Email from nida 24.10.09

evening guys, BRACE YOURSELVES. this email will have lots of BITS and PIECES.

1. Firstly, who invented the phrase: TOO MUCH TO DO. secondly, who thought of the word: PROCRASTINATION ?!?!! I was browsing some pictures for "fun" and thought of you guys when i saw this picture everything leaves a mark. You're the SCAR-ERS that i believe can change a nation, move that mountain with God at your side.



You will be leaving awesome marks EVEYWHERE when you're walking with Jesus!!!

2. Out of curiousity i have STUDY BIBLE-ed UP what we looked at yesterday with Balaam and the confusing text.

http://www.biblegateway.com/ (is a great tool to look up verses where you know a few words but not sure where it is, or even want to read up some commentries, there are even bible plans - i.e. devotions)

Attached is an extract from Balaam's and demon possessed man's story. Sometimes these stories are a bit hard to understand why God would do something...etc. It's good to look up and seek some other explanations.

From my NIV study bible, it explained that Balaam's "real intentions were known to the Lord and so with severe displeasure He confronted the pagan prophet"
It mentioned that Balaam's was a SPECIALIST in animal divination (kinda like sensing from animals), but in this case when the donkey saw the angel and tried to get away from it, Balaam couldn't see what was causing the donkey trouble, rather just wanted to kill it!

Interesting characters. I liked it how it explained that although God tells us to do things or think about certain things....we do, we really try but sometime we just get led astray.

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"
Jeremiah 17:9

3. Get into YOUR SHAPE!!
I have attached the SHAPE survey carried out last night! It's in two files because i STILL DO NOT know how to use my scanner properly...it's a love hate relationship...honestly.

okay one thing i should point out is: i have misled you.
Whops. there are actually "GIFT" exampleson the bottom of the fist page, not "another question"

so use those words located on the bottom to help you answer questions 1 and 2. SO SORRY!

This survey is to assist me and you in finding out your gifts and how to best use them in our cell setting and youth. If able too, we will find a way to use it in church :)

SHAPE stands for: S- Spiritual Gifts, H- Heart, A- Abiliies, P- Personality, E-Experiences

*therefore those questions about [INDEPENDENT] and [DEPENDENT] is related to your personality and HOW YOU WORK WITH OTHERS.

MY BAD.

If you could find some time to fill out and pass to me anytime would be great. I already have Bell's and Elaine's (although guys if you wanna do it again after more thoughts, fine by me!!)

you can print out and fill it out or email ur answers, No worries!!! :) but please do fill it out.


4. Interesting sites you might want to visit!!! Have questions about Gods mysterious ways? just don't understand that one thing at the back of your mind? you might find a hint here. I hope to one day have a lesson where we open it to everyone to discuss issues that you've ALWAYS wondered. (one at a time eh).

http://www.carm.org/
http://www.gotquestions.org/


5. If you get to READ this far, congratulations!
you'll find out that NEXT FRIDAY we do not have a SCAR hangout. rather we will SHARE our SCAR space with many other bro's and sis's from church!!

It is a Ministry night, quite like the night where we prayed for each other and prophesized over each other. A time dedicated to hearing the word from the Lord and petitioning together as a family.

Persist. Pray. Praise. Powerful Powerful stuff.

I encourage you to come and join me and SHAKE this nation!!

So i now conclude my email. It's been a journey! shall see you folks tomorrow! :D
PUT some extra KICK in that studying!!! :D

nida

P.s. for those who went for the URBAN SEED outreach, we should share what we've learnt one of these days :)

A bit of a passing thought.

I get a lot of random thoughts when i'm on the train. I love trains. I love just staring out the window and seeing the sun rise, the trees blurring in front of my eyes, the graffiti on the walls screaming out SCAR (no, i have really seen them)...the bubble words, the notion of moving, the laughing and chatter on the train, the occasional blaring of music from random ipods, the staring and smiling, sunsets...the hugging of my belongings as i drift off to a snooze...always waking up before my stop...

The prophecy on sunday said that people will want to go back to their own homes as something terrible will happen to Australia.

The first thing i thought was...actually i'm not sure what was my first thought..but a lot of thoughts drifted through my mind...

'I have no where to go...Australia. Australia is my home'
'...i've been wondering when something was going to happen to us...'

and today it just popped in my mind...

'i wonder what it'll be..?..famine, no, it's gotta be a drought...we're already running low on water...earthquake?...no it's gotta be something we're not prepared for...something that people would run back home for...water. we don't have enough water...look at malaysia..they have heaps..'

'...if it's water...and everyone goes home...hang on, most of the people i know aren't from here...they call another place home...lets face it...i'll be one of few to be here still...'

'i feel a sense of belonging here...if anything happens in my land, this is MY home, a place where i call home, a place where i will never give up, so if there is a famine, if there is a drought, i'm gonna be here, i'm going to defend, i'm going to pray, i'm going to STICK till the end and be strong for others...'

and when i thought about all that...i thought...maybe, maybe that's why those people in the bushfires stuck to protecting their houses, it was theirs. It identified who they were, it was part of them, their house, their identity, their life. I always thought how silly they were.

But I began to feel a deep sense of understanding, that i have never felt before. a sense that i belong here, in my suburb, in my country and greater than that, i belong to God.

I'm not going to run away, even if i am alone till the end, i'm going to finish the race.


Acts 20:24
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

This is my race. God's plan. My destiny.

[Anita]

BLoCk

I have a tad bit of writers block. I'm currently sick of looking at my thesis. Literally sick of looking at the bad introduction. Part of me wants to fix it up and make it brilliant. The other part of me cant be bothered. Writers block. Pfft.

bell