My last BLOG/CHAT started with that humorous and slightly scary image of one much loved hairy "sleeping beauty", but this time I want to share a letter that was received regarding some of the sobering realities of human trafficking. I think we all agree that this is NOT a small issue on the earth, and when we hear alarming stats like "every 30 seconds a person is trafficked", it's tempting to think "the problem is too big, too overwhelming, it's out of control, it takes such effort and finance to rescue "one", so how will justice ever prevail?"
 
Personally, I don't have all the answers, except to say that when gross injustice and wickedness abound, we need to "abound even more in PRAYER, LOVE, CONCERN and DESIRE to make what is wrong RIGHT!"  So read this letter I received from A21 - often times the raw realities and details cannot be shared because it would compromise the safety of those involved, but A21 encouraged me to share this with you, because good things ARE happening.

"I wanted to tell you about our visit to the detention centre, our meeting with my new friend, Grace and all that has happened in just the last two days.

DETENTION CENTRE: Yesterday morning the police called us and told us that they had a 6month old baby in a holding cell with her mum, and that she was in desperate need of nappies. When we arrived at the center I was shocked at the number of girls awaiting deportation, as well as the conditions they were being held in. We saw them crowded together in a terrible, dirty holding cell that smelled horrid - there were about 20 women in total (all victims or potential victims of human trafficking). It was bad enough to know most of these women were forced from one prison (trafficking) into another... but when I saw a baby in this grotesque environment, my heart broke. In fact, there were 4 children in the cell. The police would not let us go in, but instead brought the mother "Laura" out to us. She couldn't have been older than 20 and was holding her 6-month-old daughter. It was heartbreaking to see such a small little life in a place that is not fit for babies. The gratitude we saw written on Laura's face as we gave her nappies, clean clothes, and a croissant with juice is something I cannot describe. She looked at us in disbelief and kept thanking us over and over.

We continue to build relationship and trust with the police there, and when we offered to clean and paint the cell yesterday, the police almost fell out of their chair. This is a very real door of opportunity that has opened for us to reach more victims!

MEETING GRACE: Grace is an amazing girl I met at the prostitute clinic as I sat in the waiting room chatting to different girls that were going in for their regular medical.

Grace became a slave at the age of 19. (We chatted in English so that her madam standing near by could not understand us.) Grace told me that her dream after finishing school was to become a nurse. However, her parents were poor and said that they couldn't afford to pay for her to study, and that she needed to find a job to support them as well as her brothers and sisters. So when the traffickers in her home country told Grace that she should go to Greece, promising her a great job with loads of money, her parents agreed.

Grace desperately wants to get out, but she is scared for her family back home, because the traffickers told her that they will kill her family if she talks to the police. Another very disturbing thing she said is that she is terrified of voodoo magic. She said one of her relatives was killed by voodoo magic. She told us that she was very scared of what might happen to her or her family if she escapes because she said she has taken an oath on behalf of her family, and that if she breaks this oath, bad things would happen to her. She says she knows girls who have gotten out, and then got sick or went mad because of voodoo and breaking their "oath". We are learning that there are so many levels of demonic oppression when it comes to trafficking and it is becoming more evident than ever that PRAYER truly is our greatest weapon.

We got Grace to agree to meet us for coffee this morning. I gave her a copy of Nancy Alcorn's book "Violated". We also explained to her what her legal rights are - and that we can offer her a way out.

Grace was so nervous and seemed on the verge of tears the entire time. She then went on to tell us that she owes her traffickers a great sum of money - a "debt" that she has in fact been trying to pay her traffickers since she first arrived in Greece two years ago - however, even after working 10 hour days for the last two years, she has never seen any of the money she has earned, and is not sure when her "debt" will be paid in full.

Grace could not stay long as she was afraid her traffickers would find out she was meeting us, so we drove her within walking distance of her job to ensure she would not be late and raise suspicion.

We really need to pray that the spirit of fear will break over Grace, that voodoo will not have a hold on her life, and that she will find the courage to escape the nightmare that has become her reality. I am going to stay in touch with Grace and build a relationship/trust, and will let you know the progress on our assistance in her brave journey back in to freedom.

Praying for justice!"

So friends, when we post or Twitter "It's Monday so don't forget to say a prayer..." OR "it's the 21st let's pray or fast something..." OR when we forward other prompters, let's remember there are very real and precious lives at stake. PRAYER is not a lame last response to issues that appear too big. PRAYER is the "spiritual fuel" that somehow empowers the miracles. Crazy doors and strongholds that have existed for years have suddenly opened and changed, and our friends in the fray attribute the breakthroughs to heightened awareness AND PRAYER!  

