Camp and other summer shots

Family photo by Mish and other fun pics with my mom and JJ over last 3 months

Brooke's Australia Adventure Update - Summer 2012

Brooke’s Australia Adventure Update – Summer 2012, January 29, 2012

Dear friends,

Here in Sydney we’ve had the coldest start to summer in 50 years (and it feels like the wettest too!). I know for all my friends in the northern hemisphere, to even hear it is summer in Australia now makes you wish you were here, but when my mom and step-dad Dan came to visit baby Jeremiah (and Brendan and I) in December it was warmer in their native Jacksonville, FL than it was here! Although, I am grateful for the great beach weather we enjoyed on Christmas this year – the best weather in my 5 Christmas’ here. The past few months of maternity leave have been very blessed and amazing, and I have appreciated my family and friends so much. I have also had some time to study and have completed a course as a Pregnancy Support Counselor. I heard about this course while attending the Real Choices Conference with Women’s Forum last May and re-connected with Ali McGraith who was interested in gathering some others to help get a pregnancy support centre up and running in Sydney. The idea is to provide a place where women can access non-biased information about their options when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. It will be a place where information can be obtained, resources accessed, referrals made and woman can be counseled. I was definitely interested! There’s a shop front that is being refitted and we hope to launch in February. I enjoyed completing the online course - it helped me reflect and learn so much about: communication, counseling, values and beliefs, sexuality and the process of in-utero development. Maternity leave has been a great time to reflect on this topic and knowing how much motherhood has changed my life for the better, I hope that my role in this service will be one that brings life into other women’s lives when considering their options.

John 10:10

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

We have really been enjoying our new home since moving in on the 19th of November and our new neighbourhood of Holroyd and the surrounds. I’ve taken JJ on many walks through the park to our local library and the shops, and I’ve been able to go back to running, an activity I’ve enjoyed for many years. We live a short distance from beautiful Parramatta Park and the river run that connects it to the city. I’ve enjoyed exploring our environs. Our area also has a great bike path that stretches to Homebush and has many kilometers of trails around the Sydney Olympic site; I got a retro bicycle for Christmas with a child seat on the back that I look forward to doing more exploring with JJ when he’s a bit older. My mom and step-dad Dan came to visit for a week in December and that was a huge highlight of my time on maternity leave. It had been almost two years since we had been able to see them and there was much to catch up on in person – with Jeremiah being of course the focus of most of the attention. It was wonderful to learn from my mom how she used to burp me and watch her delight in being a granny, but I also saw a whole new side of Dan, who has been married to my mom for 10 years now. It was probably the longest time I have spent with them in that time period, and it was such a blessing to have them make the sacrifice to travel here. While they were here Brendan was able to take a week off and we made the most of the time showing them the Blue Mountains, going up to Newcastle to visit Brendan’s family and cuddle a koala, and Jeremiah was dedicated at church with our connect group leaders John and Mel praying over us. It was a great week to share our lives in Sydney with my parents and also they were able to share at our monthly Young Life gathering, ‘The Hub’, at Glyn’s, the CEO’s, house. Their message, which is their heart entirely, was devoted to knowing the time we are in and making sure we are using it wisely for the Lord’s work of the kingdom in letting people know of Jesus’ love for them. I was really able to appreciate my mom and Dan’s ministry and hear more of what God has in store for them and the mission they lead: ‘I AM International’. It was sad to see them go, but so wonderful to know that we are partnered in many ways with mission and life and that each visit together is priceless.

