The Upside 11 - July, 2018

OF A FUNDRAISER

10 OF

YEARS

GREY NOMADS

THE MINISTRY OF

A JEWELL Fun

About

A letter from the editor

Are you having fun yet?

In the book of Proverbs, Solomon — who was the wisest man to ever live — said, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit” (15:13). Obliviously there’s wisdom in having fun in life. It would be a pretty boring experience otherwise!

But have you ever thought about ministering to people through fun? Or about the difference you can make in people’s lives by bringing them joy, laughter and smiles? In this issue of The Upside, we explore some of the experiences and wisdom that

people who share Jesus in creative ways have. Our cover feature (“The Ministry of Fun,” pages 4 to 6) shows that there are no limitations in how we can share God.

In other things, we’ve got some great exercise tips from Unleash Fit Living, a perfect-for-Winter recipe and news about 10 years of Grey Nomads. Read on to find out more!

Adele Nash

A Jewell

OF A FUNDRAISER

After 12 years, Jewells Lifestyle Community has finally cracked the $50,000 fundraising mark for the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea.

Since 2006, retirement village residents at Jewells Lifestyle Community have continued to fill their kettles, bake cookies and cakes, and gather friends, family and community as part of their annual contribution to the Cancer Council fundraiser. Over the years, they have been amazed by the goodwill within their small community as they have watched their cumulative fundraising tally continue to grow, finally surpassing the very impressive $50,000 mark in late May.

“It is just extraordinary,” says village resident and organiser Penny Gawthorn. “As a small community, we started with just 13 guests in 2006, raising a little more than $300. Now we have grown to more than 100 guests and regularly raise more than $4000 at each event.”

She added, “It really is humbling to know that we have raised so much to support those whose lives are affected by cancer.”

This year was a very poignant event for Penny. Over the past year, the village lost two of its own to cancer. Both Bruce Keenan and Pat Nolan were not only members of the village, but also two of the original supporters of the Jewells Lifestyle Community Biggest Morning Tea.

Speaking at the morning tea, Penny said, “Today was dedicated to the memory of both Bruce and Pat,” while wiping away a tear. “They would have been extremely proud of our achievement.”

Penny puts months of hard work into ensuring the event is an annual success and one very much looked forward to by all the village residents. She says it is the story of cancer survivors that make her work all worthwhile. One such story is that of local musician and village friend, Peter Dixon. Today Peter is father to two beautiful little girls. Were it not for the contribution of Cancer Council research, he would have been unable to freeze his sperm close to 30 years ago and then use it 23 years later to father his first child, and again a year later to father his second, making it the second longest period of time in the world that sperm has laid frozen before the successful parenting of a child.

“It is those stories,” says Penny, “that give me joy in organising these events.”

“Without the Biggest Morning Tea, some of these stories would not have such happy endings,” she adds.

— Felicity Pittaway

Right: Jewells Lifestyle Community resident, Penny Gawthorn, with Olympian, Samantha Wells, at recent Cancer Council event

Fun The Ministry of

got the chance to tell a children’s story, I would do it as Miss Dotti,” she says. “If we base ministry on the model of Christ’s way of doing it, it was through sharing stories. He spoke in parables and that made the Gospel accessible to anyone.”

When you think of ministry, how do you picture it? Is it something that’s relatively serious and sensible? You’re probably not thinking about laughter, play and silliness. In fact, you might be picturing a three-piece suit and a tie.

So when you realise that ministry can be done with fun at its heart, it opens up so many possibilities.

That chance arose, and she’s been doing more and more ministry for children since then. “Kids are captivated by what I wear,” she says. “They’re interested quickly because it’s someone wearing a bright dress who does silly things like they do. The fun part makes them willing to listen to the serious content. I’ve been able to bless hundreds of kids, and tell them about the importance of prayer, that God is accessible to them and that they can trust in Jesus.”

Rose believes that in every adult, there’s a small child wanting to play and be fulfilled. Being Miss Dotti means she can move away from the “sensibility” of being an adult to use her knowledge of God to “see how He can bless me with the personality He’s given me” and how that can be a blessing for others.

