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Monday was technically my third Mother's Day... ...I was five weeks pregnant on my first, still trying to comprehend that I was about to become a mother. Rosa was four months old for my second and we spent the day just the two of us bonding. And yesterday we had a big family celebration with lots of laughter, food and love. Each in it's own way has been memorable and special and one of a kind - a reminder of the massive change in my life and the blessing that has been. Becoming a mother has significantly changed my perspective on a number of things. I have a greater, and deeper understanding of the sacrifice Abraham made by obeying God's order to offer Isaac on the altar (Genesis 22). And God's decision to send his son Jesus to the cross - the willingness to let his son suffer and die for us (Romans 8:3) is so much more profound as I understand and experience the love a parent has for their child. Even more powerfully, I can understand God's love for us in a greater and deeper way - considering we are his children. But while being a mother has not only taught me more about God's love, watching Rosa has shown me so much about how God wants us to be. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3 For the disciples - as a matter of fact, for all of us - getting to heaven is the end goal, right? And so, it makes sense that they would ask Jesus how to achieve this goal. And while I don't have a biblical reference to support this, I expect the disciples were seeking a list of deeds that they needed to do - I'm imaging like the list of labours Hercules did in the Greek myths (reference to that, here). Instead, Jesus told them to become like little children. At first, I couldn't understand that. As an adult, I used to see children as "mini adults"; but as I have watched Rosa grow over the past 18 months, and as I have observed my friends and families children, I have discovered a whole new way of seeing and interacting in the world. And as such - connecting with God Our Father. Children are innocent and unguarded As an adult, how easy is it for you to openly trust and be vulnerable with someone? When you started dating your husband, wife or partner, did you immediately open up and tell them your life story or did it take time for you to show them all the parts of you? Did you fall immediately in love with them, or did it take time? What about your friends - did you immediate trust them, implicitly? Or your parents - is love something that is entirely natural, or do you need to work on it everyday? While this might be a slightly challenging question, in my mind its normal. As adults we have had our hearts, our love, sadly used and abused. We have, mostly accidently, been betrayed and hurt by those we love - whether it is our parents, friends, partners, or even ex-partners. We have learnt that loving involves pain and that makes it sometimes harder to be open and vulnerable. So we protect ourselves. We take time to open up and be vulnerable. Children, especially young children, haven't learnt that yet. They love completely unconditionally. You can see it in their behaviour - how they run to you (or strangers in the case of my daughter) for hugs, they smile these big open smiles, laugh, and when you stare into their eyes it can seem like their heart is pouring out of them. There is no fear or caution involved - they just love. Children seek comfort when distressed And because they can love unconditionally, they can trust us to comfort them when distressed. We know children are not born with the ability to regulate their emotions; they need their parents to help them understand, name and develop the skills to manage their emotions. Unlike most animals born in the wild, a new-born literally cannot survive without a caregiver to feed, change and protect them. So they learn to seek this caregiver for safety and comfort. Research has shown the psychological impact of children not receiving this emotional comfort (see here for some information - warning it is quite distressing to read) and it is devastating - in psychological circles we call this "attachment theory" and it is the foundation of the treatment style I work with. We are the heroes protecting them from the big bad world and, therefore teaching them how to see, understand and cope within this world. Children want to have fun and spend time with you. On the other hand, while we are a source of comfort and safety for children we are also their favourite plaything. Rosa has recently developed the habit of walking up to me, grabbing my hand and bringing me to sit next to her while she plays with her toys. While it's partially about safety - "as long as mummy isn't scared, I'm safe" her mind thinks - it's also about her desire for me to spend time with her. She is actively seeking a relationship with me and wants me to "delight in her" (again a concept from psychology - see HERE). And it's not just Rosa - I see it in all the children around me; smiling and laughing when they are playing with mum and dad, sharing toys and constant stories about their life, day and what they can see. They want to be close to us. We are God's children So, if this is how children are with us , then I imagine that this is how God wants us to relate to him. God is our father - our primary caregiver (1 Corinthians 8:6). He loves us the same way we love our children and wants us to relate to him in the same way. Much like our children openly love and trust us, he wants us to be open and vulnerable with him (Psalms 139:23 - 24). He loves us unconditionally (Isaiah 54:10), and as such we can love him the same way. He has a plan and purpose for us (Jeremiah 29:11). Similarly, he is there in times of discomfort and pain and we can turn to him (Psalm 34:18). Lastly, we can have fun and celebrate with him. He wants a relationship with us (REF); for us to talk to him and share our lives (Revelations 3:20). We can trust him because he is the perfect caregiver. So, this week think I want you to think about the children in your lives. Watch how they interact with their parents, friends and family. Take time to notice the innocence and openness they display. And consider how you can use what you have seen to connect more closely with God. And as always, if you find this to be a struggle then seek out community, and seek out help. Talk to your life group leader, to Rob or even seek professional help. As always, God bless and have a wonderful week. - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla.

