Sometimes, a hug is all what we need. Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man whos sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives. In this age of social disconnectivity and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal.As this symbol of human hope spread accross the city, police and officials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED. What we then witness is the true spirit of humanity come together in what can only be described as awe inspiring.In the Spirit of the free hugs campaign, PASS THIS TO A FRIEND and HUG A STRANGER! After all, If you can reach just one person...

Gosh the world is horrible! but you know what?!!? there is actually people doing things about it!!! this is awesome!!
I've been reading up heaps on XXXchurch.com It's amazing! I think it is a great idea!
How many people have you known/know, including yourself, that have looked or been addicted to porn? this is so out there for you and your friends. If you want to watch the story, you can go here I got the DVD the other day and it just blew my mind how serious this issue is, and if Christians and church's got behind this, the most incredible stuff can happen to the world. not only individualy but in friendships, relationships and marriages. Porn does suck! it is so damaging, degrading and revolting. These guys know who their audience is and they are so commited to it. what a ministry!
anyways check it out and I hope you learn something from it.

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To lost I will find and to the found i'll keep strong

"I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. "
Philippians 3:12 (The Message)

It's so cold, I have so much to say, but it's so cold to type.
Bah! being passionate sometimes takes it out of you. I love discovering Christian's in my local community, like the boys at work and the girls who work at Gloria Jeans, ICE and jetty surf. I have no idea how I get into the convosations about God and church with complete strangers. but I do. Thank God.

So my Texas trip is all worked out, i've got a year to get a good price on flights but i'll buy them now anyways. what am I doing? Well im working at a church and doing street ministry to homeless and the drug and alcohol abused. thats all I know so far. My friends best mate is a pastor there and I'm just helping out.

this is some dudes (the last one is my friend) that are doing street ministry at the moment, they did a couple of surveys too


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his stregth

"you are a child of God. your playing small doesn't serve the world. there's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. we were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us... and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
- nelson mandela

This totally goes out to a lot of you guys. It is strange. I was reading a book at my sis-in-laws house and (as a quote lover) this really stood out to me. I think it is beautiful, raw, honest... and humbling. Then I log on and check some friends' livejournals and she had this quote up and saying that she found it and meant a lot to her. God's up to something... sneeeeeeky.


Saturday 12:49am
I have decided to learn the Violin.

Hey i did a sweet photoshoot yesterday with an amazing musician, Kim Beales.
check out his stuff and leave him a comment etc.
check the link on the banner to see more photos.

love gem

"you're my mystery that makes life interesting..."

dear children...

I watch you walk and i watch you run
and i'll always be the one chasing you
i see you fade.. i see you fall
and i'll sure be the one to catch you
i find my happiness with you
stay with me
just to be
find the time to say your prayers
please don't leave me
cause i want you
i want you now.
I know you've gone away so
but i'll leave the light on incase you find your way home..

I did edit that song a tad, but everytime I listen to it, it's like God's own words to me. i relate.

further seems forever

"no matter how careful you are, theres going to be the sense you missed something, the collapsed feeling under your skin that you didnt experience it all. Theres that fallen heart feeling that you rushed right through the moments where you shouldve been paying attention....Well get used to that feeling....thats how your whole life will feel someday..."

-Chuck Palahniuk

God keeps putting something on my heart and I keep taking it off.
I keep thinking that things arn't my place to pass obvious judgment...
but maybe they are?
It's not just the seeing, it's not just the hearing, it's not just my thinking... it's the Holy Spirit...

anyway.
(Sarah you may understand what im going on about)

in other news, Thank God for this weather.
good weekend.

I look to my Eskimo Friend....

Beaches always have a strang effect on me. I always sit in awe of how the whole system works. The waves continuesly crashes on the shore, the sky rotates around that... and that sand is so small yet there is so much of it. I always meet God there... no matter what crap is going on.. He always meets me there.
Last year I use to take trips down to the holiday house and spend a couple of days on my own talking to God and hearing His voice. Even when I was annoyed with him... I always found myself on my knees in the sand crying out to him. Ocean Grove reminds me of those moments.

anyways I took a few photos of the day.. well of some people..

I see the light surrounding you... so don't be afraid of what your turning in to..

Wow I never realised how many people read this!
I don't enjoy posting but this is such a lovely outlet where it lets me have my say and it takes more then an hour to realise how much of a fool I can be. haha.

I keep having sparks of excitment about life. I was chatting to a friend about how his family was a complete mess. He had no one. His mum OD'd when he was 11, and his dad abused him until he was 16. One night he came home to find his dad very drunk and very upset, his dad pulled a gun out on him and shot him in the arm. He hadn't seen his dad since but was told that he had taken his own life a few years ago. This all happened in America, and my friend is now living in Australia.. and it has been incredible getting to know him. Yet the sad thing is that he wants to take his own life. The losses and array of disspointments have caught up with him... even the love for his girlfriend isn't enough to fill the gapping wound. Yet I talk to him.. and I realise that what I winge about, and what I think is "crap".. it nothing compared to his. That I sit there and talk to him and think of something personal to say that would relate and make him feel in company and not alone on the situation. But my mind is blank.

After we had coffee and I wandered off into the crowed I started thinking about life... I sat down in the park and wrote how I felt. Normally after walking away from a session like that I feel like crap.... I feel my depression in the back of my throat and dwell on his thoughts. But In my journal I wrote this:

"I'll do anything to get a thrill out of life... why? because it is worth living. Every second and every moment is worth grsping and milking it for all it's worth. You only get one chance. There is life, then you die. Don't think there is a better place or better world then this cause this is it! You think it's crap? you think the world is a horrible place? well don't let it get to you, find those people that make you smile, search for the one you love, read... watch movies, eat candy, laugh! kiss and cuddle, hold hands and tell everyone you hold close that you love them. If you died tomorrow, you wouldn't be happy, you wouldn't be better off.. you would just be dead. So make the most of today... while you still have it.. and when you go to sleep at night, make sure you are thinking of the ones you love, and when you wake up... make sure you thank God for giving you one last time of letting you enjoy love and happiness."

