Life changing. Boldness. Deep joy.

These are some of the concluding words that come into mind about my journey with Year 13.

This year has been the best year of my life. Who would have thought that in only nine months, I would have grown so much.

I am so thankful to God for his growth in me through Year 13: theological growth, relational growth of life-long friendships and personal growth of my own faith. He is so good.

It has been a real joy to serve in our Oak Flats and Jamberoo church family.

Watching my high school Scripture kids explore Christianity, asking deep questions and regularly attending youth group has been a real encouragement.

I have also loved mentoring my youth girls and delving into controversial topics such as same-sex attraction, dating and abortion.

Thank you for the ongoing support you have shown financially and in prayer, and your partnership in our weekly ministries.

Our mission to Fiji brought deep growth. Witnessing the local people’s contentment and unwavering trust in Jesus exposed my own selfishness and need to live for him at the cost of popularity, money and comfort.

However, my greatest highlight has been my growth in boldness and theological knowledge. 

Being equipped to defend the gospel through our apologetics studies, it has given me more confidence to answer my workmates’ questions about the Bible.

As I graduated three weeks ago, I felt both joy and grief, yet I am excited for God’s plans in the future.

Please pray that I will speak boldly about Jesus at university next year, seeking to evangelise at every opportunity.

Also, that for all graduates, that God would remain at the centre of our lives.

Ultimately, may all glory be to Christ!

It is quite unnerving to see a grown-man sobbing uncontrollably.

This is what I saw as I went to visit a gentleman in hospital who had been told that he had only days to live. He was in constant tears because he was scared about what would happen to him when he died.

Facing death without any assurance in salvation is dangerous and terrifying.

And yet so many people are in this very situation, numb to the reality of their coming judgement by Jesus as they will meet him at their death.

When I met with this man in hospital, I asked him if he believed that Jesus was the Lord of the universe, and if he had asked Jesus to forgive him. The man nodded his head and said, “yes.”

But he was crying because he didn’t think that believing this was enough to gain salvation from Jesus.

I then turned to one of my favourite parts of the Bible, where the two criminals being crucified with Jesus were in conversation with him, in Luke 23.

One of the criminals rejected Jesus, but the other simply asked Jesus to “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus’ response was “truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

There was nothing that the criminal who followed Jesus could do except tell Jesus that he trusted in him as his Lord, and to simply surrender himself to Jesus’ rule.

And it brought an immediate and significant result: forgiveness, forever.

And with this, I told my friend on his deathbed that if he also had said these things to Jesus, then the assurance Jesus gave to that criminal was already his to enjoy.

And then the man stopped crying, and he never sobbed again. He enjoyed certainty for eternity.

What about you? Are you scared of dying? Why don’t you come to Jesus right now and enjoy true peace and comfort?