Have you ever been abseiling? Otherwise known as "rappelling", it involves using ropes to complete a controlled decent down a vertical drop - often a cliff face - backwards. Harnessed in, you carefully step backwards towards the edge of the cliff, and once you reach it, you lean backwards until the rope is taunt and holding your weight before taking a step into thin air. It's a huge leap of faith you as trust the rope will hold you as otherwise you will fall off the cliff. Much like skydiving, or bungy jumping, its both exhilarating and petrifying as you are releasing control into someone - something - else. Planting a church is much like taking that step off the cliff. While we have been generously supported by C3 Church Carlingford and are still part of the one church across two locations, we still had to take the leap. Much like the ultimate aim of abseiling is reaching the ground, the purpose of the church plant is to eventually become an fully autonomous C3 Church. But this is a steady process involving multiple controlled steps. When we first launched, Rob and Beth described this undertaking by referencing the The Fellowship from The Lord of the Rings. In The Lord of the Rings, a Council was held at Rivendell, an Elvish Town, and involved representatives from three of the largest races - Men, Elves and Dwarves (thank you Lord of the Rings Fandom). The outcome of this meeting was the development of the Fellowship of the Ring - nine members who united together to take the ring to Mount Doom to be destroyed. I love the metaphor, us as a church uniting together to achieve something. And as Rob explored in the service - we have done this fantastically as a church and we should be proud of our achievements. And we know from the books that eventually the Fellowship achieve their goal - the ring is destroyed. Just like we eventually will achieve ours. However, the path to destroying the ring did not involve all nine members completing the journey to Mt Doom. As a matter of fact, ultimately only two of the nine actually reached that milestone. Instead, each and every member had their own journey to take in supporting that goal. Similarly, as individual members of the church, we have our own purposes, pathways and roles. Whether it is participating in a team, attending the monthly pray meetings or acting as a team leader, we each actively contribute to this church and the church is blessed for it. Furthermore, as we explored last week, being present with God is a vital part of both church life and your own spiritual growth. And while the practical and active side of planting a church is vital (you can't destroy a ring unless you physically travel to the mountain or can't reach the ground unless you climb down the wall), for me personally, I think it starts with something else - something spiritual. And it is something I often think in our daily life we forget about. And that is faith. "...Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 The members of the Fellowship had faith that united, they could destroy the ring. Rob, Beth and the launch team had faith that together we could plant (and sustain) a church that would make a meaningful impact in Wentworthville. And God has rewarded that faith. God has united with us in impacting Wentworthville. But, sometimes I wonder, in our busy, daily lives is this something that you actively, consciously do? Do you consciously, specifically take time to turn to God and release control? Not just when it is too much, but even on the days when you can manage it yourself. I became a Christian because I realised I could not control my life. Much like taking that first step when abseiling, I had to release control and trust (have faith) that something more powerful, something greater would catch me. Faith begins with knowing that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour (Luke 2:11) - actually it starts by believing there is a God (John 14:1) - which objectively is a huge commitment when you cannot tangibly see him. Faith is giving God control (Psalm 22:28), rather than relying on our own actions. Faith doesn't have to be big, gigantic thing - it can be as small as a mustard seed. And yet, even that tiny bit of faith can move mountains. I have previously spoken about my "Impossible Faith" list - things that I have no control over which I intentionally give to God to address. And God has answered a number of my prayers. As a church, united, we have faith that we can achieve something. That's the foundation of the church. But individually - how much faith do you have in God? Have you given God control over your own life; or just the parts that are beyond you? Where are you standing on the cliff? Are you creeping towards the edge, but still remaining in contact with the ground? Are you starting to lean back - or have you completely released control? I know God has a purpose for us (Psalm 57:2 ESV) if you give him the space to lead you in it. So this week - what do you need to do differently? Whether it is turning directly to God or seeking support and prayer from your Life Group or at church, can can you start building and growing your faith in God? There is a purpose for this, and much like the various members of the Fellowship your journey will be unique, challenging and (sometimes) exciting, but most importantly - not alone. God bless - see you in Church on Sunday to celebrate Mothers Day. - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla.

If I asked you how you were doing, what would you say in response? Would you say that you are "OK", or "busy" or maybe "stressed"? Or would you describe your life as "quiet", "calm" and with "plenty of time on your hands"?. I don't know about you, but I could probably count on one hand the times that I said the latter. It seems like, in this day and age, its a mark of status to state that we are busy and have no spare time. It's why self care, decent sleep or even taking time for yourself often falls to the wayside - and therefore why the media loves talking about it. The medical profession is constantly talking about this need as stress / cortisol levels, sleep deprivation and high blood pressure become more and more common. But the consequence of this is that you miss out; you don't stop and sit still. Think about church. How many of us are active in the service - whether it is assisting with set up and pack down, leading worship or the service, watching kids or preparing food? It's part of our stage of church life, and an important way we serve God. But the challenging combination of having a small team capable of serving, combined with the additional demands of COVID, mean that a significant part of our congregation is often "on". And sometimes, the consequence of that is you end up missing out on God moments in our services - of stopping and listening. It's the Martha in us, right? (Luke 10:38 - 42). When Jesus and his disciples came to their village, Martha and Mary offered for Jesus to stay with them, and while Martha focused on serving them, Mary "sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said" (Luke 10:39) - which based on Martha's response frustrated her to no end. Culturally, this makes sense, right? The woman's role was to serve and to host. Not to sit at the feet of a guest listening to him talk. Even today, when a guest comes over there is this cultural expectation of offering them a drink and possibly a snack. Maybe, if you are lucky, you can have a chat while preparing, or can sit down after they have been served. But if its a big party - well I know my feet are always aching from all the work I have done after everyone goes and it's a good party if I have said more than maybe 15 words to each guest. Don't get me wrong, I love doing it and I know my guests have a wonderful time, but in doing so, What am I missing out on? We know that when Martha expressed her frustration to Jesus about Mary's actions, he indicated that Mary was actually doing the right thing (Luke 10:42). We cannot be saved by our actions, it is through God's grace (Ephesians 2:8). Good deeds and actions don't help us grow in God if they don't combine with an awareness of him - which is crucially built up through reading the bible, prayer and meditation. While it is important to keep moving and not get stuck, doing more doesn't always mean you achieve what you want. Think about Hannah (1 Samuel 1) and Sarah (Genesis 21:2) - their wombs were closed and no amount of effort they made would have changed that - prayer and faith did. So, lets go back to the question I raised above. Is serving an act of honoring God? Or it is just about feeding a person's need - a form of personal validation to express or obtain recognition? It's a challenging question, right? And one that may be hard to confront. But it's a necessary one if we are to make sure our focus is on God in all we do. Ultimately, I think that serving can be an act of honoring God. After all, Jesus served - and we know that this was not about him and his sense of self worth. Jesus broke bread and served wine for the last supper (Matthew 26:17-29). But Jesus also went to the mountain to pray and connect with God (Luke 6:12). The reality is that both serving and stopping - in balance - are necessary. God calls us to demonstrate his love (John 15:12 - 13). But God also calls us to listen (Romans 10:17). I serve in the church as a way of honoring and demonstrating God's love to members of the congregation. But I also make sure that once a month neither Michael nor I are rostered on to ensure that we have the time to be present with God in church. So, what about you? Is your default to be Martha or Mary? And if you are a Martha - what is the purpose or drive behind it? Do you need to redirect your attention towards God or find a balance between your serving and stopping? And if so, practically, how do you do this? Do you need to clear things on your calendar, or speak to your Team Leader at church regarding the frequency you are rostered on so you can stop and listen? Alternatively, do you need to step up? Can you turn to God and ask him how he wants you to serve? In the end, God has a plan and purpose for you and it is through being present and listening to him that you will be guided in this path. God bless and have a wonderful week. - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla.

