Change of Heart - Paradise to the Inferno

As we peered off the back of the catamaran & watched the fireworks blossom & boom over the hill at Longreach Bay, Rottnest Island, my mind & spirit lingered, like the gunpowder that drifted over the sea… what would 2024 bring?

Believe it or not I was petrified stepping into this new year. Living by faith & not by sight is hard yakka I tell ya. When you know Gods plan is probably 100% not what you were thinking or hoping it to turn out to be, it’s kinda terrifying. But also extremely exciting… it just takes a little trust & faith to let go of trying to control it.

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9

After 3 months in Indonesia sailing around the more remote & untouched islands of Sumba, Savu & Rote, to then the indigenous communities in the Pilbara desert- Marapikurrinya & Nyiyaparli … coming home to Christmas & new years on Rotto, where what seems like the rich of Perth lounge & liaise, was a tad bit of a culture shock.

When you’re thrown from the hot desert & the incomprehensible reality of 9 year olds sniffing petrol, suicidal hangings, & young girls roaming the streets to escape the violence & horrors of home; into the starkly juxtaposed world of crystal clear, turquoise blue waters & 21 year olds with $200,000 boats competing to voice their music & social status in the world renowned tourist attraction off of Perth- that just happened to be a prison for the Aboriginal people for almost 100 years… you kind of don’t know what to do with yourself, except weep & wail at the extremely contrasted levels of human realities that are being lived & experienced all over the world right now as we speak.

A once beautiful, thriving, intelligent culture & people so connected to country & self-identity, to a people & nation stripped bare, imprisoned & exiled from their land & way of life.

How fortunate I’ve been to grow up in such privileged living circumstances & a loving family. The hardest thing for majority of us middle class white fellas is escaping the rat race of the 9-5 & finding our own personal happiness & fulfilment. We all chase the dream in one form or another. For years I have chased the dream of surf, travel & meeting new people through creative endeavours & outlets. It has taken me to some of the most beautiful places on the planet, and with each place, it always comes back to the people.

With the many adventurous opportunities that this year was offering: working for Christian Surfers 3 days a week on the magazine & creative media, time back sailing around Indo with Sail4Purpose, documenting a surf / adventure ministry in Lombok, jumping onboard the folks catamaran sailing past the Bluff & Gnaraloo- surfboard in hand, being immersed in a beautiful thriving community of like-minded people & the stunning beaches & bays of Margaret River; you’d think, ahhh, you’d be stupid not to step into that! That’s livin the dreammmm barry!

Well guess what, God has better plans.

And it may not look anything like we expected them to, but we can have peace in that… “just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, & my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

Also, it’s not about us…

So, when a full time job working for the same Aboriginal organisation I’d just spent the past month with came up, I ummed & arred, and wrestled with what to do. Me- in a full-time job living in Port Hedland… ha, ya joking! The hardest thing for me has always been being patient & waiting on the Lord. I just get so excited & say yes or jump into everything, but there is great beauty & blessing in saying no & waiting on the Lord.

“Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

One week later back in Perth I caught up with a beautifully inspiring friend who was once running spiritual retreats in the ‘new age’ scene and has strongly come to Christ & given her life to Jesus. She presented me with another opportunity to go back to Indonesia & document / shoot what the Lord is doing in that village, and again, getting to surf, drink coconuts & chat with the locals. It’s wild, the whole time my heart was saying nahhhh- I really have no desire to go back to indo, surf, drink coconuts & document a super fruitful ministry. It’s just not my heart’s desire anymore to shoot content. As we were praying together to finish up the picnic & the blessing of getting to see each other, she mentioned she saw an image of the Aboriginal kids surfing up north. For me that was enough. As she left, I sat down on the grass & in a state of tiredness said: “alright Lord, where do you want me?” I opened my bible straight to this:

“You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand.” Ezekiel 3:5-6

HA, whaaat. Cya later Indo. I am not fluent in their language. I may know a little & love learning it, but it is still obscure & strange to my ears.

“And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your people in exile and speak to them.” Ezekiel 5:10

My heart kinda missed a beat. The people in exile… the Aboriginal people of Australia; the hot, stinking desert & kids that stole my heart. I didn’t want to leave. The thought of not going back up there honestly sent me into a depression.

But what right do I have to go in as a white person & think I can come in and make a difference? Madelaine Dickie said it so perfectly in our previous interview… “Solutions that are non-Aboriginal led don’t work. We know this. For non-Aboriginal people working in this space or eager to work in this space, the best thing you can do is listen. Be comfortable with silence. Be respectful. Meaningful change is possible, by working together under the instruction of senior people, elders and Traditional Owners.”

So what’s the biggest thing I’ve learnt from all this…? God will give you the desires of your heart; but he will also change your heart & your desires to His desires for you… because ultimately it’s not about us. In submitting to Him & letting go of trying to control life, we gain life.

“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25

“Seek first the Kingdom of God & his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

So pack ya bags folks! And buckle ya seatbelts! Lil ol’ Jem is moving to the dusty old mining town of Port Hedland (2 weeks in already yew). Prayers would be appreciated.

It’s pretty incredible how generational connections to places & people loop back around. Mum & dad lived out in PH before I was born. Fun fact, I was actually conceived in Port Hedland, ha. Dad was the local cop & spent a lot of time with the Aboriginal mob working & training some of them up to be community officers. I’m really proud to say he was truly respected by the indigenous community & elders, simply because he respected them & put in the effort to learn each one of them by name, even cracking a joke upon greeting! He spent a lot of time with Aborigines in the Kimberley, in places like Kalumburu and Oombulgurri. His want to build relationship, & to love & care for them in his role as a policeman, in what has previously been notorious for bad relations, went a long way. There’s one story from dad’s time working out in the sticks of Roebourne… some of the cops would go hunting with the mob and let the prisoners lie on top of the police car with a rifle, shooting kangaroos for tucker. Kanga stew anyone? Pretty rad. Don’t know how legal that is today haha, but yeeehaaa. The story of Australian colonialism & treatment of Aboriginal people is gut-wrenchingly sad. This documentary below will actually give you a profound perspective & understanding of the events that caused the eradication of this people and the decimation of culture.

RECOMMENDED WATCH ( thanks dad ) :

‘Exile And The Kingdom’, produced by Frank Rijavec & made with the YINDJIBARNDI, NGARLUMA, BANYJIMA and GURRAMA people of Roebourne, Western Australia. This documentary breaks down the history & personal experiences of Aboriginal people from pre-colonial times to the imapacts of colonisation, slavery & the mining booms. A must watch for gaining understanding of the generational trauma inflicted, & why the Aboriginal people are where they are today.

Free to watch on SBS On Demand for the next month.

Thank you for reading.

Interview with Author Madelaine Dickie

Writer, surfer, mumma & serious adventure seeker… Madelaine Dickie is not afraid of immersing herself in new cultures & provocative social scapes. Her novels are a powerful voice for underlying & chillingly relevant social, political & cultural issues. Concocted with palm trees, island oasis’s, big barramundi fish & an insatiable appetite to turn the next page… Currently based in Arnhem Land with her hubby & energetic toddler, Maddy is working as a director for a social enterprise that’s creating purposeful futures for young people. Her new book ‘Some People Want to Shoot Me’, co-authored with Nyikina Aboriginal leader Wayne Bergmann is being released next week through Fremantle Press. So let’s dig in & have a yarn ay?!

November last year I bumped into Maddy again in Rote Island. We scored this session at T-Lands. The hoots, hollers & stoke was seriously high. Shot by @dannybphoto

Your new book ‘Some People Want To Shoot Me’, co-written with Wayne Bergmann, is being released early March… can you tell us about the journey & passion behind writing this?

Wayne is a Nyikina Aboriginal leader, firebrand, and trailblazer from the Kimberley region of Western Australia. He chaired the landmark Uluru Statement from the Heart meeting, has been chief executive of the Kimberley Land Council, and for several consecutive years he was named by the Weekend West as the most influential Aboriginal person in the state. He’s got a remarkable story. It’s a story that includes traditional magic love songs, barramundi scales that turn to diamonds, a Swedish skeleton thief, and within this book’s pages is a harrowing tale from when Wayne got lost with his children in the desert. It’s also a political tale, about a proposal to build a giant gas plant north of Broome. Wayne’s a lawyer, and as chief executive of the Kimberley Land Council at the time, he represented Traditional Owners who were in support of this proposal. But this put a target on his back. The gas plant proposal drew national attention, with protestors including John Butler and Missy Higgins. During this time Wayne received death threats. People crossed to the other side of the road so they wouldn’t have to speak with his wife. His children were harassed at school. Some People Want to Shoot Me offers a deep dive into contemporary Indigenous affairs, but in a way that’s easy and enjoyable to read. If you get your hands on a copy, please reach out and let me know what you think!

From living in Arnhem Land for the past year, what have you learnt through observation & time spent with elders & indigenous community? How can we help drive change in these places?
I’ve spent over ten years working mostly for Traditional Owners in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. In the last twelve months, I’ve been based in the community of Maningrida, in Arnhem Land. For me, the key thing I’ve learnt is that any change that relates to Aboriginal people has to be Aboriginal-led. This was why the referendum for a Voice to Parliament was so important. Because solutions that are non-Aboriginal led don’t work. We know this. For non-Aboriginal people working in this space or eager to work in this space, the best thing you can do is listen. Be comfortable with silence. Be respectful. Meaningful change is possible, by working together under the instruction of senior people, elders and Traditional Owners.

Madelaine you’ve immersed yourself in different cultures & places all over the world with a desire to surf, travel & write stories. Can you tell us about your 8-month stint in Mexico?!

In 2022, as soon as Western Australia’s hard border fell, we took off with our fourteen-month-old son for 8 months surfing in Mexico, mostly in Guerrero and Oaxaca. We bought a busted-up Nissan with three functioning cylinders and that car got us into some sticky situations. It broke down just shy of a mountain pass in Guatemala known (by everyone except us) for bandits—the road was so bad, and cars travelled so slowly, it made it easy to rob travellers. We bogged it on a rural dirt road late in the afternoon—the wheels were completely swallowed by mud—and I had to put the baby on my back and start walking for the nearest village, which was about ten kilometres away. Anyone who’s travelled in Mexico knows the golden rule: never drive at night. And finally, it caught fire on the Talisman border crossing between Mexico and Guatemala, a bloody scary place, once again, late in the afternoon. Still, we wouldn’t take a moment of it back. The Mexican people adore little children and those right hand Oaxacan point breaks are the stuff of dreams. For more gritty tales, I wrote a story about my first trip to Oaxaca which was published in Lines to the Horizon: Australian Surf Writing.

‘Troppo’ was your debut novel, and I think a lot of Australians that chase the Indo dream can relate to it in some way, shape or form. What are some of your own experiences in Indonesia that helped inspire this novel?

Troppo’s about Shane, a feral Aussie expat who runs a surf resort in south Sumatra. He’s really disrespectful toward the local people. He cuts the electricity so the local mosque can’t broadcast the morning prayer, he bans the fishermen from launching their boats out the front of his resort, and he’s rumoured to have cut the fingers off one of his staff members for stealing. The locals hate him. Sound familiar? I think there’s a ‘Shane’ in most of the iconic surf regions of Indo! I wanted to write about this, and I also was just desperate to imagine myself back in Indo, away from the freezing cold city where I was at uni.

What does an average day look like for you?

No day is average in Maningrida. Sometimes I’m up from 3.30am with my energetic toddler, who doesn’t seem to need as much sleep as I do. I swim laps. Plan strike missions to Indo. Watch the crocodiles drift past the backyard—we’re in a beautiful mud brick house right on the Arafura Sea. Then I hit the desk for some writing, freelance work and uni—I’ve just started a Master of Philosophy at Curtin. On the weekends we take the boat out and fish for fingermark, barramundi, trevally and jewies. It’s a great spot here, and a welcoming community.

Tips & tricks for upcoming writers? What’s the best way to go about publishing?

