"The object of a new year..." - G.K. Chesterton

"The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year.
It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes.
Unless a particular man made new year resolutions, he would make no resolutions.
Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.
Unless a man starts on the strange assumption that he has never existed before, it is quite certain that he will never exist afterwards.
Unless a man be born again, he shall by no means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven."

- G.K. Chesterton

Happy Merry Christmas!

20ten

I have been trying to get some intel about next year... 2010 or 20ten.

Stuff like... "what will I be doing?".. "where will I be living?" etc etc. There is a bit of change in my world at the moment.

The best I can do at the moment is a logo design.

Maybe it's my way of getting some traction at least around the concept of a next year.

I know this... God will still be there... and He will be faithful... again.

So here goes... I know this about my 20ten....


1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move in my life.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-annoited preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessing upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love me.
10. Jesus will still save the lost souls.

That's not a bad start!

The Bush Behind Our Home

Went for a walk in the nature reserve behind my home yesterday afternoon.

I took the camera with me and went in search of the elusive "storm bird."

The dog and I tracked him down to this tree. The bird is in this photo... if you have a keen enough eye. A bit like "where's Wally?"

I took some time to observe the detail of what I was standing near.

Lilley always likes to come for a walk with the boss!

Simple Pleasures

Life is full of simple pleasures... the little things that make up a great life.


A great cup of tea is one them.


What "simple pleasure" are you thankful for?

Los Angeles - Photographs by Tim Street-Porter

I enjoy collecting picture books of some of the world's great cities that I have visited.

The family bought me this one for my birthday during a recent trip to Los Angeles.

And I love it!

The photographers are by Tim Street-Porter and they are superb. They also show the detail behind many of the things I have seen during my visits to LA in 2004, 2005 and 2009.

Diane Keaton writes the intro and has some very clever perspectives. Here are a few:

"I think of Los Angeles, the appropriation capital of the world, the Wild West of the imagination, the dumping ground for every revamped hybrid ever assembled..."

"Living in a fantasy of a fantasy based on a dream of a past that never was is forgivable."

And here is what the publishers say... a nice cut n paste to save you doing the research.

This elegant volume is a brilliant presentation of all that is L.A.

It takes us from Venice Beach to Rodeo Drive, from high culture to pop, and over freeways and flashing past billboards.

Los Angeles captures the essence of the constantly evolving city: from palm-lined avenues to hip hotels and art deco theaters, Frank Gehry's Disney Concert Hall to the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels.

Not just for L.A. residents and connoisseurs, this book is for anyone interested in architecture, design and, of course, the iconography unique to Southern California. The book's format allows us to revel in the marvelous landscape. From mountain peaks to desert oases, beautiful beaches to redwood forests, Los Angeles literally envelops us in the city's grandeur in stunning spreads and impressive gatefolds, each more than five feet wide.

Acclaimed architecture and design photographer Tim Street-Porter showcases the fascinating cityscape-by day and by night. A long time resident with exceptional access, Street-Porter takes us from the most coveted homes of Hollywood and Beverly Hills to the best examples of contemporary architecture for which the city is famous, featuring the full spectrum of residences from seminal modernist houses to baroque mansions and California Mediterranean homes in their lush settings.

Hot Rod Car Randoms

I snapped these photos on the weekend on my iPhone.


There was a group of hot rod cars displayed at The Gift Christmas Spectacular at the Mt Gravatt Showgrounds.


There were some really nice cars.


And if you take the time to slow down... and admire... and really look.... this is what you can see.

Musical Stairs and "Fun Theory"

I really enjoyed this media clip - it really is true... this thing called "fun theory."

Click the link below to view the media clip.

What do you think?

"Get a Clue" - Notes from Metro Leadership College Message

I was asked to speak the students of Metro Leadership College this week during their scheduled chapel.

They really know how to worship God!

Here are some of the notes from the end - I was punching it through pretty quick.

But to start off... here is my opening text... with my BIG idea - in ministry there are some things that you need to "get a clue" about.

Here is Jacob "getting a clue"....

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it."
17 He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."
Genesis 28:16-17 (NIV)

One the things we need to get a clue about is the value of our primary relationships. Here is a cut n paste from some great resource from Perry Noble that I referred to.

My recommendation…ask your wife questions like…
§ What time would you like me home every night?
§ How many nights a week would you like for us to have dinner as a family?
§ How can I serve you and the kids once I get home?
§ What can I do for you when the kids go to bed to make you feel special?

Five Questions Husbands Should Ask Their Wives

#1 – What is the most romantic thing that I’ve ever done for you?
#2 – What is something fun we can do together?
#3 – What is one thing I can do for you this week that will relieve stress from your life?
#4 – How can I pray for you?
#5 – If you could change one thing about our marriage–what would it be?