When you want something with every bone in your body, waiting can be so difficult. As a matter of fact, it's one of the biggest topics of conversation with the clients I work with. They come into my room seeking immediate relief from their current circumstances. They are in pain, they are struggling and sometimes barely surviving and all they want is to escape - for things to change. And yet, that is something that psychology (or medication as a matter of fact) cannot resolve immediately. A painkiller may numb the pain temporarily, but resolving a problem takes time. It takes patience. And unfortunately having patience is hard. That’s why it is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 - 23 ESV) - it is something we need to grow and develop, and it is not something that is natural for most of us. When I think of the women in the bible, I imagine patience was something they had to develop in huge supply. Women had rather inflexible roles they were expected to play - daughter, wife, mother - and when they could not achieve these roles, this had a huge impact on their lives. Think about Sarah, Abraham’s wife. They were promised a child by God - Sarah was promised to be a mother - but this didn’t happen until she was very old (Genesis 21). Because she was unable to conceive at first, Sarah even gave Abraham her maid to conceive a child by (Genesis 16). Ultimately she was rewarded and blessed in her patience - her son Issac became the father of Jacob who had 12 sons that lead to the 12 tribes of the Israelites (Genesis 21; Genesis 25; Deuteronomy 27:12 - 13). How amazing is that legacy? Sarah's patience came with a rich and blessed heritage. Similarly, Hannah had to have great patience when it came to the birth of Samuel. Although she was the first wife of her husband, she was barren while his second wife continued to bear him children (1 Samuel 1). As his first wife - this was her responsibility, to continue her husband’s line. The bible tells us that she came to God “weeping” for him to give her a son (1 Samuel 1:7). She promised God that she would commit her son to Him and that, in his life, he would serve God. God heard her, remembered her prayers, and gave her Samuel. And as we know, Samuel was a prophet who, in following the instruction from God anointed the first (Saul) and second (David) King‘s of Israel (1 Samuel 9; 1 Samuel 16). Again, she had to have patience (and yes, also faith) that God would answer her prayer. And she was profoundly blessed for it. Now, I want to clarify something vitally important. I am not saying that if you have faith and patience your world will be amazing and wonderful and you will be blessed with children who are Prime Ministers or Presidents or so much money you can swim in it. That’s not how this works. For every woman in the bible who had faith and patience and ultimately had a huge impact on the narrative of the Jews and Christians, I truly believe there are hundreds of women who had the same faith and patience, which was ultimately rewarded, but without that same scale of impact. So, how do we wait? We wait by knowing that God does not forget us (Psalm 27:10). God says he does all things for His purpose - in His time, not ours (Romans 8:28). The thing is we need to wait, and know that in our waiting He is standing (walking) beside us (Psalm 27). It’s a bittersweet pill right? Knowing that if you trust and wait, things will change. It’s hard, because the waiting means sitting in discomfort. For my clients, it often means doing hard work, facing truths that they do not want to face or doing things they do not want to do. But ultimately, I know - and they know - in waiting and doing to the work (having the faith), things will change. That their patience will be rewarded with a freedom from pain, a new and better world. And so, I ask you. What is it that you want with all your heart? What are you struggling with these days that you want changed yesterday? It is understandable and normal that you would experience this, but considering the actions and behaviour of both Sarah and Hannah; what can you do differently? How can you help yourself as you wait and trust in God? As always, remember you are not alone in your struggle, and that there are people and support who can be there as you walk through it. One of those key supports is your church community. We're all working out this patience thing - so let's do it together! God bless! - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla.

