Thoughts on worship

I reread this piece by Mike Pilavachi in the “Heart of Worship Files” the other day, and it’s really challenged my thinking when it comes to worship. He starts with this question: “How many songs do we sing that are just about God and do not bring us into the story? How often is God not only the object but also the centre of our worship?” And since I read it, I’ve been analysing every worship song I’ve heard and sung.

I was leading worship a Sunday just after, and tried to find the songs that were all about Him, and man was that hard! So many of my favourite songs bring me into the story, the talk about God being MY help, MY refuge, when I feel this, He helps, when I, when I, when I… I’m not saying those songs are bad; not at all I really believe they have their place and purpose. But sometimes, and I think maybe more often than we do, we need to sing the songs that’s only about Him, that exalts His name, not for what He’s done and is doing for me, but just because He IS, because He’s worthy, cause that’s what worship is really about. He really is worthy, no matter how my circumstances are, or how I feel. Worship is not about me feeling good, but about bringing Him all glory, and worship, and honour, forever and ever!

Selah moments – a pause from reality

Today I’m leaving this place where the sea meets the sky and the warm waves hit the shore. I’ve got only one for day in this country where time seems to stand still, this country that has left a mark on me in so many ways.

It’s only been two weeks, but it feels so much longer. I think the women and children I’ve met here will be with me forever. They’ve taught me what Christianity really is about. These women with barely anything themselves, who are also sick like so many others around them, makes a stand and decides to do what they can to help the orphans and widows around them. How can we, their sisters in a country with almost everything, not stretch out our hand and help them the best we can?

Sometimes we need a selah-moment, a pause from our everyday life, a pause from our reality; to see the reality of others around us. But then it’s time to go back to my own reality, where I can really do something to make a difference for others.

Sometimes we need a pause from our own reality to be able to change it.

Daughter of a King

I know not everyone has been blessed to grow up with a father that truly loves them, and felt the love and the care of a father who wants the very best for you. I know I’m truly blessed. I know beyond doubt that my father loves me, that he would do whatever he could to help me. He’s the one who has taught me how to change the tires on my car, so that if I have to do so, I’ll be able to fix it, but still, every time it’s time to change them, he offers to do so for me. If I come to him and ask for ideas of how to fix something, he won’t only show me how, but he’ll most likely fix it for me. I know that if I’m in trouble, even if I’m the one causing it, and I go to him, he’ll go out of his way to try to help me. I know that if I’m hurt, my dad is in pain and would want to do whatever he could to fix it. But my dad is only human, there’s only so much he can do.

But God, the King, my Dad, loves me way beyond what anyone else is capable of. He wants only the best for me. And he’s always there. When I was on the other side of the planet, my dad couldn’t help me with everything, but my heavenly Father is always only a breath away. And if my earthly dad would go out of his way to help me fix my problems, how much more, wouldn’t my heavenly Dad?!? If I chose to go to Him with my problems, even if I’m the one making the mess, He will help me get through it. Yes, He might push me to do or say some things that might be hard for me to do, but I can trust that He will be there with me when I do so. If I trust in Him, instead of in myself, He will give me the wisdom to handle it, to go through it, and to come out stronger.

So, no matter what your earthly father is like, remember, you’re the daughter (or the son..) of a King, and He loves you so, so much. And He will help you through whatever it is you have to face, if only you’ll let Him… So walk tall and trust that your Dad, the King, is there with you!!

Finally back!!!! :)

Not sure how to start this, and it might not make much sense… just gotta try to sort out some thoughts… I’ve kinda realized a few things lately…

