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