As a child, I somehow knew that men and women had different roles. I was never explicitly told, but my job - my role - was to care for my brother, watch over my cousins when we were out, and help in the kitchen. I was expected to be quiet, calm and sensible - a lady. I learnt to be a host from a very young age, and while I don’t regret learning this skill, there was a noticeable difference between the way I was raised and what my brother was expected to do. And, this difference became more noticeable when I travelled to see family in Egypt. I saw that the dynamics between men and women were significantly distinct, with women needing to be overseen by their fathers, brothers and husbands. One night, my male cousins and I decided we would go to the local club, and as I went to get ready, he followed me into my room. I was told that he needed to approve what I wore, which to me was a foreign idea. It had been years since even my parents were able to influence what I wore. It was subsequently explained to me that the reason for this was should another male make a comment about my clothing, he would be honour bound to defend me through a physical altercation and therefore was trying to protect me and also prevent a fight. It opened my eyes to a different world and, although I experienced some of this in my own life, the nature, culture and roles of women in Egypt in comparison to men is foreign to our Western ideals. From my understanding of the times of the Bible, my and my cousins experiences as women are nothing in comparison to the women who are spoken about. Women were seen as possessions who were "sold" to their husbands. Their job was to bear children - more specifically sons. They could not own property, they had limited rights in the home and society and what we would classify as domestic violence these days was tolerated within this society (for more details and sources regarding the culture of the Israelites and Jews see here, here and here). This world was noticeably different to our own. In church, we are currently exploring four different women who are mentioned in the bible as we lead up to Mothers Day. This week, Rob preached about Deborah who was the leader of the Israelites during a challenging time in their history. Rob spoke clearly about how, although not a military leader - she lead the Israelites to freedom through her faith in God. She stepped over and above her position and role in her culture and God blessed her for it. Her story is inspirational, encouraging and her faith and belief is one we should aim to mimic. And yet, as I write this blog - this is not what I want to talk about. For me, I want to take a step back. For me, before we explore these amazing women, there is a more foundational question we need to ask. Considering the time and culture that the Israelites and Jews lived in, Why are women talked about at all? What do I mean? As we discussed above, the culture of the time of the Bible was significantly different. It would not have been strange for women to be omitted at all - or to only be referenced as an aside when necessary or to support a story regarding men (for example, Bathsheba and her relationship to David [2 Samuel 11]). But instead, the Bible discusses women taking actions beyond their place in society and stresses their role in God's purpose. For example, Rahab - a non-Israelite woman and prostitute - is not shunned for her job, but is uplifted for saving two of the Israelites against her King (Joshua 2). Ruth, a Moabitess, has an entire book written about her (Ruth) and both Ruth and Rahab are referenced in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) - something unheard of at that time. After his death, Jesus first appeared to women - not men (Mark 16:1-6). What does this mean? How do we explain this? Now, while I recognise that I am no theologian, as a woman, my interpretation is simple. I believe that God is communicating to us a very simple message. We matter. Women's stories, our lives, matter. It sounds obvious, right? Of course women matter. And yet, we are currently being confronted by the reality that the environment women are experiencing in the western world is still full of challenges. We only need to look into the media - the #metoo movement - and the reports of sexual harassment in schools, Parliament and our workplaces to see this. Personally, I am struggling with the fact that government is only now passing legislation stating that sexual harassment is an immediately fireable offence. A confronting reality of the COVID situation is that there has been a significant increase in the amount of domestic violence within households and we are still developing strategies to support the overwhelming majority of women who experience this. To be clear, I do not believe that society is being malicious or intentionally harmful to women; rather our history, our experiences, have not internationally prioritised the needs of women and as a society we are only beginning to become aware of this. But God, God has a different message for us. God is showing us through the bible that we need to consider, respect and honour women. Their stories are just as important as those of the men in the bible. And we need to demonstrate this in our lives. So, this week. I encourage you - whether you are male or female - to reflect on the inherent assumptions you have. The unconscious biases you act upon. I am not judging you for having them, but take notice of them. Are they reflecting God's message to us, or are they inadvertedly not? If not, what can you do to change them? Reflect on Deborah's story, in Judges 4-5, and ask God - what do I need to learn here and live differently as a result? And as I finish up, remember that no matter your actions and your past, God loves you and is here to guide and support you to become just like Jesus. What an incredible hope for us all!!! - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla. #women #bible #roles #truth #hope #biases #honour

There are moments in your life that completely change and redefine you. For me, one such moment has been becoming a mother and holding Rosa in my arms for the first time. In that moment, when I saw her beautiful face, felt her curl up into me and stare at me with eyes curious and loving, my world reshaped with her in the centre. No longer was I a wife and workaholic; my priority was her health and well-being. All I ever want for her is to know that her mother loves her and that she is important. And these days, not only can I not imagine my life without her, but the thought of her in pain or struggling brings me to tears. Suddenly, I saw the world differently. Over the past few weeks as I have read about girls getting sexually assaulted at work and school, I have dreaded the thought of this happening to my daughter. I have reflected on my experiences at school - the ingrained habits I do to protect myself in public and have prayed that Rosa would not need to act in a similar manner. All I want to do is protect her and I would give my life for her. Similarly, my understanding of the Bible and the experiences of parents and their children has changed. For example, while prior to Rosa’s birth I objectively understood Abraham’s choice to sacrifice Issac (Genesis 22), after Rosa my heart hurt for the choice Abraham faced. Truthfully, if I was faced with the same choice, no matter how much I love God, I am not sure I would be able to take that step of faith. That is how much I love her. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16 So, for God to decide to sacrifice his son for us - a being who not only he loved but was a part of him is in so many ways beyond my understanding. Rosa, for all that she grew inside of me, for all that I gave birth to her, is a separate being to me. I am connected to her, but not in the same way God is connected to Jesus. They are the same being (John 10:30) - God was giving up himself for us!!!! Think about it. Think about the person that you love most in the world. It may be your child, partner, parent or friend. Now imagine deciding to sacrifice them, not only intentionally putting them in the position that they are going to die, but die in the most horrific, painful way possible. The Roman’s created the cross for a person to suffer - bearing all their body weight on nails stabbed through their hands and feet. The agony a person on the cross would experience would be unimaginable. As they grew tired, they would struggle to breathe, their shoulders would burn from the pressure and being directly in the sun they would be parched from a lack of water. And they would be experiencing constant piercing pain from their skin tearing at the nails holding them in place. In Jesus’ case, not only did he face all of this, but he also had a crown of thorns causing open wounds on his head (John 19:2), so (apart from the pain of that) the salt from his body would cause it to continue to sting. It’s an excruciating way to die - which is exactly the way it was designed to be. Worst of all, as Jesus continued to suffer (for us remember), he was separated emotionally from God (Mark 15:34). When I am in pain, I seek comfort from those who love me - Michael, my parents and my brother. And yet in Jesus’ case, not only did one of his closest friends - Simon Peter - deny he knew him 3 times (Luke 22:54-62), but God turned away from Him. And I haven’t even mentioned the emotional pain Jesus must have had knowing another friend had betrayed him (Luke 22:1-6) and that all of this was caused by the people he came to save (John 12:44-60; Luke 22:66-67). In that moment, during that physically suffering, Jesus also suffered emotionally from the disconnection from God and the betrayal taken by humans. And yet, knowing this - God not only allowed this to happen, but planned for it (Matthew 16:21). That is how much God loves us. God loves us so much that he allowed his son - a part of him - to suffer physically, psychologically, spiritually and emotionally for us. A being that was entirely blameless (1 Peter 2:22) died in place of us so that we could have an (undeserved) second chance. So we can have a second life - a life connected with him and going home to him. I wonder - could you do that? Could you allow the person you love most in the world to experience that much pain for the sake of someone who has constantly wronged and hurt you? Honestly, I am not sure I could. But God did. And in doing so, in that moment when Jesus cried out “it is finished” (John 19:30), when he died and rose again, we became redefined. Our worlds were reshaped and no longer were we separated from God but we again became his children (Galatians 3:26). Jesus died to be the “way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6) connecting us to God. So, as you continue to reflect on the actions of God. On the love he has given us, of the sacrifices he made, I wonder: How do you define yourself? Are you only a friend, worker, partner, or parent? Or are you also a child of God? Do you truly understand the sacrifice God made for us? And how do you need to change because of that sacrifice? As always, God bless. - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla.