Galatians 6:9
 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

It is hard to believe that my maternity leave is now over and as of the 14th of January when we embarked on Young Life’s annual Extreme Summer Camp, I am back to working in the mission of seeing young people get to know Jesus relationally through leaders who love Him. Camp was such a highlight for Brendan and I and a great first of many I’m sure for JJ. He was the youngest Young Lifer on camp at 4 ½ months, but there was one just a little older: Finn Single at 5 months. Together with Finn’s mum Stella, I helped keep the admin going in the camp office with our little boys playing on a blanket behind us. Brendan helped with the tech on camp and since his work was mainly in the evenings and at meals, it meant he was able to spend quite a bit of time with JJ, which was a great blessing for him and for me to be able to share parenting in a more practical way during the day while he is awake. JJ is quite a happy and smiley little boy who enjoys being social so getting cuddles on camp from the kids and leaders made him quite excited. He got his first tooth the day before camp but he didn’t let that stop him at all, though I did have to try and protect him from getting too over-stimulated with so much going on! During the week I was able to take him for walks and show him kangaroos in the bush around the Jindabyne property, take him on his first speed boat ride while kids were waterskiing behind it on Lake Jindabyne, and he even featured with Finn in the program video one night as the shrunken pirate! The absolute best part of camp though is always the ‘Say so’ when campers stand up and are able to let everyone know if they have met Jesus during the week. This camp was an amazing one, especially in comparison to last year’s being such a hard one, and we saw 23 campers indicate they had made a decision on camp for Jesus and an additional 13 say they want to know more about Him. This was quite a large number since we only had 57 kids total on camp this year. A huge highlight for me personally this year was not only witnessing kids I have worked with over the year decide to make those commitments, but also two girls that were in my cabin last year who come from Queensland and who had been hardened to the gospel were working on the Work Crew this year in a service role on camp. One of them I have known over the past 3 years as someone who was always very loud and often rebellious to authority. She came up to me and apologized for the way she acted last year in the cabin and allowed me the privilege of reading her testimony. I was floored and overwhelmed by the honesty and vulnerability of her story of understanding the weight of her sin and the depth of grace and love of Jesus for her. She had only become a Christian a month or so before camp, but her life was obviously different for anyone who had seen her in prior years and was a great witness of the transformed life in Christ. This is the amazing work I am able to be a part of and it was a great time to get re-invigorated for the year ahead! I have started now back in the office 3 days a week and am so grateful to my faithful mother-in-law Barbara, JJ’s nana, who has started making the trek from Newcastle to our home in western Sydney to help look after Jeremiah 2 days. What a blessing for him to get so much time with her. I grew up far from my grandparents and I know their relationship will be so close because of her time with him. The third day JJ will be with me and I have no doubt he’ll be a blessing to the ministry, although I appreciate the headspace of the other two days as well. School starts back up here this week, so I’d love your prayers as our Young Life leaders gear up to head back into schools for contact work and for the clubs as they start back up, and for each of the young people who had seeds planted on camp, may they continue to flourish and grow and not be stolen away.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7
Amplified Bible (AMP)
“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Ministering servants [not heads of parties] through whom you believed, even as the Lord appointed to each his task:
I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was making it grow and [He] gave the increase.
So neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but [only] God Who makes it grow and become greater.”

While I was away the Ryde youth pastors continued to meet together and have began running some combined youth events, including a night of prayer and worship as well as a service project. This is very exciting for me as I have had unity among the local churches on my heart for so long and to see the youth rising up in this way is powerful. A friend of mine created this video to share with our local State Parliamentarian for Ryde, Victor Dominello (who is also the Minister for Youth for NSW and we met with earlier in the year before I went on leave) what the youth in the church are capable of. To access it, please go to: http://player.vimeo.com/video/32023520?autoplay=1

In reflecting on the day-to-day work as a mum, I think half my work, as a mother in this infant stage is to feed and try to encourage my baby to sleep. Quite often, even when he was a very little newborn he would fall asleep at my breast and he would come off and wake with a start and start rooting frantically for it once again, as if it had been taken from him and he must have it back immediately - not realizing of course that I was right there and it was so simple for me to continue the feed. I have often thought in the past few months about how our heavenly father, being described in the scriptures as generous and loving and even like a mother in some of the nurturing qualities He has, cares for us. Like I try to care for my baby, He is even more caring for me. And I need to realize that I am so much like my son rooting around and getting worked up, feeling my needs are not going to be met, instead of resting and trusting that He is right there and can immediately care for me when I cry out to him, as my son does to me.

Isaiah 49:15
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!”

As 2011 ended up I am happy to say I finished reading the Bible through using the M'Cheyne reading plan which takes you through the New Testament and Psalms twice and the rest of the Bible once throughout the year. It was a discipline to do as you are reading four chapters a day, but I read it out loud to both myself and Jeremiah, and I found so many rich stories and passages weaving together in the way the scriptures were unfolding through the year. I would highly recommend reading through the Bible in a year to everyone as it really solidifies your knowledge of the scriptures and provides more strength to your sword (of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, Ephesians 6:17). Recently one of my leaders from church and I were meeting with a new Christian lady who wanted to be baptized and yet was struggling with some beliefs she had found comfort in for much of her life regarding reincarnation. She was wondering if she needed to forsake these beliefs in order to be baptized. I encouraged her to read the Bible for herself and see what Jesus says about the problem of pain and suffering in order to have her beliefs match up with what He says, as He is the truth. She rang me just two short weeks later to let me know that while riding the bus she was reading the book of John and the answer to her question was answered. The scripture was John 9:3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” The truth of this resonated through her and although it was simple, it fit in like the puzzle piece she had been missing. What a joy it is to journey with people into the truth that is available in relationship with Jesus. The two words I feel are going to be over this year for me are availability and flexibility. When you are working with people these qualities are definitely needed, as they are in becoming a mum and serving a little one’s continual needs, but most importantly in relying upon and serving the Holy Spirit’s desires for my life. I pray that God’s desires for your year become evident and that you grow closer to His heart in 2012.

Hebrews 4:12

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Thank you friends for continuing to journey with me in life even by reading this update. I want to share with you a photo that we sent out as a thank you to those who gave gifts after Jeremiah’s birth, you all deserve this as you have each given the gift of friendship, which is the most precious. Our friend Mish took the photo and she has a great business doing family photography here in Sydney in case anyone is looking for someone to capture special moments for your family. Here is the photo and also, if you’d like to see others she did of our family, and check out her website go to: www.mishkoh.com and hit the clients tab at the top and enter the password "jj".