Jem, I’m not going to lie to you here, but trying to make a living out of writing is a bloody dispiriting business. I’d say—don’t do it! Study something else! And if you really have to do it, because it burns, because it gives your whole life meaning, then keep your eyes peeled for those great prizes for unpublished manuscripts, like the City of Fremantle Hungerford Award in WA, because these have the power to really shoot your career into the stratosphere.

What’s on the cards for you over the next year? Where can we find ya!

Maningrida, Madagascar, Indonesia, Cuba … Let’s see!

Favourite album currently….

I’ve been listening to this old-fashioned Afro-Cuban singer Fredesvinda ‘Freddy’ García. I love her song El Hombre Que Yo Amé.

FAMILY. Maddy with husband Tom & toddler Skip, somewhere exotic…

BOOK RELEASE DATE // 27th of February

BOOK LAUNCH // April 11th, 5.30pm WA Museum Boola Bardip, Perth

PRE-ORDER // https://fremantlepress.com.au/books/some-people-want-to-shoot-me/

No Farmers - No Food.

As we ride into 2024, information on what is actually going on behind the puppetry & dark arts of mainstream media is getting harder and harder to come by. If we do happen to stumble upon any form of truth, it is labelled as ‘disinformation’ or ‘misinformation.’ The World Health Organisation has already predicted this would be the number one greatest global risk over the next two years. Huh, go figure. Who determines what is misinformation?

Thank God there are still independant journalism platforms that are shining a light on & lifting the veil over the realities of the world that we live in. EpochTV’s “Facts Matter” host Roman Balmakov traveled around the world to over 25 locations and interviewed over 50 farmers, scientists, and experts in the United States, The Netherlands, and Sri Lanka to get to the truth behind this global agenda and investigate the coming global food crisis that is being ignored by the world’s media.

Documentary trailer & link to watch below. I’m going to brake down a few things in the rest of this article & include some snippets of what is said in the documentary…

The UN’s AGENDA 2030 //

Originally Agenda 21, which was adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Brazil 1992, is now known as AGENDA 2030. With 17 sustainable development goals & 169 targets, all to be reached by every nation on the earth by 2030. Green is good ya?

The question is, how can the government possibly reach all of these sustainability goals without micromanaging our entire lives?

In the Netherlands, Dutch farmers are being forced to shut down their small scale family run farming practices due to the government’s “green policies” that limit nitrogen emissions. Mining & mass factory production isn’t killing our planet, cow poop is.

In California, dams are being shut down to save a salmon species that isn’t even indigenous to the area, causing a flow on effect for cattle ranches & farmers. Farm property is becoming worthless because of the new green policies in place, forcing families off of their land; they cannot sell the property if it can no longer operate as a farming / agriculture business under the new climate regulations. So what happens to the land? The government will step in & take it of course. It’s never been about saving the fish- it’s always been about having control over the water & land.

In Sri Lanka, the use of synthetic pesticides was banned overnight, and with no transition put in place, this caused farm production levels to drop by 60%, which in turn caused a massive shortage of food and a major economic crisis. The cost of everything from food to fuel went up and within a mere few months Sri Lanka went from a robust agricultural economy with a food surplus, to a massive economic crisis that resulted in food and fuel shortages and rising inflation that caused its citizens to work up to 5 jobs to make ends meet... all because of one new law unilaterally enacted by its president. Farmers everywhere are committing suicide as they cannot provide for themselves or their families. This is a direct result of Agenda 2030. Saving the earth in the name of sustainability, and killing millions of people from starvation & depression in the process.

The environment & the ‘climate crisis’ is being used as a tool for the government to achieve power & control, more than it is an end goal to actually protect nature.

“America was founded on the concept of self-rule, where the people would rule the government. Land ownership is the key ingredient from protecting people from government rule. The founding fathers of America understood that the small landholders are the most important part of the state… the land would be distributed among the people, so they could always control their government. The ultimate agenda is that there is no ownership over land- so that we don’t own anything. We either own property, or we are property. They have to eliminate our ability to control our government, which means they have to take our land.” -Margaret Byfield, Executive Director, American Stewards of Liberty.

2030: “OWN NOTHING AND BE HAPPY” - Klaus Schwab, The World Health Organisation

“Small farms cannot keep up and comply with the endless forms of regulations being put in place. We’re seeing this in China, where these giant, mechanised, big government, corporate control megafarms are displacing all these little family farms that families have been farming for hundreds of years. The government is moving them off their little plots of land and moving them into these big mega-cities that they have built. We are going to see this happen all over the world- the decimation of small farms. If farms are not bankrupted by economic forces, the government themselves will shut them down.” -Alex Newman, President, Liberty Sentinel Media, Inc

IF YOU CONTROL THE FOOD, YOU CONTROL THE PEOPLE. https://www.nofarmersnofood.com/

JOSHUA 1:9 // “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

INDONESIA - Coming Full Circle

Sailing the remote islands of Indonesia with S4P….

4 years ago my life was looking pretty well set up.

I was working for a resort in the Mentawais, & the plan forward was to spend 3 months there each year- surfing, shooting content, curating interviews & articles for the resort. The other months of the year I’d either be in Exmouth or the South West, flying out to remote Indigenous communities each school holidays to do sport, art & music programs through Ngurra Kujungku with the kids. They’d take us hunting for witchety grubs & honey ants across country. It was an honour & a privilege to be learning from them.

I was getting more freelance photography gigs & t-ing up travel where brands were basically paying me to create & go have a good time. I was supposed to fly to New Zealand for the Single Fin Mingle to shoot mate & Rhythm ambassador Jack Medland for the next Spring collection. Life was looking good & the future exciting.

Then BAM. Covid-19 hit. How do you respond to these things? To everything you knew shutting down? How do you cope with adversity? What do you put your hope in? Your faith in? Money? Your career & well-paying job? For me at the time it was my urgent desire to move. To escape habitual banality through travel & stories. To get out of the mundane & into the uncomfortable.

It’s ironic, because little did I realise that staying put was the most uncomfortable & daunting thing I ever did. I almost jumped on the plane to New Zealand. It would have been a time I’m sure, residing in someone’s paddock or sleeping on the beach with a right hander out front. But, begrudgingly, I stayed. Mates called and said that they were leaving for Gnaraloo that night to escape before the lockdowns came into place. I fully packed my van & was ready to leave with another friend. Mum & dad went off at me. There was no way. This had happened before where I’d gone on some mad rideshare trip across the country, but this time it felt different. I felt like I would betray them & their trust by leaving. I stayed.

Now that I look back, ooft I am so grateful. Mum & dad really do know best ha. I had to fight against every cell in my body not to run. To not just escape & be free of constraints. But what was I running from?

Sometimes the hardest thing we can ever do is just sit with ourselves. To be still. To listen to the thoughts playing throughout our mind. To stop. To question. To re-assess. What’s important & what do I truly value in my life?

Distraction truly is the devil of modern-day society. You know the saying, if he can’t win you over fully, he’ll distract you from knowing or seeking out truth. Anyways, I saw Covid as a massive blessing. To stop, slow down, sow into the local community, my family, and actually really come to appreciate Perth- a city I once so despised.

So that was 4 years ago. 6 years ago I was living in Bali as the Deus Ex Machina in-house photographer. It’s been a time. Throughout the whole 4 years cut off from Indo, I kind of resigned the idea of ever going back there / ever even travelling again ha; with the vaccine mandates in place for what seemed like our whole lifetime. I totally let that love of the place, of the waves & of the people go.

Shooting the Deus 9ft & Single, Bali, 2018.

BUT… God is SO good. When we seek the Kingdom & his righteousness first, the rest shall come unto us. Matthew 6:33. As we rolled into Will Taylor’s dads place in Ocean Grove- after literally just driving 40 hours across the country in a big orange van carrying 6 people to go study sem 2 of CSALT (surfing & studying the bible through Christian Surfers)… Will put on his dad’s DIY surf film from their boys trip to the Mentawais. 5 minutes into it I’m balling my eyes out & sobbing uncontrollable tears of joy. It was quite a sight. And a bit of a shock to say the least aha. As another guy would start paddling for a wave, more bursts of tears flowed out. Memories of my time in the Mentawais & love for Indo came flooding back. ‘Open Up Your Heart’ by G.Wayne Thomas, the soundtrack from Albe Falzons ‘Morning of the Earth’ was playing over the top of the footage. More heart-wrenching sobs and outbursts. I had to leave the room to really let it all out. I think I wrote about 10 pages in my journal, just pouring my heart out and how God has so imminently & solidly put Indonesia & surfing back on my heart… Gracie & El prayed over me later, asking ‘Lord, if this is where you want Jemma to go, & not back to Margaret River, show her a vision Lord.’ A moving still of Bali instantly came into my mind. I actually forgot all about this and it wasn’t until I was on the boat in Indonesia when I recalled this moment.

It's actually wild writing & recollecting these memories & events now. Knowing that God was calling me back, but for what or where specifically I had no idea. Now I am here. Sailing through outer islands to the remotest parts of Indonesia- surfing, storytelling, curating interviews and writing articles, learning the language & learning from the people. Walking with the Lord. I got in touch with Brett Davis (founder of Christian Surfers) a few months after that original outburst.

He sent me a list of friends / contacts that were doing surf ministry in Indonesia. I saw Sail4Purpose & initially thought, nah that’s too good to be true. My parents live on a catamaran too so it wasn’t too outlandish, if anything it would feel just like home. A few zoom calls, business meetings & many prayers later here I am. There was a point where I was like ‘Lord, this is totally my own desire isn’t it. Surfing, sailing & spearfishing throughout Indo…’ Yeah. He showed me that it was through His word (the bible). So I was like ‘right! I’m going back to Margaret River. Lord, I never want to do anything other than your will for me, I never want to take my own course or follow my own plans; I want it to be your will & your plans alone Lord.’ After fully surrendering the idea & just being stoked to do whatever God wanted; He opened all the doors to go. The desires of our hearts are HIS too! It makes Him smile when we live out our passions & our dreams, we just have to surrender it all to Him first, and He will give it back to you 100 times better.

A few cool testimonies of God’s provision & goodness whilst being onboard…

A month into the trip I realised that I’d overstayed my visa 6 days, even though I paid for 60 days on arrival, immigration only stamped 30 (my fault for not double checking). We wouldn’t be back in Kupang until another few days. In Indonesia it’s 1 million juta ($100 AUD) per day fine of overstay. That’s $1000. The realisation hit, woah that’s a lot of money, but I just surrendered it right then & there. I only had about $800 in my account, but said it’s just money, God is faithful & worry is not going to fix anything. I had a knowing peace and trust that it would be okay. 2 days later before going into immigration, I check my bank account to make sure I can atleast pay it. I’m gobsmacked to see the figures on the screen. A random donation of exactly $1000 was deposited into my account.

The description… ‘from MR CHRIST.’

WOWWWWWW. Does it get any more insane than this haha?! Like I’ve heard stories before of believers receiving random cheques in the mail of the exact amount needed for a bill or an urgent situation, and money just randomly showing up without an explanation or that makes any logical sense; except that the Lord will literally never leave us nor forsake us, we just have to have faith & trust. I honestly think if I reacted out of fear & panic & tried to resolve this in my own strength, I might not have seen the fruits of this money. We can never place ‘works’ above the grace of God or say ‘I made this happen’, it’s all the Lord, but it is our faith & unwavering belief in Him that allows these things to happen. Let’s just say I won’t be overstaying my visa again haha. Thank you Lordddd.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for & assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

Another cool testimony-

David & I (one of the boys from Hawaii that came over for 5 weeks to help out on the boat), jumped in our small tender (tiny boat) to go scout for some waves around the other side of the bay, to a place called Wanakaka in Sumba. We pulled up but it was dead flat. We were so amped to just get in the water so we drove out a bit further and dropped anchor. As I dropped the anchor out over the front of the boat, the chain & the anchor just dropped straight down without the rope attached. Somehow the D-ring connecting them had been unscrewed. We sat there for about 10 seconds dumbfounded. What just happened aha?! How? Finally, we dove in after it, but we’d already drifted a little & it was deep & murky. David geomapped our location on his phone & we went back to the boat for snorkels, masks & dive gear. I said ‘we’re going to find it, God is faithful.’ And before diving in for round 2 search, I thanked the Lord that we’d already found it & that he IS faithful & so so good.

