February - 2021

Running With Horses

“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5 (NKJV) In Tasmania, over the summer season, we have had significant fires, threatening homes, lives, property and causing horrible devastation to industry and natural resources. Even after over four months of fighting, while the risk to co

Palm Sunday Reflection

Today, in the protestant tradition, we celebrate Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the week leading up to the week Passover occurred somewhere approximately 33AD (forgive my approximating with the calendar, I wasn't actually there...) It was the week before the crucifixion of Jesus as remembered in the Christian calendar. It's called Easter, though where the name came from I'm not sure. There'll be a reason, and it's probably Latin. In a nutshell, Passover is th

Restoration: Relationship comes with Authority, and all Authority comes from our Relationship.

For your amusement; (I thought you’d be interested to know) Father has me back inside a congregation. Also for your amusement and delight - I’m loving every minute of it! It’s fascinating how He orders our lives. The one thing He asks us to do is to love Him and do what He says out of that place of Love. This is how I have ended up back in a congregational structure, by attending to His voice and obeying. He has opened in front of me some amazing relationships and fantastic

Michael Finnegan Begin-Again

Hi Everyone! It’s good to be back, and to be able to show y’all some of the things I have been working on! It’s been a while since I have had the capacity to brain my way through to writing. The impression of my former capacity (nearly 8 years ago, wowzers, time marches on) is still strong, but my current ability, while slowly growing stronger under the guidance of Holy Spirit, is still dependent on navigating the fine line of my ABI. I apologise for being absent for so long

Anchoring In Our Purpose

God is not known around here for doing things quickly. He said “soon” to me once… fifteen years ago! He is known for doing things thoroughly. A job isn’t done until every little part is turned over and examined for faults, cracks, flaws and anything found which doesn’t let the Son shine through, is dealt with properly, until you can’t see the welds, the mends, the fixed up spots… It all looks better than new. I often forget there was anything wrong in the first place, which i

One Puzzle Piece Doesn't Make A Picture

Have you ever attempted to explain what you are doing to people and when it comes out of your mouth it sounds small? Less than small? When you list the things you are currently “doing”, what you say kinda trails off and you know it’s not the sum total of what’s really going on, but there’s no way to explain it…? As humans we put such stock on what we do, what we achieve, accomplishments we list behind our names, things we think our friends and parents can boast about, “stuff”

Your Breakthrough Is My Breakthrough Is Our Breakthrough...

How did I get to this place of Peace anyhow? It was both simple and required work at the same time. You remember the story about the rich young ruler in the NT who comes to Jesus, asks what he must do to be saved and Jesus replies ‘give up your wealth, your lifestyle, give all your money to the poor and follow me.’ (Matthew 19:16-30 Anita paraphrase) Yeah well. I didn’t have any wealth to give up, only garbage, but after Jesus gave me a good scrub- which was the easy part- I

We're Still Ok When We're Not Ok: The Power Of Peace

Still being ok even when I’m not ok is a new experience in my life. It’s not particularly brand spanking new, it is a lesson I have been learning over several years, but it is one of the more foundational, or more life stabilising ones…if that makes sense! Being human means we have stuff to deal with. Even after we find Jesus, the junk doesn’t always miraculously go away. Sometimes it does, or a portion of it does, the simple encounter with the Risen Christ can deal with a lo

God Plus Normal Equals Something Spectacular

I’d love to tell you I have some kind of trumpet-fare existence, the source of these weekly posts comes from the journals of a well-travelled, well-seasoned person who has impressive and mind-blowing interactions with the world and the people who live on it. Totes not… I am sitting here typing in my pyjamas, (which I bought online from Target) drinking my salted, buttered coffee at a desk which needs a right good clean! I have lived in a series of rural towns, including this

Moving To Peace One Step At A Time

There are two kinds of ‘taking yourself seriously’. I got caught in the trap of the first kind for many years. I am a little bit little. At 5 foot 3 inches (on a good day) with dark curly hair and a complexion which is olive around the edges, I am the human equivalent of a Hobbit. I used to be a lot rounder than I am now too, which only added to the allusion…! I also have a left-of-centre sense of humour and rather a bizarre taste in, well, everything. While all of this mea

Walking Deliberately With God Through Transformation

One of the perceptions of Christianity which floats around out there is the “religion for old people and a crutch for the feeble minded”. I don’t come across it as much as I used to, unfortunately it’s more likely to be because people dismiss Christianity completely rather than peoples’ perception having been changed. In reality, the only place in the body of Christ where it is possible to behave as if Christianity is a crutch is if we cross the line into salvation but from t

Living On The Edge Of Change (Don't Miss The Forest For The Trees)

Have you ever spent a long time working in agreement with God for something which seems to always just be around the corner, or just over the edge, or so close you can smell it…but never quite happening? I used the word “working” for a reason. I’m talking about being actively involved in pursuing things with God. Doing our part in the things He is bringing about in our lives. Participating in the process of healing, participating in the process of social activity, pursuing th

An Unexpected Solution To A Long-Term Problem

Has anybody ever said something and you’ve gone “Oh yeah, nah-der!” because what they’ve said has turned a great big light bulb on in your head and suddenly explained everything you’ve been dealing with about an issue you didn’t realise you had? Like the lotto people have shown up on your doorstep, with a marching band, a parade, baton twirlers and a cheque for a million dollars in your name (no conditions, tax-free) but you DIDN’T BUY A TICKET. EVER. I was sitting in a praye

Sneaky Fear: Trap Or Opportunity?

Several years ago, Jesus delivered me from a bunch of fear. All the nasty, horrible kind. The stuff in the shadows and the dark, being afraid of my reputation, of people’s reactions, my past; all the hooks and rights of access the enemy had which allowed fear to maintain control over my actions and my emotions. Having gotten rid of all the overwhelming fear however, there is another kind of fear which I have to deal with, a sneaky kind, which disguises itself as prudence, lov

How To Increase Kingdom Effectiveness With No Burn-Out

What do we have to give? We know we are to serve the world, however we often try to do this- to serve our communities, even our families, from the resources we have inside ourselves, and it is never enough. We are in danger of closing off from the world Jesus wants us to serve. Of closing off from our own call, because we are not equipped and are not taught how to access the fullness of the resource that our relationship with Jesus is. There is a phrase which floats around; i

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