Author: nourishwomen

A God Story: Chris

| nourishwomen

This story began toward the end of March this year, when I reached a very low point in my life. My business ventures were moving agonisingly slowly; I had little passion and, above all, I felt completely disconnected from the world.

I saw others in my life with immense enthusiasm and flourishing relationships, so I asked the Universe to present me with the ‘next step’, so that I could begin to experience more connection and fulfilment. Even though I was feeling low at the time, I truly believed that there was something much better for me around the corner; all I had to do to get started was ASK!

One Friday night shift at the hotel where I was working, I served a family named the McDermotts. They were incredibly happy, and I was really enjoying the time going back and forth from their table. Damon, the father, eventually asked me what I wanted to do outside of my bar job, and I mentioned to him my intentions for creating a coaching and public speaking business. Without hesitation, he asked me to email him with some information so that he could put me in touch with a friend of his.

About a week later I heard back from Damon, who’d organised a meeting with his close friend, Grant. Grant also happened to be a successful coach who was doing a lot of what I wanted to do, and from what I could see, he was an ideal person to ask for help. I saw that Grant was a great speaker and coach, but I never would have expected what came of the meeting…

I met with Grant and after an hour’s conversation, I was in tears. The tears were because this man challenged me in a way that I’d never been challenged before, and spoke truth to me that I’ll never forget. Grant dug very deep and I couldn’t be more grateful for that special meeting. As we left, he invited me to Energizer Church, and I knew straight away that this invitation was one of the ‘next steps’ that I’d been asking for.

Even though the fear and limiting beliefs began to arise, I made the decision to leave my past judgements of Christianity behind and commit to opening my life to new possibilities. Within the first two weeks of going to Energizer Church, I began to notice a few shifts taking place in my life. These shifts were amplified when I started to really let go of old fears, and immerse myself in the Bible and conversation with God.

I kept focusing on asking God for the ‘next step’, and, at the end of May, the opportunity came for me to be baptised at Energizer Church. This was a special moment, because I felt that my decision was official and the old me was to be left behind for good! I continued to read the Bible, I prayed, and every week I felt myself connecting more and more with God and the people around me.

Shortly after my baptism, I attended a networking event with StartUp Tasmania, and met with a wonderful lady with whom my new coaching concept resonated. I’d been asking God for the next step in my business, and the initial conversation with Clare has since led to the growth of a partnership and interactive workshop for young athletes with StartUp Tasmania at the end of July. The fire’s beginning to burn again, and the momentum is really starting to build!

What I was missing in my life was connection, and after only fifteen weeks on the journey with Christianity, I feel the most connected I’ve been in about fifteen years, both internally and externally. If you feel that something is missing in your life, know that God will provide if you just ASK and build your faith strong enough to let the path unfold as it should. When in doubt, just ask for the ‘next step’…you never know where God will lead you.

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:6

– Chris Ogle

A Note From Dave: Sunday July 3

| nourishwomen

Hi church,

As we continue to grow a culture that demonstrates that we love and are loved, we have considered ‘agape’ love: a love without limits or boundaries. In fact this sort of love actually multiples and increases among us to the point where it overflows from us.

Paul prayed for the Philippians that their love would not only increase, but overflow!

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.”

Philippians 1:9 (NLT)

When love abounds, we see multiplication and our kingdom influence increases to the point that nations are reshaped.

“You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.”

Isaiah 9:3 (NASB)

As we move towards our Kingdom Foundation month and the launch of a new service later in the year, our prayer needs to like Paul’s: that our love will overflow and that we continue to grow in our wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Let’s prophetically declare this prayer over our lives and our church in this next season; we’ll be amazed at what God will multiply in our world.

Really looking forward to seeing you Sunday! Alix and I missed you all last week as we ministered in Burnie.

Ps. Dave

P.S. Let’s remember to gather for prayer before the service. We are especially praying a declaration that God’s love will abound, increase and overflow from us.

