Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Cry Out To Jesus
Words by Mac Powell / Music by Third Day

To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus...

When your lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out,
you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus...

posted by Chelsea Taylor @ 12:00 AM 0 comments

Thursday, January 25, 2007

“I was blessed because I was loved by you”

Summer camp was, as usual, good times. But this is not the time for me to tell you all about that. Maybe later.
This is my friend from school, Amy, and me at our year 12 formal.

On tuesday this week, at 21 years of age, Amy passed away. After 5 years of battling cancer with a heart condition her body could no longer take it.

While words could never express what I (let alone her family!) am feeling right now, nor could they ever fully describe the beautiful person that was Amy, let me just tell you a little about her, and then something important we must all realise!

Amy never complained about being sick or unable to do things because of being sick.
She had a desire to save the environment that none of us could ever match.
She always loved watching the MASH re-runs on TV after school.
She always looked for the best in others.
And always had time for others.
She was just one of those people who you looked at and said the world would be a better place if there were more Amy Coopers in this world.
And I feel incredibly blessed to call her my friend for 8years.

Dearest Amy, I will miss you dearly .


Now, it must be said, that Amy also had a love for Jesus.
It is a comfort at a time like this to know she has actually now been taken home to be with our Heavenly Father. As a friend said to me this week, it is a comfort to know that amy truely is in a better place. she is relieved from her pain, free from her broken body, free from the curse of cancer and of the sin of this world.

Death is damn scary. It can come at any time and we have absolutely NO control over it. That scares me!
As a Christian though, Amy didnt need to fear death, because through Jesus, she is only offered life!
But if you are not prepared for death, or the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, then you do have something to fear.

I say this simply because I want all those I know and love to know life, not death!

On Summer Camp Ed spoke on the last day from Luke 17:20-37 where we are told the glorious return of Jesus will come suddenly, at that point it will be too late to change your mind about him!

Death is sudden and out of our control. While the loss of a loved one is terribly painful, there is hope offered knowing they live on in Heaven and we too will see them again one day.
Please, be prepared for death! Do not leave it too late!

"There is a promise of hope,
eternal release from the pain that we know
Never again to cry tears of pain,
never to suffer again
There is a promise of hope
Jesus himself we can personally know....
For all those who dare, who dare to believe,
a promise of hope, you can freely recieve,
and know you can live, even after you die,
dont let this promise of hope pass you by.

There is a promise of hope,
come and believe before its time to go,
come feel his hands wipe the tears from your face
as the pain of this life is gently erased,
come be apart of the heavenly praise,
oh praise to the promise of hope.
Jesus our promise of hope"

posted by Chelsea Taylor @ 10:25 AM 5 comments

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Im just about to head off on the next camp, this time Summer Camp down at Port Hacking with TC!

As someone involved in youth ministry, one of the other things that struck me at Summer School this year was hearing how few countries have no one to lead and minister to their youth and children.
What an amazing blessing it is to have such a big youth group and a camp like this one where the kids can enjoy fellowship together and grow in love and knowledge of our Lord! And what a priviledge it is to be apart of His work in this!

Please pray for myself and the rest of the leadership team this week. And of course, for the kids.
May hearts be changed and the Lord glorified in all we do!

Ok, off I go...

(Oh, saw 'The Blood Diamond' last night. Amazing. So much to be said. See it!)

posted by Chelsea Taylor @ 9:21 AM 3 comments

Sunday, January 14, 2007

10, 9, 8...God is great!

Last week was spent in Katoomba at CMS Summer School.
I was leading on the Infants team (k-2 kiddies) and had an excellent week!
The mornings were taken up with leading the little ones, entertaining them, singing, learning memory verses, doing craft, and hearing stories from the Bible about Jesus and his friends by the sea. The afternoons we had off, so were either spent down in one of the many coffee shops that make up katoomba and leura or simply just chilling by the lake and getting to know the rest of the team better. And the evenings were spent in sessions, hearing talks from the Bible and/or hearing from missionaries which CMS has sent or will be sending off around Australia and the world.
As I said, it was an excellent week. But hard at times too.
I was both challenged and encouraged.
It is amazing to see these kids as young as 4 know and learn about Jesus and especially be so keen to pray!
It is so encouraging to be in a massive shed filled with Christians from all ages from all across Sydney.
It was great to work with a team of which half I didnt know before this week - all coming from such different areas and backgrounds yet getting along and working so well together simply because we are all united in Christ!
It was refreshing to be reminded of the Truth for which we were all there and we were preparing these kids for - being reminded that all of our days are numbered and while we do not have a culture ready and willing to acknowledge death in everyday conversation, that shileds itself from this fact by busying itself with family, wealth, life... death is inevitable and we need to be ready for it! William Taylor spoke on Matthew 8:1-22 establishing that while the universal condition of humanity is death, Jesus offers a solution for this condition, conquering and reversing it. He CAN and WILL save you and offer you the salvation you need. Despite all that you have experienced and felt this past month, year, 10 years, you can come before God and say if you are willing Lord, maky me clean!
And it was also challenging to hear the great need that exists worldwide to educate others about the Bible and our Lord Jesus. The need is there. The opportunity is there. Is the heart willing and able to go there? Where can you serve and how?
It is one of those things that makes you question what you are doing with your life. And I need to continue to ask this question and not let the challenges of this week simply drift away and out of my system!
Having said that, it was also greatly encouraging to hear the way God has been working in all these cities around the world! And it defiantely puts things into perspective as you realise just how blessed we are to have the Bible teaching we do in Sydney!
One story that stood out to be was that of a small village in Tanzania. One of the CMS missionaries established a Bible study there in a building that would be about the size of one of the rooms in our houses here. She spoke of the amazing desire by these people to study the Word - with at least 70 people showing up but she only having the facilities to lead 20 at a time. Some of them travelled oover 1 and1/2 hrs to get there. Some saved up over the equivalent of $250 Australian to buy a Bible. I dont know about you, but i think there is a beautiful passion there that is possibly lacking in a lot of us who have these things so easily!?!