Being relatable and approachable is something Graeme Frauenfelder speaks of too when it comes to his career of clowning. With a love of connections, happiness and culture, Graeme believes there are many ways people can be uplifted and ministered to with vibrancy and colour. He has a huge range of colourful clothes, clown outfits and costume onesies, many of which are stored on a rack just inside the front door. When his Mum was unwell and Dad went into an aged care home, Graeme says, “I’d walk out the door and put on a clown costume, and then would go to the hospital or the old folks’ home. It was just for the colour and stimulation. It wasn’t just about me visiting my Dad, but about becoming part of the place. In the hospital where Mum was, people would call me into their rooms to have a chat. The women would even have a bet on about the colour of hat I’d be wearing!”

community

Her alter-ego is Miss Dotti, whose bright polka-dot dresses and rabbit sidekick (called Brockett) belie a heart for ministry to children. She says, “Miss Dotti represents our opportunities to have fun. She’s the chance to be yourself without any pretences or expectations. It would be nice to walk around like this all day, but I have to go back to being an adult!”

Her sister recently pointed out that it’s not often adults get to put on a fun persona to be able to communicate with kids, but that’s exactly what Rose does. “At one point during my elder training for my job, I prayed to God that if I ever

She notes, “God created fun, colours and play for our learning and development. It’s not meant to sound technical when you put on a clown outfit, but there it is!”

It’s important to note that ministry like this isn’t about entertainment alone. It’s far from that. “What I do is biblicallybased,” says Rose. “Some might perceive it as a performance, but it’s not about entertainment only. It’s taking children on a journey to spiritually feed them. My kids get excited that their mum has gone from being ‘just mum’ to being an even more relatable person to them.”

This colourful life has opened up many opportunities to connect with people in unique, meaningful ways. People want to stop to talk about outfits and it provides chances to share in ways that may not have otherwise been open.

Where does this come from? Graeme says, “It comes out of playfulness. Playfulness is the key. I get so much happiness from it. My favourite jackets

Rose Sillett is trained as a diversional therapist and works in the

sector.

“God created fun, colours and play for our learning.”

are floral ones and I can guarantee that people will stop to talk to me when I wear them. It’s an opening of the heart for them. It’s not just laughter and smiles. It’s an avenue for connecting and I’ve had the deepest conversations with people who come up to me.”

Graeme’s clown persona — Zing! — isn’t just something he does for personal benefit. It’s something that has blessed thousands of people around the world, as Graeme is an active participant in many, many clowning-based community events and projects. These range from clowning with the real Patch Adams in the Amazon to the Olympic Games in Athens to providing community care following the earthquake that displaced 10 million people in Central China.

When it comes to Christian-focused clowning, the work that Graeme has done with STORM Co — Service To Others Really Matters — has been extensive. STORM Co is an initiative of the Seventh-day Adventist Church that is all about service and mission. Teams visit communities to run kids’ clubs, conduct service projects and make a positive difference. It often involves some clowning.

Graeme says, “What I’ve found with STORM Co training is that people think they can’t be funny all the time or they say they can’t act. It’s not about being funny or acting though. I used to have about 40 or so coloured hats that I would pass out in STORM Co workshops. As soon as people put them on, they’d start being different. Add a clown costume and a little make-up — or not — and people act differently. I’ve seen some of the shyest people let the playful part of themselves out.”

(continued over page)

“If we base ministry on the model of Christ’s way of doing it, it was through sharing stories.”

Photo credit: Jared Martin

The attention that wearing something unique garners is useful for STORM Co teams too. It means that people quickly become aware of the work the teams are doing, and the teams can easily promote their service projects and community events. It helps to break down barriers and make people more receptive to what STORM Co has to offer.

He notes that it’s important to not put on a character to be a clown. You need to be yourself — that’s where you can make the biggest difference in the world around you. Graeme speaks of a Children’s Ministries conference he attended in the Solomon Islands where he went and introduced himself to people and had a great time interacting. At some point, the organiser of the conference came and asked him what he was doing. “I said I was welcoming people,” says Graeme. “She told me I was meant to be out the back with the dignitaries! I had to lead the church and government leaders onto the stage. They were all in suits and ties. I skipped and blew bubbles and laughed. The politicians shared their formal titles when introducing themselves, and when it came to me, I said, ‘I’m Graeme and I’m from the Ministry of Happiness!’ Everyone laughed. For the rest of the week, they called me Mr Happiness or Ministry of Happiness.”

Mixing the spiritual with the playful means there are no limitations to how God can be shared with others. It also creates a culture of contagious kindness.

