strong men love Jesus

Just came back from Impact World Tour's Team Extreme tonight. Very impressive stuff... these fellas (and ladies) broke cement blocks (with their arms, hands, legs, and even their heads), ripped up phone books, squeezed open coke cans, blew up hot-water bottles (with lung power alone), bent steel bars with their teeth, rolled over cars, snapped baseball bats like toothpicks, pulled a big truck and then said... 'all glory to God'

There were a few things that you could definitely see:

1. These guys (and girls) eat a lot
2. They must have broken many bones
3. Manual handling is pretty important with this team of extremes and
4. Strong men (and women) love Jesus

I really enjoyed their testimonies and really seeing how God has worked in each of their lives. The girls were awesome. There was this one chick who blew up a hot water bottle to the point it popped! Man, my mouth almost explodes when i try to blow up a balloon! Most of all, it made me think how cool it would be to travel the world on similar tours bringing the Gospel to all nations. Someday I really hope that God will use me in a similar way.

where my blog title came from

This guy is Paul Colman - he's an Aussie guitarist who is also a Christian! A lot of his songs I would really call my favourites and he is a truly gifted guitarist and a genuinely good bloke (I have seen him perform before and his personality really shines through) - I reckon anyways! One of his songs is entitled 'Small Steps' which inspired me to title my blog in the same manner. I have posted the lyrics below.

Small Steps
by Paul Colman

A drug softened mind greets me on the telephone
Going back in time to places I'd rather leave behind
Pictures in my heart of where I'd be on the other side
I could be with you a lone crusader simply passing through

And I know that when I smile it's a smile from my heart
And although that I'm not far down the road to where you are
I'm taking small steps to glory with my Lord

Upstairs and in my mind restless spirits try to pull me down
Behind your tears you smile and behind your smile I see a restless fire
I'm sick of fooling you my outside world is not who I am
To pierce this outer shell the inner garden it seems so frail

We've been fed the lie for so long
Don't go feeling with your heart
Generations scared to risk love
So they simply play the part
Well I'm not scared to walk around
With my heart out on my sleeve
Bringing peace and words of sorrow
To the hearts that I have bruised
Taking small steps to glory with my Lord

Ardchai

Meet Ardchai...

This little dude is my sponsor child! He looks kinda sad huh? Poor little fella.

I actually thought i would post up a pic of little Ardchai to plug an organisation called Compassion Australia. Their mission is 'To challenge, partner and equip the Church to release children from spiritual, economic, social, physical and emotional poverty in Jesus' name'.

I have wanted to sponsor a child for so long now and have always said that once i start earning an income i will start sponsoring a child. So i guess because God has blessed me with a job, it's only right that i become a source of blessing for little Ardchai who is in desperate need of some blessings.

Ardchai is from Thailand, the same country where my mum was born and raised and the same place where heaps of my relatives still live. Thailand is very much idol-central and you can really feel the spiritual stronghold there when you go visit. I found it almost suffocating. I remember tho, going to a church service in Bangkok and feeling absolutely over-joyed during the worship to see a room full of people praising God as opposed to a little statue of a fat, jovial fella who is regulalry presented with mandarins and red fanta, but who never seems to work up the appetite to consume these offerings. I want so much for my thai rellies and one day, little Ardchai, to come and know my God.

Lord, I pray that my relatives and my little friend Ardchai will come to know You one day... and even so, Lord, please make this one day come soon.

small steps

The spiriutal journey can be a tough one.

More often than not, the hard way and the right way are the same. Something i always have to tell myself though, is that the enemy has been defeated, and the Creator of the universe is my best friend! Remembering that comforts me heaps, but all too often i forget and i start to fall into depths of doubt, loneliness and fear.

I want to start this blog to remind myself that although i don't deserve it, He will always love me... and that when i trip into those depths, He'll be there every time to pull me out, brush me clean, take my hand and walk with me as i take small steps to glory.