One year ago we got in a pool with a group of people watching us, and got dunked... getting dunked by my brother would usually frighten me, but this time it was amazing (despite being slapped in the face and almost strangled - see video haha).

The weekend before we moved to Melbourne, we had lunch with a few close friends and family and were baptised, prayed for, and sent out by them. It was a special time.

What is baptism? I recently read this in, Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist:

The word sea-change is from Shakespeare, from The Tempest: a man is thrown into the sea, and under the water he is transformed from what he was into something entirely new, something "rich and strange."
The beautiful and obvious connection, of course: baptism. We are tipped backward into the water, and raised into new life. We leave behind the old – the sin, the regret, the failings, and we rise out of the water cleansed, made new. A sea-change if there ever was one. 

Check out this video of the afternoon:
I'm getting all reflective, thinking about being in Melbourne for a year and what God has done in and through us. Our baptisms were just the start...

We wore t-shirts (thanks Hillsong) that said, I Have Decided on them, sung a song called Christ Is Enough (thanks Hillsong) where we declared what we have decided, and both wrote down lists of things that we have decided to put to death and things to bring to life.

Putting to Death

Bringing to Life

In the lead up to that day I wrote a list of things that I have decided... Here are four of them:

• to care less about impressing people and more about impressing God
• that sickness will not rule in my body
• to do whatever is best for God's glory and my good, with no consideration of time or money
• to never become so grown up that I forget whose child I am and stop being dependent upon Him

And in the past year, God has enabled these things as we have stepped out in faith and boldness. He has put us out into deep water, and there's nowhere I'd rather be...

These were fitting lyrics that we also sang that day (and at our wedding). They ring so true.

It's a new year. Yes, I realise it's February, but it's still a new year.

We often think of what we've missed, how we've let ourselves (or others) down, how our plans haven't worked out... but it's not too late.

It's still a new year.
In fact, the amazing thing is it's a new month.
And even better, it's a new day.
That's the beautiful thing about life, there's always another chance.
That's the beautiful thing about God, he's always offering you something new.

We can leave the old behind and look forward to the new.


2016 didn't pan out as I imagined.

In moving to a new state, I expected to do much adventuring and was excited to get to know where we were living. I was going to see all the things and do all the stuff, eat all the food and drive all the places. But 2016 was actually about surviving. 

Of all the stressful things that can happen in your life, many of them were happening in 2016.

I guess I'm disappointed, embarrassed, upset and feel like I've wasted time and opportunities.

But this is what I'm told:

Is that not super exciting!?
There's so much expectation, so much anticipation...

So be alert and be present – what is God going to do in you?


Each year I try to ask God for a word for my (and our) year.

This year I feel like it's E X P L O R E.

Geographically.
But so much more.

     Physically.

          Spiritually.

               Relationally.

As a mum. As a wife. As a friend. As a daughter.

I want to search for and search out as I explore.
I'm going to be alert and present.
He's doing something new.

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What does God have to say to you? What new thing does he have for you?
For this year;
     This month;
          Or just for today?