Pastor Daron Pratt, Director of Children’s and Family Ministries for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in NNSW, is renowned for bringing creativity and fun into reaching out to people of all ages. He’s not afraid to dress up in character to tell stories, blow bubbles or twist balloons to enhance the ministry he does. In fact, twisting balloons to tell stories about Jesus is something Daron’s famous for — particularly for those familiar with Balloon Kaboom!

to children, and if I can make ministry fun and show them what that looks like, I think they have a pretty good chance of connecting with Jesus. If the Christian life and Gospel isn’t fun, then it’s not an attractive path for our children to follow.”

When he travelled to Vanuatu, they’d heard about the Ministry of Happiness there. “It had spread,” says Graeme. “It wasn’t just about me, but anyone can be Ministers of Happiness. In the Solomons, I spoke to a group of women at the conference about how we’re all ordained to be ministers by God. Each of us has a calling to ministry. I told them, ‘I commission you today in the name of the Spirit of Jesus to be ministers of happiness. You go back to your churches and tell them you’ve been commissioned to be that.’”

“I made my first balloon with Dr Steve Case back in 1995 at a youth training program,” says Pastor Pratt. “It became an obsession. In 2004, Hope Channel asked me to do some ballooning segments for them. Arnie’s Shack was also working on a children’s program and we decided to combine forces. Arnie and I connected well and Balloon Kaboom was born. I’m now seen all over the world, taking the Gospel message to children everywhere, all based on a humble balloon.”

He adds, “Jesus had a sense of fun in His ministry. And He did some amazing, creative things. I want Jesus to be portrayed as a fun person to be around

Pastor Pratt encourages churches and church members to embrace using unique, fun tools — like balloons — to connect with people and minister to them. Using our special talents is just what God wants us to do. It might move us out of our comfort zone at first, but when we embrace being part of the Ministry of Fun team, amazing things can happen.

So what are you waiting for? Get creative, go out and have fun with God!

Adele

—

Nash

“Jesus had a sense of fun in His ministry. And He did some amazing, creative things.”

“there are no limitations to how God can be shared with others.”

Photo credit: Ann Stafford

TRIP FOR C4 TEAM aexperiencelife-changing

Every two years, a team from Central Coast Community Church (C4) spends a couple of weeks in a remote village in Cambodia. The purpose being to take “People Matter” to another culture. This year, a small team of 13 people worked together in a school performing a variety of tasks.

A year ago, C4 member Josh Breeden decided he wanted to be part of the C4 mission trip to Cambodia. Supported by his mum Kate and the rest of his family, he made every effort to reach his goal. Fundraising was achieved through selling chocolates and putting away every dollar (a huge thank you to members of C4 who also helped him get there through sponsorship). As a result, Josh experienced the trip of a lifetime last month. Here’s Josh’s story . . .

“Earlier this year, I went with a team from C4 to Cambodia to volunteer with the charity Restore One. We arrived in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh in the evening and I was amazed to see the differences in culture within a short time of being there. I saw children being put asleep on the side of the street and motorbikes holding three people while the driver was on the phone. For me, these things were completely shocking, as I was not used to all of this.

During our stay in Phnom Penh, we visited many places, but one place that stood out to me was S-21. S-21 was a school that was turned into detention (torture) centre during the Khmer Rouge era. Visiting this place was very difficult for me, but we were able to learn about the country’s history and why it is so poor.

When we were at the Restore One village, we were really able to get a sense of the true Cambodian culture. While in the village, we painted a mural outside of the high school canteen, built shelves, varnished schoolrooms and installed WiFi. Some of us also taught English and music. It was an amazing feeling to know that you have made a difference in a community in need. My favourite part of my time in the village was spending time with the Year 10 students at the water park. In spite of the language barrier, we were still able to communicate through smiles and laughter.

We didn’t visit the Angkor Wat temples, but we were still able to see some temples at a place we call “1000 steps.” On the last night in the village, we stayed in a family’s home. This involved splitting up into teams, and bargaining in the markets for a mosquito net and other bedding. We slept on a hard floor, which made it very hard to sleep. I find it very hard to imagine myself sleeping like that every day of my life. We also had to cook a meal for the family, which was an experience as we had to cook on open fire.

After the village, we went to a beautiful town on the beach called Kep. There we relaxed and went to a cave, which ended up being not what we expected as we ended up climbing down rock. At the end of our trip, we had a surprise — a zip-line across a river, which was a lot of fun. At the airport, I tried to talk my way out of leaving because I loved it so much.