"So, I am wondering, what brought you here today?" "How are you going?" "What is happening in your life at the moment?" These questions are the foundation of the work I do. They are open questions that draw my client in, encourage them to take about themselves, to be open and honest. In asking these questions, I am communicating curiosity and interest. A desire to know my client and to understand their perspective of the world. These questions are called "open questions" and generally start with the words "who", "what", "where", "when" or "how". Unlike closed questions that only require one word responses, open questions encourage the responder to draw their own ideas out, to reflect and think. When reading the bible, it is fairly obvious that Jesus was a fan of open questions. For example in John 4, Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman, and by using an open question "Will you give me a drink?" (John 4:7) Jesus drew her into a conversation regarding her life and ultimately towards God. Pretty powerful stuff, right? And theoretically, pretty easy. However, as we have discovered over the past few weeks, asking questions about religion, God, faith and then subsequently using those questions to talk about your faith is potentially risky and difficult. In the modern era, there is a strong stigma against talking about your faith and a fear about how others will perceive you (or me, truthfully). Ultimately, it is much easier to take the safe road and just avoid the topic. The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. One of my favourite poems is Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken", quoted above. Frost describes a time where he was faced with the choice between two paths to take. Frost recognises that both paths are quite similar (although one might be have "a better claim"), and that they cannot go back once they have started down a path. And yet, although these paths are similar, the Frost states that by taking the path less travelled "that has made all the difference". Now, I am aware that in many ways as Christians we have already chosen the road less travelled (and aren't we the lucky ones!). However, in these current circumstances, I am more interested in how the poem can be an apt metaphor for whether we chose to take the path of discussing our faith when the opportunity arises, or chose not to. The truth is, at the moment when we are faced with the opportunity, there isn't a major difference between the two paths. it is only as you go down the journey of talking about God, about being curious about another person's beliefs that you start to see the difference. And the choice you make ultimately changes and influences both you and the other person. It's also quite confronting when you think about it. How a small decision can make a major difference. OK. But how do I take the road less travelled? So, you have decided to take the more challenging, less travelled path. That's great, but what does that actually mean? How do you actually do it - or even recognise when you are faced with that choice? For me personally, generally I know when I should be taking the path less travelled when there is this pesky little voice in my head telling me to do so. I mean, you have got to love the Holy Spirit right? We know the Holy Spirit abides in us (John 14:17) and that He communicates with us (John 16:13). So a great place to start is by asking the Holy Spirit to guide us in seeing opportunities to engage and connect with others. The second step is knowing what to say. And that is when curiosity starts. It can be as straight forward as offering, "can I pray for you?" when you hear someone struggling. Or just simply asking about their day, how they are going, and what is happening in their life? Thirdly, its about listening to their response - their choice of words, the areas of of opportunity. It's then turning to God -- "Lord, guide me in what to say" before lastly, taking the giant leap of faith and opening up and embracing that less travelled path. Jesus asked "who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15) When you walk down this less travelled path, could you use something similar? Or alternatively, in the right situation - "what is your view of God?" And then there are the more concrete questions, like: "would you be interested in joining me for church/life group?"; and, the altar call at the Sunday Service, "would you like to make Jesus your Lord and Saviour"? In all cases, open questions that require taking a leap of faith and trusting God. And remember, like the parable of the Sower (Mark 4:4 - 8) our job is to only scatter the seed, it is not our responsibility to make sure that it takes root and grows. And so, in our last week of the series; my (open) question's to you are - who are you going to start connecting with? What are you going to say when the opportunity arises? Where are you going to look for these opportunities? When will you do this? And lastly, how are you going demonstrate vulnerability, openness and curiosity with others? Walking the road less travelled with you! - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla

I was joking recently that it feels like we are going through a modern plagues of Egypt. Over the past 18 months we have experienced horrific bushfires, a terrifying virus and now we have floodwaters coming onto people's doorsteps. Honestly, a part of my brain keeps saying "What's next"! I don't think that we, as Australians (or as Sydneysiders), have been so aware of the need to protect ourselves - and establish safety - so constantly. I mean our community has faced multiple situations where we could lose our home, belongings, loved ones or even our own lives. Our instincts are hardwired to take the necessary action to protect ourselves and our loved ones and in the current situation, it's understandable that those instincts would be kicking in. Considering this, it is not surprising that our mental health would be impacted as our bodies somehow cope with this constant fear and adrenaline. It's not surprising that our guard is up, that we may be struggling to connect and we struggling to open up. In the sermon this week, Rob talked about who our "neighbour" is. He talked about the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25 - 37) which is a confronting and challenging story about putting your own needs aside and caring for someone else. I personally found it really interesting to understand the reason's why the Priest and Levite did not care for the injured man - because contact with a dead body would make them unclean - and can identify with similar (admittedly with less dying bodies involved) situations where I have had clear reasons for the actions I have taken. And in our current world circumstances, it would be reasonable to not act as a Good Samaritan because we are understandably worried or focused on protecting ourselves. And yet we know that it is as a community that we will not only survive but thrive. For all the horror stories we currently see in the news, we are also seeing stories of love, compassion and support. Of people ignoring that instinct and opening up, being vulnerable and loving others sacrificially. As Christians, that is frankly our mandate. He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind...” Luke 14: 12 - 14. From a psychological perspective, this makes sense. We know social connection helps reduce levels of anxiety and stress. As a society, we need each other in order to survive. I may be great at some things, but I can't fix a car - I need a mechanic to do that. We need to care for our