Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). I was born in Brisbane into a Hindu family. I grew up not really knowing our God, but karma demands that I pray to a god for good things to happen. By the time I got to my third year of university I was exhausted, depressed and dying. My atheism became an insatiable, self-destructive darkness; a spiritual isolation that consumed me. I looked healthy, but I was really a terrified kid with no discernment of up from down or good from evil. In 2019, I reached out to a friend who I knew was a Christian. I felt different. I didn’t understand it, but I really wanted to go to church. When I did, I felt a tsunami gathering strength at the very edge of my heart and at the very precipice of my nihilism. A wave of something new washed over my soul. I sat in church and for the first time I thought… “what would it mean if all this Christian stuff was true?” That’s all God needed. He was the tsunami coming for me. I heard the Gospel for the first time and it changed my life. On that Sunday morning, I saw the world and my heart in a way I had never seen it before. I realised Jesus provided me with a simple answer to all my unanswered questions. He offered me forgiveness without asking anything except but faith in him. I began to realise there was nothing I could do to fill the dark and ravenous emptiness that had almost completely consumed me. It had already been done for me. God did not negate my pain, instead he used my pain and brought me salvation through it. After becoming Christian, my life wasn’t all easy sailing, but none of the hardships I’ve faced have anything on one simple word that believing in Jesus has given me: joy. Now, my life is dedicated to Jesus. I believe that my many sins are forgiven, that I am saved by grace through my faith in Jesus Christ, my saviour, and I finally know God.  God made him who had no sin, become my sin. I love Him. I live for Him. And now I can say with a smile, not a frown, I would die for Him.

He left His Father’s throne above, so free, so infinite His grace, Emptied Himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race; ‘Tis mercy all, immense and free, for O my God, it found out me! (Charles Wesley, And can it be?) I cannot identify specifically when I became a Christian. Rather, God in His mercy brought me into contact with Christians over many years. They told me about Jesus and the gospel. Unlike CS Lewis (my favourite author) I was not a reluctant convert, just a very slow one. In childhood there was RE at school. My non-believing parents sent me to Sunday school at a local church for a few years so I could make up my own mind. In secondary school at an Anglican boys’ school we heard the bible read and sang great hymns (I memorised And can it be) at chapel and assembly several times a week. Out of this came a conviction that I should go to church, but I didn’t know where or how. Just then a leaflet appeared in the letterbox about a new congregation starting up near home. What a coincidence! At sixteen I started going to church and reading the bible. By then I knew some facts: Jesus is the eternally begotten Son of God the Father, who became a man and was crucified for the sins of the whole world, and anyone who believes in Him has eternal life. (I wasn’t too sure about that Resurrection business, however, but maybe that was optional.) I also knew I was a sinner (that was made clear to us at school). But it made little difference to how I lived.  Things became clearer when a faithful friend took me along to the Christian Union at Melbourne Uni. The staff workers laid it out: Jesus lived the perfect life that I should live (but can’t) and died the death that I deserve (so I don’t have to). I began to feel grateful to God for what he had done for me (And can it be began to make more sense). In our CU cell group we read Holiness by J C Ryle. I very slowly began to understand that, while I could never earn God’s favour (and didn’t need to), the way I live matters to God. I’m still learning to put that into practice decades later. Thirteen years ago, our church in Hobart got a new minister, who preached often and with obvious joy about the Resurrection. I already believed that Jesus rose from the dead, but I began to see (and feel) more clearly that Jesus is not only my Saviour, but the glorious, beautiful, awesome Lord of the Universe. I still have so much to learn. But knowing Jesus gives me hope in a bewildering world and gratitude for His mercy, kindness and patience (Lord I believe, help my unbelief). The Spirit keeps patiently pushing me along the way to becoming more like Him.