Men…Ephesians 5:25 says we are to love our wives as Christ loves the church…
He never stops loving the church…
He never stops pursuing the church…
He always comes home for the church…
He never cheats on the church…
He provides for the church….
He never stops thinking about the church…
He takes the church seriously…

I am NOT the perfect husband…but more and more I am realizing that my marriage should NOT be about what I can get…but what I can give and how I can serve.
As men of God we should go ALL OUT to show the world how awesome Jesus is THROUGH loving our bride like He loves His!!!

Four Questions Wives Should Ask Their Husbands

#1 – Do You Feel Admired?
#2 – Do You Feel Respected?
#3 – Do You Feel Taken Care Of?
#4 – Is Our Sex Life Fulfilling To You?

In closing, I am thankful for my "get a clue" journey.

How about you?

"It is your job.." - Robert F. Kennedy - 1966

I came across this great quote recently from Robert F. Kennedy's eloquent and visionary speech given at Cape Town University in 1966.

It really cuts to the chase......

"Everywhere new technology and communications [bring] men and nations closer together, the concerns of one inevitably [become] the concerns of all. And our new closeness is stripping away the false masks, the illusion of differences which is the root of injustice and of hate and of war.

Only earthbound man still clings to the dark and poisoning superstition that his world is bounded by the nearest hill, his universe ends at river shore, his common humanity is enclosed in the tight circle of those who share his town or his views and the colour of his skin.

It is - it is your job, the task of young people in this world, to strip the last remnants of that ancient, cruel belief from the civilization of man..."

A New Day of Honouring - Ps Mark Edwards Style

Jillian and I and the kids were invited last Sunday to attend Ipswich Region Community Church by Ps Mark Edwards.

The purpose of the visit was so that we could be honoured for our leadership role in the region since 2006.

We had been thoroughly honoured at a Night of Honour for us at Westlife Church on Sunday 11 October.. and they also gave us a 2 week holiday in Hawaii !!!

And then this from our district Australian Christian Church leader. It was just superb... and very humbling.

Below is a photo of the lovely flowers and books given as gifts.
And there is also a photo of Ps Mark in full-flight preaching part 1 of the innovative new series, Green. What a great church!

What a great day ... and a whole new level of honouring. Thanks to all involved and may you be favoured by your investment.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honour;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Psalms 84:11 (NIV)

Sunset @ The Lakes

Jethro and I went for a bike ride late this afternoon and it included 2 laps around Spring Lake at Springfield Lakes.


There were a lot of other locals out enjoying a great part of the day. Even the ducks!

It's Been a While.....

I've decided to get back into blogging after a great break.

We were favoured with an overseas holiday to the USA as a family.

Twitter and Facebook seemed to work best when we travelled... but it's time to get the blogging rhythm back again.

I'll probably start to post some US photos and reflections... it'll be a bit random... and may even include a "best of" the photos that we posted on Facebook.

Red Dawn in the Pacific

I have always admired the red dawn.
I look for it when I travel internationally and as I power across time
zones.

This time I got to see it with my son as we winged it to Hawaii. We have been talking about it for days leading up to the trip. His eyes were wide-opened as I explained a very red early morning as we rounded the globe.

And now we have seen it ... together.

Route 66

This will be a great soundtrack for one of our roadtrips!

Thanks to the team from Cars!

Click below

R-O-C-K in the USA - John Mellencamp

Today is the day we fly out to the US! You beauty!!

Here is a great theme song for one of our legs - a road trip from las vegas to San Francisco!

Over to you, John Mellencamp!

The Wonder Years - March 2006 "It's Time" Media Clip

When we started Westlife Church we did monthly preview or "entree" services ... to give people a "taste" of what the church would look like.

This is one of the first media clips we did - a combo of inspirational and arial footage of Greater Springfield and a good dose of Shannon Noll. Some people were so moved that they believed the song was written for the launch of Westlife.

I had a teary moment watching it recently... when I thought about how many lives have been touched in 4 years!

Click below.

Creative Leadership - Steve Penny

I came across another great Steve Penny b log post recently.

The challenge of life is to grow your leadership gift.

I believe that every person created in the image of God is born with a leadership gift. To develop this gift to serve your generation is the real challenge of life.

There are three qualities that need to be developed to see our leadership influence increase.

1. Future scope
This is the ability to see into the future and focus on the dreams God has put within you.Your future is not in tomorrow but in the next level above you. You can live your future today by chosing to pay the price to go to the next level.The next level is always within our reach. To go up requires three things. You must look up – reach up & give up.Remember – to go up you have to give up.

2. Future planning
Good leaders do not wait for life to come to them, they are always planning ahead. Proactive leadership always initiates and activates rather than waiting to see what eventuates.Do today what you want to enjoy tomorrow. Good harvests come from planning to plant – not planning to reap. Plan to sow today and your harvests will come naturally into your life.