Firstly, think I’m starting to find my heartbeat again.. I’ve missed that for quite some time. It has felt like I was just getting by, not knowing why I did what I did anymore, and it was really wearing me out totally. Won’t say I’m totally back yet, but I’m so on my way, finally. Lately I’ve though a lot about the whole issue of injustice, poverty and stuff like that, and I’ve realized there’s really not much else that gets me fired up like that. We just had an election in Norway, and this brought up the thoughts in me again. And yes, I’ll be the first to agree that we do pay way more taxes than I like in this country and there’s a whole lot of things that could have been way better, and I would like a change in the government. But still, Norway is, and has been for many years, one of the richest countries in the world, and even though it’s far from perfect, I think it’s a really good place to live. No one needs to die of hunger here, you’ll get help if you really need it, and most of us have way more than we need (and maybe way more than what’s good for us…) Sometimes I think we’re just a bunch of selfish people up here. Where did our gratitude go? I’m just realizing again and again that I have so, so much to be grateful for, much of which can be summed up in one thing, I live in Norway! Don’t know about you, but I really needed a focus shift. It’s not really about me anyways…

Secondly, I’ve been reading a book called “the shack” (“skuret” in Norwegian, highly recommended!!!) And then I’ve been reading the first part of Hebrews 4 a lot lately. It started when I read it in the message last week, and some things just jumped out at me, and it’s been spinning in my head ever since… what jumped out at me was this thing about resting in Him. And I’m starting to realize that if I’m not resting, it actually means I’m not trusting in Him. A challenging thought, at least to me.. if I really trust in God, I won’t have to struggle to try to make things happen myself, I’ll rest in Him instead. This whole summer, at least the part when I’ve been at home, it’s been really difficult for me to take time to read my Bible, and pray and stuff like that. And I’ve been struggling a lot with that. Here I am, the worship leader, the youth leader, etc., and I can’t even seem to be able to spend time with God! At least not as much as I know I need. How then can I be the leader that I need to be? I’ve been struggling a lot, and I’ve known what I needed to do to snap out of it, but I can’t seem to be able to do it. And it’s been difficult. But then I read these things, and some other books, and I think that’s what started this line of thoughts… I came to a point when I finally could pick up my Bible and read, not because I knew I needed to, but because I wanted to be with Jesus, because I started to long for a deeper relationship with Him. I’ve heard things like this a thousand times before, but I think it’s finally starting to move down to my heart. Christianity is really not about me, about what I can do, about me being a good girl and read my four chapters in the Bible everyday and stuff like that. I can’t even manage to do that all by myself. It’s really all about Him, and being in a relationship with my God, my Dad, and my BEST FRIEND!!! He really is! When I really realize that it’s all about the relationship, I can pick up my Bible and read my four chapters in the Bible (at least most days…) but not because I’m being a good girl, just simply because I want to hang with my best friend, my Dad!! Then I can manage to rest in Him, trust Him to fix all these things that I’ve been trying to fix myself. And I’ve realized that lately, I’ve been more relaxed about a whole lot of things, and I’m finally being more me again, I’m starting to be the Maria that I like again, not this insane girl who reacts in ways that I don’t understand. And when I start to relax and just enjoy being me, and being with Him, everything else seems to fall more into place… Maybe it’s not been so much everyone else’s fault that things haven’t seemed to be in place, maybe it’s just been because I haven’t been resting in Him, trusting in Him… just a thought…

-maria-
Finally coming back.. 


Hebrews 4:1-13 (msg)
1-3For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God's goal for us, we need to be careful that we're not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn't do them a bit of good because they didn't receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we'll experience that state of resting. But not if we don't have faith. Remember that God said,

Exasperated, I vowed,
"They'll never get where they're going,
never be able to sit down and rest."

3-7God made that vow, even though he'd finished his part before the foundation of the world. Somewhere it's written, "God rested the seventh day, having completed his work," but in this other text he says, "They'll never be able to sit down and rest." So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient. God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David's psalm, centuries later than the original invitation:

Today, please listen,
don't turn a deaf ear . . .

8-11And so this is still a live promise. It wasn't canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn't keep renewing the appointment for "today." The promise of "arrival" and "rest" is still there for God's people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we'll surely rest with God. So let's keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.

12-13God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what.

Thank you..

Okay, so in my procrastinating mode, pushing of my exam-reading... I really shouldn't take time to this now, but...

