Godsmacked

Yes, well, I never intended to be a primary school chaplain in Australia, you see.

I had such wonderful plans to remain in my native Toronto; to finish my studies at Wycliffe Anglican Seminary and be ordained as an Anglican priest, along with all my friends, into a neat and tidy, and yet forward-thinking, Gospel centered and world-changing parish in downtown Toronto that happened to be located near the best coffee shops, Turkish restaurants and one or two humble, yet newsworthy, Anglican homeless missions (for authenticity, of course).

Ha. Ha.

Morgan Freeman is killing himself laughing.

I suppose its because He had other plans.

God, not Morgan Freeman, of course. You follow?

So one day in 2007, as I was completing my seminary practicum (read: cheap and politically expeditious turn in the Anglican Church), God threw a gorgeous, smart, spiritual astute and compassionate Aussie at me. The only hitch was that I had to pick up stix and move to Australia to marry Bruce; and may I say right now it was worth every second of the angst, upheaval and uncertainty that is immigrating to a foreign country.

In short order, I found myself with a new husband, a weird family situation, an Anglican Church with rheumatoid arthritis of the spirit, culture shock, and an entirely new way of looking a the world.

The Aussie Way, which isn't as glamorous as Nicole Kidman, Heath Ledger and Isla Fisher make it out to be.

But that's not my point. My point is that God (as He does), smacked me in the head, overturned every one of my cherished dreams and threw something so awesome at me, so life changing, that I never even considered it. I'll unpack this more later, but filling you all in will take time, so please bear with the story....

My point is only to give you enough background to understand that God is doing awesome things through Scripture Union in Australia - and I am honoured, humbled, and utterly bewildered to be a part of it.

What follow here are some of the stories that I've been privileged to be involved in. I hope you enjoy, and are as surprised by them as I was...