Catching the Breath of Heaven

  Every day I am awaken by a beautiful sunrise that alights the sky at 6:45 every morning with out fail .It's colors dance across the sky every dawn with promise with another beautiful day. I can feel the warmth of its rays kiss my face , its presence awakens my senses.  The beauty outside of my window is astounding ...the lush tropical greenery ..palm trees . I am blessed coming in and I am blessed going out .

  I have been on this journey dedicated to God ...He has called me to Australia . I just wanted to update those who have been a key part of my life and have given me words of life and encouragement. It has been a very busy July .  Something we hold dear to our hearts here at YWAM Darwin is our God focused  program called Mission Adventures . It was awesome to see God encourage the youth of Australia to grow in Him and get a revelation of the big picture . We did one week of training here in Darwin and one week of outreach in an Aboriginal community. One of the most awesome parts of Mission Adventures was to have devotion groups in the morning . God came through for each and every young girl that was apart of my group ,  with a word of encouragement and the truth about what God had to say about them.
   One of our outreach locations was a community called Palumpa that was 6 hour drive away through vast amount of bush , alot of the way is smokey because of controlled bush fire. The Lord reminded me of His faithfulness to fulfill his promises and the deep felt dreams that He had kindled for so long in the depths of my being . There was such a deeply embedded desire in my heart to reach the people of Australia . Every day I am reminded that the Lord is on the throne and that HE is a God of strategy , His way's are higher than mine . It was such an amazing feeling to set my feet on red dirt ... and look into the most gorgeous dark eye's....what your name ms. ? A little dark arm around your neck asking you , "What your team?" In the outback the lil black fella wants to know your Ruby or AFL team .  All they want is tella a story time...the people of generational stories and  a festering wound of an identity crisis. I really feel like the Lord is saying ...who will tell them my story . The dark people of the red dirt ...searching on journey to know the one true God . The red dirt has left an impression in my heart.
  Just recently I was in the city in Darwin on my way home from Woolies  and a little aboriginal girl came along side me and started a little chat . I asked her where she was from and she said  Palumpa and she was like " Auuh yea , you that from that other mob. It was quite funny that encounter . It made my heart light ..before we parted ways she gave me hug . They are impressionable and offer a innocent love. I hope I see her again .
   I have made Australia my home . I feel that the Lord has called me here long term  . I am looking for those that would take the time to partner with me and support my cause in prayer. At the moment I will be living at the Ywam base here in Darwin and looking for a job .I have been blessed by the Base Director Jen Keatch to allow me to stay on base in support of God's vision and direction for my life .I will get to partake in an awesome opportunity to continue to do some ministry with Jen in a community near us called Bagot . I am being lead to do a DTS at the New Castle base in January . I am very excited and would love your prayers!!!!! I will keep everyone updated!!! Cheers!!
Shelly
  

     

A Decorated House....

  I found that I connect with the Lord in a intimate way when my pen gracefully meets the paper and I hear a still small voice whisper to my spirit.
 I read this passage that caught my attention.... Proverb 24:3-5
By wisdom a house is built , and by understanding its is established ;by knowledge the rooms are filled with precious and pleasant riches .A wise man is full of strength  and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can rage war and in abundance of counselors there is victory .
  This beautiful passage caught my attention ...I am house ... and in the depths of my being there are rooms. The deeper my roots are established ...the more understanding that makes my foundation ...the more that I tap into the spiritual realm there are precious and pleasant riches on the walls of my heart . I am a decorated house with Gods word....on the walls of my heart, His words are imprinted .

Mission Island ....

  Since I have been here in Australia I have been experiencing God in an awesome way . Everyday that I wake up I am greeted with the secure feeling that I am in the center of Gods will . I had amazing experiences that I cannot describe . Opportunities that I could have never dreamed of are coming my ....dreams that come from God are indescribable. For many years I have had on my heart the Indigenous in Australia .  At this time in YWAM Darwin we preparing to go out to many different communities in several locations to spread the gospel of God's great love . On June 20th we will be having an outreach to Elcho Island for 10 days . It is a remote Aboriginal community on an Island . I have been asked by our base director Jen Keatch to join her on the mission trip to Elcho  Island . Our only cost will be fuel ...we will be flying in a small aircraft to the Island .  The cost will be $300-$400 roughly . So if you feel in your heart to support the cause let me know . Financial support would be greatly appreciated !!! Thank you guys !!!

Waves of refreshing water ......

   It was a quite place in my heart as the background music played ...... I felt the sweet sensation of the Holy Spirit breeze across my being ......the refreshing breath of life . Its like filling your lungs with the purest oxygen . Every breath bringing more life than the  last .I felt nestled in My fathers arms ....the Lover of my soul ...healer of my heart ...giver of Dreams . My  deepest fears so small in comparison to the overwhelming sense of  comfort that I felt in those short moments face to face to the ultimate sacrifice . I am marked for Christ ..... He has a seal upon my life .....I am locked in with Christ ... I cannot be moved or shaken ....I am a locked Garden . I am in covenant with the Lord Almighty .
   I am so excited to embark upon this journey to catch God's dreams for Australia . Here He has met me and I will continue to seek after Him and allow him to take over .....in sync with His heart beat .  The heart beat of Heaven continues to throb for the lost .....

