Friday, December 23, 2011

Eternal Hope

I am reading C.S. Lewis's theological classic 'Mere Christianity' at the moment (well, have been at it for a while now - it's not a quick read!), and was really encouraged as I was reminded where, as Jesus followers, our hope should be focused.

Lewis writes : "The Christian says, "Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exist... If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.""

During this festive season, lets not allow retail marketing and social pressures to sway our focus from what really matters, as no diamond braclet, iPad2, new boyfriend/girlfriend, giant Christmas feast, or any earthly thing will ever truely satisfy our eternal longings. Jesus is not only the Reason for the Season, He is also the Answer for the Season.

Merry Christmas!

Love Brooke


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

From the Heart the Mouth Speaks

"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart."
Luke 6:45

When my radio alarm clicked on this morning, the program presenters were having a conversation about how a new law was going to be passed in Pakistan banning certain cusswords from being used in text messages, and how outraged Australians would be if such a bann was enforced here. Their main point of contention was that Aussies love to swear and as a free-speech country we should be able to say whatever we want.
This point of view makes me sad not only because the Word says we definately cannot say whatever we want (Matt. 12:36), but because it shows a scary lack of understanding of what is really at the heart of the matter.

Jesus tells us that the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart, so what does it say about our spiritual state when we use language that makes grandmothers blush and little children gasp? There is a reason that He commands us to guard our hearts - it contains the wellspring of life, the very essence of who we are. And the words we speak not only communicate thoughts and sentiments, but life and death. Far from being accepted symbols of culture or personal expressions of individuality, what swearing really is is a verbal indicator of moral decay.

OK. Not meaning to get too heavy here! So lets backtrack a little...

If everyone could see inside of you and see the health of your spirit, what would you want them to see? Would you act (and talk) differently if you knew that everything you do is broadcasting who you are underneath? Well, our speach is doing this, even if it is a gradual process - because, lets face it, some people are very skilled at wearing masks and hiding behind perceptions. But the truth is that all people eventually reveal who they are at a heart level by what comes from their mouths. In those unguarded moments that we love to push aside with a "just kidding" or a "no offense" excuse, we show the world the side of ourselves that God knew all along.

So we see that as much as parents and teachers try to enforce one, a blanket rule of 'No Swearing' is never going to fix the problem entirely. The root of the issue is much deeper, is much slower and is more significant.
God is, and always has been, after our heart. To grow in us a transformed spirit that dwells on "... whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute... anything of excellence and worthy of praise" (Phil. 4:8). When we are focused on those things, swearing seems like such an unnecessary and undesirable response, doesn't it?

Love Brooke

Thursday, November 17, 2011

History Makers

I was listening to that classic Delirious song "History Maker" this morning (which I think is one of the greatest Christian anthems of all time!), and it got me to thinking... what does it take to be a 'history maker' as young people in the world today?

In our current culture of Self is King and Pleasure is the Goal, the answer is still the same as it's always been throughout history - Stand Up in Jesus. As the song proclaims, "I'm gonna stand, I'm gonna run into His arms". When our focus is on Him and not ourselves, when we stand up for His truth and not our own rights, when our identity is found in the Lord and not in material things, we won't be able to help but affect and influence the world for the better.

Because the huge role of changing the world for Jesus starts with the small (but equally challanging) role of changing ourselves from the inside out for Him. God wants to transform our hearts to be a reflection of His heart, so that we become passionate about the things that He is passionate about - justice, mercy, righteousness, love. Once we have that Holy Fire on the inside of us, we can stand up in confidence and become the Speakers of Truth that He has made us to be... and the world will never be the same again!

I want to challange you today to listen to "History Maker", and allow the Lord to speak to you through it - what is He calling to you to work on today that will be a step towards changing the world tomorrow?





Love Brooke

Monday, November 14, 2011

Is God still a good God when He allows pain & suffering in the world?

To understand and know an invisible God, all we can look at is the evidence of His hand - the world He created and the person He fashioned after Himself - Man.

When looking at the two, we must bear in mind that the picture we see now is a broken one, an imperfect representation of the Master's original masterpiece. Before sin entered the world, creation worked in harmony with its Creator and man lived in perfect innocence and communion with God.
He gave us free will because it wouldn't be real love if we were forced to love Him and not be able to choose Him of our own accord. The down side of free will is that we now have the ability to choose the wrong thing, to make the wrong decision, to go against God's laws. And thus, sin entered the world and we were never the same again.