My journey of faith in the Lord Jesus began almost 50 years ago at the age of 17. For years earlier I had attended the small Baptist church at the end of our street and attended Sunday School, Boys club and School Holiday programs run by godly men and women who taught and lived Gods Word in their daily lives. To be honest my primary motivation in attending Church in those days was a selfish desire to be in an atmosphere of security and peace often missing from a home life clouded by the effects of alcohol.  Thinking of it years later I thank God that he called a sinner such as me to repentance despite misguided motivations. Baptism at the age of 17 for me was the time I fully accepted Christ’s perfect sacrifice for my sin and His resurrection power that provides hope and certainty of salvation. As unwise as it may be to have a favorite passage of Scripture, mine is found in 2 Kings chapter 6. In the midst of a period of Idolatry in Israel’s history we see in this account God’s extravagant mercy and grace being extended to a brutal Aramean army and by extension, me. By God’s power the Arameans are blinded and led by the prophet Elisha to the stronghold of Israel - Samaria. With their sight restored and standing in Samaria I wonder what the Aramean soldiers expected would happen next? What did they deserve as Israel’s enemy? Certainly Israel’s king, Jehoram seemed to think a slaughter of God’s enemies would be in order! But here God through his prophet deviates from the script. Rather than an unmerciful death, God’s character is revealed for all to see. A “Feast” is prepared for the captives before setting them free. I love this story for it highlights God's extravagance in His love for the sinful and broken who were alienated from Him. His mercy is unlimited and His grace unmerited not only to Aramean soldiers but also to us. It is my prayer that as those faithful servants demonstrated Christ’s love to me as a young person I can do the same in my interactions with those around me, that the gifts God has provided me be used to uplift and encourage others of faith as we serve and worship the risen Lord Jesus together in community.

I’m autistic, and a hacker, someone who likes figuring out how things become broken, and then trying to find ways to put them back together and make them more resilient. I’ve always felt there was a higher power, a creator of the universe, and that we live in a broken world, but could never quite put my finger on it. Teenage me outright rejected the notion of the Judeo-Christian god, and the me in my early twenties had become obsessed with conspiracy theories. In my later twenties, I embraced my hacker tendencies and in my search for kinship with fellow hackers, came across the teachings of Islam, which tells Muslims that if they are in doubt as to what they’ve read in the Quran, to go find it in the Bible. This led me to start reading the Bible to find the actual answers I needed. In the Gospel, I finally found confirmation that we do in fact live in a broken world, but that there was hope for us yet. In reading about the life and death of Jesus, I came to understand that the reason that I haven’t been able to find peace, despite all the scientific understanding of the universe, and all the centuries of academic logic applied to philosophy, was because salvation is not actually in our hands. We are broken, we can never achieve perfection on our own. The Bible taught me that my autistic obsession with “The perfect repair” can’t be applied to the human experience. When my son Arthur was born, he was six weeks premature. He didn’t breathe for the first two minutes of his life. They were the longest two minutes of my life. When I saw the nurses trying to resuscitate him on that table, that was the first time I truly prayed to God. I had attended church before, but never before actually spoke to God as though He were another person standing right next to me. I told God that I’m ready to accept Him and that I’ll be happy with whatever He decides to do next. Arthur started breathing and crying, eleven years later he’s (thankfully) still doing both.  I was finally able to understand that no matter how far we search for perfection, or for a way to “get in to heaven” when we die, we need to trust in God, because he loves us so much that he gave his only begotten son for us. Coming to read the Bible more often in the last couple of years, I have come to understand that “Heaven” and “Hell” aren’t quite what modern society would have us believe. Heaven isn’t the destination, Jesus is. Heaven is the place where I’ll be when I get to spend eternity with Jesus, because he’s my best mate, he’s my Father, and he’s what keeps me sane in an insane world.

I became a Christian at the age of 24, I went to a Baptist church and they gave me my first bible, I loved looking through the pages and enjoyed the bible study. Romans chapters 5 and 6 brought the gospel message home to me. I fully understood then why Jesus left heaven and came to earth, why he was crucified and why he rose from the grave. Jesus death on the cross was for my sins his blood covered every sin I ever committed and in his resurrection he conquered death that set me free from eternal death. Jesus rising from the dead set me free from sin and alive to eternity with Jesus. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23 There was nothing I could do to get to heaven. Jesus did it all, that is the best present I was ever given, nothing compares to that. The night I pleaded with the Lord to save me I was so full of hurt and stress and was so scared of dying I pleaded with Jesus to save me from sin and from myself and from the mess of my life. I put my trust in Him and handed my life over to him. The next day was Good Friday and my friend took me to the Baptist church and Easter Monday I was baptised. I got married and had a son, and that’s when things changed for the worse, I suffered domestic violence and after my divorce I moved around a lot and was constantly looking over my shoulder. I had to drop contact with everyone and moving around so much with a young child in tow was so hard it was difficult to cope. But my Saviour was with me through all of this guiding me and keeping me safe. For many years I stopped going to church and but God would not let me go, he sent people into my life who were instrumental in keeping me on the right track and who helped to ground be in his word. Through all this I’ve learned that no matter what I have to face I will never be alone. God is always going to be at my side and I know that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord, who are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28).  Despite all my struggles, I can see that I have been truly blessed and am completely wrapped in God's love for me. I’m thankful to have more peace in my life and that I’ve found a church that helps me to hear Gods message and worship with other believers. This church teaches, speaks, sings, lives for Jesus. I am so glad I came to this church.