cattle and farmers in order to have food; otherwise we would all starve to death. And while these are all legitimate reasons for caring for others - for prioritising them - I don't think that is the reason God has asked us to do so. If it was about the practicality of it, then the Priest and Levite choosing not to touch a dying body would have been reasonable. And yet they weren't acting "Neighbourly". Love your neighbour as yourself - Luke 10:27 This verse strikes me as the point. It's about treating others in the same manner as you would treat yourself. It is about dropping emotional shields and guards, opening up and seeing another human as a person first with thoughts, feelings and ideas and being ok with that. As human beings, we are three dimensional realities - but we often fail to recognise that others are also the same. And that limits connection, it limits openness and it limits friendship. Jesus didn't see Zacchaeus as simply a Tax Collector. Jesus saw, and accepted, Zacchaeus as a complex individual and wanted to get to know him. That took Jesus communicating curiosity and lowering his guard to be open, asking to join him for dinner. That is what we are called to do. We are called to take the unknown step of accepting others - of being open, supportive and loving. Of welcoming them into our lives and into our houses. Of demonstrating the actions Jesus took for us, to them. And not just in a crisis (although definitely in a crisis); but in our day to day lives. It's about mentality - about being aware of our surroundings and taking the opportunities as they pass. So, I wonder. What is holding you back from that mentality? What is stopping you from accepting your neighbours? What is keeping your guard up? And what are you going to do to change that? - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla

A couple of months ago, I was packing up at the park with Rosa when this other mum started a conversation with me. I could clearly see she had a purpose behind the conversation, and I was curious to see where she was going with it. To be honest, I figured she was a lonely mum looking for connection so imagine my surprise when she finished the conversation up with an invite to her church. I graciously explained that I was already a member of a church and left, and as I drove home I reflected on "how brave" that woman was to approach and invite me - a stranger - to her church. I have to admit, taking the opportunity to talk about my faith, to be the bridge between a person and greater knowledge of God, is not a strength of mine. When Rob and I first talked about this blog series, my response to this topic (invitations) was - "you do it, I suck at it". And watching to various videos as part of our Life Group study has been confrontational, to say the least. The challenging truth is that, although I am not ashamed of my faith in God and there isn't a bone in my body that isn't committed to following him, I generally do not talk about my faith with those who don't follow Jesus, and can probably count the number of people I have invited to church or a bible study on one hand. And yet, it's not like I hide other parts of my life. I am open (perhaps too open) about my family, my career, my physical and mental health challenges. I don't shy away from discussing politics, the news or religion in general. I am a planner and regularly take the lead in arranging catch ups with friends and family. And yet, it has only been in the last 6 months or so that I have started acknowledging to my mother's group that I am busy on a Sunday morning because I have church. So, why am I shying away? In this day and age, it is definitely understandable to experience anxiety about disclosing your faith. It can feel like such a loaded topic. My job requires me to accept and welcome people no matter what. And the issues they are struggling with - gender, sexuality, religion, a history of trauma, crime - may result in them coming to decisions which are against my faith. My role is to be a non-judgemental safe space where they can talk. So a part of me is taught to compartmentalise my faith - which is ironic because I believe that it is the love I have experienced from God which makes me such a good psychologist. Add in the fact that acknowledging your faith in public can result in conflict, ostracism, or straight awkwardness, and it is no wonder it's easier to dodge the question. Furthermore, I don't want to be seen as "that Christian woman" who is always trying to bring her friends to church - like I described the woman in the first paragraph. I could feel she had a reason (or agenda) for talking to me, and I definitely don't want my friends to feel that as well. So, how do we connect without the agenda? To be honest, in many ways, this question continues to stump me. When I think about Jesus' actions, His example, and the way he approached connection and invitation, in some ways I do think he had an agenda and yet he didn't at the same time. What do I mean by that? I mean that to separate Jesus the person from His faith, His love, His mission, is like trying to separate salt from the sea. It's doable, but why would you? Jesus' purpose was to do God's will - to come to earth, die for our sins and rise again - to save us (John 6:38). And so, he lived and breathed this purpose, this mission. And yet, his actions were not always telegraphed as such. For example, with Zacchaeus, he did not tell Zacchaeus to change, he just invited himself to dinner (Luke 19:1 - 10). He asked a Samaritan women for a drink of water (John 4:7 - 42) rather than judging her for her sins. Other times he did approach people directly (for example when he called his disciples [Matthew 4:18-22]), or worked with what was being presented to him (for example when he healed the crippled beggar [John 5:1 - 15]). There is so much variety in Jesus' actions, that I don't think it was about the action he took. it was about him - he was the conduit for something greater. And that is something I can work with. The way I figure it, we are described as the "fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). There isn't one way to fish (as far as I know) and similarly, there isn't one way to connect people to God. Realistically, if there was it would be written in the Bible under the heading "How to Bring People to God". Instead we have the example of a man who just connected with people using what he had available at the time - food, conversation, invitation and healing. He used his strengths. So we can use ours. Mine is curiosity. I like to get to know people. I like to know what makes them tick. I like hosting and I like social events. So that is how I can (and more importantly will) start talking to people. I'm not going to have a purpose like the lady in the beginning of this post, because that doesn't feel authentic to me and may put the other person on guard if done wrong. Instead, I just won't hide the fact that I go to church. Or that when I am sick I ask God to heal me. When someone is struggling, I can offer to pray for them - just like I would suggest they seek professional support. So, I ask you. What are your strengths? What are you intentionally doing in your daily life that allows you to connect to people? And lastly, how can you intentionally use that for God? - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla #faith #sharing #make #room #connection #hope #love #kindness #curiosity