3. Future friends
You must choose your friends with the future in mind. Commit to people who want to go and grow with you in life.Influence those around you to keep reaching higher. Be the catalyst for growth in your group. Take a leadership role in dealing with attitudes and actions that limit your progress together. The mark of good leaders is the number of people they take with them to the next level.

Drawing of Me Sick - Priceless

I just love this drawing that my boy did for me when I was recently in hospital.

The kids have never seen me sick like that - so it was a bit of a shock.

This drawing just made my day!

Sin Deterrant and Faith Accelerant – Mark Batterson

I came across another great Mark Batterson blog post recently.

I know of no greater sin deterrent and faith accelerant than simply reading the Bible on a daily basis.

There is no substitute. There is no shortcut.

Of course, it takes more than reading.

The Bible wasn't just meant to be read. It was meant to be meditated. Reading without meditating is like eating without digesting. We don't absorb all the nutrients.

May God give us a ravenous appetite for His word.

Reading results in one-dimensional knowledge.
Meditating results in two-dimensional revelation.
Obedience results in three-dimensional faith.

Read it. Meditate on it. Live it out.

A Different Kind of Sunday - This Sunday

The Wonder Years - Meet our Urban Pioneers - August 2004

I came across this great newspaper article recently while filing some materials.

What a blast from the past.

And here we are 5 years later... with a foundation laid, lives changed, and community influence.

Do You Worry? - J John

I recently got this from J John. I am sure you will enjoy this!

Did you know that most people’s anxiety is focused and preoccupied with
40% of things that will never happen,
30% of things relating to the past that can’t be changed,
12% of things relating to other people’s criticism, which is generally untrue,
and 10% of things relating to health, which often gets worse with stress and negative thinking.

Only 8% of the time do they worry about real concerns that will need to be faced. So, if only about 8% of all the issues in our lives really turn out to be ‘something’ why is it that we spend so much time worrying and being highly anxious and stressed about all the rest?

I read a story about Arthur Rank, who decided to do all his worrying on one day each week. He chose Wednesdays. When anything happened that gave him anxiety and annoyed him, he would write it down, put it in his ‘worry box’ and forget about it until the following Wednesday. The interesting thing was that, on the following Wednesday when he opened his worry box, he found that most of the things that had disturbed him the past six days were no longer issues of concern. So it would have been useless to have worried about them in the first place.

Of course, there are important things going on in our lives that we do need to take seriously. However, if we spend most of our time worrying about the inconsequential, we won’t have time to focus on matters of consequence. When we are so concerned about the things that we can’t do anything about, we have a tendency to miss things which are really important and then we have no time and energy left to deal with them.

The question of worry and anxiety raises the issue of our faith and trust in God. Does God know? Does God care? Is our God sovereign? Can we trust God?

Did Jesus himself not say, in Matthew 6:25-30:
"I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"

I heard about a woman who couldn’t sleep at night because she worried that her home would be burgled. One night, her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he got there, he found a burglar. He immediately said, ‘Come upstairs and meet my wife. She’s been waiting ten years to meet you.’

A real burglar can steal from us once. Worry can steal from us night after night, for many years. Worry not only steals our sleep, it also steals our health and our ability to cope with life productively.

And what about people who constantly obsess about their weight? It’s all very well being health-conscious, but should we think about what we eat to such an extent that there’s no room in our heads to think of anything else? Elephants live longer than people, maybe because they never worry about trying to lose weight!

Maybe we should take the following verse like medication three times a day - morning, noon and night - to remind us to renew our minds:

‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:6-7).

Larger Than Life!

Jill did these photos up of me recently on a program she downloaded.

I really like them.

Authentic Leadership Development - Shamira and Eilamb

I am enjoying ploughing through a a great leadership article that Nick emailed me. He is currently in Malaysia on holidays... and catching up on his course reading!

The paper is Authentic Leadership Development by Shamira and Eilamb

Here is the abstract ...

Abstract
In this paper, we first develop the concepts of authentic leaders, authentic leadership, and authentic leader development. We suggest a definition of authentic leaders, which is based on the leader’s self-concept: his or her self-knowledge, self-concept clarity, self-concordance, and person-role merger, and on the extent to which the leader’s self-concept is expressed in his or her behavior.

Following, we offer a life-story approach to the development of authentic leaders. We argue that authentic leadership rests heavily on the self-relevant meanings the leader attaches to his or her life experiences, and these meanings are captured in the leader’s life-story. We suggest that self-knowledge, self-concept clarity, and person-role merger are derived from the life-story.

Therefore, the construction of a life-story is a major element in the development of authentic leaders. We further argue that the life-story provides followers with a major source of information on which to base their judgments about the leader’s authenticity.