Kingdom Foundation Launch 2016

| nourishwomen

Hi Church,
Alix and I feel so blessed to to have the privilege of leading such a generous church. We regularly thank God for the amazing people in our world. Thank you for being part of that journey; you are making a difference and together we are influencing our world locally and globally.

I’m writing to let you know that our Kingdom Foundation Launch is coming up on the 10th of July. This will be a truly exciting vision-filled and important day in the life of our church. The Launch will commence a month during which we continue to sow and focus on our Kingdom vision. Certainly God has been speaking to me and challenging me as we look to the next 12 months and beyond.

Our theme this year is GO! This means that we GO with the good news of hope and restoration for our world, GO everywhere and announce the message of God’s good news to one and all. We GO LOCAL with a message of hope and restoration to our beautiful city, and GO GLOBAL as we plant churches with Empart in Nepal and expand the Kingdom of God in India through Vision Rescue.

As you would be very aware, as busy people, we can’t be everywhere. You may not have the opportunity to travel to India or Nepal, but we do have an amazing opportunity to express and respond to the amazing Love of Jesus that we have experienced.

In line with our theme and vision for this year we can:
Love Local and Love Global through our combined generosity as a church. I think generosity is love in action!

This year, we’re believing to see God do some incredible things in us and through us. As we Go Local and Go Global with the Love of Jesus, we build His Church and bless our community.

Locally, we have a huge vision which will impact our city. This includes the launch of a new service on Sunday evenings, which will help to reach a whole new group of people i Hobart. We are excited to see Pop Up Church continue and believe that God will expand His kingdom and our thinking through this amazing outreach. We continue to look to the future of our Church Home and as such need to allocate funds to our building fund. Equipping our creative team to create an excellent, welcoming atmosphere, where people can experience the presence of God is high on our priority list for the coming year and caring for those in our community in need is, as always, forefront in our thinking. We continue to believe in and champion the next generation and in the coming year we want to finance the Shine and Strength programs and other Schools Ministry. Once again, we have allocated funds to see Church Together happen again, as this incredible event has been, and will be even more so in future, so significant for our city.

Globally, we want to see new churches planted in Nepal, because the local church is God’s chosen vehicle to reach the lost. As well as this, we will be partnering with Vision Rescue to create a brighter future for the next generation in India, a future of freedom and hope.

Please prayerfully consider how you can partner with an exciting vision as we exercise our faith together.

God Bless

Ps Dave

Prayers Over the Fence

| nourishwomen

“Whatever you do for my people, you do for me.”
Matthew 25:40

Max Lucado wrote “I am reminded that I am to be about God’s business – our purpose is to be an extension of His nature and a proclaimer of His message.”

Fifty years ago, a young family went to church and were told that they had to either sit up the back or not come, because the young mother was in a wheelchair and was unable to stand when the order of service required it.

Eight years ago, Dennis and I moved into the house next to this beautiful old couple. Ian first met our son Chris over the fence and the next day I got to say hello. He told me how Chris was the first teenager to stop and not only say hello, but to have a very pleasant conversation with. He asked where we had been in the morning and, when I told him we had been to church, he got quite serious and told me of his experiences fifty years earlier. They had never been to church since. Ian’s wife, Dot, had serious rheumatoid arthritis and was quite debilitated, but an incredibly positive person nevertheless. She spent a lot of her time inside. From that that first meeting onwards, I had many over-the-fence conversations with Ian and he always asked if we had been to church. He was watching.

Three years ago, Dot became very ill. Ian was very concerned and I asked him if he had asked God to help Dot? He said he had’t, but that Dot prayed every night. He said he didn’t like praying aloud. I knew then that that was what God wanted from Ian: to talk to Him and have a relationship with Him, a connection with God that wasn’t just on Sundays or reading a Bible. Ian said it wasn’t worth it anyway, because they didn’t go to church; I told him church is not a building but that we were having church right there over the fence. Where 2 or 3 are gathered…

Before I finished our chat I asked him if he was going to talk to God that night? He said “You’re not going to let this go are you?” And no, I wasn’t.

