Adore 09 and Swine Flu scares... all in all, an interesting week!

This week has been full of challenges, both spiritual, mental and physical. Last Wednesday the first case of Swine Flu was confirmed on our shores. At this writing, a whole ONE WEEK later, we have 32 cases in the state of Victoria alone. For me, nursing in a medical centre in one of the hardest hit areas, this has come a bit close for comfort.

Here in Australia, we are only at the beginning of our winter 'flu season', so it concerns me to think how quickly it is spreading already. It's been a challenge to get information to the doctors, reception staff and patients quickly enough to ensure everyone is well informed, knows how to prevent transmission, and how to advise concerned patients and suspected cases! I'm not naturally a germophobe, so it's also been a reminder to me to stay vigilant with hand washing and cleaning.
On the home front, and in between all this, I attended our annual women's conference, ADORE, which was held at my church over the weekend. Over the past three years, our conference themes have embraced larger and more purposeful living. This year, our theme was "She Extends Her Hands", an encouragement to "Live Bigger", and care for the needs of others in our world. The speakers were Pastor Bobbie Houston from Hillsong , anointed evangelist Janine Kubala, and our leading lady Georgie Baxter. We also had Compassion bring an interactive walk-through display which showed us all some of the horrible conditions some of the children of our world have to live in, and watched the testimony of Rafonzel, who was sponsored by Compassion throughout her childhood and through a university degree.
What a beautiful testimony it is! Through all of this, God has been prompting me to unearth the heart for missions that is in me. I had allowed it to be buried by other things because it seemed too hard to do something about the massive problems in the world- things like poverty, mass disease, lack of access to health care, education and basic sanitation. But Compassion's message is a simple one: "Change is about Me", meaning that if I do something to change one person's world, I will be changing the world for that one person. The video really brought that message home. I can make a difference in the world!
To be continued...

God is good, and that's ALL THE TIME!

This week I have been having a bit of pain which we think is due to inflammation of the cartilage which joins my ribs together- pain around the sternum, radiating to my back either side of my upper spine. Before you get in a tizz though, let me assure you that we've checked out my heart, and all is well. This has all been a bit of a "pain", and has halted my gymming efforts. But on the finance front, we are forging ahead, and God is splashing out His blessing on the whole thing!

On Monday I asked my boss for an extra day's work so we can save for a house, and he was very agreeable about it, and said I could pick up the extra day as soon as I wanted to!
But at the end of the week, he also asked about my starting hours (I start at 9.30a.m. because I live about 45 minutes drive away, and have to get the kids to school). I said I'd thought of starting earlier, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to consistently make it there at 9a.m. My boss' response:
"Try to come in earlier if you can, we'll continue to book your appointments from 9.30, and whenever you get in earlier, you can claim the extra half hour."
That is amazing! I was just gob-smacked at God- how GOOD He has been to me!! So instead of earning 20 hours' pay a week, I will be now earning between 25 - 27.5 hours! GOD IS GOOD!! It really shows me that He is behind me making this step to change our financial management- He is FOR ME!
It has caused me to be thinking of one of my most favourite scriptures: Jeremiah 29:11-
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."
Listen to this verse and it's fellows, as they are expressed in The Message Bible. Don't you feel so secure and loved as you read this?
Our God is kind and loving towards us. He's not harsh and judgmental!

Jer 29:11-14 in The Message:

"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen.
When you come looking for me, you'll find me.
Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.
I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you. I'll bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it."

I hope YOU enjoy the goodness of our God this week!

In Him,