There is a lot more that could be said about this week. But too much to put down now. I may continue to post as more comes to mind. It was such a full week, but such a blessing to be apart of. I hope and pray the things I have learnt and that were put on my heart this week will remain there and continue to grow!

In other news...Yesterday I enjoyed been back in Sydney and the beauty that is holidays, visiting the art gallery, wandering through the botanic gardens, and catching up with friends while enjoying some Jazz in the Domain - South American style (which felt like a continuation of Summer School in a way) So so good!
But how easy could it be to fall into the temptation of enjoying events and activities like these and have them take over the thoughts I have just mentioned above! Please Lord, do not let this happen!

(As usual, some photo taking occured as well...check out some more on Flickr)

posted by Chelsea Taylor @ 1:59 PM 0 comments

Friday, January 05, 2007

HawksNest

I just got back from a few day holiday at Hawks Nest. It wasnt long, but it was wonderful!
A few days away with some good friends enjoying God's beautiful creation and time just relaxing! Yup, it was a busy few days - sleep, walk on the beach, eating, dvds, board games, sleep, walks on the beach, reading, eating, sleep.... Thanks guys! Good times indeed! That place is absolutely beautiful! Once again, I felt so relaxed and at peace on the beach- gotta love it!

Here is a pic of the view from the place we were staying: Me, Rebs, and Sarah...
Walkin on the beach.......and more photos will appear on flickr soon so stay tuned!
Meanwhile, tomorrow A.M. I am off to Summer School (please see post below)
See you on the other side!

posted by Chelsea Taylor @ 5:20 PM 1 comments

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

As mentioned in earlier posts, I am currently reading "Through Gates of Splendor".
Recounting how these missionaries came to be missionaries, their struggles, and their passion for the Gospel, this book is inspiring.
While the struggles faced by these men in the jungle are somewhat different to those faced by Christians in Sydney, it is encouraging to read of the struggles we have in common.
The desire these guys had to share the gospel is so clear in their words left on the pages of their diaries 50 years ago, wanting to reach every hidden and feared tribe they could.

Anyway, my words here will not do justice to this story, so, while I think you should read it, in the meantime I just wanted to share a few more quotes from the book which I found encouraging and which also challenged me to show the same faith in my own life!

"Ever since I accepted Christ as my personal Saviour last fall and wanted to collow Him and do the will of the Lord, I've felt the call to either missionary, social, or ministerial work...Can't say now what the calling will be but I want to be a witness for Him & live folllowing Him every second of my life." (p.67)

"When life's flight is over, and we unload our cargo at the other end, the fellow who got rid of unnecessary weight will have the most valuable cargo to present to the Lord." (p.52) (Nate Saint, the pilot of the team)

These men expressed a "sense of urgency in the task of winning souls."
I am about to go to CMS Summer School on saturday where I will be leading a bunch of K-2 kids as well as hearing talks and missionary spots myself - I am looking forward to this opportunity to serve and to be fed well from God's word. Last year was very inspiring and I hope and pray this year will be the same - encouraging being with a group of Christians and learning together, but also incredibly challenging in terms of thinking about how I am serving God with my life.

The kids I will be leading are about 4yrs to 6yrs old. Young, yes. But never too young to learn about Jesus.

I hope and pray I can take to heart the same urgency Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and the others felt - not just at summer school, but everywhere!


Meanwhile, we'd really appreciate your prayers for summer school if you get the chance!
Here are some things you can pray for:
That the guys giving the talks (Pete + Kenno) will faithfully teach God's word
That the kids will have hearts prepared to hear God's word
That we would actively show God's love to the kids
that God will be working in everyone at summer school so they can know, serve + love Him more
For the kids parents who will be hearing talks while the kids are with us
For unified team under Jesus
For energy, health, and safety
For all of summer school - speakers, missionaries, teams, kids, parents...

Your prayers are much appreciated!

Happy New Year to you all!!
In HIm,
C.

posted by Chelsea Taylor @ 11:45 AM 0 comments