We conclude by drawing some practical implications from this approach and presenting suggestions for further research.


Here are some more bits n pieces as I read on.

We suggest that the main defining characteristics of authentic leaders are:

1. Authentic leaders do not fake their leadership. They do not pretend to be leaders just because
they are in a leadership position, for instance as a result of an appointment to a management
position.

2. Relatedly, authentic leaders do not take on a leadership role or engage in leadership activities for status, honor or other personal rewards. Rather, they lead from a conviction.

3. Authentic leaders are originals, not copies.

4. Authentic leaders are leaders whose actions are based on their values and convictions.

Lead on!!

"You Will" - 1993 AT&T Adverts

I saw this great media clip recently via Los Whit and his Raggamuffin Soul blog

It is from 1993 and tries to predict the future of technology.

How much of it has come true for you?

Night of Honour - 13 More Days

The family and I are really looking forward to the Night of Honour that is planned for Sunday 11 October - 6pm

We are hearing whispering and muffled planning and being told "mind your own bees wax."

We are becoming more aware of the power of influence and connection and life change as we are slowly withdrawing and "transitioning."

It is healthy... but painful.

Hope you can make it if you are close.

Potent Prayer - God's 26 Guards

Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then just put it on a list and said, 'I'll pray for them later'?
Or has anyone ever called you and said, 'I need you to pray for me, I have this need?'

Read the following story that was sent to me and may it change the way that you may think about prayer and also the way you pray.

A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan .

'While serving at a small field hospital in Africa , Every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point.

On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine, and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.

Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord.. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident....

Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, 'Some friends and I followed you in to the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight.

We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp,wWe saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.

At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite.. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, 'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards,my friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone'

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened.

The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story: On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you.

Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?
The men who had met together to pray that day stood up.
The missionary wasn't concerned with whom they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw.
There were 26.

This story is an incredible example of how the Spirit of the Lord moves in behalf of those who love Him.
If you ever feel such prodding to pray, go along with it, you don't know what it can mean to that person.
Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell.

Eight Gifts that Don't Cost a Cent! - Phil Evans

This simple checklist can help measure how you are nurturing your relationships.

The Gift of Listening
But you must really listen. Don't interrupt, don't daydream, don't plan your response. Just listen.
The Gift of Affection
Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

The Gift of Laughter
Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you."

The Gift of Solitude
There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone.Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

The Gift of a Favour
Every day, go out of your way to do something kind. Good deeds are cool.

The Gift of a Written Note
It can be a simple "Thanks for your help" note, or a longer expression of your appreciation for that person being in your life. A brief handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime.

The Gift of a Compliment
A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super job," or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition
The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone.

These are eight important ways we can contribute toward whole and healthy relationships.
They cost nothing, yet they may well be the most valuable gifts we can ever offer another person.

Baby Dedication and Parent Commitment - "Off to a Good Start!"

Today at Westlife some people are bringing their children to be dedicated to God.

This is a great thing!

“Children are a gift from God” Psalm 127:3

Westlife Church dedicates children because we read in Luke 2:22-25 that as a baby, his parents dedicated Jesus.
In Mark 10:16 we see Jesus bestowing blessings on the children.
The Dedication ceremony is a time to publicly make that commitment to pray for the child, love the child and guide the child toward a personal relationship with Christ.

The child dedication is truly a parent commitment service.

At Westlife Church Our Goal Is To:

* Help parents recognize that children are a gift from God
* Facilitate the parent's verbal commitment to raise their child in a Christian
environment.
* Challenge parents to be examples in service and worship for their children.
* Assist parents in laying a firm foundation of learning about God and an
example of the power of salvation for their child.

Parents cannot decide their child’s salvation. Each person must make the decision to have a personal relationship with Christ.
When children are old enough to understand the concept of sin and responsibility for that sin, then they are ready to make the decision to accept Christ as their personal saviour and assure eternal salvation.

Parents must however, lay a foundation through teaching and example that will help children to make that decision at the right time. The same is true of marriage.
We cannot decide when or if our children will marry and we cannot guarantee them a happy marriage.
But through positive example, we can lay a foundation for making good decisions when the time comes.


“..., then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ……
but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15—NIV

Relationships are VITAL!! - part 2

We need to value relationships and focus on personal renewal.

This is the starting point.
Everything starts in the heart.

Only changed people can change the world.

The foundation for everything is getting to know and love God, and serving His 5 purposes for your life.

But you were never meant to live your life in a vacuum. In fact, you cannot fulfill your life’s purposes by yourself.
You need other people’s help, and they need yours.
We’re better together.

We also need to desire relational renewal.

You must not only learn to love God with all your heart (personal renewal) you must learn to love your neighbour as yourself (relational renewal).