Time clock faded ....

   I had a great experience in the country . It could not have been more heart warming . There is always an unexpected surprise around every corner and avenue in life . Our lives are like busy town squares with streets...some streets are more busy and others chaotic....... some streets filled with painful memories ...then there are undiscovered streets that have not been visited . There is always a mystery behind roads with no footprints and missing history .  The years had passed by , untouched like an old fashioned clock with dust clouding its once vibrant face . The hands of the clock frozen in time with young memories ......vague places ... distant faces ...blurred  tears . A shadow of time,  a glimpse of the future .... the years passing by like a skipping rock on unclear waters , each skip making ripples of time and passing seasons . I remember being 8 and being hugged by a tall man with black hair and blue eyes in a distinct gray jumper suit infront of a mechanic shop ....that was my older brother . It would be years to come as the hands of the clock would fast forward vast amounts of time ...years ...days ...seasons ...fazes ... family.
    There is a season of time where people must change ... ways be molded ...habits forbidden and character built .  I grew up to be the person that I am through the careful preservation of watchful caring parents . I was sent down the river in a basket like Moses down the waters to a quiter place . I remember asking God why I given up by my mother ...the Lord told me this " You were sent away so that you could be preserved ". Yet in the mind of a child you still wonder . There came a season when I looked in the mirror and the traces of a little girl had left me . I became a woman ....of virture .... of strength ..character ...one who would follow the steps of my Savior .  It was all new when distant family came back into my life .. The Lord speaks gently to quite our every fear .... He spoke to my dad and said this " Just as I have sent her down the stream like Moses .....I am now sending her back to her people " .  
    I was headed out to Decatur to visit my older brother and his wife along with their little family ....with a thousand thoughts running through my mind ...quite curious if I would appear to them to be this odd creature from the city . It all caught by surprise like a little girl swept off of my feet from a stronger force than myself . I was enamored by the hospitality and warmness from his wife ...all my previous fears melted away by the kindness and common grounds shared . I felt neslted in their little haven, like I belonged and had never missed a heart beat . Many conversations shared over good southern cooking and bukoo's of sweet tea . I must say that they strongly altered my thinking of the country ....I still think back and hear the country music that filled the house with warm tones of comforting moods and occasionly the belting out of words from little Miley intune .
  It was a beautiful dream that unfolded better than I could have imagened .....sitting nestled with my brother ...talking endlessly with Shannon and sharing an addiction for flavored coffees ... watching the girls be dearly loved ....cherished and lavished with glowing affection . I could say that I love my brother and his wife very much and am quite proud of who they are ....gladly to be associated with all of that yummy food . I could have stayed forever . I was nestled in their haven . I found alot of common personality traits .....I am my Gransfathers princess....my Grandmothers Grand Daughter and my Brothers baby Sister .

Blood of Jesus.....

 The blood of Jesus consumes me  like a raging river cleansing my soul and putting weapons of warfare in my hands . Where does my help come from ? It comes from the maker of heaven and earth . Every drop of blood that hit the ground is the reason that I live ....beautiful redeemed daughter of Christ . I am clothed in righteousness that no human currency can purchase . I am the vessel filled ...blessed shall I be coming in and blessed shall I be going out.  I will awaken to His likeness ... I am made in the image of Christ ..no longer will i cringe at the past canvas painted with grief but  I am  radiant and powerful ...sharper than a two edged sword... my face will glow in the likeness of my father who sits on the throne . Abba Father ... in the name that I call upon ...my Lord hears me and is beckoned at my call ... He rushes to engulf me in His presence . He is all surrounding past , present and future . Lover of my soul ...I am a purchased precious one . This is the truth ... lies shattered, as I enter the enemies camp and take back what he has stolen .

Divine Appointments ......

God always has something in mind. I went to the local coffee shop with no expectation for God to show up ....but its always important to keep our ears open to what God might want to speak . You'll never know what is going on inside the heart of another human being or the turmoil rolling over in the depths of the intricate  mind . God cares..His spirit is longing and waiting to reveal how precious and valuable each unique creation is to His heart . He has a word of life to fufill every persons soul . There is a spring of authority coming from the word of God that not only gives us dominion over our lives but waters the desire to see God move in the quiet depths of who we are .  We may not know a person but Gods Spirit identify's with another knowing them inside and out ...He knows them by name ...He has a plan ... He has a purpose ... He has a way about wooing them....He has an eternal destination written upon His palm ....He has no restrictions to where He can move ...He can not be put in a box...His light cannot be hidden ...He is radiant with life ...His blood covers a multitude of sin. What vessel can stand in His way ? The king of Glory ......