So what does it mean for me, a Christian voter this election when the new leader of Labor has proclaimed her atheist viewpoint? She has some great policies and I enjoy watching her campaign but what does her lack of Christian beliefs mean for my family and me in the future?

The Greens want gay marriage and abortion rights; and they’re in bed with Labor. So I know my dear held Christian views are not likely to be upheld if they get into power together.

I don’t like Tony Abbott, he is a strange man – with policies thrown together, who spends most of his time attacking the opposition instead of following up with what he will do better.  But at least the man proclaims to be Christian (or Catholic – we are all one in Christ!)

So really there isn’t much option than to vote Family First in the senate (OK Senetor Steve Fielding is pretty useless and even more so after his appalling performance on QandA where he refused to stand firm in his so called Christianity) but at least they’ll block bills for gay marriage and abortion etc. Which leaves the Liberals for the major party.

To me, the decision from a spiritual viewpoint far outweighs any economic or environmental issue we could face under either party if elected.

Claire Murray, 25, died just before 12:00pm (AWST) from complications following a “live liver” transplant two weeks ago, where part of her aunt’s liver was used.

The transplant went well but in the past few days Ms Murray developed blood clots in her heart.

Last month health authorities in Perth rejected Ms Murray’s request for a second liver transplant after an earlier taxpayer-funded transplant failed due to her heroin addiction. (Full Story)

Many people had some negative things to say about her situation. Personally I am so sad she has passed away. We’ve all made mistakes, myself many and I still keep making them.

Who are we to judge her??

I am so thankful, at this time of year it’s ironic, Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins and I am so glad though I’m not perfect that He has forgiven me for all I’ve done and will do. I know to a lot of you reading this that will sound awfully dorky, but when you understand the enormity of that, it’s just massive.

I feel for her family and friends and pray their hearts will be open to Gods love and healing in their time of loss.

RIP Claire.

He came to our church in Whittlesea this weekend and really challenged the socks off our church family, from the mens, ladies and youth groups to the congregation as a whole during the morning and evening services.

I’m going to get a copy and post it online it’s just so inspiring.

Basically his challenge was to ask yourself where your fingerprints were in the world? His thought was that we have individual fingerprints because one day Jesus is going to ask us to show where our fingerprints are in the world, in the lives of the orphans, widows, the sick and the broken.

It’s a huge challenge to forget yourself and live for others, but oh how great the reward.

Our Pastor said recently during a conversation we had about the bushfires and all the challenges we faced as a church to minister to our hurting community, what else would you want to be doing?

Truly, living an inwards looking life at what you have or don’t have, or growing and connecting with people around and really leaving a positive fingerprint in someones life.

I love George for challenging our church, they were so shocked from his message noone clapped even!!! Ha ha!!

I sincerely hoped though that some went away and took up the challenge to serve others and leave fingerprints where they matter most.

It’s funny people say they look for God, but really He isn’t hard to find, you only need go where the orphans, widows, sick and hurting are. It’s there you’ll not only find God, but find your true self.

It is a reminder to me that he certainly does work for my greater good and though the times being stretched are as uncomfortable as all heck, the time of triumph is reward enough to make up.

I am enjoying all the connections I’ve been making with people from the past as well as new ones who’ve arrived on the doorstep out if the blue.

Life is beautiful.

Why I became a Christian – The Beginning

My Christian journey started as a small child with my Mum giving me a small plate with the Lords prayer on it. I used to recite it every night before bed as a young child. Later at about age ten in a caravan park in Eden, NSW one summer holiday – I met a girl about the same age whose family were Christian, I didn’t have any exposure to Christianity before this aside from the Lords Prayer.

On that holiday I asked Jesus into my heart and life. I recall afterwards starting to go by myself to a Presbyterian church in Epping, Victoria for some time before finally being put off by their constant reference to us all ‘being sinners’ – even at that young age I knew that church should have been an empowering experience and not all doom and gloom.