We didn’t find it haha.

But, 2 days later, surfing out at an island 8 hours from Wanakaka, I looked down below my surfboard onto the reef & watery depths. There was something shining- a fish? I dove down and prodded it. HA. No way. It was an aluminium anchor. I rose to the top with it laughing, and shouted, ‘David! God is faithful, hahahaha!!’. We were all pretty in awe. It shouldn’t have been there so far in. Turns out Rob was actually looking at buying that specific anchor for the 65ft Catamaran to anchor up on reef haha. God redeemed it with something even better. I one-armed paddled it halfway back to the boat.

There are many other stories of times on land here in small villages & sailing through the remote islands of Indonesia, but I’ll leave that for another time.

Since coming to faith & devoting my life to Christ, I am a living testimony for seeing dreams come to fruition & miracles happen. From originally going to go live in a caravan on a bush property immersing myself in the Vedic-Hindu scriptures, surrounded by a new age community; to since finding Christ & realising that I was living in a caravan on a bush property studying the Christian scriptures / Holy Bible, surrounded by a Christ-centred community, ha! To now having the opportunity to sail around Indonesia for 3 months on a 65ft catamaran… God WANTS to give you the desires of your heart, and make the unimaginable imaginable. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

When we surrender our lives & do everything for His Kingdom, & for His glory, he blesses us & all the tiny little plans & yearnings & desires of our heart that we would never ever think would actually happen. He does it.

But it comes at a cost… “for whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25. You have to surrender everything to him. Lay down your whole life. Let Him into your heart. Sound daunting? It’s only the best thing you will EVER do. God will give it back to you 100 x better than what we could ever create or plan ourselves. “Lord, if you are real, reveal yourself to me, I want to live unstoppably too!”

“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart…” Jeremiah 29:11

What is Wealth? A Social Commentary.

We’re currently anchored off of an island in Nusa Tengarra Timor, Indonesia. Where palm frond huts line the beaches & families live off the land and sea; being extremely knowledgeable, resourceful & self-sufficient in everything that they do. The local market is just once a week, & a surplus of food & resources is hard to come by. It’s ironic, & quite interesting really, we as westerners coming out to these places, these remote islands, thinking that we can bless these villages & help these people, when really it is our first-world nations that need help. How many people could spend a month out here & survive off of the land? Live in a hut? Catch their own fish? Not have a surplus of food (or toilet paper) in their pantries & be okay about it? If you’re a surfer / spearo / friends in my circle you’re probably thinking are you kidding!? This is the dreammm! We’re just wired in a weirdly abnormal way haha, but the scary thing is… it should not be abnormal. This is how we were created and designed to live- to be immersed in community, with family, to tend to our fields & to literally reap what we sow. To love and be loved. To live a simple life living off just what we need and no more.

I look at what’s happening in the US and the West- state laws in major cities like California, San Fran & New York where shoplifting items under $950 is casually called a misdemeanour. “Professional shoplifters now operate in public and with clear impunity. Every day, videos emerge of robbers blithely filling duffle bags as store employees watch helplessly out of fear of violence or legal retribution.” Heroin, cocaine & meth are being legalised in small doses in Canberra, Australia. For companies & brands to maintain their influence in society, they are having to promote ‘woke’ marketing & advertising. Won’t play their game? You won’t get their investment. It’s called woke capitalism with a woke credit score to go with it. Chinas social credit system where individuals are scored based on their behaviour: blacklisted & publicly shamed for speaking out truth or jaywalking? Say sayonara to any chance of buying a plane ticket, train ticket, house or even access to the internet… straight out of George Orwell’s 1984, & another casual Black Mirror episode. China has always been the blueprint / trial for the rest of the world, and we’re not that far from actually seeing that come into play. There are currently 72 different gender identities. All-age pride events feature children’s books with sex positions & pornographic content, titled “It’s Perfectly Normal.” Bill Gates is promising another pandemic with a smile. Major cities continue to get wiped out by directed energy weapons & ‘climate change’, for the implementation of smart cities (you can read UNESCOS 351 page document “Smart cities: shaping the society of 2030”.) Netflix films are zombie apocalypses & beasts coming up out of the sea (straight out of Revelation, a chapter in the Bible- by the way). Transhumanism. The Fourth Industrial Revolution. New World Order. Agenda 21. The Great Reset. Ahhh I’ll shut up now, but the list goes on.

This is an excerpt from Felicity Oriander’s personal testimony on how she came to faith in Christ:

“It became obvious as global deceit on a magnanimous and shocking scale became exposed through 2020 and beyond that there IS indeed an objective truth to the running of the world. Yes, there is a global elite and the truth became evident in unison with Jesus’ name. Hollywood mocks him, there are satanic rituals performed out in the open at celebrity concerts, the Superbowl and, in certain social commentary, it is commonplace to associate ‘Christian’ with ‘right wing extremism’. A wise man once said, ‘people always mock what they’re afraid of’ and He is mocked across all spheres of popular culture. You can say you believe in being an alien from another planet helping to ‘ascend the Earth into 5D’ and no one bats an eyelid. Announce that you’re a follower of Jesus and notice the emotional thermostat turn to ice.”

You can read her full testimony here.

Living in a world that is constantly in turmoil, it can be difficult to have hope for the future… but Jesus said: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

In whatever situation or circumstance we are in, we can have so much peace in knowing that Jesus has already won, everything is in God’s hands & it is all written. Although we live in extremely dark times, where the prince of evil (Satan) has been given power & authority- we can find peace, HOPE, freedom & JOY in Christ, & knowing his deep love & plan for us.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

But the question we have to ask ourselves is, where do we stand personally with God? There’s only one battle at play here, and that’s between God & Satan. Which side do you choose to be on? The kingdom of darkness or the kingdom of light? The prince of evil or the prince of peace? You don’t believe in any of it? Well unfortunately it still affects you.

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31

“As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:9-10

Here is a journal excerpt of one experience stepping on land in a remote island in Indonesia…

“I just stepped on land; it’s so incredible. Trekked up through the back country, up through the dry fields and rocky outcrops. Up onto the big rocky bluff above us. The ocean is turquoise clear below. You can see the outline of the reef & intricate shades of blue. Small painted, wooden indo boats dot the shore. Lines of waves rolling through further down the coast, perfectly peeling through. Palm trees and palm frond huts line the beach. Apparently surfers pass through here every month, but we saw no westerner.

We walked further up, following the ridge line down into a field of veggies & banana crops. Traced along the back of a palm fence & found a small oasis (although super dirty), hidden amongst the rocks & amongst the top of the valley. This is how the families irrigate their small rice paddies & vegetables further down. From this spring, there’s many water wells too. In November when it starts to hit rainy season, it almost floods- that oasis turns into a gushing river and waterfall. Water buffalos & wild boar bathe in the pools below, near the entrance to the sea.

The day before the girls had gone on a mission to find fresh vegetables. An adventure it was; the kids leading them up over the mountain, through the jungle, to a field of fresh homegrown veggies from Bapak Mike. We found Bapak Mike again- right next to the small ravine, their hut situated to the side, nestled amongst the trees. Clothes were out on the rock drying. He welcomed us in through the gate and down the narrow path. It opened up to this beautiful flat, cream dirt ground- daily swept with deep care & pride. There was a clear space / opening in the middle, half of the area covered with shade from the surrounding banana palms and lush green foliage. To the left a pot was over the open fire, Ibu was cooking sayur hijau (green vegetables) with coconut water. To the right, nestled under the shade, an open table and palm frond mats. Pak Tommy shredding the dry leaf Lontar palm & getting bunches together to make the mats. We were sitting on the outcome of one… finely & intricately woven. The whole family, from oldest to youngest knows how to make these woven mats. The skills passed down through generations. An item that is used for almost everything- and so a necessity to know.

They called their son Danny over, he went to climb a tree & came back with three fresh coconuts for us. Pak Gabriel walked up from the rice paddy field & greeted us also. He was named after angel Gabriel from the bible. We sat with six members of the family, sharing stories & drinking coconuts. Becca can speak fluent Bahasa, so she was our translator hehe.

Bapak Mike- he has 17 kids. 9 to his first wife who passed away, and 8 to his second wife. Gabriel is a pastor and has been for the past 10 years. He’s 61. I asked if they’ve had any dreams or visions from the Lord; no, but John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life…” is their favourite verse hehe. Their faith is very strong. They say people have come into their church screaming- full of demons. They have cast some out, in the name of Jesus.

This family has known Jesus from three generations ago… when missionaries first came to the island. It’s kind of wild that even in the most remote islands the name of Jesus is known… Matthew 24: 14 says: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” If this is one of the last prophecies… Lord ya coming back quick.

They say there’s still a lot of lost people / spiritual darkness here, but it’s funny, we always seem to come across other believers, and get the opportunity to encourage & lift one another up. They prayed over us & we got to pray for them too. Bapak Mike threw some pretty rad hallelujahs haha. It was really quite beautiful.

So how shall I conclude this?

For me, it’s just interesting to witness & see these people that we label as ‘poor’ or in need, actually live the most beautifully simple yet fruitful life. Family, community, loving on their neighbours like they would themselves, growing their own food & catching their own dinner, bartering goods, being self-sufficient & using everything that the earth / God has provided them with, & praising the Lord for it all…wow.

What do you value most in your own life? Is it family? Freedom of speech? How much money you make? Success through the lens of society?

What is it that drives you? Why is the world like it is? If there’s a God why is there so much pain & suffering? I encourage you to ASK questions. To stop, to reflect, to sit down for a moment. To think & to SEEK.

Revelation 3:17 // “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19 // “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

ONE DAY in TIMOR LESTE

**Cristo Rei Beach // Which in Portuguese means ‘Christ The King’.**

A 12 hour bus ride from Kupang to Dili, will take you across the border of Indonesia & into Timor Leste; which was previously colonised by Portugal and occupied by Indonesia. In 2002 it gained independence, today making it the world’s youngest country.

Timor Leste is beautiful. The flora & terrain here are very similar to the North West of Australia; white eucalypt in the arid, rocky, mountainous areas, acacia trees blossoming with bright yellow flowers, tropical palms. The harvesting of lontar palm sap is big here also, and there are many fishing villages with small, basic wooden huts along the way. The coastline is ridiculously stunning; a winding road along the edge of undulating mountains and cliff edges, which are not prone to rockslides. The view of the ocean reminds me of the Grand Pacific Drive in NSW through Stanwell Tops and surrounds, but instead, with small wooden huts and third-world infrastructure. Tropical, mountainous, rich, rugged coastline.

97% of the population are Catholic, however there is still a high rate of domestic violence. There are quite a few organisations such as The Asia Foundation in place to assist women and children suffering from violence- I sat next to a guy on the bus who spoke perfect English & worked for this specific organisation. Although Timor Leste is bordering Indonesia & looks & feels like Indonesia- it really is its own country & is vastly different. Timor Leste uses American currency, & very few people speak English or Bahasa Indonesian- the official languages being Tetum & Portuguese.