I was just listening to this song by Secret Garden, and when I heard the second verse it hit me.. "We have just one life to seize the day, We only have what time there is to say…"
Do the people in my life know how much they mean to me? Do they know how much I love them? What if something happened, and I'd never get the chance to tell them again? I think I would regret not taking the chance I got... so, this is to you, all the amazing people in my life, long lost friends, all of you I see everyday, all of you whom I wish I was better at staying in touch with, all of you who has influenced my life in ways you might never really understand the depth and importance of, all of you who in one way or another has shaped my life, challenged me, and been a part of making me the one I am today... I want you to know I love you, and I'm really greatful for the part you've had in shaping my life. To all of you who have been around for the not-so-good-days of my life, thanks for sticking by, helping me through, helping me see the truth. To all of you who have been there through the celebrations, thanks for celebrating with me. And to all of you who have been there through the normal, ordinary days, thanks for being the amazing friends you really are. I appreciate you more than words can say!!

This is to all of you!! THANK YOU!!!

If I lived to be a thousand years,
If I ruled the word – it’s hemispheres,
I could not repay the love you brought my way,
So, I want to say it now
To thank you for each day you gave me.

Thank you for the Mondays,
Saturdays and Sundays,
Everyday, the whole year through;
Thank you for the fun days,
All those number-one days,
Battles-to-be-won days, too;
I just want to say it,
Thank you for each day with…you.

We have just one life to seize the day,
We only have what time there is to say…
‘n’do what we must do, express our gratitude,
So, I want to say it and sing it now to you.

Thank you for the Mondays,
Saturdays and Sundays,
Everyday, the whole year through;
Thank you for the fun days,
All those number-one days,
Battles-to-be-won days, too;
I just want to say it,
Thank you for each day with…you.

At the close of every day,
When I close my eyes to pray,
All I need to do, is just to think of you…
Then, all I need to say…is…

Thank you for the Mondays,
Saturdays and Sundays,
Everyday, the whole year through;
Thank you for the fun days,
All those number-one days,
Battles-to-be-won days, too;
I just want to say it,
Thank you for each day with…you.

sometimes...

…I find it hard to try to live this picture perfect life of mine.
…I can’t seem to be able to live up to this perfect image of me that everyone has. Coz I know that couldn’t be further from the truth…
… I feel the picture crack, just because of some tiny thing that shouldn’t matter, not if I were the person everyone seems to believe I am anyways…

Really don’t know how to handle this. It always seems to come back to the same old things. It’s always the same things that make me fall, make the picture crack, and I can’t seem to be able to do something about it. Every time it seems as if I get a hold of things, and life seems to be great, it comes back, and I just don’t know how to change it, how to change me. I find a way of changing, and it falls away, somehow things doesn’t turn out the way I hoped, the way I wanted, the way I thought I needed them to.

… I feel like I’m just wearing a mask, hiding the real me from everyone else around me.
… I think I’m even tricking myself with this mask.

I’m tired, so tired of this mask, of doing this roundabout thing over and over again. I really can’t take it, can’t afford to do it anymore, but I have no idea of how to break out.

God, can You take this, can You fight this battle for me? Coz I don’t know how to fight it anymore…
All I know is that I need You, and that I need You bad, right now! Don’t know how to deal with this unless You promise You’ll be there with me.

…the perfect picture is breaking,
And sometimes… I think that’s a good thing…

busy life... :-)

Have soo been planning to get a blog-update out here for like forever… so figured, since I have the house all to myself, have just finished watching “Happy Feet” (yes, also, all to myself, with popcorn and everything… life is gooood…), and it’s still kinda too early to go to bed on a Friday night… this might just be the time to do it… so here we go…

Life’s been kinda busy, specially the last weeks, but it’s been great, weeks and weekends have gone by so fast, not too much time to rest, but that’s what we’re used to, hey? Started of a marathon three weeks ago with a weekend of work, preaching and worship leading, of to a new week of full-time work, and going to Oslo for a womens-conference the few days I had off from work the next weekend. It was so amazing. Realised when I went into the auditorium that this is just what I’ve been longing to see in Norway! I’ve seen it before, thousands of people (mostly women this time) gathered with one focus, Jesus! Was truly amazing!!! About 7000 women was gathered in “Spektrum” that Saturday, don’t know how many came forward during the altar-call, some hundred I guess, at least the space in front of the stage was packed… and I couldn’t hold my tears back. I soo needed to realise that this is actually possible here in Norway as well!!! What a day!!! The preaching from Anne Graham Lotz was just great, worship was static, there was an atmosphere in that room that I’ve missed big time!