I drifted away from Christianity and in 1994 in my first year of university after reading a small advert in the local paper, starting taking a meditation course nearby. I drifted along with them and at various stages had a varied involvement with them – preferring mostly the uni life of partying, getting drunk and having what the world called ‘fun’.

Around 1999-2000 I became more involved in the Indian religion from which it stemmed. This organisation followed these principals: vegetarian, abstaining from alcohol, smoking, sexual relationships and daily meditation with what they call the Supreme Soul.

It was during that time I was able to overcome my excessive smoking and drinking habits. Still to this day I am still vegetarian and don’t smoke or drink.

In early 2004 I was still practising my meditation often getting up at 4am and having half an hours mediation time in the stillness of the morning. One morning, I had this strong desire to put the TV on which was in my room. This lady appeared, dressed well and a strong American accent – she was saying the most amazing things that related to things going on in my life. This woman was Joyce Meyer, a well known Christian Preacher. Before long I was waking each morning at 4am to listen to her. She had this amazing no nonsense way of communicating her message. It was what I needed though I didn’t pursue Christianity – I still identified with my other religion.

That same year I started talking more through the Internet with a guy from England called Steve. After many hours of conversation we met in person and fell in love. In November 2004 I moved to England and we spent two years there.

During that time we attended when we could the nearest meditation centre about an hour or more away for this organisation. It just didn’t ‘fit’ right though and I was forever questioning their beliefs and not being content with the answers I was getting.

I was homesick and missing the family/community environment being a part of something like that offered and kept getting the push inside me to visit a church.

We attended a number of churches, what an eye opener and I am so glad we stuck with our search and were not put off by some of the strange places we encountered.

Finally, at the beginning of the New Year in 2006 we went to a service St Johns Church of England in Woodbridge, Suffolk and the very first morning we were there, God sat a retired vicar next to us. We became friends and attended some small groups at their house on a number of occasions and pumped them with questions and such like. It took many months for me to finally make the decision as an adult to become a Christian.

I made the decision that if I lived my life by the principles of Christianity, and it turned out to be wrong, I had lost nothing. But, if I lived my life by the scientific principles of atheism, or indeed New Ageism, and THAT turned out to be wrong, then I had lost everything. I asked Jesus to become Lord of my life. I made the decision in faith, there was no bolt of lightening or Road to Damascus experience for us like Paul experienced in the Bible to have him convert from his Roman ways to be a follower of Christ.

In November 2006 we moved back to Australia and tried out a few churches in our area before making our home at New Horizons Assembly of God Church in Whittlesea.

Before we went there we did attend a different church in the area, the vicar of which ran a course called Introducing God. It was really at this point I really clicked into knowing WHO Jesus is and WHY I need him in my life. He also lent me a book called ‘More Than A Carpenter‘ by Josh McDowell. The book put things into perspective in such a way that I really couldn’t ignore it any longer – and argued so well that Jesus Christ was the Son Of God, that logically I could no longer argue against it. At that point I decided I had to find out more, and began to seek out who Jesus really was.

Steve and I were baptized in water, by Pastor Shane at New Horizons in October of 2007. Since that time I have been given more and more evidence that Jesus is Lord because the Bible IS accurate.

Life has taken many twists and turns – without my faith, this religion – I wouldn’t be where I am today. I would be so bitter and angry as I have a lot to be bitter and angry about with the experiences I have endured in the past; sexual, physical, emotional abuse and abandonment to name just a few.

It is of great comfort for me to know that the world and the people in it are going to hurt me and let me down. But my heavenly Father loves me eternally and at any time I can go to Him. I know that when I take the love and approval I need from Him than people – the greater I become.

Why do I stay a Christian?

In my time as a Christian I have witnessed some miracles, been blessed beyond measure and had the opportunity to serve on the mission field in Africa, in and around my home town and amongst my friends and family. I’ve seen lives changed and people so broken you would never think they could be fixed be healed in their hearts and in their lives by the power of God.

It is certainly an amazing life I lead now I have learnt that God is more interested in my character and not my comfort and I have come to try my best to ‘consider it pure joy to go through trials’ because I know they are shaping my character and developing my relationship with God even more.