Going on this trip made me really appreciate everything I have and all of the opportunities that I have been given. I now look at everything differently because I know that I live an extremely privileged life just because I was fortunate enough to be born in Australia.”

— CCCC Connections/John and Melissa Sanburg

May this year marked 10 years of the Grey Nomads Camp, which is an annual event run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Northern New South Wales (NNSW) for the eponymous grey nomads.

For 10 years, nomads have made the pilgrimage to the Stuarts Point Convention Centre on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. They come from all around Australia — and further afield. Over the years, numbers have grown from a couple hundred for the early camps to full capacity now days.

The anniversary was celebrated throughout the camp this year, which ran from 11 to 19 May. On the final evening of Grey Nomads, there was a special program that celebrated all of the wonderful memories that Grey Nomads created for attendees.

Grey Nomads Camp was the brain-child of Pastor John Lang, who was the President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in NNSW from 2001 to 2011. He was given a special honour for his dedication to the camp during the program, capped off with being presented with a special Grey Nomads Akubra hat and coat.

When asked what inspired the creation of Grey Nomads, Pastor Lang says, “We saw a great need and opportunity for ministering to retirees from across Australia. It opened up the opportunity for anyone to be there, not just people from northern New South Wales.”

The camp has inspired Grey Nomads events in other conferences. “It’s a compliment,” says Pastor Lang. “I think Grey Nomads is what Big Camp ought to be. It’s a spiritual feast and everybody comes to everything, from early mornings to the evening meetings. If you’ve got 700 campers, you can

YEARS 10 OF GREY NOMADS

be sure there’ll be at least 650 of them there for the start of the day, with the full 700 by the end of it!”

Everyone who attends Grey Nomads is an active participant in the camp too. They’re willing to help with sharing their musical talents, stories and anything else that might be useful. Pastor Lang notes, “I ask folk each evening if they’ll say the welcome and prayer for the following evening’s meeting. In 10 years, I haven’t had a knock-back. Their willingness to be involved is wonderful.”

The emphasis on excellent spiritual content has remained strong throughout the 10 years of Grey Nomads. One of the aspects that has been greatly appreciated is the introduction of having ministerial interns taking the early-morning devotional time. “It’s been good for them and for the older folk,” says Pastor Lang. “It shows the church is in good hands.”

Pastor Justin Lawman, who served as President of the church from 2012 to 2017, says, “Grey Nomads is the best camp that I have attended. As we reflect on the past 10 years, I can only think of one name — John Lang. John started the camp concept and has continued to make it the success it is for the entire 10 years.”

He adds, “The weather has been less-than-great some years — there was some memorable flooding a few years ago — but the spirit of the campers and presenters has always been amazing. It makes me proud to belong to the Adventist Church. Praise God for Grey Nomads! In one sense, it’s like stepping back to a time when we were more united and focused on our purpose and mission.”

Adele Nash

—

Photos: Lyndon Schick and Adele Nash

ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATED AT CAMP

Every year, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Northern New South Wales (NNSW) runs an annual convention for its members to meet together, worship and recharge. It’s called Big Camp and is held at the Stuarts Point Convention Centre in the school holidays in April.

This means that ANZAC Day is often a feature of Big Camp, as it was this year. Campers gathered early in the morning for a dawn service on the campgrounds, which involved members of the local RSL, church staff and family members of those who have served their country. It was a moving service that was appreciated by all those who attended.

Later in the morning, a group from the camp joined the ANZAC Day Parade at Stuarts Point. This included Pathfinders, which is like an Adventist version of Scouts, and STORM Co (Service To Others Really Matters) teams that had been providing community care and service in the week.

The parade in Stuarts Point was led by Pastor Cranville Tooley’s army Jeep, which also featured in the dawn service.

Pastor Dana Howard, Director of Youth Ministries for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in NNSW, says, “It was so good to see the Pathfinders and STORM Co teams marching at the Stuarts Point ANZAC Day parade. Not only did the teens enjoy marching and their uniforms looked great, but the local organisers were very happy to have a large group added to their march!”

Pastor Paul Geelan, General Secretary of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in NNSW, says, “About five years ago, we moved the time of Big Camp from October to April. Since then, there have been three occasions when ANZAC Day has coincided with camp. We have developed a great relationship with the local Stuarts Point RSL Sub-Branch. The President Wayne Mason and his wife attend our dawn service, and a large contingent from the camp attend the local ANZAC Day Parade in town. It’s been mutually beneficial, and has really built stronger ties between Adventists and the local community.”