Take this in the right context, but being AWARE of injustice doesn't actually change anything! I can be aware of a family struggling in my neighbourhood, but if I don't pray and ACT, nothing changes. And it's the same with human trafficking. For those who are working on the ground, they want to act and in many cases are positioned to act, but often times are held back because of forces that are spiritual, BUT WHEN WE AS A COLLECTIVE FORCE PRAY, TAKE AUTHORITY, PROCLAIM JESUS NAME, BIND EVIL STRONGHOLDS, ASK/KNOCK/SEEK FOR MIRACULOUS BREAKTHROUGH, SPEAK HIS WORD INTO THE SITUATIONS & INTERCEDE THAT GRACE & FORGIVENESS ETC WILL EXECUTE GOD'S REDEEMING HEART & WILL INTO THE SITUATIONS... then things change and a WAY is made for hope and rescue.

So can I encourage us ALL (myself included) to be intelligent, faith filled believers. Let's live our individual lives openly and honestly and be diligent to whatever and wherever we are planted, but let's also be sensitive and mindful of those in tragic captivity, who often look heavenward to "our God" for help. They are not forgotten, He does not overlook them, His arm is not so short that it cannot save, He is kind and concerned, it disturbs Him as much as it disturbs us (probably more), He gave His only begotten Son to redeem this mess, He is a sovereign all powerful God, but for some wild reason He has chosen to include and empower us (His Church) in the rescue plan. So let's do whatever we can. And if all you can do is PRAY, then please know that prayer is a critical element in the strategy... and eternity will probably bear overwhelming witness to that one day!

You are all amazing, be blessed, be safe, be encouraged and know that you are loved and important. In John 15:16, Jesus says, "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], HE MAY GIVE IT TO YOU".

Bobbie xoxo

[PS: SYDNEY HILLSONG GIRLS: Let’s come out in force & pack the Hillsong Convention Centre this Tues 28th July for our SISTERHOOD UNITED NIGHT]

[PSS: Stay connected to prayer updates & praise reports by following the @COLOURsistahood twitter]

Good question!

So if you are from Sydney (or if you've ever sat wide eyed at The REVELATION at any one of our conferences), you might recognise the hairy beast... Yes, it's one Kane Keating, married to one Carla Keating, who, bless her heart, felt the need to Kodak-moment her sleeping husband, adorned with the 'ever so pretty, feminine, satin edged' eyeshade that we lovingly gave to all our legendary mums on Mothers Day recently, with the words DO NOT DISTURB, WORLD CHANGER AT REST. So now do you understand my reaction when I opened this pic in my inbox... "NOT what I was thinking". He is also one of our youth pastors, an insanely intelligent, well read, well informed wee person, who strangely resembles Jack Black and Nacho Libre, and who once shared his personal testimony at a Staff Retreat we had and had us all bawling, because it was so impacting and beautiful!!! (Kane, not Nacho!)

Anyway, the pic is just a random reason to say "Hi" and BLOG a little nonsense, amid more importantly, a little love and encouragement.

So the little satin eyeshade number says DO NOT DISTURB, WORLD CHANGER AT REST!! I love the thought of us ALL being WORLD CHANGERS!! I love the thought that God considered us ALL unique & special enough to plant us at such a crazy/wonderful time in history. I love the thought that in doing so, He would have invested unique gift and measure within ALL of us so that we could fulfil that planting. I love that He is no respecter of persons and invites us all. I love that He will use any willing heart that is, well, willing. I love that we don't have to impress Him, I love that we can come as we are, I love that He specialises in people who think they are pathetic, but really aren't. I love that He is gentle and patient and persistent in shaping us into what He knows we can become. I love that He is not freaked out at the state of the world, I love that He is calm, I love that He has a plan, I love that He considers us capable to carry His heart and make a difference. I love that He can take the likes of you and I and make us ALL WORLD CHANGERS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. I love that no one is excluded and that we each have an individually distinct world to focus on friends, family, workmates, street, church, community and all those beautiful strangers who so often slide across our paths unseen, unnoticed.