I met the most amazing woman at the bus terminal- Elise- she was wearing this bright yellow t-shirt with Jesus & the cross on the front, and just beaming joy out the depths of her soul. Originally from Timor Leste, she also speaks fluent English & Bahasa & grew up in a Catholic family. It wasn’t until 2016 when she started reading the Bible for the first time that her life began to change, and she really came to know Jesus. She shared with me how she was earnestly praying in a mosque (don’t ask me why a mosque haha), saying “Jesus I just want to see you, I want to see your face…” Jesus revealed himself to her, just that once. She could not see his face fully, because it was pure light, the love of God; too great to comprehend. Many friends of Elise’s have had the Lord reveal himself to them in dreams, and lately have been receiving visions & dreams of angels sounding trumpets. Which is fascinating, because we just had Rosh Hashana, which in the Jewish / biblical calendar is known as the Feast of Trumpets & a marker / favourable time for the Lord’s return. The trumpets are blown on this Jewish new year to gather God’s people, rouse them to repentance, and will one day coronate our reigning King Jesus, who will be accompanied by the sound of trumpets upon his return. (Zechariah 9:14). Both the Old & New Testaments in he bible speak of this promise, of Jesus coming back for his bride.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 says “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the TRUMPET call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words.”

The Lord is revealing himself & giving people dreams & visions in Timor Leste.

“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” Acts 2:17

I asked Elise how many people really know Jesus here (not just as a religion / a Catholic veneer but as true followers of Jesus) She said she’s not sure, but that she has a spiritual mentor (who’s originally from India!) & there are 300 others in Timor Leste being guided by him, who are deep in the word of God.

Indo transport. Photo via Evaneos -still waiting on maaa film photos guys, yeehaa.

Dili uses a super cool bus system- these crazy vans that are vibrantly coloured and embellished with images of Jesus & different slogans. You can jump on and go as far as you want for 25 cents. Blasting loud Indo-bop pop music, I took note of tapping the coin on the metal hand-hold bars to tell the driver to stop there. Motorbike rental is super expensive here because of the low demand- costing you $20 a day, so it’s best to use the public transport for 25 cents. No-brainer.

Whilst travelling by bus across Timor Leste, it was interesting to note how much China plays a prominent role here. Speaking to the owner of the $20 a night apartment I stayed in- the economy of Timor-Leste is largely dependent on oil reserves and faces shortfalls in infrastructure-funding necessary to develop the non-oil economy, hence borrowing money from China since it’s independence. He said the country needs to be wise in not putting all their cookies in one bag; because ultimately, when you are in debt to another country, and they own your port & a large number of your assets… it is a recipe for political turmoil & overthrow.

China’s approach to its relationship with Timor-Leste has been underpinned by goodwill gestures, with the objective of expanding its influence in South-East Asia. China was the first country to formally establish diplomatic relations soon after independence in 2002. Over the years, China funded the construction of a number of buildings in Timor-Leste, including the Presidential Palace, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the military residential headquarters. For that very reason, Australia has been keeping tabs on movements, recognising the need to counter potentially competing foreign influences. I could go more into the 99 year lease that China has over Darwin's’ port & the small asia-pacific islands that the country has been closely forming ties with, but really, there is no need to get overwhelmed & caught up in it.

For as Matthew 24:6-7 says “ You will hear of wars & rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines & earthquakes in various places.” And to finish the chapter Jesus says: “Heaven & earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

For those that believe in Christ, we have a great peace & hope, for everything that has happened and is yet to happen- is written in the scriptures- the Holy Bible. “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’” Isaiah 46:10

Australia continues to be the biggest aid donor to Timor Leste & have played a significant role in its economic development.

Dili also happens to have a giant statue of Jesus. 27 metres high. ‘King of Kings, Lord of Lords.’ Puji tuhan- praise the Lordddd.

REFERENCES //

The bible - https://www.bible.com/

https://www.laohamutuk.org/Oil/Boundary/2019/China/FDIChineseInterests28Nov2019.pdf

https://268church.org/feast-of-trumpets-2023/#:~:text=As%20the%20sun%20sets%20on,are%20not%20simply%20Jewish%20holidays.

THE JAPANESE GODDESS OF MERCY //

CONTEXT: Trekking barefoot through a Japanese jungle to get to an abandoned temple, which just happens to be Japans largest Kannon… before we get into the juicy bits (a raw, written journal entry of an encounter with God), here’s some context & background on what this carved deity is all about…

KANNON - The Goddess of Mercy

This 50-meter high sitting statue of the Kannon was constructed in 1982. Located in the tiny seaside town of Usami. The Kannon sits up on a hill, overlooking the town. The temple grounds hold a broad array of statues, including those from Tibet and Nepal, numerous mandala, and statues of the Seven Lucky Gods…

‘All agree that to understand far Eastern culture, one must know Buddhism; Japanese Buddhists make clear that to understand Buddhism, one must know Kannon. Kannon is regarded by Japanese Buddhists as the representative saviour of the world, the incarnation of mercy for the past two thousand years. Though crystallized from the depths of Buddhist philosophy, devotion to the Kannon is mostly a popular cult, offering help to all. Despite the common inclination to regard Kannon as merely a dispenser of material gifts, this deity also represents wisdom, strength & spiritual activity. In Orthodox Buddhism, Kannon is masculine, however Japanese popular devotion has preferred to consider the deity as female, the Goddess of Mercy.’

Notice how this goddess of mercy has been called ‘the saviour of the world’… that he / she forfeits entering Buddhahood (a state of enlightenment or nirvana) until all can be saved… sounds a little bit familiar doesn’t it.

Isn’t Jesus Christ the saviour of the world? Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” The devil cannot create anything new, because he is not God… BUT, he can & does use what God has created & mimics him; slightly twisting the truth & thus producing a counterfeit- deceiving people to believe in false gods, a false saviour, a false narrative, and hence, people are unknowingly actually bowing down to the devil himself. Because if it’s not God- it’s Satan. It took my a long time before coming to accept Jesus to understand this- of God or not of God. But as we break down these narratives & compare it to the Bible, the original story & authority- which has proven to be more historically and archaeologically accurate than any other ancient book- we can start to see the bigger picture.

If you are still questioning the authority / legitimacy / accuracy of the Bible please watch this film: The Case for Christ // A true story of avowed atheist & renowned journalist, Lee Strobel, who sets out to disprove the crucifixion of Christ & his wife who’s just become Christian... Let’s just say he comes to unexpected, life-altering results.

2 Timothy 1:10 “but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

1 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

‘ORIGIN OF KANNON: India. Kannon personifies compassion and is one of the most widely worshipped divinities in Asia and Japan in both ancient and modern times. Kannon’s origins are unclear, but most scholars agree that Kannon worship began in India around the 1st or 2nd century AD and then spread to Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and most other Asian nations. Veneration of Kannon in Japan began in the late 6th century, soon after Buddhism reached Japan by way of Korea and China. In Japan, Kannon’s paradise is known as Fudarakusen: an island located at the southern tip of India (which supports theories of Kannon’s Indian origin). Many Kannon statues from Japan’s Asuka Era (538 to 710) are still standing. Originally male in form, Kannon is now often portrayed as female in China, Japan, and other East Asian countries. Each of these nations dressed Kannon in different forms to suit their own temperaments and spiritual concepts.

TRANSLATION. Avalokitêśvara is a Sanskrit term, masculine in gender, that translates as Lord Who Regards All (avalokita = observe, iśvara = unimpeded). Īśvara, another name for Śiva, Mahêśvara, or Īśvaradeva (the king of the deva), is a likely component of the name Avalokitêśvara. The Sino-Japanese term Kannon 観音 (Chinese = Guānyīn) literally means watchful listening, and is often translated as “one who sees / hears all.” This is indeed the task of the compassionate Kannon — to witness and listen to the prayers and cries of those in difficulty in the earthly realm, and to help them achieve salvation. Another Japanese name for Kannon is Kanzeon 観世音, the one who constantly surveys (kan 観) the world (ze 世) listening for the sounds (on 音) of suffering. It was later shortened to Kannon. Kannon is a Bodhisattva (Jp. = Bosatsu), one who achieves enlightenment but postpones Buddhahood until all can be saved. Kannon is mentioned in numerous Mahayana sutra (religious texts), especially the Lotus Sutra 法華経 (Hokekyō).

‘Lord who regards all’…’one who sees / hears all’…’witnessing & listening to the prayers & cries of those in difficulty & helping them to achieve salvation’… wowwww, talk about taking the words out of my mouth! Straight from the word of God.

1 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Psalm 91:4 “His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Colossians 1:20 “And by the blood of his cross, everything in heaven and earth is brought back to himself—back to its original intent, restored to innocence again!”

He came down to rescue us from sin and restore us to the final joy for which we were made: to know and enjoy him. He came to reconcile us “to himself”. It’s just choosing to accept that love that he has for us, & the free gift of salvation that comes with it…

To the left: THE HAND OF GOD. OIL PAINTING BY YONGSUNG KIM.

Above: A VIDEO TAKEN FROM THE KANNON TEMPLE SITE

REFERENCES //

https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/kannon.shtml

https://ecommons.udayton.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1039&context=udr

JOURNAL ENTRY (the juicy bit)…

“Okay um WOW. Yahwehhh.

That was something ELSE.

Lord holyyy.

I just bare-foot trekked through a Japanese jungle.

Saw a big thick red & yellow striped / spotted snake on the path. It slithered slowly away, but my heart was thumping.

Prayed a big fat prayer of protection & guidance- of both the animals in the forest, & the spiritual warfare happening in the heavenly realms. Decided to trek on, definitely scared me, but I was like nup let’s do this.

Such a beautiful forest, full of tall, elegant trees, with almost no undergrowth. It started pitter-pattering. Beautifully refreshing & slightly romantic.

I got to a fork in the road. Maps was telling me to go right but there was no right path (I’m on an old, faded 4wd track that fades into a slim single file walking track, which fades into nothing). I thought, ooo, I could turn back as there IS actually a road that goes up to the temple. Or I could bush bash & re-find the path…

I bush-bashed it HA! I am very proud of that decision. Thank you Lord for giving me the courage to trust & go on.

Okay, so I refind the path, there’s these old shacks & abandoned huts / maybe old stores. The path is literally a 4wd track. But no-one has been up there for years. Kind of super eery vibes.

I see the base of the temple through the trees, and come out to the clearing. It’s really raining now.

As I walk in, there’s thousands of small stone buddhas that line the hill in rows. They all have numbers & most of them have beaded necklaces on. The massive kannon buddha statue looms over, hands in prayer, sitting above a lotus flower.

I just start praying hey. As I’m walking up through these thousands of carved stone buddhas towards the large Kannon…

Proclaiming the name of Jesus over that site, over the nation of Japan. That there was a reason this temple was abandoned & shut down, because you Lord, are the one true living God. The King of Kings. Lord of Lords. Creator of the UNIVERSE, of the heavens & the earth. The Lord Almighty. Jesus is His name. I was praying that every people, every nation, language & tongue will bow down to you Lord. Psalm 22:27 “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him...”

That the people of this place, this temple of worship need to repent & turn to you; the one true living God. That people can turn away from burning incense to carved idols in their gardens & instead come to know that Jesus is their God & their saviour. That Jesus is the way, the truth & the life, and that no one can get to the father except through Him. Proclaiming God’s power, His glory, His majesty, His might, re-stating His rightful place as King and that all shall come to know Him.

It was REALLY bucketing down now, as I made steps up towards the giant Kannon I got out my phone to try & take a photo…

BOOM!!

LIGHTNING & the loudest crack of THUNDER hit the sky!

Directly overhead the statue…

I would have taken a photo at that moment too ha, but it was too wet for the phone!!

I was saturated. And completely & utterly in awe…

I was on top of a mountain, on top of Japans biggest Kannon statue- their ‘saviour’, proclaiming the name of Jesus (the real saviour) over the site & the nation & the Lord SPOKE, sending thunder & lightning directly above.. stating YES, I am King of Kings, Lord of Lords. I am that I am. I am your God & I love you…

Pouring out his tears & his love; his deep love & desire for the people of this nation to know him, to accept his love for them, and to turn away from false idols and gods carved from the hands of man. The torrential rain was the torrential love he has for us all… Not going to lie it was pretty incredible. At the top a mountain; Japan’s biggest carved deity, proclaiming the name of Jesus & praying for his Spirit to be poured out, and the Lord sends thunder & lightning right above… phenomenal. And get this, the next morning after writing this out on here, the Psalm I was up to read “the voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.” Psalm 29:8 Thank you Jesus…”

THANKS FOR READING :)

ATAMI. Next stop Usami… 75km from the start of the bicycle journey.

