Detour

I have come to despise this sign as I travel home, I live in Avondale and the fastest way to get home is on the South/Western motorway, formerly known as the Mangere motorway.  As everyone in Auckland would know the motorways are being upgraded, extended, transformed to tend to our  fledgling transport system. This means from time to time detour signs are put up on the motorway so that work could be done.  This always happens when I'm on my way home be it from work or church. 

Despite living in Auckland all my life, I could honestly say I rarely ventured out of South Auckland unless I really needed to (uni, work, friends), so the back streets of West and Central Auckland are not familiar to me. My first Detour I thought was great, a chance for me to do a central tiki tour to enable me to come up with different routes to get home if ever I was lost. 

That was probably my only pleasant experience, after a while I just loathed the signs, I often ignored the detour routes and just went on instinct.  I would always be amazed at how I would take a turn into a street on instinct believing it will lead me to a path familiar to me to get home, 10/10 it did.  Then last Sunday I noticed yet another detour this time taking the hillsborough off ramp I hadn't taken this detour before and like other times before I didn't follow the route.  Bad idea...I soon realised I was venturing further west than intended, knowing this my thought was to identify a main street that would head back to central Auckland.  I found one and sure enough it took me home.

When I came to a red light it dawned on me that maybe God was talking to me.  I often praise and thank Him for guiding me but this time I thought you are talking to me and have been talking to me through every detour I've faced.  I cried as I remembered detours in my life be it by my own making or through events beyond my control and through it He was leading me home.  The gut instinct was not me but Him. 

I do recognise that God is leading me back home, and am currently at a point in life where I know I've gone off the familiar path to unknown territory and desperately seeking God to take me to the path that leads home.  I will say the road where He leads is often a pleasant one, filled with peace and direction. 

Gotta Love Soccer Pt 2 - God loves people more than anything.

I had attended the launch of the programme that won sponsorship.  I am 30mins early and sit in my car, a verse from proverbs comes to mind as a matter of fact it had been with me all day.  I pray in my car and ask God what does this mean do you want me to speak on this, I havent been asked to speak at this event Lord.  The word comes to mind and I know God wants me to speak on this, so I txt around to the church family for the exact reference and tell them I've been asked to speak at this event and praise God I receive the reference. In the dark I read the reference and pray, when I finish its 6:30pm and the launch is due to start.

It was a great event I loved it but thought um God do you want me to ask the organisers to speak???.  There was no peace in that I just sat with the other VIPs apparently I was one but had no idea.  The actual speakers got to speak and I thought I probably wasn't hearing from God.  The formalities had ended and I got to mix and mingle with the people and took photos it was a great night.  I did get to speak to the leaders and encourage them with the gospel, but I knew in my heart I was to speak to the whole group.

I got to watch some great entertainment  and the event was coming to a close and the president of the association from the front asks if I would like to speak to the gathering OH MY GOSH! the invitation was given to me, God you are amazing. Prayed up and ready.  I share from the word.

I had applied the word God gave me to reminded the youth leaders of the day they handed in the proposal and how we laid hands on the proposal despite how awkward it was for them but they did this in faith, I reminded them of the prayer that was said.  As I share the youth leader who lead and wrote the proposal starts to cry the room of close to 150 is silent.  God reminded this group that Jesus had come through for them because of the fact that they trusted in him that day.  He let them know about the love of Christ and how it is He that will continue to lead them through good and bad if they chose that day to follow him.  The atmosphere had changed the silence was deafening thank you Jesus!  I finish by reading that scripture by this time a number of the leaders and adults are crying.  This forces the president to end the programme in a prayer and the event was over.

The presidents wife is now talking to me about what I said and shares with me about the youth and the organisation and how I could help them out.  Church services are at 3:00pm I was welcome to attend (open door).  A great time of sharing takes place...

I am about to leave a lady from across the room, says I have been sharing the gospel with this group could I please pray for her and the youth I said yes lets pray.  The prayer is finished her grand daugther is standing next to us, she was the one that first cried that silenced the room.  Her grandmother says do you understand what was said tonight she said yes.  Do you want to know Jesus...she said YES! Holding my tears we pray.  I encouraged this young lady! I am praying for her because the leadership potential in this young lady is amazing! Lord you are tooo good you are faithful to the Gospel.

I thank God for opportunity and I thank God for salvation.  You love people more than anything.

Lost and FOUND

LOST was a world wide phenomenon and the only reason I bring attention to it is due to my friends addiction to the programme. A week after its conclusion discussions still abound, I even had one friend say due to his addiction I would need a box of tissues and a couch for him??? 

I have not seen a single episode and my sister was an avid fan until life caught up with her.  You will understand later as to why I don't watch it, but lets talk about LOST and how appropriately titled it is.

The reason why the programme took off despite costing so much to produce was due to the writers ability to draw interest in the lives and surroundings of the characters.  Further to that like every other show they kept the carrot dangling each week, the carrot is what I need to explain here.  The writers whether they knew this or not played on humanity's desire to know the meaning of life and life after death.  The Characters were named after philosophers, scientist and authors. Religious ideologies and sects were explored, unexplained creatures, the supernatural, dreams, visions, crossovers, reoccurring numbers and healings all featured...now before the Christians fall to sleep lols, the later of the list is still considered to be unnatural by world standards.

LOST unobtrusively revealed to the world several view points, both scientifically and philosophically. They made an attempt to unravel world religions and belief systems, at the end of the day you were left to determine your own answer that could inevitably leave you LOST.