I’ve grown up in a Christian home of sorts. Mum did a great job leading and teaching me about Jesus given the circumstances. But even with that guidance I just coasted along for many years- going to church, bible studies, youth groups and other Christian activities- without any real interest. To be honest I can’t say I even wanted to be there. I’ve been attending Drouin Presbyterian church since about 2011, but for the most part of the first 5 years I am not proud of what my relationships with God, family and friends were like. But even through all the mistakes I’ve made and pain I’ve caused, I can confidently say God has been with me. In 2015-2016 a lot changed for me, especially my relationship with God and in turn that has greatly affected my relationship and attitude to family and friends around me. I can now see what is important in life and it’s not me. I now understand what God has done for me in giving his son to die on the cross for my sins. I’ve realised that I am a sinner and that I need Jesus to help me. I’m still far from perfect, but knowing what Jesus has done for me makes me want to help and encourage others to follow him also. Galatians 2:20 says “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” From now my only hope is that I live my life by Gods word, and fully rely on his strength and not my own. Becoming a Christian has given me such a feeling of freedom, it’s incredible. And I am so thankful knowing that Jesus has taken what I was owed, and restored my relationship with God.

It was a great start in life to have Christian parents, but it didn’t make me a Christian. Being a missionary kid I heard and saw amazing examples of Christian faith and God at work in PNG – but rather than inspiring me to become a Christian I felt that I wasn’t good enough and that God was probably too busy with more important things than to take notice of me. I never doubted the many stories of the Bible that I learned at home and church and the way God worked in human history - but it never seemed to be my story. Around the end of primary school my family attended the Easter Convention at Belgrave Heights and God used the preacher not only to convince me that my sin was part of the reason for Jesus’ death, but that in His death Jesus paid for that very sin and every other sin I had committed. Like the people in Acts 2:37 , I was “cut to the heart,” asked God to forgive me and found out He wasn’t too busy to take notice of me. It was profound to me that I now knew God - because previously I only knew about Him. Through all the ups and downs of life from that moment and to this day God has shown me that I have a place in His story – now and forever. 

I have loving Christian parents and grew up in the church. However, as a Pastor’s daughter, I felt a burden of expectation that I could never live up to, nor that could relate with my adventurous spirit. In my early teens, I stopped going to church altogether. My interests and identity were shaped by my worldly friendships and culture, and while I knew about Jesus, I “neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him”. I worked hard at school and work, finding my worth in the acceptance of others. I gratified the desires of the flesh through partying, drinking, immorality, and the like. The world was my oyster, and I did what I wanted. Even so, I wasn’t totally estranged from Christianity. My parents had given me a Bible with a front cover that appealed to my interests, and I was curious enough to occasionally open it and start reading, but never for long as it didn’t make sense to me. When I was 17, that began to change. While travelling alone overseas, God widened my perspective as He put me through uncompromising experiences that quelled my pride. Although I came to know the Lord was to be revered, I was afraid of losing the acceptance of my friends and the freedom to follow my own interests. When I returned home, my world was shaken even more. One of my sisters was battling aggressive cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. I was staring into the face of death; but I realised it wasn’t hers, it was my own. While I was scared and angry, she was able to praise her Lord whom she trusted. I would criticise her faith, but she was not ashamed. For her, Jesus was even more precious than life. I was forced to ask again; Who is this Jesus? Living out of home, not knowing where else to turn, the Lord brought me to read Romans and for the first time my eyes were opened to understand the gospel. God’s love and mercy weren’t based on my efforts nor my will but on His faithfulness and sacrifice. All my life I had heard people telling me who they thought Jesus was, but now I finally knew Him, revealed by grace, through his Word. Christ brought me into new life through the Spirit as I called upon his name. Although I sometimes struggled with my old habits, they no longer defined me; I needn’t be afraid or put to shame. Each day through prayer and reading the Bible give me new encouragement and freedom from the sin that once enslaved me.  I have come to know Jesus Christ not only as my Saviour but also my Lord. It is no longer I who lives, but He in me. Whatever is given up, Jesus promises incomprehensibly better. He has given me a new identity and living hope, setting my eyes on the glory and riches of eternal life with Him. Praise be to God.

