Christian Girl

Gotta fit this missionary club
Fit this mould
This mould of Christian Culture and language.
I'm too bloody familier with it to be the least bit comfortable.
I don't want to use worn out
Dried up
Whithered old words
Which have completely lost their meaning
After a lifetime of hearing and not understanding...
Far off airy fairy concepts which were beyond me as a kid,
And seemed to stay in that first impression box of “too hard to grasp” as the years rolled by;
Yet the words come so familier to my tongue
If my brainwashed mind recognises the right context...
GIVE ME REALITY!
Give me REAL life God!
Please.
I can't hack this intangible
Ungraspable
Spiritual
Floaty sensationalism.
Give me something true and real and thick and solid to hold onto and not let go of.
I'm babbling and drifting with my mind.
Are You following?
Do you care?
You can hear my mind every second.
Why do you want to hear what You already know?
You must get so bored God, knowing everything already.
I don't get it.

Sorry. I got lazy.

It's been a long time. Sorry. I got lazy. I'll try to be more regular.

It's the "Christmas Around the World" festival on board at the moment. We've had LOADS of visitors, and I think your prayers for Denmark have really been working!! People aren't freaked out by us so much anymore! We had an official opening involving LOTS of important people and ambassadors from around the world, and since then, the Danes have been following suit with 100s of visitors every weekend, despite the freezing horrible weather. And so many have commented on the sense of peace they feel when coming onboard, or the joy they see in the faces around them. They've also been surprised by the family feeling. One man can't get enough. He feels like he's finally back home after leaving his country and family last year. He feels so accepted and at-home here. It's pretty amazing considering how many thousands of faults we all have, which are mirrored constantly to us by our brothers and sisters at work or in life...I get amazed sometimes that God uses people like us. Strange.

We also had Jessy Dixon on board for a gospel concert the other night. Quite a big turn out. Despite a series of unfortunate events and a very unfortunate local choir...(VERY unfortunate ability-wise)...it went really well, and the Danes LOVED it.

Things are really starting to happen now. The ship is almost ready to plunge into "ministry phase". I dunno if the people are! We are all totally inexperienced. None of us have learnt from older crew members because the Logos Hope history hasn't yet included a ministry phase! So I think it's going to be a bit of a wild time for us. But hey. Whatever. We're up for that. I guess it will shine God's glory even more when things actually go well, because that will be a bit of a miracle!

I'm not doing great right now. I'm angry and I'm having nightmares. I have to forgive someone who I really hate. And I'm mad at God for putting that conviction so heavy on my heart, and having people reflect the same thing makes me even madder.

It's not like I don't love God. I'm just mad. That's an easy comfy emotion for me.

Anyway, here's a song I wrote a month back when I wasn't so mad. Maybe I should sing it again, and I'd stop being so hard in my heart.

Lover,
Put your head against my chest
Listen to my heatbeat
In me you'll find your rest
Lover
Put your head against my chest
Listen to my heartbeat
In me you'll find your rest

Beautiful
Oh beautiful
You are my child
Beautiful
Oh beautiful
You are my child

Lover
Cling tightly to my hand
I know I'm unpredictable
but just trust me if you can
Lover
Cling tightly to my hand
I know I'm unpredictable
but just trust me if you can

Lover
I'm wild over you
I died as your protector
Please say you love me too
Lover
I'm just wild over you
I died as your protector
Please say you love me to

Come
With me
Come into my glory
Come
With me
Let me hold you tenderly
Child come with me
Come into my glory
Come
With me
Let me hold you tenderly...

Sabbath Week

We went exploring yesterday. We grabbed some food and hammocks, and just started walking. After crossing two sets of railway tracks, fighting our way through thick patches of Stinging Nettles, being yelled at by a Danish farmer for wandering through his paddock of sheep, and Pete being stung by a bee on his nipple, we eventually found ourselves in the middle of a very big and incredibly beautiful forest. It had spongy pine needles lining the floor, and giant trees reaching up to the sky. It was as if I'd walked onto the scene of Little Red Riding Hood! So dark and cool and I guess, other-worldly, at least to a West Australian Aussie such as myself!