I watched some of my friends do high 5s as they understood concepts/themes some weeks and other weeks debate on themes that didn't fit into their own beliefs.  At first I thought what a bunch of dorks and geeks, but then thought this is an "opportunity". The Christian view on LOST is very weak, only one character is named after a Christian and although he is a Christian he is more famous for his literary works.  Only intelligent minds and Christians would have understood the character name and who CS Lewis believed in.

LOST had provided for me the view that Christianity sits along side every other religious view.  In the eyes of the world it is one of many.  But we who believe in Christ Jesus know this not to be.  Jesus is the truth, He is the life, He is the Way.

The gospel of the Way the Truth and the Life JESUS, is to be revealed through the priesthood of all believers and then the world will separate us from the many and the Way will be revealed to the masses of the LOST.

Jesus in me is the WAY.  I wish to expand on this more and will do so, I've got to go now or I'll miss prayer meeting lols...please stay tuned for the next chapter of FOUND.

Gotta Love Soccer!

A few months ago I took part in the Pacific Youth & Sports conference 2010, this conference was held in New Zealand for the first time, hosting over 1000 youth delegates from across the pacific.

The experience changed my view of soccer, the event is sponsored largely by FIFA and the aim of the conference is to develop sport in the region and through sports, support leadership and sustainable programmes in the Pacific and beyond. What people seldom know about FIFA is that aside from overseeing the biggest sporting event in the world, and having the biggest participation in its sport Soccer, FIFA sponsors a whole range of activities across the world. These activities address the specific needs of that particular region. I watched a video clip that highlighted how soccer bridged the cultural, religious and ethnic divide in Israel and its neighbouring countries. Almost cried too, typical aye.

So I spent a week with young people across the Pacific learning about their goals and aspirations for themselves and their countries truly, truly inspiring. Note soccer not rugby is the biggest sport played in the Pacific.

Being in New Zealand I spent most of my time with the Kiwi contingency, I wanted to hang out with the New Caledonians and the Tahitians because of the French! interestingly the event like the Olympics was spoken in two languages both English and French very kool, and at other events they have Spanish for the Easter Islanders.

The afternoon sessions youth met in their own working groups, each group had to develop a programme proposal that would support sport and make a positive change in their countries. On the last day each group had to present their proposal in front of the delegation, further to that the government ministers of sport from the various countries were in attendance. The best of the proposals won sponsorship from FIFA.

The day the written proposals were was due I had the priviledge to sit with the New Zealand delegation and go over their proposal. My big, big boss also sat in some of the discussions. She and I were really impressed with the proposals.

The proposals were due before dinner, the proposal that both my boss and I were fond of was not finished and in a panic the team came to me seeking support. In 20mins I looked at the proposal and gave some pointers and suggestions. When it was done I said to the the team and leader, "lets pray for the proposal, put your hand on the proposal and we will pray". I knew they would be shocked at doing this but I felt it had to be done. The adult leaders of this group had arrived did the same stopped and stood to pray, the 300 or so that were sitting around us saw us pray too. They probably all felt we needed it because our proposal was the last, from the team with the youngest members.

The leader handed in the proposal and we went to have dinner luckily there was still food left lols we were the last to eat. I thank God for the opportunity to be the last as I got to share with the leader that God need to be included in the process.

WELL...today I receive an invitation from this group to attend the launch of their programme they won sponsorship!!! I also received a personal invitation from the leader of their organisation ensuring I attend.

THANK YOU JESUS...I pray the team remembered that day despite how awkward we looked JESUS saw, heard, and responded. Thank you Jesus.

Through the eyes of a lense...

I was inspired tonight regarding what and how I could share the gospel in the everyday things I do. The one thing though that I neglected to share and obviously didn't consider were my personal hobbies. Its funny because the term hobby doesn't equate with me. I think of hobbies as something I'm committed to and sadly the hobbies I do have I don't consider them to be for that fact.


My interest in photography started over 10 years ago. I was in Sydney Australia, Kings Cross to be exact, with a friend. Being aware of the "seedy" reputation that the Cross had I was somewhat disappointed that I didn't see anything. It was 11pm and I was walking around taking in my surroundings, it was "early" for me to see anything so I thought.

I took a seat by the road side I don't know why but it stilled me enough to SEE Kings Cross. Within 15 mins I saw pimps and dealers, prostitutes and thugs. I saw a guy just steal in front of me. The sad thing also and unknown to him I saw my friend trying to cut a deal with some guy.

The image that stayed with me that night however was that of a prostitute, (I know so cliche) but her face has been engraved in my soul forever. If there ever was an image that captured for me the lost that was it. She had been crying and was still crying her makeup was smudged, she was beautiful but destroyed. Despite my attempts to talk to her she was far gone.

I didn't take a picture of her but my soul did, that image changed how I see people, I know it sounds rather "airy" but I want to see people. Photos don't lie especially random shots of people that capture emotion and feelings. That's what I want to shoot and expose, particularly if it could make a change. If shots of the lost would trigger the us to act, then I want to take those. If they be shots of victory that stir encouragement then I want to catch them. If its joy the same.

I have done "creation shots" and they serve to encourage me of how great our God is, how marvelous His works are. He himself said "that it was good". But the greatest of His works, His children in His image, he lovingly looks on with a wretched heart, grieved that we are apart from him separated and lost. That image stays with Him and causes Him to act as He does. I want to do the same through a lense.

I was totally inspired by homegroup tonight in using everything and all things that God gives and inspires us to do to share the gospel. God is amazing.