Shoes...

As shoes for your feet…I have always loved this scripture!

As shoes for your feet...I have always loved this scripture!

Maybe because this means that I can proclaim the gospel in pretty shoes…LOL

On a more serious note, proclamation has not been the most prominent though in my mind recently, as I’m sure you’ll understand with our recent move that we have been very busy…

Yes, here we are in our new house and town, and I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know, that this little, (I am only around 5’3”) Ordinary Aussie Woman, and her 3 sons are settling in well.

Indeed we’ve been blessed to have met 3 sets of Christian neighbours so far, and received the most warmest reception from our new church family…God is indeed Good!

Have you been getting ready for Christmas yet?

To be honest, I would like a quiet, un-busy Christmas this year.  However I think experiencing Christmas does include some active participation…So it seems that yes, we still will be active this Christmas, I just hope we can keep it simple, so that this special occasion does not overwhelm and exhaust me J

Tasks like cleaning, finalising our previous property, cleaning and cooking, settling in and yes cleaning (have I mentioned that yet?), along with shopping for Christmas have been taking up my time…

While out and about yesterday Christmas shopping with my sons, I decided to get a much needed haircut, thinking that way I’ll be neat and groomed for Christmas and summer. There was an appointment available later that day, so I booked it in.

Proclamation REALLY was not what was on my mind as I slipped on a pretty pair of lime green dress shoes…I just wanted to feel pretty in preparation for my appointment!

As I was having my hair washed at the basin I could not relax, I felt rather anxious and so I decided to just focus my mind on Jesus…anyway soon I was sitting in the chair and my young hairdresser began making friendly conversation…

I think it’s important here to let you know, that a lot of the time I do intentionally share my faith with other people…however honestly this was not what I was intentionally planning to do as I sat in the chair with my new stylist, I was more concerned with her understanding my requirements.

Anyway after she started trimming my hair, the owner of the salon asked me what I did…to which I replied mothering and study…I did not feel like mentioning that I studied ministry!  Not long later my young stylist the asked me specifically what I was studying…so then I had to answer her…

What followed was one of the most interesting and invigorating conversations that I’ve had with a young non-Christian person before…twice I had to stop and think about her faith questions and acknowledge that I really appreciated her though-provoking questions.  I knew that this meeting was no coincidence, and that God was planting thought-seeds in this young woman’s mind…IT WAS TRULY A BLESSING.

So be encouraged my friends and remember “as shoes for your feet, put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace!”  Even if you don’t feel like it, and you're wearing pretty (uncomfortable) dress shoes...let God’s Spirit lead you…what a blessing.

In love Melanie J

 

Breath of Heaven

I have travelled many moonless nights,

Cold and weary with a babe inside,

And I wonder what I have done,

Holy Father You have come,

And chosen me now to carry Your Son.

 

I am waiting in a silent prayer,

I am frightened by the load I bear,

In a world as cold as stone,

Must I walk this path alone,

Be with me now be with me now.

Breath of Heaven hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of Heaven,
Breath of Heaven lighten my darkness,
Pour over me Your Holiness,
For You are Holy,
Breath of Heaven!

Do You wonder as You watch my face,

If a wiser one should have had my place,

But I offer all I am for the mercy of Your Plan,

Help me be strong,

Help me be,

Help me!

 

 

 

What a pilgrim’s song this is!  I wonder if you know it, or have heard it before.

Can you relate to Mary’s heart here?  I know I certainly am, as I am learning this song today for a Christmas concert!

As a pilgrim, journeying with my Lord, and carrying the Gospel…

Indeed, sometimes I am cold and weary…

And what have I done to receive His mercy…nothing!

Our Holy Father has chosen me to carry and proclaim the Good News of His Son!

Sometimes I do get frightened by the load I bear, even though it is light, because the world still today can be so cold…

There are times when words do not even leave my mouth…sighs pleading for help and strength!

And I am strengthened and know that I do not journey the path alone…

The Breath of Heaven holds me together and is with me forever more…

He lavishing pours out His holiness!  He is so Good!

Perhaps I am not wise by some people’s standards, and I really do have an un-wise past…but I do offer all I am in response to His love.  And I do desire The Breath of Heaven’s plan for my life…

He carries, sustains and comforts me constantly…

There is no life without Him, for He is The Breath of Life!

 

Melanie :)

D-Day!

Have you ever been faced with cold hard reality, so cold that it could almost cripple you?  Yet experienced God’s Goodness and Joy at the same time?  This is the place where I am at right now…in fact honestly it is the place I have been at for some time now!

I am Melanie Baker, an ordinary Aussie woman…mother to 3 sons and also a daughter of the King of Kings!  I am not an academic writer, and here on my blog I will not shove theological essays down your throat trying to win you to Christ by my clever arguments…

What I do here is pour out my heart and hope that through God’s grace it will bless someone!

Well, tomorrow I officially become Ms. Melanie Baker…yes officially…although the marriage ended quite some time ago now.  However tomorrow is still significant as the paperwork will go before some judge in Melbourne and I will be officially DIVORCED!  Oh yes that crippling big D word…

The thing that no-one who goes into marriage wants to happen, will officially happen.

The official end has come…and honestly I already can’t wait till tomorrow is over…I just want it to fly by.  I imagine it would be good if I could somehow sleep through it all…however I also understand that I need to acknowledge it, and move forward.