So agree with me as I write this on a wintery afternoon in Sydney... there's a world to love, a world to influence, a world to pray for. Don't diminish your part, don't stress over how it will all pan out and don't wonder how and where to find the Will of God. Rest in His love, rest in His providence, rest in His promise, be faithful with what is important and non-negotiable in His Word, find a need, make a stand, put your hand up, stay at your post and trust me, the rest will take care of itself.

So why a pretty satin eyeshade with DO NOT DISTURB, WORLD CHANGER AT REST?

Because all world changers need reminders... rest in His grace, rest in His enabling, rest in His Spirit, rest that He is well able to complete what He has begun. "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says our God. Our strength can carry us so far, but His Strength will carry us all the way... and then BEYOND what we could ever hope or imagine.

Praying that each and every one of us will learn the art of "labouring from a place of REST"

Bobbie
xoxo

Click here to read more.

It's been a wee while since I last did a BLOG, but if you are following Twitter, you'll be in the loop of the past few weeks. SO FOR ALL THOSE who weren't in Sydney or perhaps aren't in "the Twitter-loop yet", COLOUR was amazing - and not because any of us are amazing (although the team put in a fantastic effort), but because our amazing God is SUPREMELY AMAZING, EVER FAITHFUL and HE MET THE EXPECTATION OF OUR TOTALLY EXPECTANT-HEARTS.

Sydney shone, literally, during the first conference, and showered us with rain in the second, but everyone seemed happy. Girls seemed to love the downtown experience. The attached photo is of Conference One and then Conference Two was half that again. Each gathering was unique and I am full of gratitude. So if you were there, thank you for being part of the miracle 09 story and if not, we were thinking of you, praying for you, and hopefully you will avail ya'selves of the resource available so that together we can stay on the page of what God is doing across the earth.

There were SO many highlights, but maybe I'll bring a full report after the London conference, because our beautiful Northern Hemisphere sisters are still to experience it all.I want to keep some of it a surprise, although one great report is that over 900 Compassion children were sponsored and I feel that our focus on "Sisterhood local" will yield amazing "global" fruit in the days ahead.

Personally I feel very inspired for the next 12 months, with a sense that what was sown, will bring forth its intended fruit. I've always said that no one but God truly knows the "strength of the seed" planted. Don't underestimate what God can do with willing, fertile hearts. Crazy to say, but in some ways I can't wait for 2010 because I can't wait to see what He will do in the lives of so many.

Okay so have a glorious EASTER.Easter really is a time when many friends and family will respond to an invitation to come with you to church, to acknowledge and celebrate the reason for this weekend. Praying that wherever you are planted in this world, that your natural home and spiritual home (your church) will be a HAVEN OF LOVE & HOPE this coming weekend. A haven is a place of safe refuge... Nice thought eh, especially in this crazy climate our world is facing!

Love ya's

Bobbie

(... & may the Easter Bunny lavish you with many chocolate-coated, endorphin-loaded, happiness-inducing, anti-oxidating, calorie-negative Easter eggs! Except they say that it's only HIGH PERCENTAGE DARK CHOC that's good for you!! OH WELL! Xoxo Plus here's a funny pic re the nightmare poor "chocolate bunnies" experience ...)

But the real reason for blogging again SO SOON is that I've had such amazing response from so many of you with regards to the GRACE, GRACE prayer. How good is God, cos really He dropped those words in my heart and it has proven timely for many. I love the Holy Spirit - He truly is our Comforter, Counsellor, Strengthener and as I've said on many occasions "we are never lost in the crowd". Anyway, this gorgeous girl from Lithuania wrote back and I thought I'd share her email. Sometimes we may wonder if the message and efforts are reaching and making any impact, but I believe they are and her beautiful letter proves the reality of encouragement. I love her slightly broken English. Enjoy and be reminded the Sisterhood is real and is a world of encouragement to many...

She writes...

"Hello Bobbie, every time I get these encouraging bits from you I want to write back, but always hesitate. Anyway this time I decided to finally do that :) Being a psychologist I know that it is not good to keep strong wishes locked inside for a long time. Well, Bible tells us that as well :) You start to go crazy:)

So... I wanted to thank you for your ministry and everything you do. It's a big encouragement for me. God is working in miraculous ways in my life, and when I look back, for most my encouragement He used people from outside of my country (Lithuania). I guess being for a long time fenced with the "iron wall" of Soviet system, sets some mindset even to Christians, and some of them have difficult time to get rid of it, and thus cannot support other brothers and

sisters alongside in their journey with God in a powerful way.