With conflict, divorce, violence, prejudice, abuse, division, and polarisation around us daily, it’s obvious we all need some lessons in building healthy relationships.

We need a revival of relationships and love that would change the cultural climate of or world.

It can start with you.

LET'S FOCUS ON RELATIONSHIPS and make a commitment to hear Bruce Sullivan on Saturday 10 October 9am.

Testimonials - Bruce Sullivan - Red Hot Relationships

Bruce, Bruce, Bruce... it's all about Bruce!


Really, it's all about quality relationships!


Here are what some people have said about Bruce after they listened to his presentation. These things are called "testimonials"........



You can check out the lists of satisfied customers over the last decade.... here goes!


http://www.brucesullivan.com.au/testimonials/testimonials2009.html

http://www.brucesullivan.com.au/testimonials/testimonials2008.html


Bruce is visiting Greater Springfield on Saturday AM 10 October for 2 sessions.

Tickets are $15 each for the 2 sessions.

Call 07 3381 9988 or email redhot@westlife.org.au.


Remember, great relationships just don't happen automatically!


You need to get intentional - so book a ticket today!

Relationships are VITAL!! - part 1

I wrote this post back in May 2009 about "The Relationship Principles of Jesus."

Here are some sections from that blog and some wise words from Rick Warren......

God tells us that our dominant life value is to love. Because God is love, and because he created you to love you, he wants you to learn to love too. Learning to love is the #1 lesson God intends for you to learn here on earth. Life is the school of love. Jesus once said that the entire Bible can be summed up in two commands: Love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself.

Learning to love God and others is to be our highest goal, our greatest aim, our first priority, our deepest aspiration, our strongest ambition, our constant focus, our passionate intention, and the dominant life value of our lives. The more we learn to how to love authentically, the more like Jesus we become.

Selfishness must be replaced by unselfishness. Conceit must be replaced by compassion. Ego must be replaced with altruism. The focus on “me” must give way to “we.” It’s all about loving God and others.

But how?

In our fallen world where every heart and relationship is marred, broken, and damaged by sin, how can we apply the healing power of authentic love?

Learning to love unselfishly is not an easy task. It runs counter to our self-centred nature. Only Jesus can teach us the kind of love that heal, restores, and deepens relationships. And only Jesus can give us the power to love that way.

The Many Faces of Bruce Sullivan - Red Hot Relationships

Bruce Sullivan is a great guy. I have a friend who knows him too. He says great things about Bruce.

In addition, Bruce is one of the world’s leading authorities on relationships and personal motivation.


Here are some of the many faces of Bruce Sullivan.

Bruce is visiting Greater Springfield on Saturday AM 10 October for 2 sessions.

Tickets are $15 each for the 2 sessions.
Call 07 3381 9988 or email redhot@westlife.org.au.

Remember, great relationships just don't happen automatically!

You need to get intentional - so book a ticket today!


Check out more about Bruce at his website - http://www.brucesullivan.com.au/ - you'll be impressed!

My Region Greater Springfield Has a Soul!

It has been an interesting few days in my community. Our local state MP made some interesting comments in state parliament about the progress of community infrastructure.

Here is a sample of what hit the media:

Satellite city in a soulless orbit: MP
Natasha Bita September 18, 2009

SPRINGFIELD Lakes is an award-winning prototype for a 21st-century city -- but does it have soul?
A half-hour's drive west of Brisbane, the city-under-construction offers its 18,000 residents every convenience. The shopping centre will be the biggest in the southern hemisphere; it has a university campus, golf course and man-made lake; and bulldozers are clearing bushland to build a medical precinct to be known as Health City.

But local member Jo-Ann Miller reckons the satellite city in suburbia has "no soul". The Labor Bundamba MP's tirade on developer "greed" has triggered a debate on the future of low-density development in the 'burbs......

I knew something was "on the go" Thursday morning... an ABC twitter entry used the 2 words "Springfield" and "soulless" - and then I turned on my mobile phone and there were 3 messages - one from Ipswich City Mayor Paul Pisasale, one from Channel 7 TV reporter Neil Warren and another from ABC TV reporter, Josh Beavis.

Here are some TV media clips (below) about the story.

This one is from ABC TV - I get to appear in this one with a snappy quote about "new options" as pastor of Westlife Church.

Here is another from Channel 7

It was great to see and hear how vocal my community is about it's value - powerful stuff!

I'll write some more soon about my thoughts on community infrastructure and social capital development. All this means that my community is continuing to grow and mature.

(if you are viewing this post in my Facebook "notes" section click the link below somewhere called "view original post" - it will redirect you to my blog page with the media links)

Special thanks again to Peter Williams for his great HDD work!

Here is what was on the front page of the Queensland Times on Thursday.