JAPAN // Testament to God's Goodness

TESTAMENT TO GOD’S GOODNESS //

DAY 1 of bicycle riding across JAPAN…

So I end up buying a bike from the re-use store. Hands down the BEST way to travel Japan. The grand plan was to gun it to Shikoku- a 9 hour car drive from Enoshima- where an old friend resides, & where surf was a guarantee. Let’s just say I was overly ambitious in wanting to achieve that in my 7 remaining days. But hey, when you step out & take action, when you trust & just go for it, when you take that leap of faith; God is absolutely beaming at you & your enthusiasm & he’s going to support you the whole way. And oh boy how he did…

Items onboard: hiking-pack, sleeping bag & a tarp. I was expecting to sleep on the beach. The night before I left I prayed over the whole ride & whatever the Lord wanted to show me through his word. I came to Matthew 9:35 // “Jesus went through all the towns & villages, teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom & healing every disease & sickness. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his field.”

This is the verse of scripture that Japanese people of faith are ALWAYS referring to- with a 0.8% Christian population, the workers are very few. You might be reading this getting slightly disgusted (if you’re a non-believer)…saying to yourself “you’re going to another country to pull them away from their beautiful culture & religion?!?.” Yes & no. Don’t worry, I used to be just as disgusted. Nothing should be spoken or preached without love, respect & a humble gentleness. Christ-like. Anyways do not let this sway you… this article is ultimately a personal testimony of my own walk & experience with God- seeing his provision, blessings & getting to know the full depth of his character in my own faith journey.

Below Matthew 9 was the scripture of Jesus sending out the 12 disciples. “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts- no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.” Matthew 10:9

Straight up the Lord placed on my heart that there is no need to take my purse… and honestly I had absolute faith that he’d provide, but for safety purposes / emergency, or just in case, I bought it with me. I guess that’s not completely stepping out in faith but it is also wise. I didn’t even register the no spare clothes, but now I remember seeing clothes put out on the side of the road to be collected. I COULD have found clothes ha. A few hours into the ride I thought to myself ah wow Jem, this is actually a really long way… as soon as I looked up I saw a mural that said ‘No road is too long with good company.’ WOW. That right there made me smile so much. Who’s my company? God- my mate Jesus- who is loving on each one of us, in every moment, everywhere, all at once- all 8 billion of us. A beautiful reminder at a profound time.

"I am a God who is everywhere and not in one place only. No one can hide where I cannot see them. Do you not know that I am everywhere in heaven and on earth?” Jeremiah 23:23-24 GNT

When I saw a random lemon in the middle of the path at one point- after breakfast when I sat down under a beautiful tree and ate the leftover curry from the nights dinner. I was so content with what I had. So grateful. I had that thought / feeling inside of me like mm hmm I trust you Lord. I then managed to take a 2 hour detour up through the mountains haha. Sooo slow on the bike; it literally took me 10 minutes to come back down. Wild, but I was like ah whatever that was beautiful. Then maps took me the scenic route back up through the next set of mountains hahaaa. Had to trust the app that I could ride my bicycle on the 135 highway. Again, as I thought that, there was a painted bicycle sign stating yes, you can ride. Thank you Lord. Momentary & instant answers to my thoughts & worries.

BUT, anyway, I saw a lemon & rode straight past it. And it came to my mind hmm random. Nothing is random. That was an opportunity / invitation to pick it up and eat potentially haha. So I was like okay Lord, if you show me more fruit I 100% know you just want me to live off of what you provide me with today. Reading this you might think I’m the biggest fruit-loop, but God is always trying to get our attention and woo our hearts, in every moment. He is a humorous romantic! 5 minutes later, a grapefruit is on the ground on the opposite side of the road. I stop, go look at it- not good to eat, so I keep riding. Uh well next one. NEXT ONE- There’s a field of orange trees on the side of the road overlooking the ocean. Next corner- grapefriuts. Next corner- Umeboshis (Japanese apricot). Whaaaa! Thank you Lordd. I picked 3 oranges, 2 grapefruit & devoured about 10 japanese apricots haha. I didn’t store with me more for the next days, for God will always provide me with all that I need- just like the Israelites when they were wandering for 40 years in the desert. Exodus 16:4 “The Lord said to Moses, “I’m going to send you food from heaven like rain. Each day the people should go out and gather only what they need for that day. In this way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.”

I’m writing this down in a little Nepalese restaurant, post a stranger handing me 50,000 yen ($50) & saying order whatever you like & keep the change for your travels. For context- I was at a crossroads of whether to head down the coast to Izu or continue Shikoku way. This guy was walking across the road, we locked eyes, struck up a friendly conversation. Turns out he was studying in Melbourne years ago. He says goodbye, I say goodbye, & earnestly “Jesus loves you.” 30 seconds later he walks back around the corner & asks if he can buy me lunch.

The Nepalese waiter came over again (first time I was sitting there in awe for 5 minutes) second time he asked what I was writing about & I just started balling haha. I said I’m reading the bible and writing about it because God has shown me everything that he said in it today (par casting out demons & physically healing the sick). He has shown me his faithfulness, his goodness, his love & blessed me with so much abundance & more than I need. I am grateful for one grapefruit, then he brings me a whole field and a whole orchard! I am grateful for 3 oranges, one grapefruit, then he shows me a whole row of apricot trees nestled amongst a bamboo forest, with fruit that is so juicy and ripe. I am in awe of his blessings and goodness. And when I say grateful, I mean content too. BUT, God wants to give us the BEST. He provides us with MORE than our daily bread. That’s what made me start balling haha.

The next part of the scripture is…

“Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person & stay at their house until you leave…” Matthew 10:11

‘Okay Lord, I trust you on this, not going to lie there is fear of not, but I KNOW that you are trustworthy, good & true, and that you will provide for me more than I need. So thank you Jesus. Thank you in advance for wherever I end up. Even if it is a patch of dirt! You are good & faithful & true & I trust you. I’m going to start crying again.’ Ahhh more tears hear we go… Just remember I got up at 4am & had been riding for 7 hours on a mummacita cruiser bike with a 20kg pack... I’m allowed to cry.

3hrs later I ride into Atami. I was kind of kicking myself because the town before was so much more petite & culturally raw, with a sick little A-frame down the front beach! Atami is stunning but it is resort cityyyy. No-where to discreetly sleep on the beach in this upmarket part of Japan! Palm trees & high rise resorts lined the beachfront and ascended up into the mountains behind. I got changed into bathers & thought oh well , I mose well go for a swim, God would want me enjoying this and not stressin, I might end up in some swanky hotel you never know.

Parked my bike, had a yarn with one couple who could just speak English, then we finish, I lock eyes with a lady who’s come down with her dog, but I keep walking down the path. After readjusting my bike spot I turn around, she wants to go but the dog does not want to move; straining against the lead. I was like ahh I should have a yarn. We have a really nice conversation and then she asks so where are you staying? I say, ah to be honest I don’t know, I was just going to sleep on the beach. “Do you want to come & stay with me?, come come grab your things.” When I turned my mouth dropped in awe. Ha- Lorddd. What!! Next thing you know I’m welcomed into her & her partner Getch’s apartment. Handed an ice cold Asahi beer, showered with all different types of Japanese snacks, “have you tried this?” & shown my room which is a classic Japanese style bamboo floor with a thin matt- a futon. So cool. We then go out to a spanish restaurant & meet up with their friends who can also speak a bit of English woohoo! A tapestry of fine seafood- shrimp, scallops, abalone, oysters, & a seperate dish of tripe (cows stomach) lines the table, complimented with white wine from Spain. Then out to a bar & back for an onsen spa! A hot spring communal bath where women all bathe naked together, & men in their own separate room. A cool cultural tradition & a beautiful thing to embrace!

Eriko even gave me my own wash bag with soap & shampoo & a little towel. Honestly after a 10 hour bicycle ride this just made my day. So kind & generous.

Next day Eriko & I visit a local temple. Shintoism & Buddhism are Japan's two major religions. Shintoism is as old as the Japanese culture, while Buddhism came from the mainland in the 6th century. Religion / spirituality does not play a big role in the everyday life of most Japanese people today. The average person typically follows the rituals at ceremonies like birth, weddings and funerals, they may visit a shrine or temple on New Year and participate at local festivals like matsuri, but for the most part- it is done out of tradition. So it was fascinating going there and & then going to church, which just happened to be 300 metres from her apartment. Eriko was stoked. “Let’s pray.” I was like wow, she’s so open to Jesus, but I think that’s because they have sooo many gods- literally a god for everything- that it wasn’t an abstract idea. I pray that we can all come to know the one true God & his profound love for us.

Ahhh so that was DAY 1 of my adventure riding across Japan (and a small snippetof day 2.) That first day alone grew my relationship with God SO MUCH. Just to be a living testimony to his goodness, his provision, his trustworthiness, his faithfulness, his blessings, and above all his love.

Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Symbolism of the Serpent

The symbolism of the Serpent in different cultures, spiritual practices & modern media.

“In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5. These are the words of the serpent spoken to Eve in the Garden of Eden. Since the fall of man, Satan has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception through the symbol of the serpent, weaving his way into different cultures, spiritual practices & modern media.

THE KUNDULINI SERPENT

According to the yogic teachings found in Hinduism, there is an energy at the base of the spine called “the kundalini” (in Sanskrit it means “coiled snake”). Yogi Bhajan, the promoter of Kundalini Yoga in the West, called it “the dormant power of infinity.” Adherents teach that it is the impersonal essence of the divine, resident within every human being. Strangely and eerily, it is also called the “serpent power”—because it supposedly ‘uncoils’ and rises, in serpent like fashion, through the spinal column (the seven energy centers called “chakras”) to lift a person up to higher levels of spiritual awareness. Upon arriving at the seventh chakra, metaphorically, the serpent suddenly strikes, and God-consciousness is achieved (a conscious awareness where the soul is one with the impersonal oversoul). In other words, this supernatural revelation empowers the practitioner to boldly declare, “I am God!”—which is the absolute opposite of the truth, utter blasphemy and an echo of the original lie told to Eve in the garden of Eden.

“When awakened … [the kundalini] rages like a vicious serpent inside a person with a force that is impossible to resist. It is said that without proper control, the kundalini will produce supernatural psychic powers having their source in demonic beings and will lead ultimately to moral, spiritual, and physical destruction.” AKA, completely possessed by a demonic entity.

Majority of people dabbling in these spiritual practices have no idea how dangerous it is to be partaking in these practices, unaware that the energy & power they’re tapping into is one of dark spirits & demonic entities. For even Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light // 2 Corinthians 11:14

Lets go back to this one line: “It is the impersonal essence of the divine, resident within every human being”

Does that not sound like the mimicking of the Holy Spirit? God can fill us with his Spirit, & Satan can fill us with his demons if you are not wearing the armour of Christ.

Ephesians 6 11:12 says: “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

THE OUROBOUROS

The ouroboros is a symbol that has been the subject of awe and wonder for millennia. Literally meaning ‘tail-devourer’ in Greek, it has appeared in numerous forms in a wide array of contexts and geographies. In its original and most common variation, it depicts a snake eating its own tail in a closed circle.

The ouroboros is often interpreted as a symbol for eternal cyclic renewal or a cycle of life, death, and rebirth; the snake's skin-shedding symbolises the transmigration / reincarnation of souls.

See how the original lie of “ye shall not surely die”, is manifested through reincarnation in Hinduism & Buddhism … the Bible tells us with all clarity, and also with all seriousness- that we only live once. In Hebrews 9:27 we read that “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Indeed: we only live once and we only die once. There are no do-overs.