I've grown up in a Christian home, praying, reading the bible, going to church and Sunday school. Surrounded by Christians, it was not hard for me to make Christ my Saviour also. Although I was always a 'good little boy' and Christ was my Saviour, it took a lot longer for Him to be my Lord, ruling my life and all that I do. I did the right thing, but I did it because it's just what I did and really no other reason than that. While I believed in God and went to church, I separated my life into two categories. My 'church' life, and 'my' life. Back in 2014 I realised Jesus had to be the Lord of all my life, and everything I do should be for His glory alone. I had to live for Him in all areas of my life. I couldn't go about my day forgetting about God and then remembering Him again when we said grace at tea time. 'Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.' (1 Corinthians 10:31) Christ is now my Saviour and my Lord and although I struggle daily with my sin, I look to God for strength and encouragement to continue on in the midst of my struggles.

Born into a close-knit Christian family, God amazingly provided for me to grow up hearing the gospel and being taught the truth of His Word. From an early age I had full assurance that God was real and of His sovereignty over all things. At 8 years old, God convicted me of my need to believe in Jesus for forgiveness and brought me to trust Him as my Saviour. Leading through to my mid-teens, my Christian worldview and understanding grew as God continued to teach me from His Word and through the ministry of faithful pastors. When I reached Year 10, I felt the weight of Jesus’ words that “ Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me ” (Matthew 16:24). God’s Word challenged me to consider what it meant for Jesus to be my Lord, not just to know Him but to live actively for Him. As I completed high school, I felt the call of Jesus to serve Him not just in my heart, but also in my work and life.  Since then, I have often been conscious of God’s leading and providence. Whether I recognised it at the time or only in hindsight, God’s hand has always been at work to guide and grow my faith, even when facing great challenges. When God is gracious to use me to show His goodness, it is as He enables me. When I still wander astray and am convicted of my sin and shortcomings, Jesus reminds me that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Whether in times of blessing or hardship, I am entirely dependent on His mercy and strength, constantly in need of His grace. In the words of John Newton, “I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Saviour.” Whatever I face, God has given me humble joy and thankfulness in the assurance that “...he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ ” (Philippians 1:6). To Him be the Glory.

It was a beautiful sunny day, the birds were singing and fluffy white clouds were floating through the sky. Actually scratch all that, I became a Christian when I was around 4 years old. I was standing in front of our washing machine and asked my 9 year old sister how to become a Christian. I don’t remember much about my initial transformation but growing up in a home that valued living for God above all else has been an amazing experience. Through my primary school and teenage years God used various ways to grow me in my faith and knowledge of him. Different kids programs and youth groups helped to grow my biblical knowledge but the ability to share my hope in and love for Jesus with non-Christians who also attended helped to solidify my convictions. In Year 11 I listened to a sermon on the fact that our whole lives can be a mission-field. Even though I had heard other messages on the same topic, this one impacted me in a way that hadn’t happened before. Quite soon after, God gave me an opportunity to become involved in our church’s children’s program. He also gave me courage to be bolder at sharing my faith in my work, school and uni situations. I am continually amazed that God chooses us to help share the good news of Jesus with others even though we constantly fail Him. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, For he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Even though I am weak, God is able to use my weaknesses to show his amazing glory to those around me.

I was brought up in a Christian home in which both parents were passionately involved in Sunday school and actively involved in the church fellowship. During childhood I was sustained by my parents’ faith and their commitment. As a teenager I enjoyed church fellowship in the various church and Christian activities and during this time I put a ‘Christian face’ on but I never made the heart commitment to accept Jesus as my saviour. I’d hear the call from the pulpit to come forward to accept Jesus as my saviour and pray the sinners pray but always resisted. ‘I’m not ready’.... ‘It’s not for me at the moment’... and ‘I’m going to fail God being a Christian’... were a few of the many excuses I gave myself. In my early adulthood whilst attending church Jesus touched my heart and I acknowledged his calling and gave myself to him. All these excuses fell away... I needed Jesus... I was a sinner and no matter how I was living my life, whether attending church or not, I was not in God’s favour until I finally put my trust in Jesus. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6  The years that followed I was baptised in the Baptist church, became a member and raised my children in knowing Jesus. I came to the Presbyterian Church when my children were participating in kids outreach programs and soon I began to attend regularly. Though I have been attending for a number of years I now feel it’s time to make this Church my home and commit to glorify and worship God within his family here.