We strung up the hammocks, then lay back and listened to stories by Rudyard Kipling, read in a wonderful real life, deep Pommy voice...And we stayed like this for hours. It was so lovely and relaxing. I feel so at comfy and "at-home" when people read me stories.

Finding a new way home which didn't involve the farmer's property was a whole new adventure! Let's just say, my legs are still screaming for mercy...but it was a very beautiful walk.

Sabbath Week is just what we all really needed I think. We have church each morning, and free time from lunch, then a night session. Excellent teachers. They're Scottish missionaries who live in Turkey. And they're pretty wise.

Friday is the LogOscars! (Get it? Logos Oscars?) Heaps of people have made short movies over the last few months to present for a LogOscar tomorrow night! We're all getting really dressed up, having a very special dinner, and watching them together...I have a feeling it's going to be a REALLY funny night!

Thanks for your emails lately. I just LOVE hearing from you. It makes my day, even when the news isn't great. I love being a part of your lives, even though I'm in Denmark, and you're Down Under...xx

Trust

Back in January when I was on the GO conference, we had a praying day. And on that day, I got a really cool picture in my head which put "trusting God" in a crazy new light. I guess the "mind picture" was from God, unless it's just my amazing imagination (which He created anyway...). But it really flipped my perspective on life.

"Trust God"; it sounds so "Sunday School" and boring and meaningless to a kid who's grown up hearing those words a thousand times over. But picture this;

I've reached the edge of the earth; a massive cliff. I look down and there is nothing but swirling darkness. I can't even see if the drop down ever ends. God is by my side. A massive being of greatness and power and everything good. He says, "Do you trust me Beth?" I'm terrified and overwhelmed with excitement at the exact same time. I look into those eyes, and from all I know of Him so far, I KNOW I can trust Him. I nod and grin. He sweeps me up inside Himself, deep inside His deepest depths, and cradles me in His hands. "Are you ready Beth?" I know not to ask "What for?", because trusting Him means I won't always know. I nod again. And He leaps from the edge of the world! And we're falling, and my stomache's in my mouth, and I'm scared, but I have a strange sense of peace and deep excitement, because I know I'm with my King, and I trust Him completely, even though our adventure has just taken us over the side of a cliff and into a sea of swirling darkness...

How cool is that?!

The tough bit is having the wisdom to jump of the cliff "in" Him each day. That's what I've been learning since I've made it to the ships...Sometimes I choose to be my own boss for a while, and things get really messy again, then it hits me; I havn't even bothered listening to any of His quiet, awesome invitations lately! I quickly run back to the cliff, and He's waiting patiently full of grace every time...

I wish I could just get my act together and stop hurting Him. I want to be soaring through the unknown with Him every second of every day, and making Him laugh and bringing Him joy by just enjoying Him...I long for Him to be my biggest influence, cos he's my idol! My favourite company! I want to be so "under the influence" that my heart is just an extension of His! Same motives, same goals, same desires...wow. Imagine that...

Bec Scriv, lately, you've been running through my head a real lot. (You must be exhausted!) (That joke was for you Uncle Rob...) But I just want you to know that I love you and I'm behind you and God and I chat about you all the time. I pray you're going ok. God doesn't tell me much, but I have a feeling that things are tough right now. You've got everything you need to make it through girl! The King's living in you and He'll NEVER leave you or forsake you. He promised. And He NEVER breaks promises. He leaves that to us!

"Our vision is so limited, we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering. The love of God is of a different nature all together. It does not hate tragedy. It never denies reality. It stands in the very teeth of suffering. The love of God did not protect His own son. That was the proof of this love - that He gave that son; that He let him go to Calvary's cross, though "legions of angels" might have rescued him. He will not necessarily protect us - not from anything it takes to make us like His Son."

-Elizabeth Elliot
"Passion and Purity"

Go strong girl! xx

The ENGINE ROOM!