With loving friendship,

Brooke

Brooke’s Australia Adventure Update – Spring 2011, October 26, 2011

Dear friends,

I think the best way to start this update letter is to quote from a song by REM: “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.” I feel as if life has changed dramatically in a short time frame, even more than Brendan and I could have anticipated three months ago when I wrote my last update. Yet, God continues to prove His complete faithfulness in each area of our lives.

The first huge news item is of course our gorgeous son’s arrival at 6:01 AM on Friday the 2nd of September. He weighed in at a healthy 3.98 kg (8.7 lbs) and measured 52 cm (20.47 inches) and came out screaming and peeing – which was a great relief to me, and immediately made me cry. His arrival was not the hoped for natural birth we had planned to have in the birth centre. However, we did have a few hours to labour in the centre before we moved to the delivery suite to induce and eventually have an emergency c-section, a whopping 41 hours after my waters broke. It was a mini-marathon and I am so grateful to my amazing husband who was by my side every minute of it and for our doula who was with us for a record 26 hours – her longest birth experience… and for each and every person who helped at the Royal Hospital for Women – truly an amazing team. Instead of heading home a day after the birth like we’d planned, I had to stay in the hospital for 6 days and 5 nights. Thankfully due to the mercy of an Irish nurse Brendan was able to share the last two nights in hospital with me as we established a feeding plan to boost my milk supply. This was probably the hardest part for me, learning how to breastfeed and how painful it can be. Praise God that everything has been healing well and Jeremiah Jasper continues to grow very healthily. We are incredibly blessed to have become parents to this miracle –every baby must be a true miracle as each body part is so perfectly formed and resembles parts of you and your husband. God is so faithful to us! We reckon JJ has more of my colouring in hair and perhaps my nose, but Brendan’s eyes and chin (actually Brendan thinks his blue eyes will become hazel like mine)… but who knows! He’s only 7 weeks old! We so look forward to seeing not only his physical characteristics develop, but also his personality and the gifts God has given him.

Psalm 127:3-5 The Message
“Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? The fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.”

Before Jeremiah’s entrance into our lives I was very grateful to be a part of the hiring process for the maternity leave position at Young Life and am glad to say that Tjaart Kruger and I had a month of working side by side before I went on leave. Tjaart and his wife Madelie are from South Africa and came to Australia to study at Hillsong College. He brings to the position a wealth of youth ministry experience and a passion for the Lord and young people and a calling to one day become a senior minister back in his homeland. What a joy for me to see how God has provided so richly for the area as I am on leave and I have felt that the work is out of my hands and God is carrying it on and growing it in great ways as I am on leave. I was able to have a few weeks before the birth to also rest and prepare for the changes, which I really appreciated. From what I hear from Tjaart, the area continues to flourish and Brendan and I look forward to being a part of the annual Trivia Night fundraiser on the 12th of November (where Brendan will again reprise his role as Quiz Master). It has been a blessing to have the YL kids: text, send Facebook messages and call, wanting to know if JJ had arrived, how he’s doing and when they can see him. I am so grateful to be able to do this ministry and am looking forward to seeing how life will be when I return to this ministry. Our first entry will be the annual Extreme Summer Camp, from the 15th-21st of January 2012 to be held in Jindabyne, NSW. Applications are out now; if you know of any young person that would benefit from a week of camp where Jesus is introduced and the gospel message unpacked, please let me know. Opportunities to serve on camp also exist and you can find out more information on our website: www.younglife.org.au.

In other news, in February Brendan and I moved out to a rented townhouse in Dundas, closer to my work and the community I minister in. This move was dictated by needing more space as we were going to expand our family with JJ’s impending arrival, as well as wanting to save money on rent so we could save to purchase a home. In May, the Strata for the complex (the owner’s association) informed us that they were going to do a pest inspection. They found that there was some old termite damage underneath the floor of the room that we had planned to be JJ’s. At this point, I was 28 weeks pregnant so we asked Strata to make the repairs as soon as possible. Three builders later, fourteen weeks after the inspection, and when JJ was a week and a half old, we were informed that repairs could begin and we were asked to vacate our house for a week. This wasn’t so bad, as Brendan was still on paternity leave and it was a good excuse for us to visit our family in Newcastle and share little Jeremiah with them. The surprise came when after just one day in Newcastle we received a call that when they pulled up the floorboards in the room, the ceiling below caved in… spilling the three construction workers out into the room below. It turns out that there wasn’t just old termite damage, but indeed a live nest with active termites. An engineer was called in and the full damage to the house couldn’t be assessed, so our landlords declared the house unlivable and ended our contract… less than 7 months into the year lease and when our son was just one and a half weeks old… But, we were not in despair. Brendan’s family took us in and accommodated us so generously. What a blessing it is in many ways for me to have been able to live with them at this time as I was unable to drive until 6 weeks after JJ’s birth because of the c-section. My mother-in-law Barbara is so hospitable to help me so much with everything – from laundry (which, let me tell you is a lot for a little baby) to cooking and just sharing life and tips on motherhood. Brendan also was still on paternity leave for a week and a half after we found out, so it meant we had some time together to really talk about our next steps as a family with housing. We took it as an opportunity to try to move forward on purchasing our first family home, rather than rent again. The timing seemed to be right also, as the governments’ first time home owner’s grant for exisiting properties (rather than new ones) ends at the end of this year, as does the stamp duty exemption, both of which can save us a lot of money. So, we began our search for homes to buy and started with the same area we’d just been living in. After only two Saturday’s of house inspections, we made an offer on a unit and I’m happy to report after some negotiations (Brendan is incredible at this!), our offer was accepted! Truly, it is unbelievable how quickly all this has happened! We have a great peace and hope for this place as a home we will grow in as a family, and plan to be living there by mid-November. The new home is located just south of Sydney’s second CBD of Parramatta, in an area called Holroyd Gardens, which is the site of an old brick refractory that has been turned into parkland. There are three children’s playgrounds in this park, one for toddlers, one adventure playground for older kids, and a practice track for children to learn to ride their bicycles. It is a beautiful area and very close to some friends from our Connect group – which is great as we can continue to meet together and hopefully grow in ministry to our neighbours. Please rejoice with us in God’s provision and pray that His favour will rest on the settlement details.