We must bear in mind that each person is a unique creation of God. This uniqueness is not transferrable to any subsequent life. After our death we must give account to the Creator of our existence. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, Paul writes that we must all must come publicly before the judgment seat of God. Then we will receive what we have done in our body, whether good or evil.

In the Aitareya Brahmana, a Vedic text of the early 1st millennium BCE, the nature of the Vedic rituals is compared to "a snake biting its own tail."

Ouroboros symbolism has been used to describe the Kundalini. According to the medieval Yoga-kundalini Upanishad: "The divine power, Kundalini, shines like the stem of a young lotus; like a snake, coiled round upon herself she holds her tail in her mouth and lies resting half asleep as the base of the body".

The misconstrued notion of metempsychosis (Plato and Pythagoras) or reincarnation (Hinduism and Buddhism) asserts a natural transmigration of human souls from body to body. Still accepted as true in many Eastern religions, theosophy and spiritualism, reincarnation is very different from the resurrection of the Christian faith, wherein the human person will be reintegrated—body and soul—on the last day unto salvation or damnation.

THE RAINBOW SERPENT

Let’s take a look at the story of the Rainbow Serpent in Indigenous Australian culture. Don’t take this the wrong way- we have soooo much to learn from this beautiful culture & people- from land management & sustainability to plant medicine & bush tucker. However, if you chat with some of the Indigenous elders or get taken out on country, they will share with you stories of dark spirits & demons. It is seeped into their dreamtime, & the power & presence of that spiritual realm is still alive & incredibly powerful today. I have experienced it firsthand. So how has the serpent, AKA the devil himself, slithered into one of the most ancient cultures on earth? Let’s compare the dreamtime & biblical scriptures…

The Rainbow Serpent in Indigenous culture represents one of the great and powerful forces of nature and spirit. Connected to water, the Rainbow Serpent is the great life giver, and protector of water, which is his spiritual home. When the rainbow is seen in the sky, it is said to be the Rainbow Serpent moving from one waterhole to another and the divine concept explained why some waterholes never dried up when drought struck.

Often certain activities are forbidden at these places for fear that the wrath of the great snake will cause sickness, accidents and even tempests. As a protector of water, the Rainbow Serpent also controls water, so he has the power over life and death in the desert.

All the stories share a common thread: a gargantuan snake slumbered beneath the surface of the earth before emerging from the ground to awaken different groups of animals, forging physical features like hills, gorges, rivers and lakes into the once-featureless terrain. The Rainbow Serpent slithered all over the country, occupying waterholes, providing nourishing water and forming geographical features en route.

It’s interesting to note how Satan tries to replicate God’s power & ‘live-giving’ abilities through water. But Jesus says in John 4:13 “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” In this he is referring to the Spirit.

Water is life. It is necessary for our survival. But more importantly, the water of the Spirit, the well we choose to drink from, determines our salvation. The water of the Spirit, of God, is the only thing that can ever quench our innate physical & spiritual thirst. John 7:37 & Psalm 107:9 “Let anyone who’s thirsty come to me & drink” for he satisfies the longing soul, & fills the hungry soul with goodness.”

REVELATION 22: He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb…

A river of water proceeding out of the rainbow, out of God. Which is what the dreamtime story of the rainbow serpent proclaims to do ‘When the rainbow is seen in the sky, it is said to be the Rainbow Serpent moving from one waterhole to another and the divine concept explained why some waterholes never dried up when drought struck’.

The significance of water in the bible…

Living Water/ the Fountain of Life are both expressions that carry through the entire bible and they do bring with them a continuity that carries the biblical narrative full circle… from the moment water is mentioned in Genesis 1, to its impact in the vision of the new heaven and new earth in Revelation 22.

Living water, or mayim chaim (MY-eem KHY-eem), which refers to water in the form of rain or flowing from a natural spring, which has come directly from God, not carried by human hands or stored in cisterns.

Because living water came directly from God, it was closely associated with God’s Spirit in the world. When God promised to redeem his people, he promised to send his Spirit:

For I will pour out water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants; and they will spring up among the grass like poplars by streams of water. (Isaiah 44:3 – 4)

O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water. (Jer. 17:13)

Only living in faith and through the life of Christ can satisfy our deepest thirsts. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk. 2:14, Isaiah 11:9)

So what is the significance of the rainbow?…

“Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Genesis 9:16

Aboriginal dreamtime says…”When the rainbow is seen in the sky, it is said to be the Rainbow Serpent moving from one waterhole to another, representing one of the great and powerful forces of nature and spirit. Do you see the similarities? Satan is a mimic of God’s word & work. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 says “the coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power, false signs & wonders.”

God put the rainbow in the sky for more than its mere beauty. God made a vow with Noah that He would not destroy the earth again by water. As a sign and seal of that promise, God put the rainbow in the sky to remind Himself AND US of that covenant.

The Rainbow Serpent has many different names and totemic appearances across the many Aboriginal languages of Australia. In all those groups, the Rainbow Serpent is part of the Dreaming and Creation story, continuing to carry its power over people today. Aboriginal people today respect and take custodial care of sacred sites where the Rainbow Serpent is said to reside.

The Rainbow Serpent is also particularly connected to ceremonies and rituals surrounding fertility — menstruation is sacred to many Indigenous cultures because of its regenerative and indicative of reproductive power, much like the legendary serpent. Indeed, the Rainbow Serpent is often depicted as a vagina in paintings because of the ‘new life’ symbolism.

There is always a dominant emphasis on birth or rebirth in rituals. But we know that there is only one life, as spoken about earlier & referenced from In Hebrews 9:27 // “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”

THE JUNGLEBOOK FILM

Do you remember that scene where the snake is eerily slithering through the jungle to find Mowgli? I saw the new film and holyyyy, how similar it is to Eve’s interaction with the serpent- Satan himself slithering through the garden of Eden looking to seek, kill & destroy.

Watch the scene from 31 seconds … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2SSEaWCAi0

TRANSCRIPT

Mowgli. Hello? Who’s out there?...

Kaa. Hi little cub… oh no don’t be scared,

I’m not gonna hurt you. Are you alone out here?

Mowgli. I’m waiting for a friend, he should be here soon

(Jesus, the Holy Spirit)

Kaa. We should never be alone

(ALONE, without the Holy Spirit indwelling in us is empty

Space for evil spirits to enter)

I’ll keep you safe.

Mowgli. Who are you?

Kaa. Kaaa……..

(in a hypnotic mesmerizing hiss that easily allures & draws you in, under his spell)

Adam & Eve meeting Satan disguised as a Serpent is one of the most iconic pieces of scripture depicted in The Holy Bible-- apart from The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Does this scene not depict that completely…

There are few who have any just conception of the deceptive power of spiritualism & the danger of coming under its influence. “It is impossible, in their own strength, to break away from the bewitching, alluring spell of spiritualism (ie the serpent). Nothing but the power of God, granted in answer to the earnest prayer of faith, can deliver these ensnared souls.” E.G White, The Great Controversy

It is a masterpiece of Satan's deceptions to keep the minds of men searching and conjecturing in regard to that which God has not made known and which He does not intend that we should understand. It was so that Lucifer lost his place in heaven. He became dissatisfied because all the secrets of God's purposes were not confided to him, and he entirely disregarded that which was revealed concerning his own work in the lofty position assigned him. By arousing the same discontent in the angels under his command, he caused their fall. Now he seeks to imbue the minds of men with the same spirit and to lead them also to disregard the direct commands of God… do not be deceived.

John 3:16 // For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

SAILING SINGULARITY

It’s been just over a year now since mum & dad hit the high seas… a shift away from the grind of 60 hour work weeks & a looming overhead mortgage, to a simplified life living outdoors catching their own tucker, & having time to reflect on & enjoy the reason we were created to exist… to do what we love & to give back in love. From the humble beginnings of Hillary’s mariner to the furthest corners of the Abrolhos Islands & the North West stretch of WA… here is a snippet of their inspiration to let go of everything, & take the leap of faith into the vast unknown.

In late 2021 you sold the house, sold everything you owned & bought a catamaran… What was that process like? Minimalising & letting go- letting go of possessions, of societal expectations, of fears…

PETE // It was a pretty big leap of faith… but these days with social media we had been exposed to some of the sailing videos so we knew what the lifestyle had to offer but it is still a big step to take the risk and let it all go. We spent a lot of time talking about it and also workshopping it out in an exercise book. It is kinda funny because you know how good it will be but to turn your life against all of the norms is difficult. We were lucky in that we had enough money to buy an investment unit and so in our minds the worst case scenario was that if we didn’t like it we would sell the boat and the unit and start again. In saying that I always knew we would love it!!!

One of the more difficult aspects was telling my parents… although my Dad has an adventurous streak to him I was nervous about their reaction to it – of course you want to stay on the right side of your parents!! They were great about it – I was surprised how well my Mum took it – but then next time we spoke she had a whole list of questions. The biggest thing I think with the sailing lifestyle is people don’t truly understand it and how ‘homely’ the boat is. Friends would ask us things like ‘Does it have a kitchen?”; “Do you have beds?” – but that is just people not understanding what a modern yacht is like. A memorable moment for me was when my parents came on board and my Mum said ‘Ok.. now I get it!’.

As far as letting go of stuff goes – at the end of the day it is just stuff. Sure it has memories attached to it but it is all replaceable and most of us are wrapped up in the consumerism world of constantly buying new ‘stuff’. Once the first item was gone, away we went. We pretty much sold or gave away all of our belongings – except what we thought we would need on the boat and some documents, photos and some precious keepsakes.

I think some of our friends thought it was a bit of a mid life crisis or a fad thing and that we would do it for a year and then return to the suburbs – if we hadn’t killed each other in the meantime. We felt that vibe in a few comments and questions but in reality we laugh because we know how good this life is and how good it has been for Nicky and I.

To live life you need to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself, know that you are really alive. This means taking risks – calculated risks; however the rewards are great.

Then maybe it was a case of karma coming back to us or just the stars aligning that brought us to Sungularity. We had been looking all year at catamarans and weren’t sure if we could even afford one… the market was pretty hot because of covid as there was a lack of boats sailing across the Pacific to Australia plus covid was driving people to change lifestyles. The day our house settled Singularity was listed for sale, having spent the last year cruising from Queensland. I was on the phone straight away and lucky enough to be caller number one. The rest is history 

NICKY // In the early stages, the idea of selling everything and quitting our jobs to live on a boat didn’t seem so real. I guess there were plenty of questions that kept going through my head; “can we do this?”, “what will it look like?”, “will we be financially secure in our later years?”, “how will this affect our family?”. The turning point came when we took the time to sit down and work through the pros and cons. Literally writing these down and discussing them in detail was the first time we really thought that we could pull this off. It was during this time that we made a commitment to follow through.

Selling the family home, along with all the ‘stuff’ we had accumulated over the years, pulled at the heart strings. Plenty of family memories and milestones were tied up in our little piece of suburbia. Once we’d sold the first few items, it got easier to move things on. Some things obviously had more sentimental value than others, but we realised most of what we were selling was just ‘stuff.’

Sharing my intentions by letting my boss know that I would be finishing up at the end of the year was satisfying, however, done with some apprehension. A truck load of blood, sweat and tears went into getting my Teaching degree as a mature aged student whilst raising two active girls. Was I really prepared to just let that all go by the wayside? Yes, I was. We were both ready to change things up a little (or a lot, depending on how you look at it 😊), and keen to start living and doing things that make us happy. We’d become so intrenched in our working lives, we were missing out on so much.

What inspired you to do this?