I meant every word. I mean every word. I suddenly refound a passion for living...

Driving back to Lauren's house I was praying and repeating this statement in my mind.. and it occured to me that this may be the last time I see her because tomorrow.. I may or she may not be here. Thinking like that really makes you feel. I realised how much I loved her and appreciated her and was honoured to be her best friend and to have her as mine. And I told her that. I got home and wandered into my parents room, sat on their bed and told them exactly how much I loved them and thanked them for everything...
(you know... I should be doing this everyday. It's not saying goodbye.. but it is saying.. I'll see you in Heaven)

I want to let my friend know about living life.. but it isn't until he experiences it that he will know.
He is back in Melbourne in two weeks... My hope is to let him meet Christians.. meet the Christian enviroment.. and maybe he will find that hope.. maybe find God. who knows.

When all else fails, dye your hair black

"The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful,
a puzzle that no one can figure out.
But I, God, search the heart
and examine the mind.
I get to the heart of the human.
I get to the root of things.
I treat them as they really are,
not as they pretend to be."

Jeremiah 17:9-10

Something that has really been standing out to me while reading Jeremiah. I don't even know why I am reading Jeremiah.. it kinda just came to me one morning to read it. Well that verse means something.. not exactly sure what haha.

I am going to make an open appology to some people I may have offended with what I said a couple of entries ago. I guess when I get angry.. I get angry. It seems quite a few people have started reading this thing.. so maybe I should watch what I scream or maybe I should just keep going.

I've distanced and pulled myself out of the YITS cycle. I think it's the safest thing to do so I don't just go snapping at people and saying something I totally don't mean. So much stuff has been getting to me. Topping it off lately is this thing where the guys got together and got pissed, went for nude runs and sat proudly bosting about hangovers. Not attractive at all. Yet very degrading. It looks like one of those things they did and didn't think about. I am suddenly reminded they are kids, they are the 18/19 year olds, no different to any 18/19 year old stranger you pass on the street. I guess maybe seeing my parents families fall apart from the males being alcoholics and treating their wives like utter crap.. then seeing my parents choice to not drink in respect for each others pasts.... it opened my eyes to a lot of different views the world and myself hold on alcohol. If that was rude, im sorry.

anywayyyyssssss.

I guess Jeremiah has taught me a lot ey? hahaha

Subcultural christian ladies

Ah ok, so I had my first SFS bible study last week. 14 girls (9 i had not met before) gathered in the back of a tattoo parlor in the city off flinders street. I actually got a little scared of the tattoo goth girls that turned up. But they had a massive heart for God and two girls, cassie and faith (whos real name is kirsten), shared their testimony. it has taken me over a year to get this thing up and running.. and this is the start of something beautiful.
I don't really talk about it to many people because a lot of people don't understand and 1. I got really tired of explaining that people who cover their flesh in tattoos and metal can love God and follow him so much stronger then jumper wearing Christians. 2. I don't want this to become something it was not set out to be.

So we had a little bit of a awkward worship and this Cassie asked if she could lead worship and use some of her own songs (happy Gemma right here). it only ran for 40 minutes because we didn't expect word to spread and more people to turn up haha

I know you don't read this, but I MUST give a massive thankyou to my ladies;
The Jenn
Peta
Nat
and Lucy
for the massive ammount of hard work you guys did for organising and finding a local and familiar place for us to meet! also thankyou for Nat for sharing her life story and being so brutely honest about your way you found Jesus, you really brought me to tears (of joy)

These are the people I am trying to reach, and I am finally reaching them.
prayer points:
1. that we find a little more permanent place
2. we can get the shirts printed up fast
3. we stay strong
4. more girls find out about this
5. God continues his work and gives us his guidence of where he wants this to go.

I have no idea when the next one will be. Maybe when Lucy returns from America.. who knows. maybe tonight? who knows.

ahhhh so excited and so in love with God!

EDIT: I forgot to explain that this started it in America, there is now one running in Adelaide and now Im trying to get this off the ground in Melbourne

I am so angry. I am so angry at college, I just left.
no not for eternity, i will be back next week. but I need to cool off and calm down, or do I?
Alcohol. I don't respect 18-20 year old kids who drink. full stop.
"It's fun to get drunk with Christians" WHAT THE HELL?!?!! MAN!
do i respect the boys in my class now? no.



will explain more when im not so angry

"Cold Cash And Colder Hearts"

They are sick, they are poor
And they die by the thousands and we look away
They are wolves at the door
And they're not gonna move us or get in our way

'Cause we don't have the time
Here at the top of the world
Feeling alright
Here at the top of the world

We hold our own by keeping our hearts cold

Different god, darker skin
They are just not a burden that we'd like to bear
They are living in "sin"
There are so many reasons for us not to care

But I'm feeling alright
Here at the top of the world
Doing just fine
Here at the top of the world

We've learned money matters most
So we keep our cards held close
Here at the top of the world

We hold our own by keeping our hearts cold
And we've learned what matters most
So we keep our hearts cold

They are no one
They are nowhere
They are not our problem
Not worth saving
Nonexistent if we keep our hearts cold

They are no one
They are nowhere



That was just a little somehting, by the way. Check out this site
http://www.thebricktestament.com/