From the

Coalface

NORTHLAKES—A church for everyone

21st August 2011

The NORTHLAKES Salvation Army Community Church

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. 'Great', she thought. 'Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry.' She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there. She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the Bible verse, 'The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.'

She thought, 'Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.' Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, 'Hey, you guys! Any-body lose a contact lens?' Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it! The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the con-tact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, 'Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You.'

I think it would do all of us some good to say, 'God, I don't know why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will.'

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of existence and my Saviour. He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him ... I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Page 2 Northlakes Salvation Army

Soccer has finished for 2011 with the Men's &

Women's teams both finishing in 5th place.

A big thank you to all players for training

and playing hard throughout the season.

Unfortunately, neither team has made the semi-

finals but we will be having a

Presentation/Picnic Day in

September.

More details soon. Richard Hall

Page 3 Northlakes Salvation Army

PRAYER CHANGES

EVERYTHING!

Come and join together to pray this week...

Monday 6.30am

Tuesday 6.30pm

Wednesday 6.30pm

Thursday 5.30pm

Friday 6.30am

Every day at the Church House

EXCEPT Tuesday—at Chadban’s home

5 Glider Court Charlestown

Before church next Sunday at 5.15pm

Northlakes Salvos

are now on

Twitter

follow us @NorthlakesSA

Newsletter entries

and enquiries

0423 033 318 or fiona.stig@spcc.nsw.edu.au

SHARE A PRAYER

Check out our website

www.northlakessalvos.com.au

For Our Church Family at Northlakes & Beyond Brian’s Mum—for healing and peace

People who have lost loved ones this week

Youth in our church—EPICministry

Healing for people in our church and their families

God’s dreams to be released in our church and for people in our church

Safety for Don, Anna & Megan as they return from the US, Val in UK,

Meredith & Stephen; Reece& Mel; Stan; Ling

Ryan Stig as he plays with the Newcastle Knights—for safety & success

Tara and her family—for justice to prevail—court case on 24th August

Northlakes Salvation Army Page 4

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

Wishing you all a fantastic day

and a blessed year ahead!

Love from all your

Northlakes Family

For the Salvo’s L.T. Colonels Laurie & Simone Robertson—editor in chief and literary secretary & international literature program officer, international headquarters

Palm Beach Elanora Corps, QLD—Captains Braden & Janelle Spence

Panania Corps, NSW—captains Steven & Joanne Smith

Parramatta Corps, NSW—Majors Edwin & Daphne Cox

Pastoral Care & Officer Well-Being Team, THQ—Major Chris Witts, Major Jenny Peterson, Major Beatrice Kay, Majors Neil & Sharon Clanfield, Lyn Beasy, Majors Bruce & Lillian Hodges, Major Doreen Atfield, Majors Colin & Pam Robinson, Majors Trevor & Maree Strong, Major Chris Reid and Team

Calendar Dates:

15th-21st: Ministry Workers Residential

Listen to my cry for help, my Kind and my

God, for I pray to no one but you

Psalms 5:2 NLT

AUGUST

Anabel Smith 3

Carly Armstrong 7

Lyn Hazell-Bland 8

Matt McKee 13

Janice Deal 14

Matt Kolasinski 17

Kirsty Whalan 21

Mahnie Roberts 22

David Price 22

Stuart Chadban 22

Lynne Mitchell 25

Andrea Stig 26

Paula Greenaway 27

Jack Bingham 28

Life Is Difficult

M Scott Peck has written a best selling book called "The Road Less Travelled." It is an old book now but starts with a great piece of wisdom. Peck writes, "Life is difficult...once this is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer mat-ters."

A very simple and very helpful truth. We go through life assuming it should be good. We live like we deserve an easy, trouble-free life. Where did we get that idea from? Why do we assume it should be good? Then, when life is difficult, we become angry and resentful.

But we should not be surprised when life proves to be tough. Instead we should expect this to happen, not as a pes-simist but as someone who has a positive approach to each challenge we face.

A key reason we can be positive is that we are not in this alone. God has promised to be with us - to be there with us in the hard times. This is a wonderful promise which allows us to face the most difficult times with peace. God loves

you and will never leave you. “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)