So now, we live in a fractured state, seperated from our maker, existing in a world that no longer functions as it was originally intended to. Nethertheless, this does not alter the nature of God. Just as one bad painting does not change the fact that the painter is still the painter, so God is still God, is still good and still desires us to live in perfect fellowship with Him (i.e. His goodness being displayed in the beauty of life back in the Garden). All good things come from the Lord, and the painful, unjust things are only part of the broken world we live in. Rather than asking "Why?", a better question is "How?"... How does God fix the problem of seperation that our sin causes?
He fixes it with an offer - receive the sacrifice of my son in place of your sins and be reconciled to Me. The price that our disobedience demands has been paid on our behalf, and the freedom of righteousness is available to all who choose Jesus as their saviour.

Pain and suffering come to all - following Jesus doesn't exclude us from this - but what it does offer us is a comforter who walks besides us, a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and a God who understands all we go through, because He has been through it all, for us.
And the eternity that we have all been made for, for which our spirit longs, is where our ultimate focus should be - on that glorious day when all tears shall be wiped away and ever hurt and pain healed forever.

Love Brooke

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Hanging onto The Stuff?

Was watching this clip this morning, and it helped remind me that unless I make surrendering to God a daily practise, all my efforts to control my own life just turn into heavy, depressing baggage.



How long has it been since you turned all your "stuff" over to God, and allowed Him to not just be a helpline but the Lord (in control) of your life?
He's always willing to take our baggage & replace it with joy... just ask Him.

Love Brooke

Saturday, October 15, 2011

If not now, when?

When I think about the dreams I have for the future and the plans I have for my life, sometimes I find it very hard to be patient and wait on God's timing.
I mean, He has placed such exciting desires in my heart that I can't wait to get started on, but then He asks me to wait... and wait... and wait! Patience has never been one of my strengths, so the little I have gets tested - a lot! I guess that's partly why He requires it of me so much - so as to build patience into my character.

But what about when our dreams never seem to come about? Is God saying No for now, or No for ever? Sometimes I want to let out my inner-5 year old and scream at the sky "If not now, WHEN??!!" (As if tantrums and tears ever accomplish anything!) What do we do when we feel the Lord gently reminding our spirit "for My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways"?

For myself, I have found it helpful to remember 3 things...

- There is always something I can do today to bring tomorrow closer
Rather than focusing on what I don't have and where I wish I was, I can choose to find something to do right here and now that is a small stepping stone to future dreams. That picture of being a published author can be brought one day closer when I practise my writing skills and upload a new blog post. That vision of being a good mother someday starts now by eating healthier and looking after my body in preparation.

- Turn my attention off myself and bless someone else
When I am constantly thinking about myself, I overlook the fact that there are many other people out there that God desires to bless, maybe even by using me to help bring a dream of theirs into being. God's love is all about passing it on, and when we allow ourselves to walk in acts of service and humilty, we get to be part of the much bigger picture that God is orchestrating. Which is always better than the tiny little worlds we make for ourselves anyway.

- Keep reading
When I first read Isaiah 55:8 I must say that I found it rather discouraging - what hope do I ever have for knowing God and His plans at all if His plans and thoughts are higher than mine?
But when I kept reading, I felt a wonderful peace knowing that its a good thing He's in control:
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seek to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

So when the Lord says that the plans He has for us are good and prosperous, rest assured that goodness and prosperity are on their way - its as guaranteed as God's word, which is always true. He is never late, but never early either.
In the meantime, we're all here waiting together (!)...

Love Brooke

Monday, September 12, 2011

Love Song

There are so many songs out there that try to define love. Songs about falling in love, losing love, what we'd do for love, the beauty of love... all trying to capture something that can't be described, only felt.

There is one song that talks about a love that can be more than felt, it can be lived. This song really touches my heart every time I hear it and reminds me that that One Love is always on offer to me and has the power to change my life, if I'll let it...


