Blogging. It has an tendency to be consistent for a few weeks then awkwardly long silence then a weird catch up then a few posts back to back then....nothing. I am attempting NOT to do that to you guys, but failing miserably.
This is hopefully going to be an overview of what's been going on.
Starting on 25 June I helped staffed before school staff training. It's called training and assessment phase 1. The three new staff working with Beach to Bush this August were students in this course. This course is highly sought after in Australia to ensure staff are trained properly in how to assess and document people's growth. Because Youth With a Mission Australia runs accredited Discipleship Training Schools we have to keep up to date with how we train our students.
This two week course is JAM packed full of 8a-4p lectures with 11 in class assignments. We go over learning styles, how to facilitate a class room, how to have a one on one (mentoring conversations), how to assess, why we assess, how to create an assessment, how to validate and collect evidence for assessment and much, much more! I personally LOVE this course. I thought it was fun when I did it last June. Since then I have taken the two week course for the second "phase" of the certificate. Then I staffed this school. I finally get it! The more you listen,do, and work with the curriculum the easier it is to see how it's a blessing and not a curse! (they say that Training and Assessment is like a different language!)
Last Monday all 10 staff started what we call Basic Leadership Lectures. We do this for three weeks, one week school prep, then the school starts. So far in lectures we have had teaching on criteria of a leader, worldview discussion on asylum seekers, mentoring, one on one's and small groups. The upcoming lecture topics are: architects of the Gospel, communication, Authority, boundaries & time management, servant leadership, and first impressions.
We also have the opportunity to run a small group for our fellow classmates to practice facilitating small groups for the students on the school. I lead a small group last Thursday with a girl named Becki. (small groups are a time for processing, bonding, discussion, ministry, and encouragement.) We receive lecture topics that we have on DTS to "process" as a class, we are broken up into guys and girls. We lead 6 fellow staff in this small group processing God's character! (this is a huge topic...FYI (:) While Becki and I were praying about what to do we really felt that God wanted to press Identity. He was saying to us that without understanding of who He is how are we expecting to know who we are. Look at the creator to see the created.
For the small group activity we traced Becki on a piece of big paper and taped this paper girl to the mirror. (we have a dance studio on the centre) We had the girls write this they think/believe that don't line up with God's character. (example: I'm ugly, God doesn't care, I'm fat, I'm not worthy for relationship with God.) We then had them sit in front of the huge dance mirror and ask God to speak to each person about those areas. We wanted them to look at themselves from God's perspective and ask for bible verses to in plant truth into their lives. After a few minutes we went around the circle and shared the lies and then the truth he spoke to us. As a symbol of sealing his truth we put marker on our fingers and then pressed them on our forearms, making finger prints. "Sealing his identity" was the point! Then we paired off and prayed for one another.
It was really cool to see how God used a "pretend" situation to ministry to us. Even though all of the girls in that small group are staff and have been in relationship with Jesus for quite some time, it was humbling to realise we still believe lies. We need Jesus more and more, not less and less the longer we are in relationship.
A few weeks ago we ran a weekend camp for high school students. We had 7 girls, 1 boy, and 2 sets of parents attend. They were all christian kids and were actively seeking after God's heart. The lecture topics that our contact, Jim, wanted us to touch on were; Mission's, hearing God's voice, and the Father heart of God. There were 8 staff working to put this camp together and when we prayed about it we felt that we should talk on; Character and Nature, Father heart, importance of quiet times with Jesus, Mission's, and hearing God's voice.
I taught for an hour on God's character the first night, after a time of worship. I shared about the journey God has had me on with trusting him. With him showing time and time again that he is my refuge, stronghold, peace, and shepherd. I shared bits of my story of when I felt God as a refuge and peace. And then pieced together pictures and stories to go along with Psalm 23 to talk about God being my shepherd.
I was extremely worried before I taught about stuttering, not communicating accurate information, being bad at transitioning from one point to the next, and concluding the whole teaching. Oh, and not having enough content to fill up an hour! All for nothing though....Jesus spoke through me and I had a whole page of notes I had to skip because I was out of time!!! Multiple people came up and told me that they were impacted by the stories I shared and how God has shown up in my life. It was super encouraging to hear that God can use me. He will use me and he has great plans. All I have to do is trust him and be obedient!!!
The whole weekend was awesome. We had the opportunity to go to an outlet mall because all the youth were from country towns and they wanted to enjoy "city life"! We hung out and shopped with them and they blessed us with afternoon tea!!! (a mid afternoon snack) At the end of the weekend all of us staff were invited to the youth's church 28-29 July for their confirmation. They have been emailing and face booking us about how impacting the weekend was.
