influence. We may not see it in the moment, but looking back we can see a small thing or two that were affected.
I'm so excited to see everyone at home, see the new church, and of course, spend HEAPS of time with my amazing family and helping a soon-to-be Sheri Watts get ready for her wedding!! :) Sooooo excited to be able to come home for the wedding. What a blessing!
So I don't really have much to update on. More or less just wanted to share a thought and let you all know how pumped I am to be coming home for a visit! Love you all and see you soon!!! xooxox
I have definitely made some amazing friends here. People who are here for me through thick and thin, who challenge me and help me grow, and who I know will be in my life for the long run. I also know I've met a lot of people who will just be in my life for this season. But I know each and every one of them has served a purpose in my life in some way. It's cool to think about the amount of people we encounter in our lives. I believe that every friend, no matter how long they are in your life, have some sort of impact or influence. We may not see it in the moment, but looking back we can see a small thing or two that were affected.
I'm so excited to see everyone at home, see the new church, and of course, spend HEAPS of time with my amazing family and helping a soon-to-be Sheri Watts get ready for her wedding!! :) Sooooo excited to be able to come home for the wedding. What a blessing!
So I don't really have much to update on. More or less just wanted to share a thought and let you all know how pumped I am to be coming home for a visit! Love you all and see you soon!!! xooxox
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Hillsong Conference!
Hello all! I realize it's been a month since I last blogged... Wow! Sorry about the lack of update for all you faithful followers. I appreciate your support and prayers so much!
The last month has been hectic -- finished up classes a week ago, and then last week and this week we are all prepping for Hillsong Conference (which is next week!). This is the biggest, busiest time for church: everyone gets involved. This weekend we had Heart for the House which is Hillsong's big offering weekend. Through this offering they are supporting numerous initiatives around Australia and overseas. One of the things we are supporting is the A21 Campaign which is an initiative to stop sex trafficking. The focus area is Greece at this time, and it is something that God has really laid on my heart. I directed my giving towards this campaign in the hopes that it would go directly to that aspect. If you want more information or are interested in getting involved, take a look at the website: http://www.thea21campaign.org/
As I said, last week and this week we are getting ready for conference. For the students, this looks like helping to get our church ready for guests, etc. and also helping in our specialized areas that we are doing for conference. A few days have been a lot of cleaning/painting of the church as well. It has actually been really fun (surprise!) and a good bonding time for getting to know other students that I don't get to interact with on a regular basis. The area I'm serving in for conference is JAM -- the student conference. It is being held at Luna Park which is Sydney's theme park! Basically I get to go to all the sessions at conference, hang out with the students, and ride rides :) It is going to be awesome. I'm so excited to see what God is going to do next week!
Personally, I have been growing a lot over the last month. I've realized a lot of things about myself that I never really thought about before, and God has been working on my heart a lot. I am learning that I need to get my worth and my value from GOD and not from people. I am such a relational person, and I often allow my relationships to define my emotions, feelings, and how my day/week is going. God has been using people in my life (Mom, Dad, friends - thanks!) to help point these things out. And He's been working on me like crazy. It's hard at times, but I know the end will be very rewarding. I'm excited and open to whatever God has for me in this time. I feel like my attitude and perspective on serving has changed so much since I've been here. If nothing else, that is something huge that I can take home and apply to my life.
Oh, by the way... I COME HOME IN 16 DAYS! AHHHHHH :D
The last month has been hectic -- finished up classes a week ago, and then last week and this week we are all prepping for Hillsong Conference (which is next week!). This is the biggest, busiest time for church: everyone gets involved. This weekend we had Heart for the House which is Hillsong's big offering weekend. Through this offering they are supporting numerous initiatives around Australia and overseas. One of the things we are supporting is the A21 Campaign which is an initiative to stop sex trafficking. The focus area is Greece at this time, and it is something that God has really laid on my heart. I directed my giving towards this campaign in the hopes that it would go directly to that aspect. If you want more information or are interested in getting involved, take a look at the website: http://www.thea21campaign.org/
As I said, last week and this week we are getting ready for conference. For the students, this looks like helping to get our church ready for guests, etc. and also helping in our specialized areas that we are doing for conference. A few days have been a lot of cleaning/painting of the church as well. It has actually been really fun (surprise!) and a good bonding time for getting to know other students that I don't get to interact with on a regular basis. The area I'm serving in for conference is JAM -- the student conference. It is being held at Luna Park which is Sydney's theme park! Basically I get to go to all the sessions at conference, hang out with the students, and ride rides :) It is going to be awesome. I'm so excited to see what God is going to do next week!
Personally, I have been growing a lot over the last month. I've realized a lot of things about myself that I never really thought about before, and God has been working on my heart a lot. I am learning that I need to get my worth and my value from GOD and not from people. I am such a relational person, and I often allow my relationships to define my emotions, feelings, and how my day/week is going. God has been using people in my life (Mom, Dad, friends - thanks!) to help point these things out. And He's been working on me like crazy. It's hard at times, but I know the end will be very rewarding. I'm excited and open to whatever God has for me in this time. I feel like my attitude and perspective on serving has changed so much since I've been here. If nothing else, that is something huge that I can take home and apply to my life.
Oh, by the way... I COME HOME IN 16 DAYS! AHHHHHH :D
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