Encouraged and refreshed I moved on to a new week of work, our big Norwegian Day on the 17th, when everyone is outside. Think it was the only day that week when it didn’t rain!!!God is just amazing!! But have to say, it’s nothing quite like it to celebrate that day outside of Norway… then, Trine and Adrian’s wedding on the 19th. Had a couple of aussie-friends from Oslo staying at my house, so great to hang with them again. Although it was raining (rain in the veil is supposed to mean good luck, isn’t it?) it was an amazing day. Trine was stunning (if possible, more than ever!!) Adrian looked so proud. Truly a great day! It was so good to see some aussie-people like Morten & Noemi and Kylie & James again too.

This weekend, I’m just gonna lead worship a couple of times at church, don’t have anything planned at all for Sunday, nice feeling… and then it’s back on again.. gonna preach at youth again next weekend… always a challenge, but it’s all good…

Hope you’re all doing well. Feel free to drop me a note, would love to hear from you!!

I’ll try to post some photo’s from the last weeks on here soon…

Till next time

-maria-

beltfight...

what can I say... boys will be boys...

What's the thing about boys and stuff like this???

Easter...

This Blood

Violently they grabbed his arms,
As they tightly strapped each wrist,
With a hellish look
stood a strong armed soldier,
Whip clenched in his fist,
Laced with chips of bone
they beat him hard,
From his shoulders to his feet,
And it sliced right through his olive skin,
Just like razors through a sheet,
Countless times the blood splattered,
As each in-human lash was given,
Several times his knees gave way,
As his flesh just hung like ribbons
And surprisingly he turned his head,
Though the words he used were few,
The soldiers face turned pale,
When he said “This blood is for you”,

Uncaringly they tossed a garment,
Across his weakened form,
And his blood pressure fell deathly low,
As the crowds began to swarm,
They forced him to carry his cross up-hill,
As his face they punched and smacked
All the splinters from the criss crossed beam
dug deep into his back
Through lack of sleep and dehydration,
His tongue began to swell,
And weakened by his loss of blood,
This prophet-teacher fell,
When he did some blood splattered
On a man named Simons shoe,
As he bent to wipe it off,
The prophet looked and said
“Simon this blood is for you”,

This blood can save a soul,
Heal the sick, mend a heart,
This blood can give you access,
To the very throne of God,
And it still can go the distance,
Through the pain to where you are,
This blood is for you,
The blood of the lamb,

Then they pounded a spike,
Through the bones in his wrists,
Bursting arteries, and veins
And as they dropped the cross in the hole they dug
His body convulsed with pain
Through an agony and torment
That never a soul shall find
He tilts his face towards heaven
With full control of his mind
With more love then any human heard
Before that time or since
He made a statement that to this day
Makes the strongest skeptic wince,
He cried“Father, God forgive them
for they not what they do.”
And as he gave his life for those lost in sin
He was saying
“This blood is for you!”

This blood can save the soul,
Heal the sick, mend the heart,
This blood can give you access,
To the very throne of God,
And it still can go the distance,
From the pain to where you are,
This blood is for you,
(If you’re lost and alone, and your mind is confused)
This blood is for you,
(If you feel like you have been hurt and abused)
This blood is for you,
The Atoning cleansing blood of the Lamb

This blood can save the soul,
Heal the sick, mend the heart,
This blood can give you access,
To the very throne of God,
And it still can go the distance,
From the pain to where you are,
This blood is for you,
The blood of the lamb,

This Blood is for you,
The Blood of the Lamb.