PETE // I was ready for a sea-change having been through a few different jobs in the last 5 years and was a bit down on that. Looking around you think ‘Am I just going to keep working for the next ten years until I am 65 and then truly enjoy my life – knowing I probably only have 5 years of good health (mental and physical) if all goes well. I had been inspired by some of the You Tubers – mainly Bryan, Brady and Karen on SV Delos and having grown up based around the ocean it was a natural progression to live on it full time and do the things that you truly love all the time – not just on your 4 weeks annual leave a year! There are a million quotes around this stuff and 99% of the population dream about it – but only a small percentage take the leap of faith and follow a dream. It takes courage and resilience to make the decision and activate the plan but everyday now I have gratitude for the lifestyle we have and for Nicky by my side. I am so lucky to have a true soul mate in Nicky – a lot of partners just wouldn’t take this on. Part of my inspiration was to break Nicky free of her teaching ‘bubble’ which was consuming her for 60 – 70 hours a week and allow us to have the time together to what we love but also to love each other – not just be passing ships on the eat, sleep, work routine.

NICKY // Pete had been watching a variety of sailing YouTube channels for many years. I didn’t really take much notice at first, but after a while started to take some interest. The crew on Delos were our real inspiration and helped to plant the seed that one day a similar lifestyle may just be possible for us. The fact that we were both working ridiculous ours in our jobs got us asking ourselves some questions; “are we really going to keep doing this for the next ten years?” We were literally living to work!

After just 3 months of living onboard I saw you both drop about 5 years & started to take up old hobbies & passions again. What does an average day look like?

PETE // People often ask us if we get bored but we never really do. In fact we do actually call a chill day where we don’t specifically do anything other than lie around and read books etc.

When we are cruising it is generally waking in a sweet anchorage somewhere… cup of tea and some brekky followed by a quick swim or vice versa – just to get the blood pumping. Our lives are pretty much based around the weather but we spent most days doing what we love.. exploring on dinghy missions – sometimes to go and do a land hike/explore or a dive mission to get some fish/crays/squid for dinner. If there is surf we prioritise that… if there is a lot of good fishing then we prioritise that!

There are the everyday chores and just living of course…. Dishes, cooking, maintenance jobs, cleaning, sorting fishing gear or dive gear… then of course there is kiting and this season foiling… so plenty to do.

Of course we try and enjoy the sunset every night and reflect on our day..

Cruising is a very social thing so a lot of time we are buddy boating with other yachts and so this means a lot of sundowners, dinners, beach catch ups etc etc – to the point that sometimes you just want to lie low and have an early night. We have met so many wonderful people on your journey so far and everyone is super friendly and giving in terms of knowledge and advice.

NICKY // Really depends on where we are and who we’re with. Access to the things we like doing the most; surfing, diving, fishing, exploring are always high on the list. We’ve both enjoyed reading up and learning the history of the places we visit, and having the time to just chill and read for pleasure. We’re usually in bed fairly early and up early too. The wind dictates a lot of what we do and where and when we go. Letting go of the need to know the time (or day of the week 😊) has been liberating. We do things based on how we feel rather than having to follow a schedule. Freedom to do what we want!

Last winter you headed up North… tell us about all the islands & treasures of the WA coast that you got to experience & explore…

PETE // Well it was all pretty exciting and we really just scratched the surface; in summary:

- – 6 weeks at the Abrolhos – amazing wildlife and environment;

- 4 weeks Shark Bay including Dirk Hartog – amazing wildlife and beautiful coast – so much more to explore here!

- 6 months on Ningaloo Coast – well what can you say – stunning ocean life both below and above!

The Catamaran is pretty much fully self-sufficient hey?

We generate our own power – predominantly via solar and we make our own water. We have been growing a few sprouts and herbs and try and source a lot of our food from the ocean where we can.

There is so much to learn from nature & the animals within God’s creation. What are some intriguing things you’ve learnt whilst living a life outdoors?

We live by the weather so you get in tune with wind, tides, sunrise/sunset times as well as general coastal conditions. No need for a watch – we generally gauge via the position of the sun. We spend a lot of timing walking and exploring along the coast and so we look at plants and the general ecoscape – learning about bush tucker etc. Most of our stuff is remote so you get to experience the wildlife – especially bird life wherever you are – oh and what about the whales, dolphins, sharks etc etc!!!

With all of your senses tuned in you see so many amazing things and feel connected to country wherever you are. We try and read a lot about local history and really learn about a place rather than just take it on face value. Spending a couple of weeks at an isolated anchorage gives you time to do these things…

NICKY // The thing that stood out for me during our trip up the coast was the fact that we really had taken in very little during our annual trips in previous years. During our family holidays, we would be so focussed on getting from A to B that we’d miss all the magic in-between. When you have time to spend exploring, you gain a new appreciation for the places you visit. I was blown away by the richness of the plant and animal life, particularly at The Abrolhos Islands and along The Ningaloo Reef. I now have a full appreciation of the need for sancturary zones and the effect they have on protecting the natural environment. The variety of fish life and diversity in the coral in these zones is incredible!

Kon Tiki, The Boy Who Sailed Around the World, Peter Troy’s biography… have all been people & stories that have contributed to setting sail. Will we see you guys in Indo or French Polynesia anytime soon?

PETE // I think we will journey overseas – probably north into Indonesia and then west into Asia. The problem is there is so much to see!!!! When you pull the map out you start putting your finger on places and realise how much the world has to offer. In saying that Western Australia can be a tough cruising ground but it has some of the most unspoilt wilderness and fishing grounds anywhere in the world – so we have a lot more exploring to do here yet!

NICKY // We’re both keen to explore new places and meet new people along the way. Whilst there is so much to see along the WA coast, it would be good to eventually get out there and explore further afield. I guess for us the timing needs to be right. Family circumstances are a big consideration. At this stage, we’re taking things a season at a time – with a plan to keep doing this until we’re not enjoying it anymore. Travelling overseas, particularly Indonesia, is definitely on our list of to-do’s – it’s just a case of when.

Something you feel compelled to change or impact over the next few years whilst sailing…

PETE // No big plans – but staying tuned into the environment is the first; the next is probably continuing to refine our footprint and keep it minimal. We try not to waste anything and always treat our fresh water and food as precious; so we don’t waste anything. This is one of the great things about this lifestyle – you can strip it right back – using the sea to provide your food, eating basically but healthily, creating minimal waste and using minimal fossil fuels to live.

NICKY // Hmmm…. That’s a tricky one. I haven’t thought too much about this, but I’m sure I’ll be inspired via things we experience along the way. One the thing I am always looking at is how we can reduce our impact on the environment. We work hard to do the best we can in regards to recycling and waste management etc.., but there’s always more that can be done to improve. One thing that really frustrates me is the plastic packaging (vacuum seal) we use to preserve and freeze the fish we catch. There has to be a better way!

In a world where technology & a digital living is becoming more prominent & integrated, can you tell us the importance of simplifying & stripping back to the bare essentials…

PETE // Humans are great adapters. Tuning out of the ‘noise’ is one of the best things you can do for your mental health and in turn your overall wellness. You quickly adapt to a life free of all the clutter that society brings – from the constant search for content to push out to the masses; the suck of consumerism that pulls you into buying more and more ‘stuff’ and freedom from the daily grind of a 9 to 5 life.

From a relationship aspect, stripping and simplifying our lives has really allowed our relationship to reignite. It has given us the time for more intimacy – and from that I mean having time to simply lie in each other’s arms and talk, as well as the fun stuff of course!! (sorry kids!!) Although we spend a lot of time together, I have found it has allowed us to tune into one another – without the work stress distractions etc and so our time always feels like ‘quality time’. I felt that we had lost a bit odf this over the past ten years with work influence and stressors creeping into our lives – being tired all the time and thinking about work matters doesn’t make for a great relationship. I think a lot of our friends thought we may want to kill each other but I think we are stronger and more connected together. Getting out of your comfort zone together also builds a strong relationship as you quickly realise you only have one other person to back you up when you are in a testing situation. Sitting through a 52 knot storm at night together talking through the ‘what ifs?’ can only make you stronger right?

As I said earlier I am so blessed to have my true soul mate with me and sharing this adventure together – I couldn’t think of anyone else I would rather be with.

NICKY // I feel it’s definitely important to keep up to date with what is going on in the world, however, the advancement of the online media does make it hard to switch off, or determine what’s truth and what’s not. There’s way too much noise out there now. You can choose to soak it all up and drown in it or live simply and to your values.

What makes you happiest?

PETE // Waking up next to Nicky in a remote anchorage somewhere not really having any great plans for the day but knowing it will be a great day anyway!

NICKY // When the people around me are happy. Family and friends (new and old). Time to appreciate the little things. Time to just be.

Favourite album at the moment?

No album in particular. But loving Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds- ‘We’re On Our Way Now’

The Counterculture of Christ // Part 1

In a day & age where doing whatever you want, being gender undefined, resonating more as an animal or object than a human being, having one night stands & regular Tinder hookups, free access to pornography, marketing our exposed & overtly sexualised bodies through social media, hailing our newest accomplishments & achievements online, merging into a virtual reality world, turning to A.I & technology to become like God… maybe it’s time to just step back & take a look at the bigger picture here.

2 Peter 2:17-19 // These people are springs without water & mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity for ‘people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.’

For a long time I thought I was escaping the system & had found freedom within freelancing & getting paid to do what I love- essentially surfing, travelling & meeting new people. I was obsessed with self-work & deep dove into the spiritual world of Hindu, Buddhist & Sanscript teachings; always eager to learn. Seeking, searching for truth & for answers. I thought I had found freedom in understanding how to manifest my dreams and personal desires, on how to create my dream way of life- a dream job, a dream home, a life of pleasure, of surf & travel- I wrote about this in previous articles. And hey, it all came true, it all happened. The power of manifestation & ‘co-creating your reality with a higher power / consciousness’ is very real and very powerful; but not as powerful as the Creator of the universe, the ruler of heaven & earth, the one that knows the number of hairs on our head. Our Lord & saviour Jesus Christ. I didn’t realise that I was still in fact a slave; a slave to sin, to the prince of evil & all of his ways. How I am so grateful to have come out of the darkness & into the light…

Acts 26:18 // To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God…Colossians 1:13 // For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.

TARANAKI, NEW ZEALAND // GENESIS 9: 13-15 // I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind.

TARANAKI // Photography by Jordan Warren @jj.wazza

We live in a spiritual world, of both seen and unseen, of light & darkness. And the darkness, is not where you want to be. As alluring, enticing, & enchanting the new age, spiritualism & the occult is- it is extremely dangerous and not something to ‘lightly dabble in.’ For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Ephesians 6:12 // For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

So when everyone is screaming for attention & wanting to be different, is there not a more rebellious & countercultural thing to do than turning to Christ & becoming a Christian? After all, Jesus was the original rebel. He walked on water, he cast out demons from the possessed, he healed the sick. The Romans & even the high priests who believed in the strict observance of laws and traditions of the bible- all hated him & in turn put him to death! Jesus did not conform to the laws or rules of society, but instead preached truth. Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Utter blasphemy to some ears back then, & not much has changed today, because we all have free will in what we choose to believe, but those who have eyes to see & ears to listen; those who seek shall find.

1 Peter 2:9 // But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Matthew 7:7 // Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

This is an excerpt from a book I picked up whilst in New Zealand… ‘Jumping Sundays: The Rise and Fall of the Counterculture in Aotearoa New Zealand’ by Nick Bollinger.

Somehow flicking straight to old film photos of ‘Jesus loves you’ posters (the other 405 pages were on acid trips & the psychedelic 60’s movement). I had a bit of a chuckle, because I could fully resonate with this free-spirited, anti-religion hippie who had now given his heart to God…

“Back in the 70’s, when Christianity was at a decline, perhaps the most rebellious act of all was to turn to Jesus. And indeed, a new breed of Christian hippies, known as the Jesus freak began to appear.