"I See Love"

Some see a teacher
Standing on a hill
Speaking words of wisdom
Some see a healer
Reaching out his hand
To give sight to a blind man
Some see a dreamer
Wasting his life
On what can never be
Some see a fool
Dying for his dreams

But I see love
I see love
Light of heaven breaking through
Well I see grace
I see God's face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you
I see love

Some see a prisoner
Alone before his judge
With no one to defend him
Some see a victim
Beaten and abused
With all the world against him
Some see a martyr
Carrying his cross
For what he believes
Some see a hero
Who set his people free

But I see love
I see love
Light of heaven breaking through
Well I see grace
I see God's face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you

With your last breath
I see love
Through your death
I see love
I see peace in the eyes of the King
I see hope in your suffering
I see a calm in the centre of the storm
I see a Saviour

I see love
I see love
Light of heaven breaking through
I see grace
I see God's face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you
I see love
When I see you
I see heaven breaking through
See God's face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you
When I see you
When I see you
I see love
I see love
When I see

Some see Him walking from an empty grave


Some love, huh? More than a feeling or a song - a person.
What do you see when you look at Him?

Love Brooke

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

What is Your Life's Blueprint?

This is one of my favourite speeches from Martin Luther King Jr, and I thought you might like it too...


"I want to ask you a question, and that is: What is your life's blueprint?

Whenever a building is constructed, you usually have an architect who draws a blueprint and that blueprint serves as the pattern, as the guide, and a building is not well erected withour a good, solid blueprint.

Now, each of you is in the process of building the structure of your lives, and the question is whether you have a proper, a solid, and a sound blueprint.

I want to suggest some of the things that should be in your life's blueprint. Number one, in your life's blueprint, should be a deep belief in your own dignity, your worth, and your own somebodiness. Don't allow anybody to make you feel that you're nobody. Always feel that you count. Always feel that you have worth, and always feel that your life has ultimate significance.

Secondly, in your life's blueprint, you must have as the basic principle the determination to achieve excellence in your variuos fields of endeavour. You're going to be deciding as the days, as the years unfold what you will do in life - what your life's work will be. Set out to do it well...

And when you discover what you will be in your life, set out to do it as if God Almighty called you at this particular moment in history to do it. Don't just set out to do a good job. Set out to do such a good job that the living, the dead, or the unborn couldn't do it any better.

If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets life Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well. If you can't be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. But be the best little shrub on the side of the hill.

Be a bush if your can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you will win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are."


This inspires me every time I read it, and I hope it encourages you too. Go out and be GREAT!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Just in Case

I love being able to see "my kids" every week at youth group, hug them and tell them how much God and I love and value them. Even if they think "yeah yeah yeah, I know you love me Brooke - stop telling me all the time", it can never be underestimated how important and life-changing a timely encouragement can be, especially for those who maybe don't receive much affection at home.

So, in case you haven't been told lately...

You are unique, worthy of love and needed in this world
You have been created to fill a place that no one else can fill
You are talented, beautiful, a masterpiece
Your life counts and you can make a difference
Hope and forgiveness are always available to you
You don't have to be afraid to be yourself and follow your dreams
You deserve respect, value and success

You are loved by God in Heaven, your family and true friends, and me.
We will always love you, treasure you, encourage you and believe in you - no matter what.

... Just in case you didn't know :)

Love Brooke

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Read on, dear ones, read on...

It has often been said that you will be the same person in ten years time as you are today, except for the people you meet and the books you read. And while it is a difficult thing to go into new circles and enlarge your acquaintances when your life mainly consists of school, home and Saturdays at the shopping centre, as most teenagers' lives do, it is possible - and a most exciting possibility at that - to change your thinking, learn about new cultures, discover new truths, have adventures, and better understand God's plan for your life through the inexhaustible world of books.

My mum always encouraged in my brother and sister and I an enthusiastic love of the written word; and while my passion for writing and classic literature isn't for everyone, she did instill in us the universal truth that although your school years may be only for a season, if you are willing to keep your mind and a book open, learning in life can be infinite.

I know in today's world of status updates and texting that sitting still and reading anything longer than 140 characters is a bit unusual, but if you wish to be a well informed and contributing person in society it is a necessary habit, even if a bit unpopular in regular adolescent circles. Think about it this way - other than what your friends at school say and your parents at home talk about, what shapes your beliefs and opinions and teaches you how and what to live for? How do you confidently stand up for something when in fact you may only be standing up for what you have been told? Without actively seeking knowledge for ourselves, we will be like a boat without a rudder, not able to steer our own path but being pressed on all sides by the plans of others be tossed where ever the waves determine.