Things to spice up your life...

Oki... stole this from Sarah, but I have seen it before so think she stole it from somewhere as well. Hopefully I'll be forgiven... Would be so much fun to try out some of these sometime...

1) At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.

2) Page yourself over the intercom. Don’t disguise your voice.

3) Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.

4) Put your garbage can on your desk and label it “IN”.

5) Put decaf in the coffee makes for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their addictions,switch to espresso.

6) In the memo field of all your checks, write “for smuggling diamonds”

7) Finish all your sentences with “in accordance with the prophecy…”

8) Don’t use any punctuation.

9) As often as possible skip rather than walk.

10) Order a diet water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face

11) Specify that your drive-through order is “to-go”.

12) Sing along at the opera.

13) Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don’t rhyme

14) Put mosquito netting around your work area and play tropical sounds all day.

15) Five days in advance, tell your friends your can’t attend their party because you’re not inthe mood

16) Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, Rock Bottom.

17) When the money comes out of the ATM, scream, “I won, I won!”

18) When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling, “run for your lives, they’re loose!!”

19) Tell your children over dinner, “due to economy crisis, we are going to let one of you go.”

20) And the final way to keep a healthy level of insanity…pass this on. A smile is good therapy!

round and round....

It's funny how sometimes I feel like I'm just going around in circles, round and round... Feels like the same things I went through some time ago, suddenly come back... Having one of those times now, and found this... wrote it beginning of last year, but think I could just as well have written it now...

my psalm...
God, I'm tired of crying myself to sleep for reasons I just want to leave behind,
but cannot seem to do,
reasons I don't want to dwell on for a second anymore,
but they always keep spinning in my head.
I'm tired of feeling out of place, wanting to go home,
but wandering what there is to go home to...
Where do I belong?
Where is home?
Thought that was supposed to be somewhere safe,
somewhere I could hide from everything...
But I cannot run away from my mind, can I?

Sometimes I'm wandering why You created me the way You did.
Is it just me struggeling like this;
with my thoughts, my insecurities,
the feeling of being left alone, rejected,
unfairly treated, and totally out of place?
I'm just so sick of it all, but no matter what I do,
I don't seem to be able to run away from it.
Feel like I need something, but don't know what it is.
I want to know where I belong.

I know that You're all I need,
and the answer to it all.
And the only time I actually feel safe, is when I'm with You.
But sometimes it would just be so good to have something...
I don't know...
I can't really put words on it, I just sometimes feel so out of place, so lonely...
I look around me and everyone else seem to get everything I've ever longed for.
I know it's wrong to compare someone else's outside with my inside,
but I just cannot help myself!

God, what the heck am I doing here?
Can you please show me again?
Give me my reason to go through this,
coz I seem to have forgotten...


From my thinker head...

photo's #3

more grad pictures...

Morten and me...













Kudzy and me... Another of my amazing kids-team friends...







Marilyn and me. Marilyn is the principal at the Hills campus, she was also my vocal-teacher my first year.






Claire and Dave. You'll get one guess... Where's Dave from???











Just had to put this one in here as well... one of those in-between-all-the-photo's pictures...
Adrian, Trine, Katie, Adam, Noemi, Morten and Anders




Trine and Katie.
Honestly don't know what I'd do without these girls!! They're just simply amazing!!






Noemi and me. (yup... more pictures of me... for once I actually got lots of photos of myself...)
She's one of those people I got to know this year, and now I can't imagine life without her... She's just the best!


Maaike and me. She's another one of my amazing kids-team people (like I've said.. there's heaps of them...) Had the priveleg of being in the same leadership group as her this year as well... Good times...

photo's #2

Here are some more photo's...

This is a lizzard Gudrun found in our kithchen one day. To read more about that story check out Liz Fluffydust at Gudrun's blog. Trust me, it's worth reading...




Another day at the beach... At Manly again this time... Annette and Audun was playing volleyball, and Audun had some close contact with the sand...






Annette...












And then... The graduation dinner... More photo's to come...

