Bec's Prayer Letter - Special Blog Edition

Dear Blog Readers :-)
 
I'm sending this in my second week of leave from Credo, as predicted I didn't quite get everything done before I finished work including sending this update! I'm currently 35 and a half weeks pregnant and enjoying the break at home, although I feel like there is still a lot to do before baby arrives.

Credo News
My Credo colleagues are currently in the swing of Mid Year Evangelism (MYE), there are teams leading HSC study camps, kids clubs, ministering to International Students and even a mission trip to Taiwan! Please pray for them, that God would be glorified.

Credo is also gearing up for our biennial mission in August "More" www.more.org.au baby is due around this time so I will be watching mission activities from a distance via email and the website.


Spires News
We are enjoying a bit of a break at the moment, Stuart is on uni holidays and it's been really nice to relax as a family. Baby Number 2 is due in 4 and a half weeks and we still have a few bits and pieces to organise before then, including finding a name!

Please be praying that all would go smoothly, that we all adjust well to being a family of four and that baby ends up with a name!

Thanks for your continued prayer and support - stay tuned for news of Baby Number 2!

Love From

Rebecca, Stuart and Aston

Pottering and Prayerletters

I've been tweaking a few bits and pieces on my blog, finished labeling all my posts and added a countdown widget for the new baby.

It's been fun looking back over the things I've written in the past - feel free to do some browsing yourself.

For those of you interested in current news here is my most recent prayerletter - I would love you to read it even if you are not a praying person.

A fun picture to make this post a bit more exciting!

Thankfulness

I am thankful I live in a country where:

• My father could obey God's calling to become a minister of a small church who could not afford to pay him and know that God would provide for his family's medical needs through our healthcare system.
• I was able to defer the very small cost of attending university so that I could concentrate on my studies and my ministry without having to work long tiring hours as well.
• While still a student I was able to receive emergency treatment after a car accident for free without having to stress about paying for a week's stay in hospital and various other medical expenses.
• A mentally ill homeless man who lived outside our church and repeatedly refused help received thousands of dollars worth of medical care after becoming seriously ill, his physical health was restored, his mental illness was diagnosed and now he is off the streets and a fully functioning member of society.
• One of my friends whose husband became ill and could not work was able to continue her ivf treatment under medicare and fall pregnant while her husband received the medical treatment he needed and was supported by the government while taking time off work to completely recover - he is now working full time again and they are expecting a baby soon.
• I can work in full time Christian ministry and know that even though I am on a low salary, God provides for me through medicare and family assistance payments, that enable me to take time off to look after my baby.

I am thankful I live in a country that cares about those who can not help themselves, I know the system is not perfect, that people fall through the cracks, that often the system is abused but far better that than for there to be no help at all...

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

James 2:15-17 (the Bible)

Routine and Me

The older I get, the more and more I realise I am ruled by routines, not just ruled in a being controlled sense but ruled in a "I think routines are awesome and hate not having them" kind of way...

Which makes me wonder why I enjoy student work so much when every 3 or 4 months I need to create and get used to a whole new routine!

At the moment I'm enjoying waking up around 7, having breakfast while reading my "60 days of Prayer for Purpose", praying, heading to the gym and getting to work at around 10am. (Except for Tuesdays when I go to kickboxing class at lunch so skip the gym in the morning.) I know that at the end of February Uni will start and my routine will be turned upside down and I will need to start again. The other thing I know is I don't need to stress about it now - but I am *sigh*.

It's exciting though :-) uni starting back, new small groups and first years to meet, ETC and I have enrolled in a subject at SMBC so I'm looking forward to my first experience of Bible college.