Psalm 16:5-7
“LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.”

All of this change was not always easy for me as there have been many things in the past few weeks or so that I could not control at all and have been very different to my idea of how things should or would be. Yet, I have been amazed again and again at how God is with us, and have been reminded that He will never leave or forsake us, that His plans are for our good and better than the plans we have. Life with a newborn reminds me to take life as it comes, each day is different and can be filled with much joy, some unsettled or tear-filled times, some legitimate needs to be met (hunger, sleep, nappies needing to be changed) and lots of cuddles. I know that some days it will be hard for me even to find the time to take a shower and read my Bible, that routine is hard to find, but that it will not be forever. As a super independent person who likes to give, a season of receiving, forced in many respects by some of the birth story of this little man that I love so much and then due to small bugs that ate our house, has made me again realize and appreciate how interdependent we are created to be. I am dependent in many ways in this season, and my son is even more so. His whole existence in this time is as dependent as it was inside my womb for the 9 months prior. My work right now is to care for him and to relish it… and what happens outside of that is a bonus. What this season has also reminded me of is how incredible it is to be a part of the body of Christ and to see how the provision of God comes through brothers and sisters who step into help when hard times come. I was overwhelmed by people’s generosity around JJ’s birth – from gifts, hand me downs of clothes, to home cooked meals and then with the house drama – many offers of places to stay and houses to house sit in this season. I feel it is just like when I first moved to Australia and was studying in Newcastle and dating Brendan in Sydney and had so many homes opened up to me and was so reliant on the generosity of others. In this season I am even more dependent and with a dependent and therefore, even more grateful.

Proverbs 27:1
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Jeremiah 29:11-14
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

There are many dreams and desires Brendan and I share for this next season, but I truly am learning – or re-learning, to surrender all my dreams and hopes to my Abba Father. He has all the best in mind for us all and as I seek to hear His voice and give Him what my desires are, I can trust that He will not only take care of us as a family, but give us above and beyond what we can ask or imagine, as it is not about us, but His glory. As we see Him provide, it speaks of His faithfulness and love and not our worthiness in any sense.

Ezekiel 34:31
“You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are my people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”

With loving friendship,

Brooke

PS, as always, if you are interested to see some photos of what we are up to, check out my blog at: www.brookesintladventures.blogspot.com or my Facebook page (Brooke Filipovski)

A few more photos of our precious son

Photos from JJ's first 7 weeks

Pregnancy Photos at 33 weeks at a portrait studio

Annemaree and I sporting baby bumps; Knibb and Cathy at their gorgeous wedding; photos from the South Coast trip

Photos from Erin's visit around Sydney; Katherine, Erin, Ally and I during Presence Conference; with Armidale YL girls at NLR