Sarah and Iain, some of my favourite people at kids (yes, there's heaps of them...)







Christina, Cathrin, Veronca and me...








Gudrun and Brendon. Have had the great privelege to live with Gudrun this year, she's just amazing!!






Tabitha, (and I just can't remember right now... I'll get back to it...)







Don't think I'll try here... Christina (in the pink dress) and her girls...







Annette and Kirsty. Annette is another of my amazing house mates from this year...








Danielle... on our way to the dinner...

photo's #1

Here's finally some photo's... starting with my birthday.. over 2 months ago... this has really taken forever... :-)











So, like I've said before, we started the day off with a pancake breakfast at Bondi (photo on the left), and lunch at Max Brenner (on the right) I tried their waffles with strawberries and chocolate, SOOO good!!!

And the back of the car was full of balloons... flying around since the windows were open... Kristin and I was having a hard time trying to make sure they didn't fly to the front.. (and isn't this just a beautiful photo of me... lol...)



Then... one of the highlights of my year, I think... Monday the 13th of November (the last week before all my assignments were due, probably not the best week to do this, but who knows when I'll get the chance again?) U2 at Telstra Stadium... It was just amazing!! Went there with Fabiola (photo), Noemi, Sindre, Morten, Gudrun, Kristina and Ribekka. Had a great time, even though I was standing for hours and hours... even before U2 entered the stage...

Bono is actually in this shot... just in case you're wondering... :-)

One Sunday afternoon we had a barbecue with the kids worship team. Great hang out time with the gang before I'm leaving... Sophie has a pool and the guys had a lot of fun trying to walk on water... (or bodyboards...) I spent most of the time at the other end of the pool trying to get some good pictures...

The Sunday after we had Thanksgiving, not that many of us this time, but great anyways... Most of us were non-americans and had never celebrated thanksgiving before.. Good times, and lots and lots of food!!

Had a 'vafle og svele'-party with some of the norwegians before we all started leaving. Danniebelle and Trine is being sad because Trine is leaving soon...

Changes...

Firstly, promise there'll be some more pictures here soon. Had some problems uploading them to the blog, and I don't have access to them at the moment, but they'll be around shortly... :-)

So, thought I should get you all up to date with things again, there's been a few changes in my life since the last blog. Right now I'm sitting in my bed in Norway. Came back last Monday, about 1 1/2 week ago. Have to say, last week when the lightening was flashing like crazy, and the rain was drumming on the windows (because it basically was a bigtime storm outside...), and you could barely see the sun all week, since it's just out for a few hours a day at this time anyways, and when it was, the sky was covered with storm clouds... well, at that time, I kinda regretted leaving the summer in Sydney... But besides that, coming back has been good. Was great to see my family again. My oldest niece, Emilie, met me at the airport, even though it was way past her bedtime. She had been so exited she could hardly go to kindergarden that day because she was going to meet me at the airport. Her mum (my sister) tried to explain that I didn't come untill later. So, when I was delayed (because I lost my plane in Oslo because the plane left late from Heathrow... wow, delays in London, what a surprise!!!) there was no way she was not going out there anyways... She ended up spending the night at my place coz she would be too tired for kindergarden the day after anyways. Her little sister, Anna, wasn't even 1 when I left, so she was a bit shy when she first met me, guess it's hard for a 2 year old to understand that i'm the one she's been talking on the phone to and stuff...

It's kinda weird being here, but at the same time, it feels so normal... Going from the busy Hillsong life to this don't-even-have-a-job-at-the-moment life is quite a change. Have a hard time getting anything done these days, because it's so easy to push it of... hmm, not good... Will be good to start doing something again...

I'll try to get out some photos of the last months in Sydney soon!

Birthday, Men’s Conference, U2, assignments, Encounter Week, grad, beach…

(Photos will be added...)
Think that pretty much sums up my life since my last blog entry. Know, it’s been a while, sorry about that.