You'll never guess my job this week! I've been in the Oil Purification Room in the engine, cleaning off Heavy Fuel Oil...eew. At one stage, I actually had to hook my feet on a pipe and hang down the inner shell of the ship into a hole which runs to the Bilge Tank (the tank of dirty oil and yuk stuff), so I could reach all the dirty bits! We've got to get it super clean, cos in the next few days we'll also have to paint it. My arms are covered in sores and rashes from the chipped metal, and the paint thinners I used to try clean myself, (not one of your brightest plans so far Beth!). And I have a new dark "tan" which doesn't come off, ending at my sock line! It even soaks through all my underwear! My whole body is a few shades darker...

But we're actually having a bit of fun. My friend and I sing together for hours til our voices are shredded! Then we tell stories. Then sometimes we chat with God. I feel pretty stoked that God thought I could be in on His awesome "ship plan", even if it is just cooking for the crew, or scrubbing Heavy Fuel Oil.

Everyone in the Galley was given the opportunity to spend a week helping out the Project Teams. Now I'm even more excited for Sabboth Week!

Missing you Eastlake Crew! xx

The Land of the Midnight Sun...

The last four days, I've thrown my guitar over my shoulder, escaped out of our roaring noise pollution, and hit the beach. It's a little bit smelly, and the sand's kindof grey, but it's the beach, so I hardly care! Just outside of town, are great green paddocks, full of cows, stretching right down to the sea. So nice after spending so much time in cities and shipyards. The sun stays up until long into the night, and I sit on the end of the jetty and sing my heart out. It's actually been a really cool way to meet people. As soon as I'm seen with a guitar, people want to hear a song...so I've met several sailers parked near our ship, plus some Finnish people, and yesterday, the men from the Icecream shop...WOO! Free icecream!

I had to cut raw pork yesterday for a WHOLE day. I was gagging from start to finish. Massive chunks of bloody pig. Eew. Each chunk felt as big as a whole animal. And I couldn't help imagining it as a live pig running around as I butchered it into bite size stir fry pieces. It was aweful. Pork and I have a dreadful history. The first time I had to cut it, I vomited. Since then, even the smell is enough to make me dry retch. So gross.

Two weeks left of "Project Phase", then the whole ship's company get's a five day Sabboth Week break. I'm so keen. Feeling a bit tired. "Project Phase" is a month dedicated purely to construction work - no missions - EVERYONE involved in getting the ship into shape. (Except our galley crew of corse). It's exciting though. Each day we see big changes - carpets getting laid, bulkheads (walls) getting painted, new furniture, machinery, galley equipment...she's going to be one amazing ship when she's finished!

Missing you Eastlake. Have an amazing trip all you Hillsong goers! Praying for you xxx

Denmark

The lift was broken today. We carried 5 loads of rubbish and an unending load of fruit and vegetables up and down three flights of stairs til we thought our legs would drop off! Finally, my Indian bro and I collapsed on the floor dripping with sweat and garbage juice...It wasn't a pretty smell!

Thanks for your emails. I agree. I think I give satan too much credit with a capital 'S'. But honestly, I'm still a bit scared of him and his power. I'm going to read over those verses Mrs Jennings, til I'm just as confident as you. Thankyou.

Did you know we're still not in official ministry phase? We'll actually be parked here in Denmark under construction for another four months yet! And, being OM, I can safely say that four months is the absolute minumum...probably more like five. Right now, my days still consist of cooking for hungry workers, but everyone else living on board is at work grinding, chipping, painting, and building across all the various decks and stair-wells. The ship is a big, noisy, dust-tank full of paint-spattered, grease-covered, sweaty looking workers!

In a few weeks, we'll have a 5 day break for "Sabboth Week", where we just chill out and listen to some visiting speakers. After that, a small amount of minisrty will start up again, just like we had in Keil.

Lately, I've been reading a book called "True-Faced", by Bill Thrall, and it has really got my mind spinning...very cool. It's been pouring light into places in my heart that I never even knew existed! Cloudy ideas of God's love are turning into solid truth that I'm really starting to believe...I've also found a few more hurting parts, but it's ok, cos they're not haunting my dreams or my thoughts...I think they might actually be slowly getting healed...

Amber, just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you and praying for you, and I think you're an 100% great girl!

Thinking of all of you as I look up at my photos each night...love you xx

Sailing...