Ian’s wife passed away six months later. His children wanted him to move interstate to stay with them but he didn’t know what to do. I suggested he pray about it, because God really wanted to help him. He said he probably should.
Ian was diagnosed with cancer eighteen months ago and, by the beginning of this year, things weren’t looking good and I felt an urgency to help him connect with God. So again, I asked, “Have you been talking to God?” This time, the answer was different: “yes,” he said. “When I get out of bed every morning I say, “Oh god that hurts!” This was not quite what I was thinking, but the humour was a great way to begin a conversation! He was lonely, unable to move around his house and in a lot of pain. These all caused him to be quite depressed, wanting just to fall asleep and not wake up.

I visited him every other day, on the days his carer didn’t come, and simply helped with lots of practical things: a cup of tea, a sandwich, doing the dishes. He loved it when I came and I also really enjoyed chatting with this dear old man. He always asked about the family and where Dennis was working. He told me stories that he had told me before, but I just listened as if it was the first time. I prayed for him and talked to him about how much God loved him and cared about what he was going through. I suggested he tried praying himself. He said that he might. Alan Bahr had also visited him and prayed with him.

The night before Church Together, Dennis and I visited Ian. He was extremely down. We talked about Heaven and going to see his wife. I asked him if he believed that Jesus had died on the cross for him and he said he did. I said that I wanted to see him at Heaven’s gates, waiting for me when it was my turn. “We won’t see each other in Heaven,” he said, “we go to different churches”. “Guess what we are doing tomorrow, Ian?” I asked him. We told him how the Catholics, Salvation Army, Anglicans, Pentecostals, all the different churches of Hobart, were getting together to have a church service. He was so pleased.

I offered to pray for Ian. During the prayer I asked God to give Ian peace and he spoke, allowing his agreement. “Yes please give me peace. I need it,” he prayed. I asked God that if it was His will that it would be Ian’s time to go to Heaven and to meet Jesus who died on the cross for him. “Yes God,” he allowed. He was praying with me and I knew then something had changed in Ian.

A few days later I got a call from Ian asking if I could come and help him pack his bag to go back to hospital. I knew it probably would be for the last time. As I was gathering his clothes in the bedroom he called out from the lounge, “Karen, you have really got my mind thinking on God all the time now!” I told him that was exactly what I was hoping for, because God just wanted to help him through this. When I had visited him a few times in the hospital, he told me he talked to God and that He was helping Ian and that he was so looking forward to seeing Dot again.

Ian passed away on Saturday 28th May with his two children, who made it just in time from interstate.

This experience has changed me. I feel honoured that God chose me to help Ian find his way back to his Lord and Saviour. God never gave up on Ian. He had a plan and we were privileged to be part of it. I think of my dear friend every day as I see his empty house in front of ours. My sister is a real estate agent and she rang to say a dear old man is looking at Ian’s house and it put a smile on my face to consider another neighbour that I can get to know and share with him about Jesus.

– Karen Ekkel

Polish Your Crown: Psalm 8

| nourishwomen

I recently witnessed a toddler meltdown of epic proportions, this is not really newsworthy as the toddler in question is mine and I see these scenarios quite regularly. However, this particular meltdown took place at 11pm and all parents will tell you that the later the hour, the louder the cries. We had gone up to stay with my parents, who live three and a half hours’ drive away. I’m a planner, so I decided if we left after dinner, both children would sleep in the car and we could pop them straight into bed at the other end. Great plan, right? The first part went perfectly, but my plan did not account for an overexcited grandmother. When my little boy blearily opened his eyes in Nanny’s living room, he might well have just closed them again and drifted off, EXCELT that there were TOYS everywhere awaiting his arrival. Anyway, sleepy playing ensued, followed by exhaustion, followed by a meltdown. He was tired, but he would not go to bed (some of you might know this story). It was not his bed, it was not his room and he felt disoriented.