— Adele Nash

NEW DOCUMENTARY EXPLORES THE HISTORY OF TOMORROW

Have you ever thought about the history of tomorrow? It sounds like a strange question, but it’s one that a new documentary raises. Kingdom Come explores the story of Nebuchadnezzer’s dream in the book of Daniel 2 in the Bible — a dream that predicted the rise and fall of empires throughout history and into the future.

The documentary was officially premiered to a full house at the annual convention of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Northern New South Wales (NNSW) in late April and was very well received.

Kingdom Come was a collaborative project between the Seventh-day Adventist Church in NNSW, donors and filmmakers. Production was completed by Red Dog Collective Pty Ltd.

With the concept for the documentary first being explored in 2015, it took two-and-a-half years to realise the dream. Kingdom Come was shot on location in Iran, Greece, Rome and Germany using the same production quality as National Geographic documentaries. It features world-leading historians and the information they share affirms the truth of the interpretation of the prophetic dream found in Daniel 2.

Pastor Paul Geelan, General Secretary of the Seventhday Adventist Church in NNSW, says, “Kingdom Come demonstrates that the God who predicted the rise and fall of nations in the past still possesses the answer to our

modern-day dilemmas. It doesn’t contain all the answers, but it aims to open hearts and minds to exploring God as the One possessing the ultimate answers.”

He adds, “Kingdom Come is a production aimed at putting evangelistic tools into people’s hands. There are a lot of events in the world that are causing people to wonder where it’s all headed and whether there’s a purpose or plan behind it. Kingdom Come is designed to stimulate interest in finding answers to those questions.”

The documentary is priced to share and church members are encouraged to pass it on to any of their friends who are wondering about what the future holds for them.

— Adele Nash

Find out more, view the trailer or purchase the documentary online at kingdomcome.com.au. Copies of the Kingdom Come box set can be purchased in-store or online from Better Books & Food (adventistbookcentre.com.au).

Photos: Behrang

MEET OUR

Ministry Team

Pastor Daron Pratt is the Director of Children’s and Family Ministries for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Northern New South Wales. Daron is well-known for his way of crafting impressive balloon animals (and more!) and weaving the Gospel into it too. He is married to Lisa, who is a teacher at a local high school, and they have two children — Andrew and Maddison. Ministry runs in the Pratt family’s blood, as Daron’s brothers are pastors as well, and his son is in his final year of a Theology degree. Outside of his extensive pastoral work, Daron is an avid chook enthusiast and supporter of the Richmond Tigers. You can read some more of his story in the cover feature of this month’s Upside!

What got you into ministry?

As a seven-year-old, I was standing in the banks of the Murray River wondering, “What could God do with a left-handed seven-year-old?” I decided to give my life to God and asked Him to do with it what He will. And so began a path into ministry. I wanted to be the next great evangelist and reach the world of adults, but God had other plans to turn me into a balloon-twisting children’s pastor.

Your whole family seems to be involved in ministry and service in one way or another — how have you grown a culture like that?

I think it takes a strong church and a strong home. My parents modelled authentic faith, but also placed strong mentors in my life. Growing up in a small country church (Dareton, on the border of Victoria and New South Wales) was also beneficial, as we all took our turns preaching and leading out in the adult lesson study from a very early age.

What inspires you every day to be so creative?

I believe in using everything I have for God. God used Moses’s rod, a talking donkey and a boy’s lunch, amongst other things, to do great things. God can use whatever is in our hand to do amazing things for Him — even if it is a balloon.

What’s your favourite thing about the work you do?

I love doing week of prayer programs in schools and reaching children in creative ways with the message of the Gospel of Grace. I want kids to know that God has a plan just of them and will do something amazing with their life if they commit to Him. I also love writing resources for families that are relevant and timely.

You’re so well-known for your work with Balloon Kaboom and Arnie’s Shack. In our cover feature article, you shared that you got into making balloons in 1995. Do you have a favourite balloon animal you love to make?

I still love making the simple dog, although at a recent Adventurer Rally I made a complete carousel with horses and everything else! It was pretty cool.

When churches are planning to do things for young people, what can they do to ensure that it moves beyond the “superficial” fun level to something deeper and more meaningful?

Uses tools to connect. Whilst a balloon is fun and magical, it also preaches a powerful message — “He makes everything beautiful in His time. . . . And He that began a good work will complete it.” Teaching children how to make a balloon and then to share that skill with others raises connection and selfesteem, along with encouraging them to serve others. This is an ideal recipe for true happiness.