The sea looked angry as we sailed out of Sweden. So did the sky. It was dark and grey, with wind sweeping rain against the ship. I LOVED it. It felt like the ocean was just sitting there, holding back from using it's great power as it let us sail gently through. The wind whipped flecks of white across the top of the water, and there was nothing man-made to protect us but this big old "boat". Even in this huge ship with a new engine full of muscle, I felt like I was on a little leaf adrift in a lake. Tsunamis and tidal waves happen unexpectedly; without warning. At any moment, that ocean could go crazy...and with such power, we'd be smashed and gone in an instant. It reminds me of God. I guess I sometimes feel like I can't trust Him completely too; like one day, maybe something I do wrong will send Him over the edge in rage, and He'll strike me with lightening like He did with Ananias and Sapphira. But in my head, I'm learning that He's not like that. He let a part of Himself be tortured and die so that my sin wouldn't make Him furious anymore - so we could look at it together and I could trust Him to fix my yuck bits - instead of my sin creating a giant chasm between us of His anger and power, and my whimpering fear. I hope this truth will sink from my head into my heart sometime soon, because I want to be able to trust Him with all of me.

We pulled in to Koge, Denmark, last night, right up against a beautiful cafe strip lining the queyside. It is the quaintest old sea-town! Each cafe has it's own cosy little timeworn character. The buildings are all so tiny; covered in vines and creepers; many dating back a long way, with their worn brick and stone, and funny little criss-crossed window panes. Unfortunately, it is also insanely expensive! And as we are here for 3 months, just doing physical practical work on fixing the ship, I have a feeling that we might start getting a little down-hearted after a while...If you're a praying person, please pray for us.

By the way, I forgot to mention yet ANOTHER incident with the police! This time in Sweden...(hopefully the trend won't continue with each country!). Actually, my friend and I had ridden into town on borrowed bikes when we met up with some guys from the ship. After a night of kebabs, popcorn, and "The Incredible Hulk 2", we headed home with the boys sitting on our bike racks. Next thing, we're pulled over by the cops who start yabbering away in Swedish. Tamy explained that we were from Brazil, Russia, Australia, and Antigua, and the guy was so surprised that he had a little laugh, and said we were lucky, because tonight he would let us go home without the fine we deserved...whew! I think tourists and "blondes" are the same breed. We can get away with anything by simply playing dumb.

Miss you Aussies. xx

Sweden!

Imagine curling up in bed after a long day's work, to be gently rocked to sleep on a big old ship as it slowly rolls through the swell, and it's engines quietly rumble through the floor of your cabin...So beautiful. After all the crazy delays, we have finally left Keil! We sailed to Sweden a couple of weeks ago; past the many gleaming white sandstone islands; under the huge bridge that crosses countries from Sweden to Denmark; and finally, (passing all the naked sunbathing Swedes on the banks!), into the canal where our ship will be sliced open and have a new generator put in.

Diving from the lifeboats and swimming in the FREEZING water by the ship; sprawling out in the sun on deck nine with a good book; catching jellyfish; cycling to castles and islands and sunsets and beaches down cobblestoned streets...eating fresh warm peaches from the markets, and ice cold milkshakes from the general store...Sweden has been a beautiful break from the drudgery of darkness, work and cold. It is light until SO late, and the sun rises before even the earliest early birds, so work only takes up a small section of our daylight hours! It is wonderful!

But, to be honest, despite all the beauty around me, I've still been toughing it a bit. I've been having one of those weeks where you feel aweful and insecure for no reason, and you just can't get into a good mood. And no matter what's going on around me, I can only see the bad in it. Sometimes, the aweful unfairness of life just weighs me down so much I get depressed. Like, when I hear about kids starving to death on the streets, I feel so aweful even taking one bite of my fried rice, cos I know that while I eat, people are dying of starvation. And I can't do a thing about it. And while I have a wardrobe full of clothes, other girls my age are living with only one set. What makes me any better than them, that I always get so much, and they always get so little? It really bothers me. Anyway...I dunno. I guess life just IS unfair, cos Satan rules this world, and he's a rotton unfair mongrel...but in heaven, I can't wait to serve these poor people who've had such an aweful experience on earth. I want to make them the most beautiful banquets and kiss their feet because I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything to make this world fair.

