Today is the 21st of January 2020, in Coffs Harbour Australia. Man, god is just so good. I don’t even know how long I’ve been here for because the days have been so full of activity, fellowship, rain, warmth, and lots of love. God has been moving in such beautiful and of course perfect ways. My heart and many others feel a deep sense of peace as we share the first month of the Race all together as a squad in Coffs. Coffs is a small coastal town around five hours south of Gold Coast and three hours south of Byron Bay. The feeling in the air immediately when we got here was that of kindness and a certain lightness around us that comes with summer time. Getting up early each morning has been a process of saying yes, and the result is so much peace. There is something about the cool warmth in the morning during the summer that centers the soul to receive what God has for us individually daily. There’s some type of magic that the early riser sees in the heart of things. Anyways.. Wow. Let me just say God is so worthy, and so endlessly cool. Yesterday the 20th was our real first day of ministry in Coffs Harbour. As a Squad we all sat and prayed letting God speak to our hearts about where and what we were going to be doing. I instantly thought “Street Worship” and others felt the same thing placed upon our hearts. So a team of about 12 split up with the intention of going to the Jetty right on the ocean side to play and sing worship songs as people passed by, in the hopes of creating a space of conversation and fellowship. So with no expectation and total dependance on God, I along with Mary Grace, Lindsay, and Shae set out to the jetty in an Uber. The plan was to get dropped off near the pier and go and sit and see what happened. God had something so beautiful in store for us however. The uber driver dropped us off not near the pier but near the pathway to this island/hill called Muttonbird Island. It is a beautiful hill that juts out into the ocean far beyond the jetty and beach. So we all quickly decided instead of going to the pier that we should walk to the top of Muttonbird and pray over Coffs Harbour. It was a windy, barefoot walk up to the top, where there was an outlook and a path that led further across the island to the ocean. While we were at the top I took out my guitar simultaneously as a family of about twenty approached up the mountain. When they reached the top the father began to ask us about what were up to, and what happened next wrecked me. Turned out he was a Christian himself, and every single year on the 20th of January Him and His family came to the top of Muttonbird Island to have a memorial service for their aunt who died tragically in a car accident. This year was the 17th year of them doing this. He warmly invited us to join and to sing a couple of songs with them so we happily agreed and followed them to the opposite side of the island facing the ocean. When we got to the other side there was some mingling and conversation and photo taking, and then we sang a couple of songs (well the girls did) as I randomly strung a couple of cords not knowing what I was doing. It didn’t matter though, God was there and the family was all smiling and clapping. After the worship the father gathered us all around and spoke very beautiful words over the aunt, and then proceeded to read 1 Corinthians 13 out loud. Turns out the father was the only Christian in his whole family. After reading scripture we prayed together and then we sang Amazing Grace together and ohhhhh did my heart soar. It was just so beautiful. As we sang amazing grace the sun broke through the clouds above and the came out and stayed out. IT was unreal. Before leaving back up the island to where we came I gave my guitar to this brilliant beautiful person with down-syndrome who was the son of the father. He rocked it way harder than I ever could or did. As he played the dad was dancing and we were clapping. So much joy, peace, and life we all got to experience because we have said yes to God. Yes God, wherever you need us we will go. It was as simple as asking and being obedient, and there on that little hill we met Jesus in the midst of a memorial with an entire family of strangers who quickly became friends.
That’s the kingdom, it’s walking out the door into the world with our hearts open to love and to say yes to God at every moment. The rest is a beautiful story. The rest is love, the rest is living life not just for God but with God in every moment. It’s peace and beauty, its pure joy. It was an experience I’m sure Lindsey, Mary Grace, Shae and I will remember forever. When we walk in faith we see mountains move, we see peace not come and go, but stay, because our eyes are fixed on the Father. The days are warm and good, God is so great. I’m loving Australia, and I know for sure the relationships I’m creating here will last for years to come. Love always – Brent
