The Real Nicole.

God called me and I answered, and that is while I'm here now. its been a crazy journey to get here. The beginning of the story starts here... In late December of 2012 i was first time leading of CE Camp and had an awesome group of 16 year olds.  On of these girls was from a country area.  She told me of the struggle it was to be a christian teenager in the country because she was the only one her age and the youth group was just an occasional dinner or something at the ministers house with her younger sister and a few others.  I left that conversation thinking that someone who was passionate about youth should really go out to the country and support them and care about them because that's what they were passionate about rather than that was a need to address.   About a week later (Jan 2013) i was at Beach mission and talking with the Minister of Naracoorte UC who was on the team. I was talking about the plans i had that year to serve in my church with ca...

I have this friend. She is great. One of my best friends I'd say. Probably my closest friend. Why? Well I meet her at the start of this year when she started attending at my church. Funny story actually when we first met we joked around quite a bit, I thought she was great. I was talking the the youth pastor about how awesome she was - he knew her from a previous church - he was like she's great, be her friend and get her to youth lead with you. Now my youth pastor was only joking when he told me to befriend her so she will be a youth leader. But that's exactly what happened not like that though. The first night we lead a small group together was awesome, I loved having someone who just seemed to so naturally bounce off what I had to say and finish my questions. We were Bert and Ernie the youth ministry world. We road tripped to Sydney for hillsong together and it was some of the best fun I've had. She encouraged me, laughed at and with me, danced with me, support...

A while ago at church the sermon was about moving in the Spirit and listening to God's leading in our everyday lives.  The preacher went on to talk about speaking out at times when the Spirit calls us to speak out and about needing courage to do it. It got me thinking about how I respond to situations of conflict, to situations where I disagree with what is going on and in situations where there is a lot of questions but very few answers. Often in these situations I remain silence to avoid the conflict or I will walk away from the situation so I am not involved. On reflection I was left thinking; What is my silence in these situations saying? Is it speaking of acceptance?  That I don't care? That it isn't a big deal? I want to use my life, and my voice to speak joy, truth and freedom into peoples lives. I don't have all the answers but when i do know i don't want to miss my opportunity. I've been thinking about what this looks like practically.  I t...

As a youth leader, slum city was something I wanted my young people to get involved it, I thought it would be a great experience and something they could share with their non-Christian mates. I didn't expect to be so challenged for me personally and to come away with an experience that has profoundly changed and shaped my thinking. Slum City is a 24 hour simulation that occurred in Civic Park over the 40 Hour Famine weekend (17-18 th August). Participants gathered from local churches and the age range varied from year 9's to the Mayor of Tea Tree Gully Miriam Smith.  About 30 people were a part of the slum and Ross, Dan, Bradley, Josiah, Georgia and myself represented Hope Valley.  During the 24 hour period our phones were taken away from us, we were fed a basis meal of rice for dinner and a piece of bread at breakfast, and there was nothing like sports equipment, access to the playground or playing cards to keep ourselves occupied and we had to participate in a range of...

Early last year i wrote a blog about a passage that spoke about family and being a leader in the church.  I seriously questioned if i was good enough to lead or if i was disqualified from leading in the church because of the broken relationships in my life.  You can read about it here....     http://nicole7992.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/am-i-qualified.html When i wrote that blog i didn't really think i could do much with these relationships and it felt like a weight on me, i was reminded however by friends that I could used my story to help young people going through the same to find a way out. Even though i knew this i didn't feel that freedom as a leader with it all. This term i have been on Uni placement and i have been looking at the role of a school chaplain.  This placed me in a school context.  i was at Kings Baptist Grammar School which is a private school in the northern suburbs, it is such a beautiful school with such a lovely community.  Th...

I had everything sorted for 2013.  It was going to be great, a new job, awesome study opportunities, the list goes on. And March hit, and i didnt have any of it.  didnt get the job, my uni sbjects didnt quite work out the way i wanted them too and i was left feeling heaps alone.  What did i have? i felt like i had a whole lot of closed doors and i was begining to wonder if i was even walking down the right passageway.  As i reflected and talked with some wish people i began to realise that make my closed doors were much more than broken promised and crushed dreams,  maybe they were something i could learn from and something which would guide me.  I now see these closed doors as sign posts because at each opportunity that got closed, who i am and what im passionate about got refined became foundational in my life.  these sign posts are sending me on a new and exciting adventure and right now i dont completely know what it looks like or wi...

When i decided to write this i had no idea what i should title this post, I wanted to talk about taking control of my life, but ultimately i wanted God to be incontrol so it felt wrong to say that, i was going to write about 2013 being my year, but i already declared 2012 my year and having more than one year dedicated to yourself seems a bit vain.  I was going to talk about being the change in your own life, but I probably wouldnt have willingly made the changes in my life.  Things happen in life and sometimes there are awesome and other times they totally suck.  I've had a pretty amazing yet rough start to 2013. It started amazing with leading an awesome bunch of 16y/o's at CE Camp over new years - to talk faith, life and have so much fun was a great start to the year. Its such a privellage to be able to bring in the New Year worshipping God and leading youth, which im so passionate about doing.  Then from camp a had a few days at home before heading off to beach...