Yet in the midst of all this ugliness there still is God’s beauty shining bright!  I see it daily as so many wonderful good gifts from Him keep surrounding my life!

For example I had the utmost pleasure of being part of a young friend’s baptism on Sunday!  She decided to be fully immersed in the town’s local farming irrigation channel…What a day…What JOY!  God is so GOOD! 

 

 

So you see I will not be crippled…yes I have experienced pain over the death of the marriage…however this is not the full-stop or period that marks the end of me!

God is Good and STILL has good plans for me and this is what I hold on to…

I can never convince you that God is real…you need to experience His goodness for yourself…anyway it’s not my job to convince you!

But what I will shout out…as the humble, ordinary Aussie woman that I am, is that God is Good and oh so real and NO-ONE will convince me otherwise!  Jesus Christ really is the Saviour of the World and I have experienced His saving grace!  Jesus came to save all people…ordinary people just like me and just like you…

HE wraps me in His wings of love and HE declares who I am…WOW!

 

Melanie :)

 

THANKSGIVING 2013!

Well it is November, the month of America’s “Thanksgiving” Holiday!

When I was a small girl (being Australian) I was confused about this “Turkey eating holiday”…

I remembered thinking that it must be similar to Christmas because that’s when we ate Turkey and celebrated Jesus…but why did they have a separate holiday???

Our state school education had a major emphasis on Australian culture and history, and learning about other cultures or customs did not seem to be a priority!

And there was, and still is, somewhat of the culture here that is defiant… “we’re NOT America”…especially in relation to Halloween…

Only in recent years have I really learnt anything about Thanksgiving in America…and have I noticed people catching on to how good an idea Thanksgiving in general is…

We now have our own National Day of Thanksgiving which was officially launched in 2004, but needs more momentum!

You can find out more here:   http://www.thanksgiving.org.au/

As I reflect upon thankfulness as an Ordinary Aussie Woman, for the Christian Bloggers November Blog Post Challenge…I honestly think that thankfulness should be something that sets us as Christians apart from others.  Now please DO NOT take this the wrong way…I am NOT trying to assert some sort of elitism, or anything that would create a void between us and non-Christians.

Jesus said His disciples would be known by LOVE!  For indeed God IS Love! And He lives inside us…

We carry God’s LOVE inside us and the message of salvation FOR THE WHOLE WORLD!!!

And we know that this is GOD’S FREE GIFT FOR ALL PEOPLE…SO surely we should be defined by thankfulness…yes?

Some people who knew me before God re-birthed me, spin out when they discover the woman God has transformed…why?  Because it’s NOT something I have done!

We all can be amazed at outward transformations…like contestants on “The Biggest Loser”…but when a lost sinner becomes a genuine Christian, and is overcome with love and thankfulness to God…NOW that can really rattle people…cause sometimes it’s tough to have to get to know someone you once knew, as a different person!

I AM NOT PERFECT!  I could give you a whole list of adjectives to paint you a negative image of myself…and indeed there are times when I feel overwhelmed and think negatively!

But this is NOT the right response to God’s goodness!

For NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS to us in our humble lives here and now…we have a HOPE that surpasses ALL UNDERSTANDING!

THIS IS OUR ANCHOR IN ALL STORMS!!!

We CAN give thanks in all circumstances when we remember the Gospel, and look forward to the glorious resurrection that God has promised!

This THANKFULNESS should be a light shining in us for others to see…

As I sit here missing my children who are spending time with their Dad and feeling some resentment, I am choosing to focus upon God and all the good things in my life…I am choosing to be THANKFUL!  Do I always shine it out…honestly no…but I am truly hopeful because of God’s goodness, that I still would be defined as a thankful Christian!

Melanie :)

p.s...check out this cool song!

 

Blessings Abounding!

Moving house…

Is this a blessing, when there is SO much work involved?

I think you’ll agree that YES, indeed a move can be a blessing from God!  

Have you ever experienced a big move or transition, and had it lovingly confirmed by God that it was the right thing?

Life of an Ordinary Aussie Woman humbly began in January of this year, after moving house to Moama, due to volatile neighbours…amongst other turmoil…

The home in which we lived truly was a refuge and a place of healing…but I never sensed it was long term.  Well we have experienced our Exodus and have been lovingly provided with a new, wonderful home near my sister and the children’s cousins…We all felt instantly comfortable here in our new home and all feel a sense of security and peace…along with excitement!

Our house in Moama was a place of healing and coming to terms with the finality of divorce…it also was a place of some isolation…

But now we are beginning a new chapter in our lives…however to think that it will be all blessings and without challenges is naïve and unrealistic…

But blessing have been abounding, and so much so that I have been somewhat amazed!
 

There is a part of me that thinks…why am I SO amazed at the amazing hospitality, love, favour, friendship and generosity that I have been experiencing…BECAUSE I do know and believe that GOD IS GOOD!  When huge confirming blessings happen why am I so amazed?  However I also enjoy being awed, and being able to share with family and friends about my experiences J  Indeed if I was to begin blogging about them all here it would take quite a while!

So I’m not going to write about them individually here…rather I will leave you with the assurance that GOD IS INDEED GOOD and satisfies all our needs in His timing…

What challenges will come I do not know?  I can only be sure that they will, alongside God’s faithfulness and blessings!

So from my new Ordinary Aussie home I send you my love and assurance that all is well x

Melanie!