So, today is the 1st of December and I’m on my way to the beach!! How crazy is that! (So obviously, I’m typing this in later; I’m not bringing my laptop to the beach) The 1st day of summer (or winter, depending on where you’re at…) and I have about 9 days left of this before I’m heading back to Norway… It’s exciting (doesn’t really feel like it’s close to Christmas when it’s over 30 degrees...), but realise more and more that I’m actually leaving. Starting to say goodbye to people, it’s sad, but guess that’s a part of life…

So, what’s happened since my last blog-update?
Well, my birthday was in October, and since we had that week off, we headed off to Bondi. The girls had filled the back of the car with balloons. Quite interesting when we were driving with open windows… lol… had a pancake breakfast at Bondi, and then headed to Manly for a little shopping and a Max Brenner lunch… yeah… really healthy eating that day!!! (For those of you that don’t know… Max Brenner is a chocolate bar, and so worth a visit if you ever find one!!) Ended the day with W&CA rehearsal and chocolate cake with my life group there…

The end of the term came, as usual, way too quickly, with lots of assignments and other stuff to do. 2nd weekend in November then Men’s Conference was on, it’s the shortest conference of all of them, starts Friday night and ends Saturday night… I was on outdoor excellence Saturday morning, basically picking garbage & emptying bins… almost frightening to walk through crowds of thousands of men…

With some long nights the last week, all the assignments got in on time (and I passed all of them! Woohoo!!!) After all the assignments were handed in, we had one more week of college, encounter week, with great speakers coming in; it was a really good week. Yesterday was the graduation dinner. When everyone got dressed up. So much fun. Don’t see everyone dressed like that the rest of the year, so it’s a lot of fun and al lot of photos… Had a great time! Next thing is the graduation ceremony on Monday night. After that, I just have to finish of my packing, say the last goodbyes, before the plane takes off in 9 days… Besides the fact that there are too many goodbyes between now and then, it will be some good days…

Because I can...

I have problems putting to words my thoughts, feelings… whatever this thing is that’s been going on inside of me lately… It’s one of those things that I kind of don’t really know where exactly started… guess it has a lot to do with the fact that there’s been a lot of teaching and focus on this lately, but I think it started in me long before that… when that’s said, after 20-something years, you should think I understood this already, but guess not… I’m actually realising more and more how little I do know… Well, what I’m realising is that true worship to God is so much more than just singing some songs in church on the weekend (okay, I’ve kinda known that, but I’m realising that it’s so much more than what I’ve realised. To use a Joel-allegory: “what I know is like a tiny grain of sand and God is the whole earth as a beach”. (Could be just you and me, Joel, but it actually made sense to me…)). Like it says in Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." You know, the prophets repeated this message over and over again, they kept pointing out that the people didn’t worship God just because they kept offering sacrifices to Him, they actually didn’t honour God because they didn’t take care of the weak; the poor, the widows, the fatherless… there was no justice. And I realise, I can honestly worship God with my whole heart, really be willing to follow Him and all that, but do I realise what the consequences of the words I’m singing in worship is? If I really want to follow Him, I have to let what breaks His heart, break mine, and care for what He cares for. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt 25:40). I have to do what I can do to bring justice, to bring freedom, to bring mercy, restoration… I have to be His arms and His feet on the earth. That is worship in spirit and in truth!

So what does that look like? For me, one step was to finally get a Compassion child. I can use the excuse that I'm just a poor student, but really, I'm still among the richest "whatever-how-low-it-is"-percent. And it’s not as if I can’t afford it, so why push it off anymore? It can look like helping out at the justice project during encounterfest, it can be talking to that girl who doesn’t really feel like she has any friends, take out the garbage and vacuum the living room before mum asks (or, in my case at the moment, before my house-mates goes insane, and even if it’s not my week to do it…) You know, there’s not really any excuses. Yes, maybe you cannot quit your job and go to Africa and help the orphans whose parents have died of AIDS, but you can help someone who can. Or you can help that old lady next door with her groceries… Why? Simply, because you can! It can look very different to all of us, but there’s really only the imagination that limits what you can do to change someone’s life to the better, to bring at least a little bit of justice in this world where everyone just seem to care about themselves (to quote one of the songs on the radio these days… “I was born too late, to a world that doesn’t care…”)

