2009- A Year in Review

Most of the photos you see in this post speak for themselves. Enjoy my life, my family and my friends.

Sitting back and reflecting is sometimes what I do best. The Christmas holidays 2009/2010 were fantastic. We sat, chatted, reflected, discerned, advised, listened and considered a range of different people's lives and events over the last 12 months. I cannot get over how blessed I am to have so many people to visit and take the time to get in contact with me to catch up for a chat; whether it is people around my age and life situation, or with ex-students of mine. (Some are 20 years younger than me now, yet some I count as true friends and companions on the journey. It weirds some people out I think, but I thank God for a wonderful wife and family who are just as much a part of this ministry as I am. They keep you accountable) It is not tiring, it is refreshing and encouraging. This is extremely good for the soul and the mind, but important for my faith and the work I continue to do in Alice Springs and beyond.

My ministry has become my life. Yes, the first and most important ministry is my family. They are my life. Every decision I make and every person or situation we encounter as a family is part of my idea of doing church and being the church. We have run a parenting course in 2009 and the biggest revelation to me during this time was the witness of our family to the world. No, we are not becoming the family or parent "police", but the boys are now at an age where I can challenge myself and them to be a witness to the world. Yes, we still go to institutionalised "church" and have not given up on this, but the church is more than this. It is "more than a "Sunday Event"" (Tim Lovell). I want to spend each day at "church" and my family to see this in action.

My time at Yirara has taken on a new challenge. The first year seems like such a blur now and I think that is what it was- a blur. It was a baptism of fire. Things at home were hard and challenging, I was called every name under the sun (by the students that is) and I was playing footy which is just as much for my ego than anything else I think sometimes.

The second year sounds pretty much the same on the surface, but changes at work, home, sport and our social life have made an incredible difference. But I think my relationship with God has changed. It is hard to put into words, but my relationship with God is more like a partnership, with God obviously as the majority shareholder. When I changed my focus from working for Him, but to following Him, transformation occurred. I am trying to follow Jesus and I end up being like one of the disciples. Doing things, debating and discussing with him, doubting him, demanding things from him, being put in my place by him and just sitting and being just blown away by him. Not a pleasant place to be sometimes, but an incredible sense of purpose has overtaken our lives out here.

My family just cannot move back to Brisbane and slip back into what we once had. Where do I go? What do I do? I am enjoying the chance to one day have these questions answered.

What changed at Yirara in 2009. Not much, but I changed. The relationships with the staff have improved. The relationships with kids have definitely improved. I can confidently say that I think the students are seeing Jesus has made a difference in my life and they want what I have. This is a hard thing to achieve, but I now don't see a lot of situations as a "must do NOW" type of scenario. Have I got many success stories? Am I making a difference? (questions I am often asked). I get to run school Chapels, I get to play, coach and swim with the Yirara fellas, and now many are beginning to open up to me about their lives- the good and the bad and the ugly. I am in a very privileged time of growth for these fellas. Please pray they continue to return and respond to the culture Yirara and some very fine leaders and Christian men are trying to incorporate into their lives. The answer is and always be Jesus. Many times I, the church, have not done this very well. The aborigines I have contact with are some of the most wonderful people with an incredible amount of potential. Their lives have been confused with church, government, Western society, and their own culture colliding constantly. The answer is Jesus. As our culture reconciles with Jesus, then we can truly be reconciled with them. As they reconcile their culture with Jesus, then their culture will reconcile with us. We all need to be on God's side. Not try and get them to be on our side.

I am now taking a long term vision and approach to my life. Torres Strait, Alice Springs (and beyond) will be my life for a very long time...Brisbane is there somewhere and so is the Sunshine Coast (I cannot continue to deprive my family on seeing my wonderful sons/nephews/cousins...as my Dad calls them "The New Stolen Generation").

This reflection is shorter than a thought it would be. It might mean my holiday was much better than I thought. I love listening to people. I know I also love talking to people as well(with advice thrown in for free whether some people like it or not). This is my life...this is my ministry...it is the ministry of my family