Transitions - Expect the Best

I had a great chance to launch the new Transitions series on Sunday AM.

I have really enjoyed the privilige of preaching to a great group of people on a regular basis.

Here are some notes and quotes from part 1... and the podcast will be available soon.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

The gap between seasons and events is called "transition."

Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares

Proverbs 1:20 (NIV)

Wisdom and common sense and life principles to help with transitions are everywhere – if you are looking for them.

Sociologists say that now, there is more change today than there used to be. Not only are we in an everchanging world of situations, relationships, and identities - these situations, relationships, and identities are themselves in transition, - many of us are caught in a semi permanent condition of transition and change.

Throughout nature, the normal growth process involves periodic accelerations and transformations: things go slowly for a time and nothing seems to happen –until suddenly the eggshell cracks, the branch blossoms, the tadpole’s tail shrinks away, the leaf falls, the bird moults, the hibernation begins. With us it is the same. Although the signs are less clear than in the world of feather and leaf, the functions of transition times are the same. They are key times in the natural process of self-renewal.

Transition and change can be your friend – if handled wisely.

Expect the best from your transitions and changes – a transition is an opportunity to end something and also start something new.

One of the benefits of reviewing your experience of endings is to see how often they have cleared the ground for unexpected beginnings.

Transitions clear the ground for new growth. They drop the curtain so that the stage can be set for a new scene. What is it, at this point in your life, that is waiting quietly backstage? - Bridges

You will always be torn between a developmental thrust that brings about life transitions
And the impulse toward repetition that aborts the change your life needs.

How do I understand – and how do I expect the best?

1. Get a “God-word” for the journey - Get a fresh God word

2. Keep talking to God and drawing on His strength

3. Chart your location on the transition journey

4. Reflect on what you are learning

5. Get a moving buddy – someone to listen

6. Move with the transition rhythm

7. Seek to “get a clue” – open your eyes and expand your awareness

8. Keep on going – if you are on a train in a dark tunnel don’t get off in the dark tunnel, wait till the train stops at the next station – gut it out!

9. Determine to transition well – people remember how you finish

10. Celebrate and honour at the right time

11. Get a song for your season

Do your best, prepare for the worst— then trust God to bring victory.

Proverbs 21:31 (MSG)

There are 4 common aspects of the natural ending experience – disengagement, disidentification, disenchantment, disorientation. These involve 4 important life ingredients - connection, identity, reality and direction. Jesus meets all 4 needs – He knows how all this works

Be willing to transition into your new season
Make up your mind to enter your new season
Let go of the old to embrace the new
Expect the best from your transitions!

Bridge from Desert Song -

All of my life, in every season
You are still God, I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

We’re like shellfish that often continue to open and close their shells on the tide-schedule of their old home waters, even when they have been transplanted to the laboratory tank or the restaurant kitchen. - Bridges

Leadership Vision Night - Something New!

Transition brings change ... and the leadership gathering format changes too.

Westlife is trying something new about the way we gather as “build-our-housers.” We have reworked the scheduled Saturday AM 26 September Build our House gathering into a new opportunity called….


Check out the date (above) and mark your diaries!

Red Hot Relationships - Bruce Sullivan - Saturday AM 10 October

Good intentions are not enough!!

That's why I am really looking forward to this relationships and personal development opportunity.

Bruce is a world class speaker.

So Jill and I have booked our tickets and we will be there. We are getting intentional.

Because great relationships don't just happen by accident!

Here is what Bruce says....

"My goal is to provide you with a genuine understanding of how you can practically apply what I teach, quickly and easily to your own relationships."

"Introducing Jesus Christ" - Steve Harvey

The challenge for this comedian was "How Would You Introduce Christ to a Room Full of People?"

Click on the media clip below to see Steve Harvey at work!

Umbilical Hernia Repair

There is a lot of change in my life in this season. "Transitions" is the key word.

I went and saw a surgeon this AM - and a recently diagnosed umbilical hernia needs to be repaired ASAP.

So tomorrow morning it is.

This verse came to me when I was praying this AM

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Psalms 51:6 (NIV)

God is interested in my inner parts.... my guts. And He desires wholeness and integrity.

So the healing process starts tomorrow under the care of a skilful surgeon.

I was "encouraged" greatly by Jill when she sent me this Youtube clip (below) of an umbilical hernia repair.

Enjoy it... if you are game!

Transitions and Grief - Blockages in the Grieving Process.

I recently wrote a blog post called Good Grief.

I also came across these notes - blockages in the grieving process. These are from Malcolm too.

It is possible to have a blockage in the recovery process due to any of the following reasons:

1. Resentment and bitterness.
2. Anger against God.
3. Refusal to come to terms with the loss.
4. Refusal to hand your grief over to God.
5. A refusal to accept and readjust to new circumstances.
6. Failure to give yourself permission to grieve.