I see so much excellent GOOD in this world, and so much aweful BAD, and I guess I'm just not sure what to make of it all. God doesn't want us depressed, but I don't think He wants us always to be happy I suppose. But Paul said something about being always satisfied, no matter what situation he was in. That would be very cool; to be always satisfied. Hmmm...

Busted by the cops!

So now I'm up to two incidences with the "polizi" since being in Germany! Oopsy...

They're SO strict around here!

One evening, we're standing in the train station handing out tracts, singing, telling about Jesus and making new friends, when the men in green appear, and tell us we must not hand out any more tracts. Being foreign, AND blonde is very helpful sometimes...I can play the dumb card pretty well! So I started explaining who we were and where we were from, then asked if one of the officers would like a tract. They got quite stressed out, and told us no more music either. Apparently it is against the law to sing in the trainstation. So we were asked to please leave the premises...

Then, yesterday, we were fishing from the queyside, when my Indian bro, Parmish, hooked our line on the ship's huge thick mooring lines! I begun climbing out over the water attempting to unhook the six little barbs, when I glanced up and noticed a "polizi" boat roaring toward me! They pulled up underneath and started yelling about "fishing cards"...which none of us had...and it's a thousand euro fine for fishing without one! Slight problem...so I started chatting to them like we were old friends, pretending not to quite understand, and asked them if they could pull their boat a little closer under our mooring lines, and unhook my fishing line please, cos I couldn't reach. They started getting really stressed out, and just kept going on about these fishing cards, til I finally said, "oh! You want us to get a card?" and they were like "YEH!" So I asked where we would do it and how much they would be, and then said we might go get one some time...and they went off again..."NO! No fishing EVER without fishing card!" And I was like "Ohhhhh....Oh so we need a fishing card? Oh ok then! Right! Yeh!" And they shook their heads, said a few more "no fishing without fishing cards", and finally roared away! Whew...close call.

Our big boss, George Verwer, came and preached last night. He was a teenager when this movement "OM" begun...He "begun" it. Very cool guy. He's so passionate about the world. He just longs for EVERYONE to get to know Jesus. There are so many problems in this world, but we're holding the solution right here in our hearts! He's really worked up about HIV and AIDS at the moment. Our brothers and sisters everywhere are being killed slowly and painfully by a dreadful disease, without even knowing how to stop it! And we're chilling out and letting it happen...All they need is a little education and the spread would drop so dramatically...but many believe in ignorance, that sleeping with a virgin will heal them of the disease. There are some towns in Central Africa where HALF of all the sexually active young people are dying...half! It is so aweful. George is working on literature in as many languages as we can get for us to distribute around the world on our ships! And SO many people are praying their hearts out for the infected ones and their children...wow. What a messed up world we live in. But it is so beautiful. And there is so much hope!

Missing you mumma...

Praying for you all. Love you so much.

Love

A HUMUNGOUSLY big monster of a ship pulled in next to us this morning! It is a cruise ship with terrible gaudy colours and an enormous glass walled bubble protruding from it's side...It is 13 decks high, and has big eyes painted across the bow, and an aweful mouth that traces down both sides of the ship in bright red playschool colours. It sure makes me appriciate my "little" baby...she is so beautiful despite her rust patches and dents and dust and needle guns!

But I gotta say, I'm pretty excited to see all the hundreds of people this ship has bought in! So many opportunities for new friends! They've almost overtaken our little quey-side town already...

I met a lovely old German man this morning. My friend and I bought him a hotdog and sat with him on the street attempting to communicate through sign language and teeny bits of German! He had a few missing fingers and teeth, and sat huddled up against the wall with a little black dog tucked inside his jacket. The cool thing was, when I gave him food, the first thing he did was feed a little bit to his dog. I love that those who have nothing, are often so generous with what they do have. I'd love to be more like that. Then he offered my friend and I a smoke each. I was really touched. This seems such "real" love. It brought him so much joy to be able to share, (even though we turned down his generous offer.) Eventually, we managed to communicate that he is invited to "Open Ship" on Friday night. I think maybe he has been before, because he seemed to know all about it. Dunno if he knows Jesus yet. But I hope he will soon!!