Some of my best memories involve food. I grew up in a large family where it was common for major celebrations to include in excess of 40 people. Coming from an Egyptian background, celebrations involved tables groaning with food (you needed to have enough of every dish for each guest), loud music, laughter, and my grandfather sitting on the deck in the backyard smoking a Shisha. My summer's were filled with time on the beach or in the pool and I am definitely blessed to have olive skin because I never burnt, just turned a very dark colour. Although I personally did not like all the food served, the meals had to include at least two forms of meat, seafood, rice, potato salad and Lebanese bread. This was all on top of the mezza (nuts, more bread, dip) and the dessert (another full table of different dishes). In my families mind, food was synonymous with hosting. I remember going to Egypt with my family and visiting every family (which was a lot because mum had 25 cousins) with each family member providing a full meal. At one point we were seeing a family for lunch and then another one for dinner. Even more importantly, it was vital that you ate and it was an insult if you didn't have a full meal with your hosts. Showing love to someone means hospitality Why am I telling you this? Because for my family - and for me - showing you love someone and that they are accepted and welcome was linked directly to feeding them. It was our primary mode of connection and celebration. It was ingrained in me from day one, and even today, it is a strong part of who I am. I am fortunate to have a husband who feels the same. When we bought our house, we intentionally chose a home which had space to host with the desire to use it to connect people with God. One of the main focuses of our wedding was that the reception be a great time for our guests (i.e. great food, great entertainment and great dancing). And when Rob asked me to start planning our community outreach barbecues when we launched C3 Church Wentworthville, my response was not, "ummm... you sure?" but "definitely. How many people do you want me to cater for?" It is also why I am passionate about having a friendly, welcoming face at our Sunday service morning tea - with good coffee and tea and delicious food. It is a very important part of our weekly church service. Eating and Drinking The bible tells us: The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ - Luke 7:34 NIV I heard somewhere that Jesus literally ate His way through the gospel. He told stories over food, connected with people over drinks and even celebrated His last supper with His disciples (now communion for us) with food and drink. And He didn't limit this time to His disciples, or the Jewish, or the "acceptable" people. Jesus explicitly chose to eat dinner with Zacchaeus, a tax collector (Luke 19:1-10), even such actions were quite scandalous in His day. In those days, Tax Collectors were hated. Unlike today, where taxes are clearly controlled by government; during the time of Jesus it was common for the tax collectors to add a little for their own pocket when collecting the money. Frankly, they were loathed. And what was the consequence of Jesus' action - Zacchaeus completely changed; he gave half his money to the poor and said that anyone he cheated he would repay four times over. Something as small as having a meal had a major impact in this one man's life. Similar to this, our church services and Life Groups are partially a place to draw people in. And not just the Christians, but the lost, the wounded and the lonely. The service (or study) itself is a place to feed them spiritually, to introduce them and connect them with God, but the morning tea (or dinner) is an opportunity to connect with them. To understand their story and to demonstrate the love of God. And that is why it is important to continue to provide these opportunities. It doesn't need to be something major like hosting a party for 50. It can be something as simple as buying a stranger a coffee, or having a picnic with your mothers group. But it provides an opportunity to connect, to relate and to show your love and acceptance - and much like how Jesus was able to draw people to God through this, we too can demonstrate Jesus' love in this action. - Written by Ashleigh Crosilla. #connect #life #love #hospitality #Make_Room #Jesus #eating #drinking

It's easy to say "I believe that", but in most situations we are talking about things that we agree with. Is that what the bible means by faith? Mental agreement with someone's argument or saying? I was talking to someone recently, and they raised something they believed about a church I know , based upon never actually going to that church, nor ever investigating the thing they were so confidently claiming to find out if it really was the case. This form of "belief" is prevalent around us, but is that what we are talking about when we talk about having faith in God, believing in Jesus? Right Relationships On Sunday morning I talked about Making Room for PEOPLE by faith. God has given us His righteousness through Jesus Christ. This means we are given the gift of right standing and relationship with Him, but more than that, it means being able to relate to each other in healthy ways as God has designed us to. Based out of Ezekiel 18:5-9, what this means in reality is: Doing what is just and right - these are massive terms in the Old Testament which mean doing what God considers JUST and RIGHT. Reflect God's justice and right standards out into the world in our daily interactions with other people. Getting rid of pursuits that distract us from pursuing God first and foremost. Trusting in God, not our wealth or other false hopes. Being personally pure and faithful in marriage. Not oppressing anyone, taking unjustly from anyone, not building a divide between rich and poor. It is being conscious of and generous to the poor. It is self-control in all matters - not lashing out, seeking revenge, nor doing things on a whim. It is to judge impartially, under God, not out of personal interests. It is, in the end, to follow God, firstly, freely, and boldly. This right way of relating to others is only possible because of Jesus and by faith in Him. Paul says it like this in Romans 3: "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." [Romans 3:22-24] But what does this faith, in reality, look like in our lives? Through Real Belief When we talk of faith, we're not talking of mere mental assent or agreement with what someone is saying - or even what God is saying. We're talking of actually making contact with, mysteriously but truthfully, the reality that we believe in. Making contact with the living God and His real righteousness. Let me explain the difference, with reference to the belief that we humans can fly. Mental assent would be to say, "I believe that we humans can master the forces of nature in order to fly vehicles in the air over long distances." And then forever remain on the ground, never entering such a craft and doing anything in order to actually fly. Faith would be to say exactly the same thing, "I believe that we humans can master the forces of nature in order to fly vehicles in the air over long distances." But then it would be to build such a vehicle, and through trial and error man it, and eventually to fly. And note this - as you fly, are you not in mysterious but real ways, not only coming into the forces that control flight, and mastering them? When we say we receive God's gift of righteousness by faith, we are not saying, "I believe he's given me his righteousness," and then never raising a finger to ever attempt to live right as a result. That is mere mental assent, and that is not faith. You are living an illusion, in fact. To live by faith is to say "I believe I have