Brooke's Australia Adventure Update - Winter 2011

Brooke’s Australia Adventure Update – Winter 2011, July 5, 2011

Dear friends,

I’m now in my third trimester of pregnancy and time seems to be running out for us here and yet we still try and enjoy the moments! Not sure if you can relate but life, as I’ve known it, will soon be changing dramatically. What I hear from almost everyone who asks, “When is the baby due?”, is that life will never be the same… but I think I am ready for this change, although in what form I will find it when it gets here only time will tell. These past few months have been wonderfully full and as we are in the middle of the antipodean winter now, I am grateful once again to be pregnant in the cooler months. Overall the pregnancy has been going well, however, swelling has led to some carpal tunnel forcing me to wear wrist guards 24/7, which make me look like a Power Ranger! I also regularly visit an osteo who delights in giving adjustments and both help me be able to keep doing all the things I need to do with work and play without too much discomfort. The best part of the pregnancy in the last few months are all the secret kicks and movements our little boy is making inside my tummy – yes – we know he is a boy (and in fact we have known since August when we heard in prayer that we’d conceive in December, but we have also confirmed the gender by ultrasound)! Some of you may have seen on Facebook that I call him JJ. Brendan and I have decided on the name Jeremiah Jasper for our son. Both names came from the Lord and have significant meaning. Jeremiah was the name Brendan heard God say to him in prayer last August and it means, “Yahweh exalts”, which is what we would love for our son. The second name, Jasper, my mother received from God in January and it means, “clear as crystal", meaning pure with no guile. Back to all the baby kicks - JJ must be now finding he has less room to move as his movements seem to be getting bigger, and I can now clearly see my stomach rumble and wave, with his bony elbows, arms and legs all making appearances. It is amazing truly! It is a great love affair that Brendan and I have been thrust into! Both baby and I have been healthy in this pregnancy and Brendan and I have been enjoying learning lots through our antenatal classes and getting to know other couples in this stage of life. It is a bit of a learning curve. We have been blessed to be apart of a Midwifery Group, which means all my appointments are with a midwife and that if all goes well, I’ll have our son in the birthing centre naturally. We’ve also hired a doula, which is a “mother’s helper”, to be with us in our birth. As I have learned about doulas, pregnancy and birth, I have started to wonder whether I might be a doula one day, and use it as another part of my ministry to women and families.

Psalm 127:2-4
“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.”

Besides preparing for JJ’s arrival, Brendan and I have been trying to spend time together despite hectic work schedules. When Erin visited and our church’s “Presence Conference” was on during the first week of April school holidays, I took the week off work and enjoyed showing off gorgeous Sydney. Brendan and I also took Erin to visit Wentworth Falls and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Whenever an international guest is in town I also am awestruck by the beauty of the city as we inevitably take a ferry on the Harbour, and marvel in nature. The Presence Conference was in Darling Harbour this year, which is a great place to be based. The week was amazing – filled with great worship and powerful messages that helped us all seek out God’s face in deeper ways. I feel very spoiled in some ways living in Sydney as there are often amazing conferences on. This week in fact is the Hillsong Conference, the 25th year anniversary of the conference and I am going to attend for the first time. Priscilla Shirer, John Maxwell, Nicky Gumbel and Jentezen Franklin are all speaking, as well as Brian and Bobbi Houston and “Jesus Culture” is coming to do the worship for the conference. It is an amazing opportunity. Besides Erin’s visit, Brendan and I were able to travel over the Easter long-weekend to visit some of his family in Wollongong and continued down to the South Coast to visit one of my former WFA co-workers, Sara, and her family. We also snuck away for a mini baby-moon weekend in the beginning of June to Wiseman’s Ferry, a place neither one of us had been before, but is only an hour north of Sydney but feels like a world away. This historic spot is abounding in natural beauty and has a ferry crossing that operates all-day and night across the Hawkesbury River. We bushwalked along old trails and roads that convicts laid down in the early 1800’s. It was a very peaceful weekend that allowed us time to rest together, and to enjoy the colours of late autumn and the chill of early winter. It also gave us time to catch up on some reading, walking and board games. In June, we visited Brendan’s family up in Newcastle. Although Newcastle is only two hours away, we haven’t had the chance to get up there nearly as often this year and so we went on the Queen’s birthday long weekend and made up for lost time visiting with family. Between weekends away we have continued to be involved in church and have really enjoyed the growing relationships there. Brendan and I recently launched a Connect group for church in our home also. This was a fulfillment of a desire we both have had since coming together as a couple, to be able to provide hospitality and care for others in our area and facilitate a space where together we can meet with God and each other. We loved our last group at the Lee’s house so much, but with the commute being about an hour since we’ve moved, we decided it was time to host one at our new house. We’ve only met twice as a group so far, but are excited to see who God is bringing from our church that also live close to us and to see relationships grow and develop.