Thanks for praying for me! I love you...

Learning to listen

I squatted at the end of the jetty this morning - water lapping at the wood - an open mussel shell like a butterfly, resting on the pylon - a little patch of grass bursting from the rotting wood - the criss crossing, wind swept water, stretching all grey and murky toward the distant hills; the hills with no city lights - just bush and freedom - the rain seeping through my jeans, and freezing like liquid-ice to my legs - frosty air filling my warm sleepy lungs, and shocking them to life again...ahhh...a beautiful German morning!

Chatted with a beautiful old man today. He told me amazing stories of uprisings and crazy people and wars and awesome transformations in the history of his church - the Methodists. What a rich story! John Wesley and the Maravians...very cool.





Also had the opportunity to go out for coffee with a Maltese Ship Inspector, and hear about his interesting religion, and the cool things he's learnt studying to be a diplomat.



Then, some young hippy girls I met on the street came for a visit last night. We sat in my cabin and had a jam on the floor, then chatted about life and pain and people who hurt you. We talked about "healing energies" and "astrological" stuff, and the way they hate Christians portraying the devil as "having a hold" on the world, and that we are "unable to escape his evil grip". They are offended to be lumped in this categorey.



Lately, all the people I've been talking too have been sharing their ideas of God and religion with me, but I have felt so unable to come back with good pat answers...everything I believe is based on the Bible, and unless people first think of the Bible as truth, then I'm lost on what to say...so I've been practicing my listening. I feel a bit helpless. Mostly, I don't have a clue how to answer. I'd be silly to try when I'm so out of my depth...



I wouldn't want to sound like I'm trying to defend my God. I know He is quite capable of revealing Himself. I don't feel threatened by their questions. But I feel bad because I don't have the answers...why isn't God telling me what to say? Or am I just not listening?



Life on board is crazy as usual. Exhausting, inspiring, exhillerating, depressing, constricting and freeing...normal life squeezed into a smaller amount of space and time. I love it. Please pray for us. We need it! I've written your names on my ceiling. In bed at night I see you all and lay back thinking about you with God, and I try to think of specifics to ask Him for each of you...love you guys

Starving for bush and beach...

Some days I want to run away. I want to pack a bag, find a beach, light a fire, sleep there, then hike for hours, wander through the bush, sing, and just hang out with God.



Me and Him and creation.



When I'm angry, tired, happy, emotional, peaceful, trapped, I just want to be there with Him. I know I can be with God anywhere, but its different in the bush. Jesus got to do it. He'd be with people for ages, then He'd just disappear up the mountains for a while.

I miss escaping to the great outdoors.

On my free day, I went for a walk along the queyside. I looked over at a floating jetty to see three big beautiful white swans standing looking right back at me. I was so excited! I climbed carefully over the locked gate (Germans have rules and regulations for EVERYTHING), and down onto the jetty with the birds. They didn't move a bit. Just stood there preening themselves and fluffing out their wings. So I just sat there and watched them for ages. They are so beautiful and elegant, but so absurdly shaped. They reminded me a little of the Pharisees. Weird I know. But they stand so proud on show for everyone to see, and they look so perfect and pure and white...so elegant and graceful...they know how to look good, and blow people away with their splendour. They are great birds to admire.


Further on my walk, at a resturaunt, I met an artist and a waiter who were both very inspired by the idea of this ship. They're coming next Friday! Please pray that they fall in love with God. That would be SO awesome...

Sickness...

"The runs" have been spreading through the ship at such a crazy rate that we've had to let the Port Authority know...unfortunately, I am one of the infected ones...bit of a leaky valve! EEW...It's SO gross.

Our crew needs prayer! We're going down like flies...could you pray for us to communally be reinspired and motivated; re-energised, and excited about the reason we're here! That we will get unity and shared vision; that sickness and defeat will stop plauging our people.