Disorientation is an unpleasant feeling for all of us, even if we don’t beat our fists on the floor like a two year old. We feel like we are drifting, nothing feels sure or fixed and we feel that we have no control over where our feet may fall next. It makes us forget who we are.

Like my little one provided an excellent example of these feelings over he weekend, children are a symbol in Psalm 8. They represent innocence and vulnerability; weakness and dependence.
“Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.”
Psalm 8:2

The innocence if children is contrasted with the strength of foes and avengers. God wants us to know that our strength is not our victory; our surrender to His strength is. He strengthens the weakest and most vulnerable, our praises are what makes us powerful!

This psalm is written evidence of God’s care and concern for us: His children. The psalmist writes of the very existence of Heaven and Earth as a declaration of love from God to humanity. Our position of trust as the appointed rulers of this world shows us that God has adopted us and sons and daughters, placing everything under our feet.

Psalm 8 is a timely (for me anyway) reminder of how we should view ourselves. I don’t believe I am alone in my ability to get disoriented and feel overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life. Although I often feel that I am not enough for the tasks at hand, this psalm reminds me that God has made me a “ruler of the works of his hands”.

“You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e]
and crowned them[f] with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their[g] feet”
Psalm 8:5-6

We have been crowned with glory and honour. We cannot crown ourselves, we cannot change our crown, or do anything to earn it; it has been given as an expression of our intrinsic value to God. That certainly makes me feel better amidst the struggles of life and ministry. A crown is a symbol of authority and, when I feel like anyone other than me would do a better job, I remember that God has crowned me with glory, honour and the authority to carry out great works in His name. In times of discouragement or trials, we must remember to polish our crowns.

Polishing your crown means adjusting your self-image to reflect the care and consideration that God gave and continues to give to your creation. It means spending time in His presence, being transformed into His image. Praise God for who you are; you are exactly as He intended you to be, crowned with glory and honour.

– Jen Grubb

A Note From Ps. Dave: Sunday May 1st

| nourishwomen

Hi Church,

We’ve been really encourage by the level of enthusiasm around our church at the moment, especially at Heart and Soul on Tuesday Night as we spent some time defining our culture.

Culture can be described as:
A number of people with common values who make decisions from those values.
Our culture is an end product of our values.
I love that Energizer has a strong culture built on biblical values.

First and foremost it’s a culture in which we love Jesus and use His name;
There is salvation in His name!
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 NIV)

There is power in His name! There is restoration in His name! We are baptised in His name,
We assemble in His name!

“So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present.”
(1 Corinthians 5:4 NIV)
This weekend let’s remember -we assemble in the name of Jesus, people will be saved in the name of Jesus and people will be healed and restored in the name of Jesus!

Let’s get ready for what God will do by praying and proclaiming His goodness, His power, His healing, His restoration and His salvation in the name of Jesus!

Looking forward to seeing you in one of our services this Sunday.

Blessings,
Ps. Dave.

How to Vote: Christianity and Democracy

| nourishwomen

What with an election in the wind I thought it would be a good time to collect some thoughts about the considerations we Christians should make when deciding who we should support with our vote.

We are a people who are working with our Lord and King to transform and restore this fallen world to its original intended purpose. Living as citizens of Heaven means we should work toward our Christian hope of a redeemed future for all of creation. That means we need to support structures and leadership that reflect God’s requirements that are designed to enable that to happen.

In light of this, how should we as Christians approach voting. Institutions such as governments were part of God’s creation (Col 1:16). They are necessary to help order and facilitate our communities, for ‘they are God’s servant to do us ‘good,’ (Rom 13:4.) However, along with us, they are fallen (Eph. 6:12). God has made it clear throughout the Bible what is expected of all those given authority to lead their communities. In Ps 72, God outlines their primary responsibilities:
‘1 Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor’.

