So many times in my walk with Jesus, I always used to think that having the likeness of Jesus would be THE best thing....I was soooo right! Lately, I have been seeking that desire more and more as I press into getting this new ministry started (YouthStreet) and leading outreach teams as they come to Byron Bay. I have really had to step outside of myself and realize that it's not about what I want, it's ALL about glorifying a kingdom that is so amazing and radical that we have no other choice but to follow it's king. While I was at home these past few months, my feet were somewhat stagnant and my heart was lukewarm along the way. To be honest, I had lost my passion and fire in a lot of areas, mainly my faith. I used to wake up in the middle of the night and wonder what this all was for, why was I being so stubborn and childish. Immaturity started to creep into my mind, and I would wonder if this was even the life I wanted. Why not just pack everything up and move to Africa, where I could not help but be compassionate and loving. My attitude was sour and it started to pour out of my heart onto those I love the most. It really is miry clay that we sink into, the more we struggle with our own energy and strength, the deeper we sink. Yet, all we need to do is lift our hands and God grabs hold, lifting us up with grace and joy. I remember being asked the question "What kind of God do we serve?", loving, joyful, peaceful, kind, compassionate, strong, just, FAITHFUL! God was completely faithful the entire time, as I changed with my own struggles and trials, God was constantly waiting for me to rise up and break the chains. I swear, freedom is a heavenly drug that never gets old and never loses its flavor. If freedom was the only thing declared in my life forever...done, I'm all in! God works through it, in it, and with it. As I arrived in Australia, I still held on to this immaturity though, with knowledge that it had to go. After getting settled here in Byron, Kevo asked me to take a few days and pray into my position here. Not that we both didn't already know, we just wanted to have the likeness of Jesus and spend some time in the wilderness...some of the most rad days of my life. God rocked up and revealed things to me about YouthStreet, my own life, and the reason for all this foolishness. I couldn't believe it, it felt as though I had been taken out of the fire and placed in freedom. Freedom to arrive into any place and be used by God in an incredible way...first stop Byron Bay! I have always seen Australia as a launching pad for my journeys into the nations, how true. My home will always be the sweet south of America (Go Gators!), but my heart is lost somewhere deep in the broken and abandoned. I can't help but smile when I think of Africa and all those beautiful smiles, or Asia with their innocent laughter. Places where love and joy are a lost fruit, places where a hug means more than money itself. I just want to wrap those kids in my arms, spin around with them, and then share dinner with them over a bottle of Yoo-Hoo (every kid needs to experience one bottle of Yoo-Hoo in their lives). Anyways, I could go on about these kids for pages and pages...one day.
Over the past few weeks, I have been establishing contacts and relationships with the local council and the local community. I hooked up with the local Christian Surfer rep who teaches at the high school. Christian Surfers and high school youth, God is so epic in the way He works. I have been going into the school on Tuesdays and hangin with the kids. So many just want to talk about surfing and skating in Florida, which I am sooooo keen on! But there are a few who ask questions about God and how I encountered Him for the first time, those are the ones I know who are going to be instant YouthStreet crew! After chattin for a bit with the mob, we take a group out to wherever the surf is good that day. Usually we end up surfing for about an hour and then joking and chasing each other around with wet sandy towels for about 2 hours. The relationships I have with these kids is epic, they invite me out with them and I am even able to chat with their folks. Over this next week I am going to have all the crew over for a BBQ at the base with their families. A little time for them to get to know my crew and how YouthStreet is going to be run. I really pray that this is going to be a good time to explain to the parents my heart for Byron Bay and the local youth, no reservations but ALL boldness. I look forward to Tuesdays, it's such a rad day with gnarly kids. It's so true that we hang out with youth to become one again...except without all the homework (I like to remind them of that...suckas!). I would love to be able to spend more time with these kids than just a couple of days during the week, but ministry work is time consuming as I am learning. Besides working with Christian Surfers and the local high school, I am responsible for hosting all the outreach teams that come through Byron Bay, along with getting ready for YouthStreet.
Last week I got the opportunity to spend some time with the Newcastle YouthStreet. They were having their 5 Day Escape at Burleigh Heads (about an hour north of Byron). The 5 Day Escape is similar to summer camp, but packed into 5 days of sugar driven craziness!! I arrived to the camp a few hours earlier than the campers, so I got to go and connect with some of the local boys in the surf. Such a good time to chat with the lads, in the water where they don't want to leave, what a captive audience! I told a few boys about YouthStreet and how we are starting it in Byron, they were stoked to hear that we are going to be hosting a surf and skate tourney in late Feb. 2010. Timeout...I truly feel that to be involved in a ministry you have to be able to connect with those you are reaching out to...am I right? So, I have picked back up skating, which is being perfected through bruises and some sailor lingo. Having no shoes (a prerequisite when living in Byron) and no board, it's hard to become Tony Hawk over night. But with plenty of band-aids and finding the right board shop (cheap), things will progress nicely. OK, where was I...right...left the surf that day totally on fire for YouthStreet! The kids arrived that night with some of the Newcastle crew that I had hung out with during my trip down there a few weeks ago. Each night was filled with guest bands, games, a recap video of that day, and supper (Australia snack time after dinner is over...lovin it!!) During the day we would split off into our teams (GO WHITE Team!), and we would have certain activities already planned for us. There were about 10 youth in my group, which meant plenty of trips to the nurse and a heavy lose of sleep. One day we went canoeing (my guys were over it once they got the chance to tip the canoe and then pirate mine), another day we went to Surfers Paradise (this was a chance for the leaders to sit in a coffee shop while the kids spent their parents money), the last day we went to Dreamworld which is similar to any Six Flags back in the US. The schedule was made perfectly for the youth, because it gave them a chance to cut loose and have some fun but also get grounded during the evening. During our time in Surfers Paradise some of the lads bought purity rings and even evangelised to other youth on the streets!! One of the kids was in the cabin next to mine and I couldn't believe his boldness on the streets (future Mark Cahill). That same night, those youth came up to me with a bible and asked me to tell them about God and how I encountered Him for the first time...I almost ripped the pages as I dug into scriptures for them. They even asked if they could pray for me at the end...such legends, my heart was on fire!!! By the end of camp, my heart had been ripped open by God for the youth here, they have such passion and boldness, it blows my mind. But God also showed me a heart for a bit of the older crowd (18-25). These are the same ages as the DTS students that normally come through YWAM. I would love to be able to rise up leaders as they come through DTS, so that they might be able to lead these youth. I truly believe this is going to be the generation that shakes the nations and draws people closer to Christ than any other. After all the cabins were cleaned up (mine being the worst...so proud), the kids loaded the buses and 15 new youth were going home with tickets to the kingdom, yeeeeew! Victory was declared over those kids and they now have such a freedom!
I now know what it means to truly be in a ministry, sold out all in for Gods glory. Pressing in early each morning and late each night. Praying until you lose your voice and fall to the floor with strength. Consuming scripture because you want to be able to lead people more and more with the power of Gods word. Crying out in your weakness because calling someone or spending time on facebook just isn't good enough! Dreaming of those places that God is going to take you to (Africa!). Building relationships with complete strangers on the street. Stepping out in boldness in every conversation and creating peace with your actions. Declaring freedom in every life because that's what Jesus did. Finding joy in every situation simply because you can. Giving until it hurts. Losing it all for the kingdom but gaining it all for eternity. Living in the moment. Breaking the chains. Saved from being normal. Having the likeness of Jesus! Bless yaz!
For His Glory,
Ian
"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, 'He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved."
-Hebrews 10:35-39
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