“It is not a human right to stare, not fight, while broken nations dream. Open up our eyes of blind so we can find the mercy for the need.
…Fill our hearts with Your compassion… as we hold to our confession…
…Only You can take the widows cry and cause her heart to sing, be the Father to the fatherless, our Saviour and our king…
… we will be Your hands, we will be Your feet, we will run this race for the least of these, in the darkest place we will be Your light…
… God be the solution… And we will be Your hands and be Your feet…”

Check out http://www.theiheartrevolution.com/

To be saved costs us nothing – to be a disciple costs us everything

Encounterfest

Encounterfest is over, and a new United album is under production… Oh, man… what do you say after a weekend like this??? It was just amazing! God is really doing something in the youth.

I got a chance to help out with the justice project this year. Over 2000 youths went to a high school and renovated the whole thing, inside and outside, and we cleaned up the local area.



Kristin & Charis

I was in one of the teams that went around in the neighbourhood and picked garbage, helped people clean up their front yards, cleaned graffiti from walls… you name it…

Kristin and some guy (I know, I'm terrible with names...) cleaning off graffiti

There was soo much garbage on one of the roads we passed... hadn't even got to the street we were supposed to clean yet!!

Some of the garbage we picked up...

Charis weeding a garden...

Had a lot of fun, although, think it was one of the hottest days this spring, way over 30 degrees!!! So not the best day to work outside, but with good friends, heaps of water, and neighbours who bring us popsicles and Pepsi Max (with ice!!! That guy totally blew us off!) it works!! So great to be able to be a part of this! To show the kids at the high school that they’re worth something, that someone cares about them. Wonder what they thought when they got back after the school holidays today…

Kristin & ?? (me and names...) eating popsicles

Well, encounter was just full on amazing, and the new songs that’s coming, is just the best ever!!! So exiting to see what God will do through this project, and this team. It’s a bunch of pretty amazing people! I’ll highly recommend the CD, I just know it will be amazing! And check out the DVD (think it will come with the CD this time as well, but who knows?!?!), not to find me (kinda doubt you will, even though I was there every night… lol) but to see what God is doing in the youth all over the globe!

Annette & Danielle

beach life...

Have had a couple of weeks with great, warm (almost too hot at times) weather (and it's still just spring!!!). So, when we had a day of... Manly and beachvolley!!

Here are some pictures from one of the days...

Morten in action...

Maria (not me this time...)

Christoffer...

Morten and the sweeds...

Chris, Audun & Maria

Annette getting into it...

Sindre...

Oops.... on our way back, Morten was attacked by a dinousaur...

Kids Album...

Then... it was done.. kids album #3. Had the dvd-recording today, at the kidsfest with over 2000 kids!!!! Quite insane, but the kids had heaps of fun... Didn't really feel as tired as I thought I would after, but when I got to sit down, I still fell asleep whit leeland playing on my computer... oh well, a long day, so no wonder I was tired... Getting ready for Elevate tonight, Reuben and his band is playing, Reubens new cd was just released last weekend, guess I have to get that soon as well.

Well, back to the kids album... So amazing to see all these kids worshipping! How lucky are they to learn the power of worship so early on, was watching this 5 year old girl in the choir (one of my girls, she's just soooo cute!!!) so funny to see how she was full on worshipping with her hands lifted and eyes closed in one moment, for in the next just to be looking around for the cameras... lol... Was thinking about it on my way home, how amazing is it really to be able to be a part of this...? This album will go world-wide, and hopefully change kids', if not families', lives!!! How awesome is that!!! Kind of makes it worth running around, feeling like i'm about to go insane, trying to have control of the 100-and-something kids in the choir... They had a great day, so guess that's the most important thing... And at the end of the day, I really had a great day myself... :-)

Well, that was one chapter of my life suddenly over... time to move on, maybe I can get my life back now?!?!?