Isaiah 52:7
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Young Life has had a fruitful term of ministry both in Ryde and Northern Sydney. There was a Northern Leadership Retreat held in Armidale in April that allowed many of us from Sydney to connect with other leaders from across the region and to be trained in cross-cultural ministry principles by Wycliffe Bible translators. The weekend also allowed cross-pollination from the different areas of ministry as we shared and heard what God was doing in different places. This has given some new creativity to the Ryde team this term as they’ve begun holding “Chillfest” clubs a few times this term. The idea behind the Chillfest is to allow the youth that come the freedom to choose an activity that they would enjoy most for the first hour of club that leaders are running in different rooms of the church. For instance, a game of cards could be happening in one area, a basketball game in another, and an art project in another. Through the smaller groups, the teens receive the benefit of deeper relationship building with the leaders. These nights have been very popular and look to continue. The term in Ryde also consisted of a fundraiser with Christian band “Fishbait”, who re-formed for a “one-night only” gig. We also held our annual Sydney fundraising banquet in which one of our Chatswood High boys, Masi and his mom shared about how his involvement in Young Life has changed his life and that of his family through him meeting Jesus. We finished up with an end of term excursion to Camp Kedron for a “Fire Night” (though, due to rain, the smores were done in the oven and we played gymnasium games all night rather than having the scheduled bonfire). The highlight of the term though was probably the YL Vintage Club that was held on the 10th of June. This club was a great opportunity for the current generation of Young Life students to witness a little of the legacy of Young Life ministry in the area. Former leaders and alumni came to share their favourite classic games, skits and songs with us and the founder of Young Life in Australia, Arthur Ongley and his wife Denise, came along. Arthur gave the club talk that included his own call to faith and ministry. His message was simple yet powerful: “consider carefully who Jesus is, as this is the most important decision you can ever make”. Term 2 was also a great term of ministry for the re-formed Northern Sydney club. Four clubs were held at a home in Roseville and the numbers, though small, were always added to week after week. A good core group of students is now a part of this club and the outreach into Chatswood High continues strongly with opportunities into Willoughby Girls still open as well. Please continue to pray for more leaders for this new team, and for new female leaders for both this and the Ryde club. As I plan on going on maternity leave from the 12th of August until the beginning of the 2012 school year, female leaders are very important. Female leaders are best to minister to girls, particularly as cabin leaders at camp. Please also pray for the person who will be my maternity leave replacement. We conducted interviews last week for the position and hope to hire someone this week, with them starting in the first week of Term 3, the third week of July. Pray that I may be able to train them well and pass over the responsibilities, and that their individual skills and gifts will be able to help the area grow.

2 Peter 4:7
“Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.”

I have also been able to have a little more to do with Women’s Forum these past few months including attending the “Real Choices” Conference, which covered Evidence, Experience and Pregnancy Support. It was a good opportunity to visit with the staff and board of Women’s Forum. I was also able to help chauffer and take around one of the main presenters, Dr Priscilla Coleman from Bowling Green University in Ohio, who has done extensive research on the impact of abortion on women. I also traveled to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland in May to present at the “Leaders to Go” Conference. This conference was for leaders of children and family based ministeries. I represented Women’s Forum Australia at this event and it was a great chance to also receive input from those who are leading children’s ministry around Australia and New Zealand. These extra work offerings have been life-giving to me, as I seek in my own work and volunteering at church to be continually creative and relevant in reaching young people with the gospel, and their families. I know that as I go on maternity leave, all my experiences will help me to raise our son, and connect with other moms in mother’s groups. I see God’s hand of preparation in all of these ways.

Isaiah 48:10-11
“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the fire of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.”

I have begun another exciting endeavour in the past few months; I am learning the violin. The violin is an instrument I have always wanted to play, but as so often happens in life, time and monetary concerns had kept me from pursuing this dream. However, at Christmas, instead of the typical gifts, I asked Brendan if I could write him a list of things that I knew were too expensive for me to buy any given week, but perhaps could form a gift that would help me pursue some of my interests, such as learning to play the violin, dance lessons, etc. So, he bought me a gift certificate for three hours of violin lessons and from there I purchased a second-hand violin and have been really enjoying this new hobby and discipline. I say discipline because to learn to read music and how to hold the instrument, etc can take a bit of practice. It has been a joy and one that I hope has also fostered a love of music in my son, though since I am a beginner that will be left to be seen! I leave you all with lyrics to a classic hymn I am learning on the violin right now (so excited I actually know a song that I am playing!) and pray that it blesses you.

Holy, Holy, Holy by Reginald Heber, 1826

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see; Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee, Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea; Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!


With loving friendship,

Brooke

Small Cabin group at camp, larger cabin group at camp & Sydney crew at camp

At Nelson Bay with Johanna, Brendan and I with the local wildlife at Blackbutt Reserve, some snaps from YL's Extreme Summer Camp 2011

Brooke's Australia Adventure Update - Autumn 2011, April 3, 2011

Dear friends,

I absolutely love the in-between months of the year – the autumn and the spring… not too hot and not too cold. Today was one of those perfect blue-sky days where you don’t need a sweater and the sun isn’t too hot but you feel comfortable. It was one of those days you want to bottle – what Australians call a ‘bottler’! These are the days I remember from in between the seasons… I have wonderful news to announce… I am 19 weeks pregnant! It is very exciting! And as the summer recedes and the cooler temperatures reach Sydney I am oh-so-grateful! The past three months have meant the fan directly on me as Sydney’s humidity reined supreme. Brendan and I are very much looking forward to this next season of parenthood. I am very blessed to not suffer from much morning sickness, although the past few weeks my hands have been swelling from fluid retention and carpal tunnel has impacted my wrists leaving my hands numb and with pins and needles… but as long as we have a healthy little one! I’d love your prayers for the continued healthy development of our baby and good health for me. If you have any pregnancy health tips – feel free to send them on! You may remember in my last update, that I mentioned my hectic October… Brendan and I had been trying to fall pregnant for a few months at that stage and being so busy and also disappointed that pregnancy had not yet come meant more tears for me than normal. But, it was the catalyst for me to simplify my life and we were so grateful to find out just a week after finishing up with my part-time job for Women’s Forum that indeed, we were pregnant. This has been so great as I’ve only been working four days this year and that day “off” can be used for all my medical appointments and to read up and prepare. To be honest, God had prepared us for the timing of our little one by speaking to us in prayer last August. We heard that we were to conceive in December. I look back and chastise myself for not believing that word and enjoying the months of August to December… but no, I still stressed out each month until December and then sought to rest in that word. Truly, God is in control and He is worthy to be praised!