Proverbs 8 tells us that knowledge is more desirable than the choicest gold and wisdom is better than jewels, and we know that we build wisdom into our lives firstly by reading the The Book - the Word of God, as Proverbs also tells us that the fear (i.e. reverence and adoration) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. All that we read and hear from others must always be measured against the truth of His word before we accept it into our own worldview. But don't let that stop you from exploring the words, thoughts and ideals of those who have gone before us through the vast library of the written word. There are many colourful, courageous, smart and sensitive people who have left parts of themselves to be discovered in their books, whether they be works of fiction, philosophy, poetry, biography or politics, all waiting to be read and mused over by you and I. And even if you don't think of yourself as a bookish-type person (if that's the case, a daily reading of God's Word is a good place to start), there are as many different types of books out there as there are different types of people, so don't give up on your pursuits of finding one that interests you. Because reading is more than a good habit, it's a practice that can literally change your life.

Some of my all-time favs that you might like too are:

The book of Romans (from the Bible)
Velvet Elvis (by Rob Bell)
Wild at Heart and Captivating (by John & Stasi Eldridge)
The Veritas Conflict (by Shaunti Feldhahn)
The Robe (by Lloyd C Douglas)
I Kissed Dating Goodbye (by Josh Harris)
Battlefield of the Mind (by Joyce Meyer)

Love Brooke




Tuesday, August 23, 2011

A Reputation of Opposites

I was sitting with a group of girls the other day talking about going against the grain, acting in the opposite spirit. To most of them, it was a totally foreign concept. To hear that they had another option other than exploding when someone verbally attacked them was a brand new thought for the majority.

The sad reality of the world we live in is that this group are the norm, not the exception.

Which makes me wonder - even when we are part of the small group of people who are aware of this option, how often do we actually stop and think, evaluate our situation, before we respond to a negative comment or conversation? I mean, it's one thing to say that yes, it's a wise and mature thing to think-before-we-speak, but it's totally another thing to put it into action in our everyday lives. But then, it's not uncommon to say one thing yet believe another...

For example, I firmly believe that a healthy body image starts with being secure in the truth that I am God's masterpiece, a work of beauty created in love by the King, and that truth cannot be altered by any pimple or extra kilo. But yet, I still desire to hide my face from the world whenever I get a breakout, and feel guilty each time I eat a block of chocolate in a day and don't work out for a week. When I allow my doubts and insecurities about my weight, appearance and image to dictate my self-worth, rather than God's Word, I am really saying that I don't in fact believe what I say I do. Because I show my beliefs by my actions, not by my words. So while a cheat day of chocolate eating should encourage me back to my exercise regime, it should not waver my belief in my own true value as a beautiful woman of God, if I have cemented it as a deep-seated truth in my heart.

There are many examples in the world of when it is a destructive habit to act in the opposite spirit, not the least is the above story of holding an honourable principle as a personal belief when in fact it is only a lofty ideal to be boasted in at youth group. But there are also occurences, although not so commonly displayed (unfortunately), of when it is not only beneficial to ourselves but also inspiring to those around us to act contrary to the low standards of the world's expectations.

I remember reading about a high school senior in America who had become the most popular and respected person in her school, not because she wore the most fashionable outfits or dated the cutest boy in the football team, but because she became known as someone who was a friend to everyone, regardless of their clique, group or social standing. And not just a hi-in-the-hallway kind of friend, but a help-you-study, lend-you-a-top, shout-you-for-the-movies kind of friend. With such a positive example to her peers of the power of acting in the opposite spirit, I'm sure that she encouraged others around her to change their mindset of "normal" friendships. Possibly for the first time ever, the students in that school were shown an alternative to their regular I'm-not-talking-to-you-this-week, you're-either-friends-with-me-or-her, did-you-hear-what-he-said-about-you way of relating to each other. She wasn't just another high talking but low acting teenager; rather, she built a reputation for herself of a different opposite - the opposite of deciding not to act the same as everyone else, and lifting her own personal standards above the expectations of the acceptable.