Ps 82:1-3 makes the same point: justice within the community is God’s primary concern, what Paul in Romans calls ‘doing good for us’. This priority is affirmed emphatically by Jesus, who named justice, along with mercy and faithfulness as God’s priorities in leadership when he was condemning the rulers and authorities of his day for neglecting them, Matt 23:23.

One of the most common descriptions in the Bible of God’s character is that he is ‘righteous and loves justice’. Righteousness is the state or condition of one who practices justice. Justice is doing what is right and, in the Greek ‘dikaios,’ it can be translated as either, for they both come from the same root word ‘dike,’ meaning both just and right. Justice in the Bible is simply to act justly. Even though all institutions are fallen, this is still the expected hallmark of all powers, rulers and authorities and when it comes to electing those who are to be given this authority to govern us, it is still the criteria that the people in Heaven’s Kingdom, who live in God’s presence according to his will, should use to decide who they will support during an election. We want to see God’s character reflected in our leaders.

Jesus, when he stood before Pilate, a non-Jewish leader, and told him that ultimately his power came from God, declared that not only had Pilate failed in his God-given responsibilities, but that those leaders who had handed Jesus over to him were guilty of even a greater failure. Jesus named this failure ‘sin’ and implied that they, as all who hold authority, would be held accountable for their actions on Judgement Day, John 19:11.

With this in mind, I have outlined some reflections that Christians should seriously consider before casting their vote.
• Christians should vote in a way informed by their faith.
• Christianity is NOT party political.
• Christianity is political in the broader sense because it is concerned with the life of society (politics from the Greek means to live as a citizen).
• Every Christian should be political in the broader sense.

How NOT to Vote
– Using Precedent
This means not to vote thoughtlessly as in ‘we have always voted that way’. You need to vote with God in mind.
– Disengaging from our responsibility as a voter is NOT an option.
– Engaging in ‘Christian’ favouritism:
Voting for a candidate simple because they a Christian can be morally suspect, as good government is NOT the special preserve of believers. (See Romans Chapter 13 and John 19:11.)
– Prioritising Personal Economic Prosperity
A vote cast for personal advancement is NOT acceptable, unless you, in a considered way, arrive at the conclusion that this is the best way to improve society for all. (See 1 Timothy 6:10)

Guidelines on a Christian Voting Process
Our vote should reflect the good of others (Phil 2:3-4; Rom 2:10). This is a fundamental Christian value and outlook, prioritising the common good above personal gain. Our vote should reflect concern for moral health of the community (Pb 14: 34; 1 Cor 5:12). As you make a decision about how to cast your vote, ponder the Christian values (refer to the Sermon on the Mount) that each policy impacts. Ask whether they provide justice, mercy, compassion, harmony, honesty, integrity, strengthened relationships, families and organisational transparency and accountability? In other words which policies are the most loving, for ‘they are God’s servant to do us ‘good’? (Rom 13:4).

To vote with moral and ethical considerations paramount, our choice needs to be based on a broad range of values (such as those listed above) and not on just a few ‘hot button’ issues. With Christians there should be NO Left or Right but both (and neither). Our vote needs to reflect our responsibility to care for the poor (Matt 7:12; Ps 82:3 & 4; Pb 14: 34; James 1:27 ; Matt 25:31-46). A Christian must be motivated by the concern to vote for the disadvantaged and marginalised, because it’s a priority for God, as Jeremiah made clear in 9:24: “those ‘that have the understanding to know me know that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight, declares the Lord.’ (See also Jer 20:15-16).

Although each of us must allow God to search our hearts and make a considered decision about which issues are most important to us, on a personal note, I feel compelled to add that we as Christians should take special note of our national tithe to the poor, our foreign aid budget, which is under threat to become the lowest percentage contribution from the budget ever. To me, it is not acceptable that we attempt to use this to balance the budget on the back of some of the poorest people in the world, (see Matt 25:40).