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

2011 has been a year of transition for us, as we knew it would be, and thankfully we were able to find a new place to live and moved in the third week of February. We have moved to a suburb called Dundas, an area between Carlingford and Parramatta, for those of you who know Sydney geography. It is a suburban community, about a 35-minutes drive from Woolloomooloo where we were living previously and means Brendan now has about an hour commute, taking three separate trains, compared to his 10-minute walk before. I, on the other hand, live only 15 minutes from my office and less than 5 minutes from many of the young people I work with and the main high school I minister in, Marsden High. This is a great joy for me to live in the community I work in and seek to have my life be more whole as I focus on this work of Young Life in an almost full-time capacity. Our new place is a 3-bedroom townhouse – complete even with a small yard! And the amazing thing is that we save $70 a week on rent compared to our previous place! It was truly a Godsend to be able to have so much room and yet save some money. We now have space both for a room for the baby, and a room that serves as an office for Brendan’s studies and a guest room, complete with en-suite bathroom! Brendan’s parents have delighted to help us fill the baby room with a crib, change table and bath that date from Brendan’s birth, along with many beautiful new baby clothes and nappies. The guest room provides another incentive for friends from afar to come visit! But if you want to see the new addition, come after the end of August, or if you want a quieter trip – come before! The new area is much quieter, of course, than city life, and is filled with nice trees. The house was not void of small surprises though – including cockroaches, fleas, plumbing issues and other handyman jobs – as well as a large rotten tree falling in the backyard on our second week in the house. But, all those minor jobs have been accomplished now (or unwanted guests chased out) and we are feeling more at home.

“Dance as though no one is watching. Love as though you have never been hurt. Sing as though no one can hear you. Live as though heaven is on earth.”
- Souza

The first term of work with Young Life and ministry to kids and communities has been very rewarding, challenging and fun. I promised you last update to let you know what happened at our annual Extreme Summer Camp. Camp was held in January from the 16th-21st and it was according to my seasoned boss, the hardest Young Life camp in his 20 plus years serving the mission. We had quite a high proportion of kids from extremely troubled circumstances and there were many struggling with physical, emotional, mental and spiritual problems. Out of only 45 kids, there were 10 trips to the hospital that were made through the week as one example of the hardships. But, out of the darkness, Christ’s light emerges, as it always does. Even in the hardest cases of stubborn hearts towards the gospel, the Lord can soften and open up a person to the Good News of His salvation through Jesus and the intimacy of the truth of the plans He has in store for their lives, living as His children. From the Sydney area, I witnessed four young men give their hearts to Jesus and the beauty of seeing this and the privilege of what it has meant in: their lives, their friendship groups and amazingly in the lives of their families. By no means is making a life-changing decision to trust Christ with their future an easy option, many have faced hardships, but what a journey of adventure! It is also great for our leaders to begin the process of discipleship. Please pray for Masi, Kurt, Sam and Ross, and for Tim and Brad as they meet with these new believers. My week at camp was consumed with caring for a group of girls from the Redlands area of Brisbane. The Ryde area I manage did end up having one girl come on camp, but due to the dynamic of the girls in the cabin, I ended up not being her cabin leader but sharing about half my time with her and staying with the Redlands girls the rest of the time. These girls’ attitudes were very tough and in the way they treated themselves, one another, and myself and the other cabin leader, I could tell from the very first night we were in for a rough time. They displayed virtually no respect for themselves, each other and certainly not for authority. Again, through the week, I witnessed God do His redemptive work, and one in the cabin responded to the message. I know that God works in mysterious ways and that I did see each of them respond to learning and hearing throughout the week, but it was a heavy camp in that much was left undone. That is the nature of the relationship ministry of Young Life though… the journey certainly does not end at camp. The leaders go home with the young people to continue to minister Christ’s love through weekly contact at school, at club, at their sporting events, and if they choose at church. I keep up with some of the Redlands girls on Facebook, but please pray for Rachel and the other Redlands leaders who display Christ to them each week and for perseverance in the face of many disappointments and hard circumstances.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