“He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds
(curing their pains and their sorrows)
(Psalm 147:3 Amp.)

“Surely our grief’ He Himself bore and our sorrows He carried”
(Isaiah 53:4 NASB)

Transitions - A Book by William Bridges

I came across this book recently by William Bridges. I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

It has been helpful as I have been preparing for the new Transitions teaching series.

Here are some bits n pieces about what Amazon says about the book.

This book deals with the transitions in an individual’s life—marriages and divorces, family births and deaths, relocations and career changes, retirement and all the other personal changes that disrupt our lives today. This book—which first identified the three-phase transition process—has now sold more than half-a-million copies. It explains how one can make transition less disruptive and how an individual can launch a new life after it is finished.



Product Description

Whether it is chosen or thrust upon you, change brings both opportunities and turmoil. Since first published 25 years ago, Transitions has helped hundreds of thousands of readers cope with these issues by providing an elegantly simple yet profoundly insightful roadmap of the transition process.

With the understanding born of both personal and professional experience, William Bridges takes readers step by step through the three stages of any transition: The Ending, The Neutral Zone, and, in time, The New Beginning.

Bridges explains how each stage can be understood and embraced, leading to meaningful and productive movement into a hopeful future. With a new introduction highlighting how the advice in the book continues to apply and is perhaps even more relevant today, and a new chapter devoted to change in the workplace, Transitions will remain the essential guide for coping with the one constant in life: change.

About the Author

Formerly a professor of English, William Bridges made a shift to the field of transitional management in the mid-1970s; out of his workshops has grown a long career of consulting, lecturing, and helping others through transitions. He lives with his wife in Mill Valley, California.

I'll start posting some great quotes from the book from time to time. So keep a look out for future posts.

Good Grief

In 2006 we did a teaching series at Westlife called Desperate Households. In that series we talked about things that families need to deal with - parenting, communication, money, family values, time management... and grief.


We had counsellor, Malcolm Lindridge come in and speak with us. He did a great job.


Here are some the points I remember him making. They are useful too for our current Transitions series.


We spend a good portion of our lives working diligently to acquire those things that make us happy and give us a meaningful purpose in life. What happens to us when we lose any of these things which are important to us? Quite naturally we grieve over the loss of anything that is important to us. Sometimes if the loss is great, it can shake the very foundations of our lives and toss us head-long into despair. Does a person’s faith have anything to do with the way they grieve over the loss? Sometimes people think that a person with a strong faith does not really need to grieve.


Remember the following three important points about grief:
1. Grief is a God-given process.
2. Grief is personal.
3. Grief and faith work together.


There is nothing heroic or noble about grief: It is a painful process. It is hard work. It is a lingering process. It has been labeled as everything from intense mental anguish, to acute sorrow, to deep remorse. There is a multitude of emotions involved in the grief process. Grief is a complex mental and emotional process.


1. Grief is not an event, it is a journey.
2. Grief is a personal journey and individually experienced.
3. Men grieve differently to women.
4. Grief has many faces: anticipatory, delayed, chronic, masked, exaggerated and
shadow grief.
5. Grief has a purpose.
6. Christian faith never denies the reality of grief.


Grief can journey down three different roads:
1. A normal grief curve: loss, shock, numbness, denial, emotional outbursts, anger, bargaining, fear, panic, guilt, depression, isolation, acceptance, new strengths, new relationships, helping others, adjustment, future hope.
2. A difficult and long-term (2-4 years) process of healing and restoration.
3. Acute emotional pain (pathological) is experienced when it is denied delayed or distorted.

“Simply put, grief is the pain of loss. It is the emotional/spiritual/physical response to the loss of a person, significant object or situation in life.”


“He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds
(curing their pains and their sorrows) (Psalm 147:3 Amp.)

“Surely our grief’ He Himself bore and our sorrows He carried” (Isaiah 53:4 NASB)


Great work, Malcolm!

Transitions Sometimes Involve Grief

Transitions sometimes involve grief. Change can mean that you are "losing something."

Here is a diagram developed by Phil Kitchens called "The Valley of Grief." I have seen a similar diagram called The Grief Trough.

This can be helpful to see at what stage you are in the grief process.

I was talking to someone recently who is moving towards divorce. They are almost at the "acceptance" stage. It is still very sad... and I remember when there were back at the "emotional outburst" stage.

Watch out for another blog post I am doing soon titled, Good Grief.

PS -
Some of you found this helpful when I put in on my blog in Jan 09 when we grieved the passing of our good friend, Merv Locke.

Transitions - The Curve

Everything on earth has its own time and its own season...
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (CEV)

Tomorrow AM we start a new teaching series about understanding life's changes.