We can stand up in this - dare I say it - revolutionary way, by taking stock of our own lives and choosing our beliefs on purpose, not just accepting convictions by default because it's what everyone else says they believe. When we take the time to look inwardly and recognise what we hold as valuable and important to us as individuals, we can then start to choose to act as we see fit, as we believe young, strong, independent, godly people should act.

While it may be the common practice of the day to believe in something yet act out of an opposing belief, let's not lower ourselves to the popular standard by following the same. Let's choose the positive opposite - of actually acting in a way that aligns with our beliefs; of standing up for righteousness, even when it isn't easy or comfortable; of being known as young men and women who do what they say; of choosing to respond rather than react when provoked to anger; of going against the grain when necessary and acting in the opposite spirit.

Because when all is said and done, I want my repuatation to be one of wisdom, truth and integrity, even if that is opposed to the popular view of the day - how about you?

Love Brooke

Monday, August 8, 2011

Never too old (or too young)

Lately, I've been feeling fearful of growing old.

Now, when I say old, I mean 30!! How cliche is that - a woman hyperventilating about reaching the big 3-0 - a bit sad actually. For crying out loud, I'm only 26, not exactly over the hill...

But it's made me to stop and think about where this fear is coming from, because we know that fear isn't from God (2 Tim 1:7) and isn't what He wants for any of His children.
I'm sure some of it is rooted in the stupid expectation of our society that we are supposed to have our life 'plan' in motion by that age, an unwritten warning that if you don't have it all figured out by then, you'd better hurry up and get a wiggle on. That kind of unrealistic pressure is enough to send any normally-level-headed-and-logical-person into a tailspin.
But as I was reading today from one of the books in my never-ending 'Must Read ASAP' pile, I felt the Lord gently revealing to me my secret (but ultimately untrue) beliefs that were causing the fear and heartache...

The book I was reading was "Do Hard Things" by Alex & Brett Harris (add it to your 'Must Read ASAP' list as well), and through its pages I had the revelation that I was feeling in a flutter about reaching 30 because I felt like I had wasted my youth - 'cos 30 is the end of youthfulness, don't you know!!
I know it sounds crazy, but somewhere deep down, I had bought into the lie that says you can no longer have adventures, change the world or die your hair after a certain age. The giant egg timer of change was almost done and there was so much that I had planned to do by now and not. Don't get me wrong, I have done some things worth mentioning - became a qualified dance teacher, got married, learnt to cook, organised youth camps, started my own business, pastored a youth group, bought our first house, supported charities, read many books, traveled to a few places... But it's just that I know I am capable of so much more, could have achieved so much more. And not just for achievement's sake. I have such a desire to make a change in the world, contribute something of significance, and because I feel I haven't done that yet, I have been getting down on myself and fueling the fear of 'it's too late'.

When people quote the Christian young person's mantra, saying "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe" (I Tim 4:12), don't hear what Paul isn't saying. When he talks about young people, he isn't talking about teenagers or 20-something's - the idea of teenagers didn't even exist in biblical times. He's talking about people who are in the figuring-out stages of their lives, those who don't always act in maturity and always seem to have excess levels of energy and goofyness. And isn't that most of us?!

Here's what Paul is saying: It doesn't matter what your biological age is or what other people expect of you, it's your responsibility to get off your backside and show the world what someone with the power and love of the Holy Spirit inside of them can accomplish. Don't let a number, or an excuse, stop you from exceeding all previous records for awesomeness - you were made for BIG stuff! (Well, I'm paraphrasing here)

As long as when we get up each morning we stop and ask God "how can I give You glory today Lord?", and then try to follow His instructions to the best of our abilities, no day can ever really be counted as a waste. But He does call us all to excellence, so no matter if you feel like I did that some of the days behind you have been squandered, God is always going to be holding out a big, fat adventure to you, saying "don't look back, start today". So I am salvaging my dreams of publishing a book, going to England, being a size 10 again, speaking at youth conferences around the world, having children, being in a band and seeing my grandmother come to Christ - this year I've started a new blog, started saving money, started preaching training, started painting the nursery, started learning the drums, started fasting for my grandmother's salvation, started excercising each day.. well, maybe every second day!

It's never too late, or too early, to become the person you've been hearing God whisper that you can be. When you are in Christ, hope is more than a good idea, it's a guaranteed promise. Forget the past - what crazy story of love, freedom and purpose are you going to start today?

Love Brooke