The term of ministry in Ryde and Northern Sydney has been a very fruitful one. I am so pleased to report that we’ve seen new kids virtually each week at the Ryde club and although our re-launch for the Northern Sydney club was small, it was fun. One of the great blessings thus far this year is the abundance of leaders the Lord has brought. Truly our prayer for more labourers in the harvest field is bearing good fruit. Although Johanna and Jan-Michel finished up at the end of February, Brad, the senior leader for Northern Sydney has become an intern one day a week and in addition to his taking on of more responsibilities, we have added a few more leaders. They are: Nick, a former Chatswood High student that went on work crew this year at camp for the first time and is a junior leader for Northern Sydney; Eddie, a Canadian working holiday maker that was a Young Life leader for a few years in Alberta also helping with the Northern Sydney team; Les, a Morling Bible School student that loves Young Life’s passion for the unchurched and he drives a van (a great bonus to the team!); Kyle, a junior leader for the Ryde club that’s been involved with this club for 5 years; Becca, a study abroad student at Macquarie Uni who has been a leader in the US for three years and is an answer to prayer for female leaders at Ryde; and Joseph, a Youth Work student at TAFE that is doing a Work Experience with Young Life. He hails from Sri Lanka originally and is a humble and faithful servant in the work. You can still be praying that more female leaders join both teams, and also for someone to come and be in my position as I go on maternity leave, preferably female since both teams are still very male dominated. One of the amazing testimonies from the ministry in the beginning part of the year is the level of trust I have built with moms in the community that are calling for extra support with their teenagers. Most of these moms are in situations where the father of their child isn’t helping out much with their raising and they need someone to listen, care for them, as well as continue to care for their teenagers and teach them about love and respect that they are not necessarily able to do because of the lack of partner support in the parenting process or a myriad of other issues. I am not sure I have all the resources, but I definitely know the One that can comfort them. Perhaps because I am pregnant now, or due to ministering consistently in the same area for over two years now, I see the trust that has been built and am able to see families change through the ministry. Another exciting part of the work that has been flourishing since the beginning of the year is the opportunity to see the body of Christ being more unified in the Ryde area. I’ve been able to start praying regularly with others from several churches at the Ryde Council once a month and with Council member Vic Tagg. It has become a treasured part of my month and has led to the genesis of a youth pastor breakfast and network for the Ryde area that developed out of a new friendship I made with one of the other youth pastors that attends the prayer time. In addition, there have been joint events with churches like our combined “Fun for a Reason” night held on Friday the 1st of April with Macquarie Chapel Presbyterian Church. It was our second event together and was primarily a social event where our youth to get together, play a bunch of retro video games and old school games like Jenga, Uno and ping pong, eat a lot of sugar from fresh doughnuts, fairy floss, ice cream spiders (think Coke floats for Americans) and be able to donate for each portion of the night to help kids in the developing world through the ministry of Compassion Australia. Other events like the Stampede Music Festival which brought together 14 local youth groups for a massive outreach night of music, laser tag, skating and a message and the planning for the annual Easter parade and festival have all been such a blessing as it answers so many of my prayers that the churches would be unified in the building of the kingdom in our community, instead of competing with events. Pray that these relationships continue and that more are added to the numbers who believe because of this unity.

John 17:22-23
“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one, as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

As Brendan and I prepare for all the radical changes that will inevitably come with being first-time parents, we are cherishing this season together. Brendan has had a busy start to the year but we’ve managed to still enjoy the times we share by going together to ultra sound appointments, have a vision day together writing down and praying through our next 5-10 years of marriage, enjoying church, and our family and friends. He is such a faithful husband and I am so grateful to be growing alongside him in this season. We are hosting a dear friend of mine from my hometown that has been teaching English in Cambodia the past two years, Erin McElroy, and this will be a great delight for me to share our worlds after a few years of not seeing one another. It is always a challenge to keep up with friends and family who live far away, but visits like this are so precious. She is coming during our annual Presence Conference for our church. Bill Johnson, from Bethel Church in Redding, California; Kong Hee from Harvest Rock Church in Singapore; Marcos Witt and Kari Jobe from Lakewood Church in Texas and our very own Phil and Chris Pringle from C3 in Sydney are all sharing in ministry at this amazing conference. It will be Brendan’s and my first Presence, but we’ve heard amazing reports about past years and are looking forward to it and to share it with Erin. So friends, there is much to look forward to for us in the coming months! Thank you for journeying with us and for your prayers and sharing your lives through your blogs, updates and personal e-mails. If you’d like our new address, please send e-mail to me directly and I’ll respond. I’ll leave you with some inspirational worship lyrics that came out of Bethel Church’s ‘Jesus Culture’ worship group that our church has fallen in love with in the past few months. If you are looking for an anointed worship CD that will take you to a greater place of intimacy, I would highly recommend it.

‘Rooftops’ by Jesus Culture

I lift my hands cause You set me free
So I shout out Your name, from the rooftops I proclaim
That I am Yours, I am Yours
All that I am, I place into Your loving hands
And I am Yours, I am Yours


With loving friendship,

Brooke

Melbourne shots, with the family & Sydney fireworks 2011

Sydney harbour, Glyn doing pancakes, Michel brakedancing, Johanna hip hop dancing