Bad news sells, and unfortunately we can’t avoid it. In the media, our communities and personal lives, we are constantly reminded of things that are going wrong. On the upside, the Bible shows us what can go right and offers hope in seemingly hopeless situations. To learn more, simply post this completed form to receive FREE “The Prophetic Code,” an ongoing series of beautifully-illustrated lessons. Topics include “The secret to Success”, “Life After Death” and many more. Experience this life changing opportunity, obligation FREE, today.

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health

1 2 31. QT. Life is busy before you have kids and adding kids goes beyond busy, right? Getting quality time with your partner can be a struggle. However, if you both have a goal to increase or maintain your fitness, working out together can be a way to kill two birds with one stone.

2. YOU’LL ACTUALLY EXERCISE. Most of us are less likely to flake on a commitment if there’s someone to be accountable to. Scheduling a time to exercise with your partner can increase the likelihood that you will actually exercise.

3. WORKOUT HARDER. Not only are you likely to get a workout done because you’re accountable to doing it with someone else, you’re also likely to work harder and push yourself more. A study* by the Society of Behavioural Medicine researched the effects of training with a partner. They found that not only do your results improve, but the extent to which those in the study worked out harder was up to 87 per cent improvement of performance!

Take a soccer ball to a local field and kick or throw it around

Find a park with exercise equipment and do a family circuit

CMum and dad can use the little ones as “weights” while doing exercises such as squats, lunges, shoulder presses and push-ups.

D

Below are some workouts you can try with your partner. Do 15-20 reps per exercise, or switch positions and repeat for another 15-20 reps.

PUSH-UP + SQUAT SQUAT HOLD + HIGH KNEES PLANK + ANKLE JUMPS WALL SIT + DIPS

WHEELBARROW

*Aerobic Exercise Is Promoted when Individual Performance Affects the Group: A Test of the Kohler Motivation Gain Effect. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, October 2012, Volume 44, Issue 2, pp 151–159. Brandon C. Irwin, Jennifer Scorniaenchi, Norbert L. Kerr Joey C. Eisenmann, Deborah L. Feltz (Webpage link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12160-012-9367-4)

HIGH-FIVES

ISRAELI COUSCOUS AND BUTTERBEAN SOUP

Hearty bowl of rustic ingredients full of nutrition that is bursting with colour, flavour and texture. Easy to prepare and has a “wow factor.”

Ingredients

– 1 tbsp oil

– 1 leek, chopped

– 1 red capsicum chopped

– 2 sticks celery, chopped

– 1 carrot, diced

– 1 tbsp fresh thyme, removed from stem

400g can butter beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ litres reduced salt vegetable stock

1 cup Israeli couscous

– 2 cups roughly chopped kale

– 1 lemon, zested

You can subscribe to the Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Recipe of the Week at sanitarium.com. au/subscribe.

Method

1. Heat oil in saucepan and saute leek, capsicum, celery and carrot until soft.

2. Add thyme, butter beans and stock.

3. Bring mixture to the boil and then add couscous.

4. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until couscous is tender.

5. Add kale and lemon zest.

Tips: Israeli couscous are giant balls of toasted semolina that are slightly chewy when cooked, available in specialty food stores. Pearl couscous can be substituted for the Israeli couscous, also available in the supermarket. 1 tbsp fresh thyme = 1 tsp dried thyme. Share your photos with us on the North New South Wales Conference Facebook page

— Recipe by Sanitarium Health Food Company

book review

TEARS TO JOY

As well as his role as presenter and director of the “Faith for Today” ministry, Mike Tucker has worked for many years as a pastor and chaplain, often counselling people and teaching classes on grief recovery. But everything he had taught and recommended was put to the most extreme test when Gayle — his ministry partner and wife of 40 years — died in April, 2016, just three months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Tears to Joy is partly the story of his experience of loss, including excerpts from his journal over the course of the year following Gayle’s death. But the book is also a confirmation of his previous understandings of coping with grief: “The things I had taught are true, the methods of dealing with the loss are useful, the philosophies are reliable, and recovery is indeed a possibility.”

While acknowledging that each of our experiences and circumstances of grief are unique, Tears to Joy sets out these road-tested principles and methods in short chapters. Following his own recommendations, Pastor Tucker describes how he practised deep and early grieving as the most effective way of absorbing and healing the worst of the pain.