I am for sure not explaining the extend of God's workings in both the staff and youth over this weekend. Even thinking about the kids, the worship, or the lectures makes my heart full of his Joy! He's got a hold of those 8 youth's hearts. Take joy in that!!!!! It's SO encouraging to see 14,16,17's LOVE Jesus. You were a part of this! By supporting me and what God is doing here in Australia you've helped 8 youth come to know him more!!!!! Thank you!!!
Upcoming weeks...the DTS starts on 1 August. We have 21 students and 10 staff. I believe I briefly mentioned that we have 6 siblings on this school. We feel that God wants to redeem families.
Personally, I am excited to be in lectures, to meet and know new people, and apply the things I learned from last school and these past 6 months of logistical phase. Some of which are: God is ALL about relationship. Loving unconditionally gives people the right to hurt you, which sucks but that's what Jesus does for us. Trusting God is everyday things, big and small. ANNNNND the most exciting thing (or at least from my perspective..) is learning/teaching/guiding the girls in my small group and outreach team towards holiness and excellence in womanhood. (bare with me!!)
As of late, God has been teaching me about holiness. In 1 Peter 1:14-16"As obedient children do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written 'you shall be holy, for I am holy'" Why would he say that if it wasn't achievable!?!? We can be holy!!! Which is "set apart, total devotion to God". That has been hitting me HARD...am I living a Holy life? Am I being holy, excellent, and above reproach in all my conduct? Am I being an example to the believers in my speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity? (1 tim. 4:12)
The weight of holiness in my speech and actions is something I've struggled with for a long time. I've often thought that I have said too many gross or mean things, or acted poorly towards people too many times, or disobeyed my parents too many times for the 1 Timothy verse to apply to me. How could I, Shannon Baxter, be an example? The answer is Jesus Christ. I, Shannon Baxter, am a redeemed child of the majesty on high and have the guidance to become an example to many. Only by the grace of Jesus. I'll take it!!!
Because this is the process that Jesus has be on, I want to share and challenge the girl students coming on the school to recognise the same. I want to be holy because Jesus is Holy and I want these precious girls to be holy because Jesus is Holy!
Another aspect of that is encouraging men to be men because I am being a godly woman. Often women my age complain about the lack of gentlemen around town. Partly that is upbringing, hurt, personal choice, and lack of Jesus....another part is that (at least in my life..) we as women don't let them be men and take care of us. (I know that I am walking on thin ice here...so please don't get offended..I merely want to share my heart. Ask my questions if you disagree or think I'm way off base) When a guy offers to carry my books, let me go a head in the food line, or lift a heavy couch...I often refuse him. My immediate reaction is "heck, I can do this, my daddy raised me strong." But...I'm not the only on in the situation...how long is the guy going to push to help women if I shut him down? (not JUST me, but women in general) Maybe I'm way off but I've talked to a few guys around here and most said eventually they give up if girls refuse their help.
I feel like this has been a lot of information and no where NEAR the amount of stuff God has been teaching me, but for fear of your mind exploding I will close this note!
Please, please, please contact me with questions, concerns, comments, stories of your life, or just random chats. I miss you guys and I realise more and more each day how/why God has put you in my life. I need to update you more but know that I appreciate you reading this novel I have just typed out!!!
I love, value, and pray for you guys!!
Shannon
671 Samford Road
Mitchelton QLD 4053
Monday, July 16, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Passing on the knowledge of God to the next generation!
There are heaps of exciting things going on here in Brisbane and I would encourage you to watch the webisodes, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad10QmZAoLA&feature=youtu.be
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DeF7W17FvsbA&h=gAQEmqAO3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0JMsx01AQg&feature=youtu.be
http://www.gopassiton.org/
At the beginning of the tour a group of about 10 of us went to a town called Gatton. We shared at 7 different church services and attended a prayer meeting for the town and surrounding areas. Two girls and myself shared in a church that was about a two minutes walk away from the fair grounds we were staying at. Alicia shared the information and logistics of the prayer warrior flags, Leah shared a personal testimony about how God has changed her life, and I shared about the heart behind the mission.
Passing on the wisdom of God to the next generation. As a young person I need to know the life experiences that you have been through and have learned from! Although my generation may blow off "old/older" people God has shown me the value of having someone in part wisdom. It's also a biblical principle to pass on information from elders to young men and women.
God is doing heaps through this vision. Please ask any questions you may have and if you want to know how you can partner with this vision please contact myself or anyone on the pass it on website! This is NOT just a ywam thing, this is getting the word of God around the world and to share God's father heart.