the gift of Jesus' righteousness", and then slowly by God's wisdom and truth put together a life that reflects this, through trial and error, and you in real ways (and mysteriously nonetheless) connect with God and His powerful righteousness and master the forces of sin and evil that are against His righteousness in the world. How does this really change things? We need to be forming, committing to, and practicing righteous plans and ways in our world. We need to be committing to courses of action in our relationships and daily lives that reflect God's righteousness. And trusting that as we receive the righteousness of Jesus as a gift, we are being really and powerfully empowered to fulfill our plans, commitments and ways in the world. More and more. Which means real change in our lives - the righteousness of God, as described by Ezekiel, becomes in us more fully and strongly! I want to live this kind of way in the world around me! I need to! We need to be such a people as a church. Who do what is just and right, who get rid of distracting pursuits, who are pure and faithful in marriage, who don't oppress anyone, who are conscious of and generous to the poor, who live self-controlled lives, who judge impartially in all matters, and who in the end follow God firstly, freely and boldly. It's a high calling - but one that is enabled by faith in the living God who we really can, in powerful and mysterious ways, make contact with and be empowered by! Written by Ps Rob. #faith #Room #God #Jesus #righteousness #right #justice #poor

On Sunday, we explored the biblical reality that God has been personally present with humans through human history. Whether it was individual humans like Abraham and Moses, nations like Israel, and now throughout the whole Earth through the Church, God's great desire and plan is to be present to His whole Creation, and especially to us, His image bearers (see Genesis 1:26-27). That Making Room for Jesus, a core expression of our vision for 2021 as a church, is all about Making Room for nothing less the God Himself - present to us, even in us, and then working through us. The truth is, this can be hard to believe for us. God, wanting to be present to me. The Creator of this Universe wanting to show up in my world. The Jesus who literally calmed storms by telling them to "Be Still!" (see Mark 4:39) and healed so many in acts of miraculous power wants to be present to me. Even more than these, the Holy Spirit, God in His person as Spirit, wants to dwell in me (see John 14:16-17). Today, I want to deal with "presence blockers." Ways that we view ourselves, God, and the Holy Spirit that block us experiencing Him personally - His personal presence. May you find fresh encouragement, and even freedom, to encounter the living God through these thoughts. Blocker #1 - The Way We See Ourselves One of the chief ways we can stop ourselves from experiencing God's presence is in how we view ourselves or what we believe about ourselves. A common way we can express ourselves is, "I'm not worthy" to experience God's presence. Elaborated further, this can mean: "I'm not spiritual enough"; "I'm not spiritual enough"; "I'm not prayerful enough"; "I'm not consistent enough". The list goes on. The bible speaks clearly to this belief that can block us from even daring to want to and try to experience God's personal presence: "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:19–23) You and can have confidence to "enter the Most Holy Place" and "draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings". The Most Holy Place was the place in the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple where God Himself dwelt amongst His people. You and I can be where God dwells, can draw near to God, by faith. And how is this possible? Not because we're good enough, not because we've prayed enough, not because we're consistent enough, indeed not because of us at all. But "by the blood of Jesus...a new and living way"! By faith in the forgiving and cleansing sacrifice of Jesus upon the Cross, which included His shed blood and broken body, we can draw near to God - be in His presence, by faith! Blocker #2 - The Way We See God Generally Another way we can find ourselves experience a "block" from the presence of God is in how we view God. We can feel like God is hesitant, or in some mysterious way distant and avoidant of being with us. By way of an indirect illustration, Jesus' interaction with a man who desperately wanted healing for his leprosy, which itself was a very isolating disease, helps show us God's real heart towards us: "A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed." (Mark 1:40–42) Jesus was indignant at the question of His willingness to heal this man, and in the context it seems clearly to be an indignation born of His complete willingness to heal and help this man in his debilitated state. How much more, if Jesus is God with us (see Matthew 1:20-23), does this tell us God is willing to be with us. To be present to us. To be in our midst as His sons and daughters. Blocker #3 - The Way We See God the Holy Spirit Thirdly, we can tend to struggle with understanding how God works in our lives by presence of the Holy Spirit. We can tend to understand God the Father, because He clearly reveals Himself in the Bible, especially throughout the Old Testament. We can understand God the Son, Jesus, because He is clearly testified to in the New Testament. But God the Holy Spirit - He's a bit hard to grasp, come to terms with - and as such we can leave God the Holy Spirit in the too hard basket. This belief becomes a blocker to God's presence with us - the Holy Spirit. If you struggle to understand the Holy Spirit, and how He fits in our Christian life, I can thoroughly recommend this resource by Dr Gordon Fee. But let me give you three bible passages to help you understand and become convinced of who the Holy Spirit, and how He wants to work in your life: The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and led Jesus for life and ministry (Luke 3:21-21; Luke 4:1) - if He was crucial in Jesus' life, surely we must pay close attention to who He is. The Holy Spirit was promised to be with us and even in us by Jesus (see John 14:16-17). The Holy Spirit was who the early followers of Jesus waited for, and powerfully experienced, and this empowered their lives to be ones of devotion and witness to Jesus (Luke 24:48-49; Acts 2:1-4) The Holy Spirit is understood to be essential to what it is to be led by Jesus (Romans 8:14). If you need a good list of Holy Spirit bible verses to study further, here's one such list. Freedom to Encounter the Living God God wants nothing less than us to experience Him freely. Personally. And the Holy Spirit is the key for us who live in the times of the New Testament. And this all starts with what we believe. Where you have needed encouragement that God truly does want to be with you, and at work in you, personally, take courage. Where you have been stuck, feeling far from God's Presence or unable to encounter Him, be set free to encounter Him through the truths of God's word found above. The truth is, the Holy Spirit, God's Presence with and in us, is essential to living the life God has made us to live - to go and make room for people who are yet to know Him, to grow in our relationship with Jesus, and to gather and make room for people. Come, Holy Spirit - heal our hearts, renew our minds, and encounter us we pray. For the Glory of God, and the restoration of true humanity throughout the earth. Amen. Written by Ps. Rob. #Holy #Spirit #God #blockers #presence #bible #truth #life #freedom