It's called Transitions.

Here is a great diagram which helps you plot where you are on the transition journey - and how you might be feeling.




Isn't it great to know that denial, anxiety and shock can at some time be hope, energy and enthusiasm.

Night of Honour - Sunday PM - 11 October 09

We have just found out what Westlife is starting plan for our farewell.

Here are some images of the artwork below. Nice one!

The Wingman, The Man-Crush, The Bromance and Friendship – The Power of Men Connecting in Healthy Ways

I have been really enjoying 1 and 2 Samuel reading recently. I have been invigorated by themes of people, leadership, connecting with God etc.

I have found that about once a week I get a “convergence moment” – when the daily readings sync and a powerful theme emerges – and an “ah ha moment” is enjoyed. I had one recently when I read about David and Jonathan .... and when David sang a song of lament when his good friend Jonathan died:

I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.
2 Samuel 1:26 (NIV)

Here is one man saying to another man... ”Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.“ My investigations led me to this study bible note....

David is not suggesting that marital love is inferior to that of friendship, nor do his remarks have any sexual implications. He is simply calling attention to Jonathan’s nearly inexplicable self-denying commitment to David, whom he had long recognised as the Lord’s choice to succeed his father rather than himself.

A key to David’s emergence and leadership strength was that he was surrounded by dedicated, skilled and strong men. Men are made strong by other strong men. There is a power in men connecting with and supporting other men in healthy ways.

This makes me think of several words.

The first word is “wingman.” A wingman is a pilot who supports another in a potentially dangerous flying environment. The idea behind the wingman is to add the element of mutual support to aerial combat. A wingman makes the flight both offensively and defensively more capable by increasing fire power, situational awareness, attacking an enemy threatening a comrade and most importantly the ability to employ more dynamic tactics.

This thought of man-connection and support has since the 1990’s been encapsulated in new words like “bromance” and “man-crush.”

A "bromance" is a close but non-sexual relationship between two men. "Bromance" is a combination of the words "brother" and "romance".

A "man-crush" is similar – it is when a straight man has a "crush" on another man, not sexual but kind of idolizing him. Urban Dictionary describes a man-crush as follows:

- a man having extreme admiration for another man, as though he wants to be him.
- a man who has a very close platonic friendship and/or admiration for another man.

Aristole described a concept similar to the bromance as early as 300 BCE, writing, "It is those who desire the good of their friends for the friends' sake that are most truly friends, because each loves the other for what he is, and not for any incidental quality".

So I like the spirit of words like “man-crush” – “bromance” – “wingman” – and “friendship.” They start to capture the power of men in healthy, biblical relationship. And David and Jonathan help us see that power.

I like the words of Solomon.....

He who walks with wise men will be wise....
Proverbs 13:20 (NKJV)

Let’s get to it men!

"Transitions" Teaching Series - Starts this Sunday

God never changes – but seasons do. Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn; all of them are necessary for the earth’s ecological system. My favourite time of year is Spring. However if it were Spring all the time there would be some serious issues that would affect the planet.

Likewise, in your walk with God, you will go through various seasons and transitions as well .

"Be ready in season and out of season." 2 Tim 4:2 NKJV

We live our lives in seasons, and seasons have beginnings and endings. So, diversity is the key to longevity. If you don't understand this, you can lose your sense of purpose, because when one season is over you've nothing left to carry with you into the next.

That's why successful farmers keep rotating their crops. They plant corn in one field, then when it goes out of season they plough that field and let it rest. At the same time they're busy elsewhere harvesting alfalfa to make hay, after which that field goes through the same process. In spring they change the order of things so the field where corn once grew now produces alfalfa, and so forth.

When Paul told Timothy, "Be ready in season and out of season," he was encouraging him to broaden his spiritual horizons. In Timothy's case he needed to understand there's a time to correct people, and a time to comfort them (See 2 Tim 4:2 NKJV). Timing is so important. The Psalmist compared the blessed man to "a tree...which yields...fruit in season" (Ps 1:3 NIV). To succeed, you must recognise what season you are in!

And you must also understand that God is more concerned with the depth of your roots than the height of your branches; more interested in quality than quantity. With God 'the quality goes in before the name goes on'.

That's why He takes your struggles and uses them to cultivate the kind of soil (and soul) necessary to produce good fruit. And one more thing: from time to time He will permit storms to blow away those people and things that hinder what He's working to produce in you.

- be willing to transition into your new season...
- make up your mind to enter your new season ...
- let go of the old to embrace the new...
- expect the best from your transitions!

Saturday Night LIVE - The Photos

We had a blast at Saturday Night LIVE! There were a lot of guests on the night... and a lot of laughter.

Here are some of the photos that Peta M took and put up on Facebook. Great work Peta!