Be blessed!
Shannon
Sunday, June 10, 2012
As the hair grows...
The past few months have been extremely crazy. I took a two week course in Newcastle, NSW for training and assessment. Now I have finished the lecture part of the course, but still am working on the on the job bit of the course. I am doing this so that I can sign the documentation for our students on the next school.
I also traveled with the current Beach to Bush to a country town called, Chinchilla. It's BY FAR my favourite place in Australia. The people are super nice, the town is adorable, and God is doing SO much there. While we were there we had lectures on worship by a girl on staff and also on the Holy Spirit by a local pastor. Both were excellent and challenged me tremendously. During our stay there the outreach teams split up into their teams and planned religious instruction classes for ages 10-18.
One session in the highschool the outreach team heading to Saipan performed the life house skit and after they shared a bit about how the skit related to their lives. It was absolutely amazing. I have seen the skit being performed so many times but this time God showed me something completely different. During the part where the main "character" if you will is kneeling on the ground and "Jesus" is holding back all of the temptations and struggles the main character has experience it hit me that that is what we as leaders are supposed to do. We are supposed to fight battles that aren't our so that the ones we are leading can rest. Jesus took the shame, guilt, and sin and FOREVER cleansed us. He held back all the temptations, struggles, and lies that we have ever faced so that we can sit, untouched, rested and choose what we will follow...the crap...or Jesus.
link for the skit... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3WBvbLDMmI
This season on the centre is a quite one...the Sports and Beach to Bush DTS's are on the road with the running tour and will shortly be leaving for overseas missions. We have taken advantage of only 20 people being on the property to do a little renovation! We have redone the staff room, the library, the cleaning closet, and a few yellow walls in the kitchen! There is also a team of people working on painting the outside of the building. (currently the bottom half is white and the top half is yellow...why was someone obsessed with painting things yellow?!?!) It's been quite some time that it's been needing to get done so it's good that we have a group of motivated and dedicated people who can carry out these work projects.
In the up coming few weeks the new staff will be arriving in Australia to start staff training. We have 5 weeks before the school starts and then it's a full 6 months from there. Our school is currently 10 staff and 16 students. We are praying for 25 students. (please join in on this and tell anyone/everyone to come to australia to do the beach to bush DTS!!) I am EXTREMELY excited about the upcoming school, staff team, and journey God has me on personally.
Last school was all about fighting to be open, sharing with people, and getting through the day...this year I feel like he wants me to go deeper, trust him more, and pour hardcore into others. I cannot even begin to explain the healing and excitement Jesus brings to my life. I feel different. People say that they can see the difference in my eyes and face of how much I am in love with Jesus. I believed them but one day....
I was walking in the grocery store and as I was passing the cheese a man who was in conversation with what appeared to be his son stopped mid sentence and stared as I walked by. For some reason I wasn't creeped out by this obvious action because I just knew he wasn't checking me out. I didn't think much about it and went to find my lost roommate. When we were using the self checkout the same man approached me and said "don't take it weird if I tell you that your face just beams. You passed me in the fridge section and I couldn't help but notice that your face is beaming. It's like you are glowing! I just had to look." I just stood and listened and thanked him...but as I walked out I realised that he had just seen Jesus through me. It was such a cool thing to experience.
This has been a random post but I wanted to let you all know I am still alive, enjoying life in this mission, and learning daily from Jesus!
I miss you all!
Shannon
P.S. I had a fun outing for my birthday with a few close friends. We went out for chips and frosting! I ate the whole tub of chocolate frosting...never again! (:
I also traveled with the current Beach to Bush to a country town called, Chinchilla. It's BY FAR my favourite place in Australia. The people are super nice, the town is adorable, and God is doing SO much there. While we were there we had lectures on worship by a girl on staff and also on the Holy Spirit by a local pastor. Both were excellent and challenged me tremendously. During our stay there the outreach teams split up into their teams and planned religious instruction classes for ages 10-18.
One session in the highschool the outreach team heading to Saipan performed the life house skit and after they shared a bit about how the skit related to their lives. It was absolutely amazing. I have seen the skit being performed so many times but this time God showed me something completely different. During the part where the main "character" if you will is kneeling on the ground and "Jesus" is holding back all of the temptations and struggles the main character has experience it hit me that that is what we as leaders are supposed to do. We are supposed to fight battles that aren't our so that the ones we are leading can rest. Jesus took the shame, guilt, and sin and FOREVER cleansed us. He held back all the temptations, struggles, and lies that we have ever faced so that we can sit, untouched, rested and choose what we will follow...the crap...or Jesus.
link for the skit... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3WBvbLDMmI
This season on the centre is a quite one...the Sports and Beach to Bush DTS's are on the road with the running tour and will shortly be leaving for overseas missions. We have taken advantage of only 20 people being on the property to do a little renovation! We have redone the staff room, the library, the cleaning closet, and a few yellow walls in the kitchen! There is also a team of people working on painting the outside of the building. (currently the bottom half is white and the top half is yellow...why was someone obsessed with painting things yellow?!?!) It's been quite some time that it's been needing to get done so it's good that we have a group of motivated and dedicated people who can carry out these work projects.