“For God so loved the World that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have Eternal life. God did not send His Son into the World to condemn it but to save it.” John 3:16-17 I was born just after the Second World War into a middleclass family. We attended the Presbyterian Church in Burwood. I was baptised into the church with in weeks of birth and continued my attendance until I was 18years old. At the age of 12 years I made a commitment to Jesus. In family life I was much loved and nurtured. In 1963 aged 14 years, my father suddenly died. We did so much together. He was a godly man, reinforcing the Word of God and the standards he expected me to live by. Without him I felt lost. He was my hero. He loved me dearly. By July 1967 the Beatles pop group brought out a song called “All you need is love”- a message that appealed to many young girls including me. What I did not realize was that the Beatles lyrics were to spread another type of gospel; a revolution of sexual freedom. Influenced by “pop" movement and peer pressure I gradually forgot my Church involvement. By 1978 after years of bad decisions, which resulted in misery and hopelessness, I turned back to God for help. This time I surrendered my broken life to Jesus. As I spent time reading the Bible, attending Bible studies and church, Jesus revealed He loved me. He forgave all my sins through His sacrificial death on the cross. I believed, through faith that Jesus had risen from the grave giving me a new life. In 1981, I was baptised by emersion and filled with the Holy Spirit. The rest is history.  My testimony is more aptly summed up in Titus 3 verses 3-7. Once I too was foolish and disobedient. I was misled by others and became a slave to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. But then God my Saviour showed me His kindness and love. He washed away my sins and gave me a new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Holy Spirit upon me because of what Jesus Christ did for me. Jesus declared I am not guilty because of His great kindness and now I have inherited Eternal life.

All my life, I have known Jesus, read scripture and been surrounded by people who love God. Despite the scripture I had memorised, the Bible studies I attended and Chris tian circles I ran in, I struggled greatly to take that knowledge, and what I believed to be true, to heart. I often felt like I wasn’t as “spiritual” as my Christian friends, almost like I was missing something. Without a doubt I knew I loved Jesus and his saving grace, and I trusted his plan for my life, but something inside me didn’t feel satisfied. I treated prayer as a token thanks to God and didn’t have the deep relationship that I now cherish. But something really changed when I finished school. As life changed, I began to earnestly talk to God, pouring myself out to Him. That year I prayed that God would make me more like Himself, to be more patient. Far sooner than I was expecting, I was struck with the fact my circumstances had significantly changed, yet my attitude had remained peaceful. From this point, I began to pray for other fruits of the Spirit. Since then, my heart has truly grown in Christlikeness making me even more grateful for God’s love toward me. Now, each day gives me an opportunity to be joyful in Christ, kind to those around me and demonstrate the love God has for us. I am so grateful for the way my heart is changing and being molded, thankful I can be a daughter of the King, in unity with him.  ‘But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 3:16-18) .

I was raised in a very loving Christian family in South Africa with parents who love the Lord. My parents are still part of the same Dutch Reformed church I went to all my years at home. I was baptised there and went to Sunday school and listened to our minister preach throughout my school and University years. I feel very blessed as I write this as my relationship with God has been a lifelong one. I am so thankful for many wonderful Christian friends and family throughout my life at all times. People whose wise counsel and love kept me grounded in my faith at times when I doubted. I lived and worked as an audiologist in 5 countries and travelled a lot, but no matter where lived, I always joined a church and Bible study group. I was guided by His Word and Holy Spirit, but also through friends and family whose support and encouragement along the way was clearly God’s work which He does so miraculously, intelligently and timely. On my journey with God, looking back on my life I have found my faith in God and His son Jesus Christ renewed and strengthened most through the difficult times. I read once that when we walk with God through dark valleys, we become inseparably connected with Him. Often I didn’t realise it at the time, but God was always at work in situations where I thought life wasn’t making any sense. Proverbs 16:9 says ‘In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. ’ In my life’s journey God is at the steering wheel regardless of where I want to go. He has blessed me with a wonderful husband who is now on the journey with me and I can’t thank God enough for the blessing of being His child.  I hold close to my heart Ephesians 1:7-10, ‘In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished onto us. With all wisdom and understanding he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.’