From his baptism on Sunday 21st January 2018

 

Who I am:


I am someone who has always sought-after things, I have jumped from this to that throughout my life searching for something that would make me truly fulfilled (this was more of a subconscious desire)

I grew up in a small house with my mum Beth and my younger sister Georgia, we lived pretty simple lives and my sister and I were and still are very competitive in every way. I always felt like my mum and I could talk about anything with each other, and we did but we never discussed anything that was too much bigger than our existence up in north Queensland.

My family was always my central pylon, even when I was in such strife with them at times. We didn’t ask many profound questions as a family unit, and so we lived based on what we ought to have known as truth. One of these ‘true-no-matter-what truths’ in my life was death. I learned when My stepfather passed away that nothing lasts forever, even if that thing it is the most important thing; the thing that you could bet needed to last, it would just as surely die or fade or decompose or crumble away. My love for my family wasn’t enough to be utterly peaceful in the world that I lived in, it didn’t stop me feeling lost and broken when faced with the death and unknowing that is present at the end of all things.

I finished school up north and had no real and reliable direction. There were things in life that made me happy, but nothing that really fed me the way in which I felt I needed. I decided to enrol at the UTAS, mostly because I felt like a change in lifestyle and location might offer me a reset of mind and sense of fulfillment. Living with my Aunty I began Life down here in Tassie, I felt excited and ready to give everything a go. I spent the weeks before the first semester of uni taking on all different kinds of opportunities: (list different things I did at the start of the year) including getting along to a pizza party hosted by the university fellowship of Christians.

When I first met this group of people I was immediately enticed by their welcoming, loving presence. They were becoming good friends of mine at a time when I was excited and ready to see and hear new things. These guys were the first to introduce me to the bible. Reading through and praying around Matthew was my first introduction to the Jesus of the Gospel. This man and the scripture which points to him has transformed the way I saw the world and myself. A desire to listen to sermons and attend workshops unpacking the Gospel and its message was sparked deep within me and Jesus Christ quickly became my fascination.

I first put my faith in Jesus Christ in July of last year. I went up to Launceston for a few days to attend the uni fellowship midyear conference on the book of revelation from the bible. This was really eye opening for me, as it placed the final piece of the story together; God’s destination set for his people is a home which is unlike any other. Eternal reconciliation before God so that we might live with him in love and peace is what human beings yearn for. All that I see and touch repeats this and I know that this is what we all are built for, to accept that we are chosen by God to be citizens of a new heaven by resting faith in Jesus, who did die for our sins, which brought death into the world.

Along this journey I have changed vastly in habit and mindset, but I honestly feel like I am more myself than ever before. I feel whole and complete when thinking about my unity with the heart of God. Christ’s promise to me is the most exciting thing I hold. I know that the God of the Bible is real and Living, he has revealed himself to me in many ways and reassured me that my doubts are false, and my prayers are answered.

Looking back now on this massive year I can clearly see that God chose me, he gave me the compass and the desire to search for reconciliation. He was the one who paved this path moment by moment and thought by thought, so that I would arrive here, to tell the world that I was dead in my transgression against the law of God. And only by bloody sacrifice of Christ by the gracious God have I been raised to live a new life forever; Holy and blameless before the righteous creator of the heavens and the earth, who will receive the highest praise and glory.