In the up coming few weeks the new staff will be arriving in Australia to start staff training. We have 5 weeks before the school starts and then it's a full 6 months from there. Our school is currently 10 staff and 16 students. We are praying for 25 students. (please join in on this and tell anyone/everyone to come to australia to do the beach to bush DTS!!) I am EXTREMELY excited about the upcoming school, staff team, and journey God has me on personally.
Last school was all about fighting to be open, sharing with people, and getting through the day...this year I feel like he wants me to go deeper, trust him more, and pour hardcore into others. I cannot even begin to explain the healing and excitement Jesus brings to my life. I feel different. People say that they can see the difference in my eyes and face of how much I am in love with Jesus. I believed them but one day....
I was walking in the grocery store and as I was passing the cheese a man who was in conversation with what appeared to be his son stopped mid sentence and stared as I walked by. For some reason I wasn't creeped out by this obvious action because I just knew he wasn't checking me out. I didn't think much about it and went to find my lost roommate. When we were using the self checkout the same man approached me and said "don't take it weird if I tell you that your face just beams. You passed me in the fridge section and I couldn't help but notice that your face is beaming. It's like you are glowing! I just had to look." I just stood and listened and thanked him...but as I walked out I realised that he had just seen Jesus through me. It was such a cool thing to experience.
This has been a random post but I wanted to let you all know I am still alive, enjoying life in this mission, and learning daily from Jesus!
I miss you all!
Shannon
P.S. I had a fun outing for my birthday with a few close friends. We went out for chips and frosting! I ate the whole tub of chocolate frosting...never again! (:
Friday, April 6, 2012
rivers, roads, rollers.
I am back in the southern hemisphere. It's getting colder at night time.
Around Easter time here in Australia there is a festival called....Easter Fest. All three DTS's (Music Art and Dance, Sports, and Beach to Bush) are away doing performances, serving chai, and evangelizing. There are around 10 people still on base and so this was the perfect opportunity to paint the bathroom. It's been 4 days of tape, rollers, scrapping,fumes, sanding, and loofas.
It went from a gross yellow to Organic rice. It's quite a project. I am covered in paint. I have really enjoyed working with a fellow staff member, Kale, and a mission builder (a 3 month volunteer) Taylor! We've had times to share about what God is teaching us, chat about movies, and reminisce about childhood! (haha)
This next week is going to be cleaning up from the mess I made in the bathroom, preparing a going away party, and planning a love fest. (Graduation dinner/ceremony.)
God told me in worship the other day that I will never wake up to him saying he doesn't have enough love for me today. That was life changing.
But now I need to go grocery shopping. I need to sit down and write a proper blog.
I miss you all. please continue to pray for cancer research and please consider donating on my website.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Bald is beautiful!
I am shaving my head for Children's cancer research on the 11 of March around 1400. I would love for you to come out and watch and please consider donating!!! I have thought and prayed a heap about this and have decided to go with donating my hair and time towards this foundation. https://www.stbaldricks.org/members/profile
Please read more/donate on this website above!
As for being home, it's COLD! I love it! It's been really good to hang out with friends and family. The women's retreat was absolutely amazing and God is continuing thing He was teaching me in Australia through women in America! He is so good. I will update more later, but know that I appreciate all the support I have from yall!
Shannon
Friday, February 10, 2012
The start of something new, feels so right to be here with you.
I am coming home for almost 4 weeks! This will include: visiting friends, hanging out with my family, going on a women's retreat, reporting back to my church, surprises, laughter, and eating. I have come to realization that I love my home/hometown. (weird)
When I come back to Australia in March I will be returning to the position of Hospitality. So far it's been amazing. I made pretzels last week, it was quite an amusing process, but they turned out alright. Some of the staff on the centre have made their own production company and are currently working on their first feature film! With that happening there are long term guests staying in our dorms and guest house along with a DTS of 60+ leaving on outreach AND 2 DTS's start this upcoming Wednesday. Lots of sheet and towel washing for this kid!