Of course, our enemy is doing his part of the job in this as well. But I am praying, and it is great to see that God is releasing people and my country, and want to take us to another level. So, if you would remember my tiny little country with big heart :) in your prayers it would be a big support for us.

And also I wanted to thank you for the Colour [Conference] and that it came to Europe, and I had opportunity to be a part of it last year in London. I guess, it would be better to say I thank God for that :) It was a life changing event for me. It's good that you or one of the speakers said not to hurry with involvement into some sort of activities after all the thoughts and encouragement we get during the conference:)) My head was full of ideas and urge to do something in Lithuania, in Vilnius or at least in my church. I am a big dreamer, and ideas just flood my my mind in the right environment:)

But it is good to take time to think and talk to God. He is awesome adviser, He is great Father. He is awesome (I love this word:))) It's so overwhelming to see and feel how He works within me, how He releases me to be who I am.

It's really great to spend time with Him. So, now He told me who I am and what He intends to do through me. It's good to know that, though it is quite scary:) But I know that I'm not alone in that journey, I know that my God and Supporter is always here and that He will give me everything and everyone to fulfil His plans through me. Yeah, it's really overwhelming when you understand that you are so small in the eyes of God, but He loves you so much and, what is the most amazing thing, He knows you by name!!! Do you know all the names of the ladies coming to the Colour? I don't think so. But He knows. And this is such a comforting thought which lifts my spirit high:)

I will finish here. If you remember, give my best wishes to Brian. My friend gave me his book "For this I was born", and his thoughts made me look around and see what is needed in my neighbourhood:) It helped me to focus more on my local church and not to look far away, to be useful hands and feet of God:) Also, the worship team. The songs and the music you guys release is awesome and anointed. Keep keeping with God:) I just bless you in thename of Jesus to reach out for more. You have been a big encouragement for our youth, and now we have small but big-hearted youth worship team of 2 people:) who wants to take worship to another level. Being a youthleader I want them to do whatever for God, and started to see how giftedthey are!!!
And my personal big thanks, blessings and hugs to Joel, your son, andMia.Songs that they write are great, and actually through these songs Godtold me a lot about Himself. All other songs are great, too:), but thesetwo people... they have written songs for my heart:)

Be blessed. Be good, and may the Lord of all grace and comfort be withyou and protect you. with love in Christ Kristina, Lithuania"

Okay girls, how beautiful was that. Words of wisdom back to us from a little sister in Lithuania. It reminds me of a prophetic word many years ago - a word in the context of Colour, that "God would give miracles to get the crying and thirsty women there". I need to find that word and print it for you all, because I believe it was a word that belongs to all of us.

Have a fun day. Be safe, be strong and as Kristina says, BE GOOD!!!

LOVE,
BOBBIE

November 28th from Bobbie in Sydney!

Hey Sweethearts of the earth!

Once again trust this finds you well and I’m praying that God will bless and be near to each and every one of you. Before we go any further, let's just put our hearts together and pray for the increasing unrest around this planet...

“Father, together we commit those suffering in the world to Your care and intervention, and especially in Mumbai/India right now. We pray for the safety of those in danger. Be near to those who have suffered loss and dear Lord, somehow please work all this unrest to your glory. We pray also for your Church there, that You will open doors and allow hope, truth and encouragement to penetrate this situation. We pray for government leaders, that Your wisdom will lead them. In Jesus’ precious Name! Amen”. (Girls, I wonder if you are still remembering to take time out on a Monday to collectively pray God’s will across the earth. Hope so! Sometimes I’ve “almost forgotten”, but I’m determined to make it a habit in my week)

Without doubt girls, the world is unstable on so many fronts. We shouldn’t fear and we don’t need to run and hide, but we do need to be wise and sensitive and be alert to the leading and promptings of God. When I first got saved at 15, I read Psalm 91 and loved it for many reasons, especially the end where it says “BECAUSE he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love and kindness – trusts and relies on Me , knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. He shall call upon Me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation”.

I always loved that last part of the Psalm because it’s a beautiful promise from our Father in response “to us setting our love upon Him”, but the remainder of the Psalm is powerful in context of an unstable world. Why not read it afresh today … and then note Psalm 92 strategically following thereafter. Verses 12-15 are magnificent, with wise wisdom telling us to be PLANTED IN THE HOUSE (amid family, the Word, Godly wisdom and perspective) in days such as we are entering. Hebrews 10: also admonishes us to “not neglect to gather or assemble together, as is the habit of some, and ALL THE MORE FAITHFULLY AS YOU SEE THAT DAY APPROACHING”. I will always have a strong bias towards the House of God (I’m smiling here), but seriously, God knows that in these coming days, it is FOOLISHNESS to be isolated from the strength, safety, encouragement and wisdom of a “healthy” church family … AND of course therein lies a challenge for all leadership, to make sure our churches are healthy and that we are presenting the gospel in a way that relates to where people are at in their everyday lives.