The devil is a mongrel. Two nights ago, I woke my cabin mates with crazy, loud sleep talking. Then I woke up sweating and terrified; full of this intense paralizing fear. I couldn't even speak. I just felt overwhelmed with an evil terrifying presence right above my bed. It was more than scary. It totally freaked me out. Made me feel so weak in the presence of the Evil One. I tried to pray. Eventually, I calmed down, and the creepy feeling left, but I had a very troubled sleep. The next day was just as tough. It ended with only a team of two left in the galley. Overall, just a very unsettled feeling about the ship right now.

Some big decisions are being made by the leadership of OM and we had a day of prayer yesterday. I don't think Satan is pleased with where this is all headed. He's getting scared so he's putting up a fight. And honestly, he scares the crap out of me. I've seen his power. He is really overwhelmingly frightening and powerful. And I am overwhelmingly weak. BUT...My God is more great and powerful than he will ever be!! And He's living inside me!! So who shall I fear!

Thankyou to all you amazing faithful people, who are at war on the REAL front lines; fighting on your knees, from your homes. I appriciate you so much. I'm really learning what it is to be part of "The Body of Christ". All these different parts working together to see lives transformed and see our Daddy's face lighting up with joy as He reunites with more and more of His precious creations...to be a part in all of this; a tiny weeny little part; is so overwhelming...Life with Jesus is a hundred times better than anything I have ever done before. I am complete!

"To live is Christ and to die is gain"!

Bring it on!

Highs and Lows of "Ship-Life"

AWESOME SIDE:

At work in the Galley last week, I leaned out the porthole as it begun to snow, and caught the little flakes on my tounge and nose! It was SO beautiful!

People get to see me 24/7...all my bad and good bits...and after two months, they still love me!! Amazing! Christians are so cool sometimes!

Each morning, I rise before the sun, and sit on the jetty listening to the birds wake up, the water lapping, the rigging snapping and groaning with the breeze...and slowly the sun starts to spread it's fingers over the horizon, gradually colouring the clouds, then bursting suddenly to life in all it's crazy-awesome glory! I love it!!

Surrounded by people from all over the globe. Amazing. Beautiful new friends and mentors.

"Sleeping hours" are unheard of for the Latino part of the crew...these hours are filled with the sounds of twanging guitars, harmonies, uproarious laughter, and chairs scraping back and forth over my ceiling...(otherwise known as the dining room!) But I love it! They have such a beautiful culture with real joy woven into everyday life...

Day off every week to sleep...and then explore the city! Meeting the locals-eating their strange foods, (Pickles, sour dough, sausages!)-discovering quaint little cafes, ally ways, shops, and resteraunts down narrow cobblestoned lanes; buildings towering either side with their many white silled windows and red roofs.

Meeting curious locals, and introducing them to my new home; having them to dinner; chatting about the meaning of life and life after death and all the important stuff that really matters...getting so many opportunities to share Jesus!



NOT-SO-AWESOME SIDE:

Sickness sweeps through the ship like wild fire; so teams may begin the week at full capacity, and end it with only one-man-standing! And being the sick person means you are quarentined to your cabin for minimum 2 days! (Darkness with yellow artificial lighting, 3 cabin mates to avoid, one tiny top bunk in the corner so small you can't even sit upright...and the smell of the everready disinfectant seeping through the whole cabin...not so fun!)

Some days, when the ocean gets moody, or a big ferry passes by, I find myself swaying as I work. It's kind of cool, but by the end of the day, you realise the constant movement around here makes your body really tired as it's always fighting to keep it's balance...

All waking hours are filled with the roar of metal pins grinding metal walls-needle guns-reverberating through the whole ship.

Germany is COLD!!! Us coastal Aussies aren't generally big fans of the cold! Me especially! (But the snow sure helps me feel ok about it. It's so beautiful!)

SO many visitors...some nights I just want to collapse in bed after work, when yet another of my local friends rocks up, and needs to be entertained. There is no curfew on board, so until I get the guts to be assertive, they generally stay well into the wee hours of the morning. I think I'm going to have to learn this "No" word!

BUT OVERALL:

I love this life! I feel well prepped for it. Living plenty of years in community. Loving people, life, adventure...yeah...it's an AWESOME opportunity God's blessed me with!