There is alot of transition in the air around here. In fact the other day I was feeling as though my heart was going to explode because of nervessness, things to do, and a sense of detactedness. It was so interesting because I didn't have anything to be nervess about or feel detacted about. But I spent some time with Jesus and then asked a friend if I was going crazy! (: It's so cool to experience His peace in times you're freaking out for no apparent reason.
I'm ready to be home but it's a teaser visit, so please keep this trip in your prayers. I would love to see as many people as I can, but my priority is my family and church.
AND...........when I am home I will be shaving my hair. It's down to my waist so I would guess 2 1/2 feet?. Somewhere around there. But around March 13th it will be all gone. I have wanted to shave my head since I was 16 but different things came up and if I'm honest with myself I probably would not have had the guts to rock it. Then when I came back to Australia right before DTS I was going to do it but talked myself out with the typical girl thought "what if I get married, I don't wanna be bald." Then God said to me, "do others have a choice to have hair in significant life events?" Which got me thinking why do I want to keep my hair? God has blessed me with thick,fast growing and beautiful hair, why not donate it who doesn't have that?
After sharing that with a few close friends they suggested "Why not have a fundraiser to shave your head, but also sell it afterwards to make a wig." I asked God about it and he wants me to donate it, but He's okay with a fundraiser.
Why have a fundraiser for shaving my head? Because God has called me into life missions. "Life missions" may be a scary term but in reality that means treating whatever field of work you are in like a mission field. Be that light in the fire department, Doctor's office, or government contracting building! That's what he wants me to do. After the commitment of Basic leadership school there are a few options all which he has given me a passion for...just a few are: going to a birthing attendance school(to be a midwife in developing nations), learning french for a possibly few years in Africa, and going to a bible school for the nations to help develope the ability to share and explain the bible verbally to english second language people.
All of those things cost money so why not combine the desire to donate my hair and the opportunities he has made aware to me?! The money that is raised from shaving my head will go into a savings account to help fund tickets,pay school fees, and provide launguage books.
If you are interested in watch or donating email me at: hugmemore08@gmail.com
I will update pictures of what my hair and life currently looks like! Thank you for reading!
When I come back to Australia in March I will be returning to the position of Hospitality. So far it's been amazing. I made pretzels last week, it was quite an amusing process, but they turned out alright. Some of the staff on the centre have made their own production company and are currently working on their first feature film! With that happening there are long term guests staying in our dorms and guest house along with a DTS of 60+ leaving on outreach AND 2 DTS's start this upcoming Wednesday. Lots of sheet and towel washing for this kid!
There is alot of transition in the air around here. In fact the other day I was feeling as though my heart was going to explode because of nervessness, things to do, and a sense of detactedness. It was so interesting because I didn't have anything to be nervess about or feel detacted about. But I spent some time with Jesus and then asked a friend if I was going crazy! (: It's so cool to experience His peace in times you're freaking out for no apparent reason.
I'm ready to be home but it's a teaser visit, so please keep this trip in your prayers. I would love to see as many people as I can, but my priority is my family and church.
AND...........when I am home I will be shaving my hair. It's down to my waist so I would guess 2 1/2 feet?. Somewhere around there. But around March 13th it will be all gone. I have wanted to shave my head since I was 16 but different things came up and if I'm honest with myself I probably would not have had the guts to rock it. Then when I came back to Australia right before DTS I was going to do it but talked myself out with the typical girl thought "what if I get married, I don't wanna be bald." Then God said to me, "do others have a choice to have hair in significant life events?" Which got me thinking why do I want to keep my hair? God has blessed me with thick,fast growing and beautiful hair, why not donate it who doesn't have that?
After sharing that with a few close friends they suggested "Why not have a fundraiser to shave your head, but also sell it afterwards to make a wig." I asked God about it and he wants me to donate it, but He's okay with a fundraiser.
Why have a fundraiser for shaving my head? Because God has called me into life missions. "Life missions" may be a scary term but in reality that means treating whatever field of work you are in like a mission field. Be that light in the fire department, Doctor's office, or government contracting building! That's what he wants me to do. After the commitment of Basic leadership school there are a few options all which he has given me a passion for...just a few are: going to a birthing attendance school(to be a midwife in developing nations), learning french for a possibly few years in Africa, and going to a bible school for the nations to help develope the ability to share and explain the bible verbally to english second language people.
All of those things cost money so why not combine the desire to donate my hair and the opportunities he has made aware to me?! The money that is raised from shaving my head will go into a savings account to help fund tickets,pay school fees, and provide launguage books.
If you are interested in watch or donating email me at: hugmemore08@gmail.com
I will update pictures of what my hair and life currently looks like! Thank you for reading!
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