Our vote must reflect a love for the Gospel (1 Cor 10:31 – 11:1). Consider which policy promotes Christian freedom, so we can live for the good of others.

Finally, we must vote prayerfully (1 Tim 2:1-3). For Christians, this is always a priority. Praying for our society is a priority.

Written by Sweis Meijers

A Note From Dave: Sunday April 10

| nourishwomen

Hi all,

Last Sunday John spoke to us about dreams.

God speaks to us through dreams; Joseph in many ways would have been considered a day dreamer. It’s well known that his lack of wisdom and discernment in sharing his dreams landed him in serious trouble and even after his dreams appeared to be dead in the water, they were still realised.

So, what is the difference between Joseph and perhaps your average day dreamer?

The first thing is that Joseph let God into his dreams. If we make God the senior partner of dreams, we then become outlets for God dreams.
Even through his disappointment, Joseph still allowed God to speak into his dreams. It’s imperative that we keep our hearts sweet, because our hearts becomes the filters through which we hear God’s voice.

The second thing is that Joseph remained obedient; he wasn’t sidetracked by selfish opportunity or dire circumstance and, when he was given the opportunity to speak, he was obedient in speaking truth.

Abraham the father of faith realised the dream of being the father to nations through his obedience. Obedience not only blesses you, but others are blessed through you!

The enemy wants to rob and stifle our dreams. As we envision ourselves going to make a serious difference in our city and beyond, we must let God into our dreams and remain obedient, despite and in spite of whatever circumstance or season we find ourselves in.

As a church and as individuals, there are great days ahead.

Let’s dream big God dreams and, like Abraham, be obedient and GO to the places God is calling us.

We’re in for fantastic services this Sunday!

See you in church,
Ps. Dave

A City to Settle

| nourishwomen

“Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty and their lives ebbed away.
Then, they cried out to The Lord in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to The Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
Psalm 107:4-9

I have rediscovered something about myself recently: I do not transition well! This has been exemplified lately by my switch from full time work (and everything else we’ve got going on in church, family and all the rest) to maternity leave. Essentially, I’m at home hanging with a two-year old and awaiting the arrival of a new baby, on a full time basis. I have more time than I know what to do with, literally!

Now, the normal response to such a change of pace one would think, would be an overwhelming sense of peace and relaxation. Apparently, I am not normal! Instead of entering into some sort state of domestic bliss, I have experienced a shock wave of the anxiety that comes and goes in my life from time to time. Perhaps I don’t know myself when I have room to move, who knows, anyway, it hasn’t been very calm or serene around here recently.

Perhaps this is why I identified with the Israelites as they are documented in the above Psalm snippet; I’ve landed myself in my own private desert wasteland. A desert implies a sense of lifelessness and a wasteland denotes pointlessness, of lack of purpose. It’s amazing how the psalmist has perfectly captured in one simple phrase, written so long ago, how many people experience mental illness in our contemporary society.

It’s been awhile since I’ve had the time and space to be still; life has been ridiculously busy, probably unhealthily so, if I’m honest, so I empathise with the Israelites in this psalm, as they struggle with being unable to find a place to settle. Again, the psalmist captures the feeling perfectly: “They were hungry and thirsty and their lives ebbed away.” My sudden change from a packed schedule to a relative lack of structure gave me a sense that nothing meaningful was being achieved!

Eventually though, just like the Israelites, I started to get my act together and take my troubles to God. Slowly but surely, as I follow the sound of His voice, I am learning to navigate this new chapter. I am remembering that achievement does not define me, nor does accomplishment, but rather the time that I spend in the presence of God, settling.

God leads by “a straight way”, in other words, he gets to the point!mhe has no desire to see any time wasted in delivering us from our distress. So often, I feel like the sheer number of obstacles, twists and turns that lie between where I am and peace make it a basically unachievable goal, but when I actually listen to the voice of God, I find the straight way. When I am listening, he leads me to a city where I can settle.

Written by Jen Grubb