OKAY …. NEWS, NEWS, NEWS !!!!!!

For those of you who don’t know our grandbaby arrived two weeks ago. SAVANNAH WINTER HOUSTON, 7.7lbs with a healthy head of black hair. Absolutely adorable! Lucille is doing great and I’ve attached a wee photo of my lush, yummy Ben kissing his new little bundle. So Brian is “Pops” and I’m “Grammie”. Brian thinks that when we have a brood of grandchildren, I could have annual “Grammy awards”!! (ha! Such a comedian. We should call him “Oscar” and then we could have both the Grammy AND Oscar awards).

OH … &speaking (indirectly) of Hollywood. My lovely friend Holly Wagner (and Phil), are here for our College Graduation and she and I managed to get ourselves into the first night of “AUSTRALIA” (Baz Lurhman’s new epic movie). I LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!! It’s a spectacular adventure, with romance and humour, mixed with that somewhat zany Aussie spirit, with history and more importantly a strong message of reconciliation. Personally I think it's going to be great for our nation. Anyway, that’s what I’m praying for!

THEN … we also celebrated our 25 year anniversary of Hillsong. But that might be old news. Took the whole church down onto Darling Harbour in Sydney (right where we will be holding COLOUR this year), floated a stage on the water and had church in the open air, with our gorgeous church packed in around the waters edge. They were even standing on the fly-over bridge above. So there’s a couple of pictures of that too.

THEN … the COLOUR brochure invitation went out this week! Hope you’ve gotten your copy or had a look at the website. We’re having lots of fun with the “jingle song” at church. A few people are saying that they are waking up with the song in their head … (“do do do join along, join along …”) So kiddo, if you are planning to come, don’t delay in registering eh! The “London Edition” brochure should be out very shortly … and no doubt, Vera in Kiev is madly translating it all into Russian.

Also, pray for Vera and Zhenya … they had an explosion in our rented church facility on a Saturday night recently (thank God, no one was hurt), but now we have no venue for church. Venues are ridiculously expensive to hire and the operators get very greedy for money, so pray God will open some new doors. Interesting that the enemy always gets rattled when we start stepping out more and more with “good works”. A team from the church (who are building houses for victims of recent floods that left 40,000 homeless) were also involved in a car accident on their way back from that region. They’re okay, but we need to be covering our Russian family in prayer. (Hey, I’m mindful that many of you reading this, have your own churches to navigate and pray for, but I guess I’m really asking our own Hillsong girls around the world to be mindful of these things)

WHAT ELSE … For the London-girls, I heard you had a fantastic Sisterhood morning recently, with Chris Caine. Heard it was relaxed and different … and then this week, we also in Sydney had a fantastic “Sisterhood UNITED Night”. Had just on 2,700, with guest artist Julia Grace from NZ and then Holly shared for 15mins – was fun, relaxing and a perfect way to finish the year!

OK ENOUGH NOW … so I’ve caught ya up to speed from my world.

The reassuring thing is that “GOD” DOES KNOW YOUR NAME (PLUS HE'S TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH YOUR FACE, just like Ben’s totally in love with Savannah’s little face) … AND NOT ONLY DOES HE KNOW YOUR NAME &ADDRESS, BUT EVERY INTIMATE DETAIL OF YOUR LIFE. HE’S GOT YOU COVERED BABE! DID YOU HEAR THAT, HE’S GOT YOU COVERED!!!!!!! And if He truly has “every hair on your head numbered” (and in my case, they are greying hairs) then why do we ever wonder/doubt/despair about His heart toward us, or more importantly His ability to watch over and direct us. Psalm Ninety-One, go read it Sweetheart!

Okay, LOVE YA, BE SAFE, BE BLESSED!

Bobbie

[PS: we posted a recent message I did for our girls on Brian’s podcast called “A Fierce Kind of Beauty”. I was inspired by a magnificent lady who recently went to be with Jesus. Have a listen if ya want! ]

XOXOXOXOOXO

TWO EXCITED GIRLS!!