But Tears to Joy is not only for those in the midst of grief. Most of us carry the lingering burdens of past griefs — and future losses are among life’s inevitabilities. Death and grief also come with serious questions of faith, which we all face. And the book includes a section on helping others who are struggling with grief, making this a book to read and to share.

Honest grief writing explores some of the most difficult experiences of our lives, but Pastor Tucker’s experience and reflections in Tears to Joy also point us to the possibilities of faith and hope, healing and even joy amid the realities of grief.

— Nathan Brown, book editor, Signs Publishing

CRAFTER

LEAFY CRAYON RESIST

This is almost like a magic trick! You don’t quite know what you’ll get until you start putting the paint on.

One great way to explore creation and marvel at its wonders is to actually make something with it! It gives you a chance to feel it, look at its fine design, wonder over how it does what it does...

Do a crayon rubbing of the leaf, but use white crayon.

Carefully

wash watercolours over the paper where the rubbing is.

Kids MASTERCLASS

WHAT YOU NEED:

- Paper

- White crayon

- Leaves — the best leaves to gather are those that have an interesting edge or vein details

- Watercolours - Brush - Jar of water

RESIST

The tell-tale signs of burnout — do you have it?

3

Allow the colours to blend and mix, but don’t get the paper too wet or you’ll paint a hole in it!

Can you see the leaf rubbing coming through? How exciting!

TIP

Whenever you paint, cover your work area with paper or plastic, work outside if possible, and be careful how you place water and paint so it can’t be easily knocked over. And, of course, check with an adult first before getting into it all!

By Michelle Villis, Amelia Magazine 2018

with Pastor David Stojcic

Burnout is a state of chronic stress that leads to physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism and detachment, and feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment.

The difference between stress and burnout is a matter of degrees, which means that the earlier you recognise the signs, the better able you will be to avoid burnout — provided that you do something to address the symptoms when you recognise them.

Burnout is one of those road hazards in life that high-achievers really should keep a close eye out for, but sadly — often because of their “I can do everything” personalities — they rarely see it coming. Still, our bodies and minds do give us warnings, and if you know what to look for, you can recognise it before it’s too late.

The signs of physical and emotional exhaustion are many. They may include chronic fatigue, insomnia, forgetfulness, impaired concentration and attention, chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal pain, dizziness, fainting and/or headaches.

Those suffering from burnout may also suffer from increased illnesses, such as infections, colds, flu and other immunerelated medical problems. Loss of appetite, anxiety, depression and anger can also be tell-tale signs of burnout.

Loss of enjoyment, pessimism, resistance to socialising, and a general feeling of disconnection from one’s environment are further signs of a possible burnout, as well as feelings of apathy and hopelessness, increased irritability, lack of productivity and poor performance.

Here are some practical steps we can take to prevent burnout:

• Remember basic maintenance. Work hard, but take time to rest regularly. We need to take some time to rest every day. The fourth commandment reminds us to take a full day to rest (from sunset to sunset) each week (Exodus 20:8-10). This is God’s command, not a recommendation. The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word for “ceasing” or “stopping.” The Sabbath rest also included the time to worship God and connect with other like-minded believers.

• Take time to sleep. The latest research shows that we need between seven and nine hours of sleep every day.1 Sleep gives our brain a rest, and it regenerates and recharges us so we can face the challenges of the next day.

• Eat well and have a balanced diet. Science increasingly recognises that the best type of diet is, in fact, the plant-based diet. The advantages of a plant-based diet are frequently publicised in media. Also, the Scriptures at the very beginning of time promoted a diet that consists of plants, seeds and fruit (Genesis 1:29).

• Hydrate. The research shows that, generally, we should drink between six and eight glasses of water daily.2

• Exercise — it reduces stress.3

• Replace negativity with an attitude of gratitude (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

• Surround yourself with positive people (social support).4

Burnout is a disease of a modern, fastpaced world that can be prevented with a bit of foresight, awareness and self-discipline.Hopefully the above practical tips will help us maintain our health in a holistic way.

Proudly sponsored by Bakers Delight Warners Bay & Belmont, Edgeworth Animal Medical Centre, First National Lake Macquarie, Healthcare Evolutions Medical Group, Hi-Vis Group, Laser Pain Management Clinic, Merran Wiggins Travel Managers, Nest Realty Group, REFCA Group, and Tozer Air Conditioning