Marcus Ardern, a young pot-smoking, anti-war activist with an interest in eastern religion had come to Auckland from Tauranga- he was a visible presence at the jumping Sundays: long-haired, bearded, be-robed, frequently holding court on a variety of subjects but often focusing on the contradictions in the Bible and the hypocrisies of its followers. In Albert Park he established his first Love Shop, a place where people could obtain without charge things they needed and give away things they didn’t. He spent time at James K Baxter’s Boyle Crescent crash pad & later followed the poet to Jerusalem. “I went there a hard-headed atheist,” he told the Listener in 1972. “I thought the idea of a God absurd. But I began to have all sorts of religious ideas I found I could indulge to the full, because Jerusalem was so far out in the sticks you didn’t have to be very rational anyway.”

For a while he moved to Wellington where he started another Love Shop, shifting the focus of his social services to the pensioners he saw living in substandard accommodation and sometimes without enough money to eat properly. One day he was visited by an old friend, a former heavy-drug user, who was now peddling ambiguous phrases like “I’ve been washed in the blood”, and “I’ve been born again”- mystical things that didn’t mean anything. One day, figuring he had nothing to lose, Marcus locked his door and asked God to change his life. He wasn’t sure anything happened, though halfway through the next day he realised he was no longer craving cigarettes, which he had been having trouble giving up. A few days later, still sceptical he asked for a stronger sign and was plunged into what he initially thought was an LSD flashback, something he had experienced once before. He began speaking in a language he didn’t know.

Not long after this he went to speak to a meeting of the Rotary Club, an international non-denominational association of service organisations founded on Christian principles and run by suit-wearing professional and businesspeople. As a novelty, the club had booked the outspoken hippie to teach them about Love Shops, Jumping Sundays and life in the counterculture. Instead, he told them about Jesus.”

The Rise of TRANSHUMANISM

“The first generation to live forever, the last generation that’s going to die.” Jared Kushnar

Transhumanism, just to clarify, is the merging of science & technology to transcend human limitation. AKA the merging of the internet & artificial intelligence inside of us… Elon Musk has been paving the way for it it, Klaus Schwab (World Economic Forum leader) has been eluding to its implementation, & Joe Biden has now passed an executive order on it.

Just like the original lie told to Eve in the garden of Eden… '“You will not surely die,” the serpent told her. “For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Like Eve wanting to acquire more knowledge and become like God, are we, in merging A.I with our own bodies also wanting the same, and hence being deceived by the same lie? After all, the narrative of the world is biblical. The more you delve into bible prophecy you will see that everything that has happened in history has all been prophesied in the bible- a 6,000 year old text- and these prophecies are still playing out today. This is how we know the bible is true, and what to look for in society today to see what events take place next.

2 Timothy 3 // “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

With transhumanism, & the merging of science & technology into humans- changing our DNA… that kind of puts us at the forefront of the book of Daniel & Revelation- the end of the Bible, and preparation for Jesus’s return to take believers out of the world- before this technology is mandated for all of humanity.

1 Corinthians 15:52 - In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 - Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

This is describing the rapture of the church. An event that will one day take place. Where millions, maybe billions of people-who are all believers in Jesus Christ- will disappear. Take it or leave it.

On September 12th, Joe Biden released an executive order advancing biotechnology & bio-manufacturing. Calling for innovation for a sustainable, safe & secure bio-economy. Covid-19 being a major push.

Under section 1:

-The UN is going to take direct national approach for the implementation of this order.

-Develop genetic engineering & modification to be able to write circuitry for cells & predictable programs of biology in the same way we write software for programs for computers…

-Hacking, manipulating, changing DNA

-Americans must surrender all human rights that stand in the way of transhumanism.

-Clinical trials, safety standards & informed consent will be eradicated as they stand in the way of universally unleashing gene editing technologies needed to merge humans with artificial intelligence.

Yes you heard that right. Americans will have no human rights or ability to express a choice in the matter of merging their bodies with A.I. This is an executive order passed by congress, written with a timeline, and is anyone in the mass-media talking about these advancements? No… instead we are being fed with advancements on Prince Harry’s affair with another woman. Don’t you think that says something?

‘But this is Americaaaa, we live in Australia doofus.’ Klaus Schwab has already said this technology is going to be implanted in all of humanity… not just Americans. Elon Musk has said that without merging A.I into us, A.I itself would take over. So yes, this does impact you.

Karen Kingston, a former Pfizer employee and current analyst for the pharmaceutical and medical-device industries, helps us decipher what’s going on in this executive order.

Kingston stated in a Twitter post:

“Let me read between the lines for America. Biden’s Sept. 12, 2022, executive order declares that Americans must surrender all human rights that stand in the way of transhumanism. Clinical trial safety standards and informed consent will be eradicated as they stand in the way of universally unleashing gene-editing technologies needed to merge humans with A.I. In order to achieve the societal goals of the New World Order, crimes against humanity are not only legal, but mandatory.”

Patrick Wood, an economist and author of several books on technocracy, has been following the transhumanist and global technocracy movements for four decades. He told me that Kingston is not overstating the issue.

“The transhumanists within Big Pharma have completely taken over government policy and taxpayer funds to promote their own anti-human agenda of hacking the software of life,” Wood told me. “It also clearly demonstrates who has the power, and who sets the policies in America.”

The mRNA injections that have already gone into the bodies of at least 70 percent of adults in the U.S. (and a smaller percentage of its children) mark the “gateway to transhumanism.” This was said by Kingston as well as by the late Dr. Zev Zelenko and Dr. Robert Malone, a co-inventor of the mRNA platform.

SO WHY DO THEY WANT TO MERGE HUMANS WITH A.I?

1 // Super longevity- with the merging of technology we can live forever.

2 // Super health- utopia of genetic modification & science can eradicate disease.

3 // Super intelligence- A.I embedded into our body.

These elites are not only saying that we will live forever & have a super intelligence, but that we will be like gods… the exact lie told to Eve in the garden of Eden. These people are being deceived & leading the rest of humanity down with them.

ETERNAL LIFE IS NOT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY & A.I. ETERNAL LIFE IS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. “For God so loved the world, he sent his one & only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

WHAT IS THE INTERNET OF BODIES (I.O.B)?

Klaus Schwab, the leader of the World Economic Forum- an organisation that has pretty much been calling the shots (literally & figuratively ha) globally, since COVID-19- has said that “in 10 years time we’ll have a brain implant & everyone will have one. We’ll be able to live forever in a digital world…”

A brain microchip / electronic platform will be implanted into our bodies, allowing them to connect the internet to our bodies. Now this is being pitched to us like it’s a great thing… a forewarning for sickness where they can send out electronic signals to genetically give instructions for the body to repair itself. For example if a cancerous melanoma was thinking about starting to form.

However, with not only being able to give genetic modifications on the fly, they’ll be able to access your thoughts, access your memories, insert thoughts & delete memories… does this not scream mind control like a futuristic sci-fi film to you?!

“We humans should get used to the idea that we are no longer mysterious souls. We are now hackable animals,” Schwab told attendees at the 2020 World Economic Forum annual meeting. “By hacking organisms, elites may gain the power to reengineer the power of life itself,” he said two years earlier. “This will be not just the greatest revolution in the history of humanity. This will be the greatest revolution in biology since the very beginning of life 4 billion years ago.” 

Mandating this technology & merging A.I into us, is very ‘mark of the beast’ like.

Revelation 13:16-17 says, '‘And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he says that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark.”

This means that you cannot buy, sell or trade without this certain technology. When you get the mark, spiritually you have handed yourself over to the devil, there is no second chance to turn to God or seek salvation in Christ. You have a seal on you stating you are Satan’s. Do not take this mark, although you may not be able to live in society and will probably starve of hunger because you cannot buy food; these sufferings & physical pains are only temporary. Laugh & mock now, but this is what it is coming towards. John 6:27 says, '“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” John 3:36 says, '“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

Eternal life is through Jesus Christ, not technology & A.I.

Honestly I can’t wait for Heaven- where we can hang ten every day, have yarns with Jesus, & live in eternal peace & love baby.

In the meantime, the media will continue to show us what they want us to see, distracting us from the things in play behind the curtain. This executive order released on September 12th has a timeline in place; much the same as the Manhattan project back in World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. The government used the full force of the nation to develop the technology required. How will they implement this new technology? The US military?

WHY IS ALL THIS HAPPENING?

Humans are made in God’s image. Satan has always tried to destroy us & move us away from serving God, and to serve him & the elites instead. 1 Timothy 4 says, “In later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” “The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel and the glory of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

While scoffing at the credulity of those who believe in and obey the requirements of God, the multitudes eagerly accept the delusions of Satan. Truth is, we live in a spiritual battleground. Whether you believe in a god or not, very soon you’re going to have to make a decision that will effect you for eternity. You can choose to be like God- and fall for the lie- or you can bow down to THE God- Jesus Christ our King & saviour, and actually live for eternity in peace and great love.

I really plead for you to take all of this information on board & not just scroll to the next instagram post. Call upon the name of Jesus & you will be saved. In turning to Christ there is so much hope for the future- he is our only hope- and you can find complete trust and faith in what’s to come, because we know that in the end darkness & evil does not win- Christ does.

Believe that Jesus is Lord. Admit, believe, and call upon His name, that is all.

John 16:33 // “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Thank you for reading.

I hope this article can help you on your journey in seeking truth.

REFERENCES //

BIDENS EXECUTIVE ORDER // https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/09/12/executive-order-on-advancing-biotechnology-and-biomanufacturing-innovation-for-a-sustainable-safe-and-secure-american-bioeconomy/

PODCAST // The Original Lie: ‘You will be like God’ https://olivetreeviews.org/radio-archives/the-original-lie-you-will-be-like-god/

ARTICLE // https://leohohmann.com/2022/09/13/biden-signs-executive-order-designed-to-unleash-transhumanist-hell-on-america-and-the-world/

ARTICLE // https://futurism.com/elon-musk-is-looking-to-kickstart-transhuman-evolution-with-brain-hacking-tech

ARTICLE // https://www.thedailybeast.com/jared-kushner-thinks-hes-going-to-live-forever

(multiple articles on these last two references)

The Bible - a 6,000 year old text

TO WATCH & LISTEN FURTHER //

Chuck Missler on Transhumanism // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkJe9re-8AI

J.D Farag podcasts // https://www.jdfarag.org/bible-prophecy?sapurl=LytkNmtjL2xiL21pLys3bjV3aDY0P2VtYmVkPXRydWUmcmVjZW50Um91dGU9YXBwLndlYi1hcHAubGlicmFyeS5tZWRpYS1zZXJpZXMmcmVjZW50Um91dGVTbHVnPSUyQjgyeXhwOGY=

https://www.jdfarag.org/bible-prophecy?sapurl=LytkNmtjL2xiL21pLyt5Z3pyOG5iP2VtYmVkPXRydWUmcmVjZW50Um91dGU9YXBwLndlYi1hcHAubGlicmFyeS5tZWRpYS1zZXJpZXMmcmVjZW50Um91dGVTbHVnPSUyQjgyeXhwOGY=

Jan Markell Signs of the Times // https://olivetreeviews.org/radio-archives/the-original-lie-you-will-be-like-god/

Understanding the Shemitah (In Connection to Financial / Economic Collapse)

Elul 29. The last day of the biblical Shemitah. ie where all economic / financial debts are WIPED CLEAN.

Elul 29 is the day of nullification of financial accounts. If we look back in 7 year cycles over the course of history, almost every major stock market crash has fallen on this day…

Once a blessing from God to release any debts incurred, it is now a judgement from God.

Deutronomy 15:1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.
Deutronomy 15:2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD’S release.

Elul 29 on the Hebrew calendar falls on different dates to the western calendar every year, but we are only focusing on the Elul 29 that falls every 7th year on the last day of the Biblical SHEMITAH.
On Elul 29 on the last day of the 7th year of the biblical shemitah, all economic and financial accounts must be nullified, at the end of the day on Elul 29 which is sunset; whatever is going to happen will happen whether it be a blessing for obedience or judgment because of disobedience to God.

What is the mystery of the shemitah and what does it have to do with your life? To find the origins we must go 3000 years to a Middle Eastern desert …

It begins on Mount Sinai. The nation of Israel has just come out of Egypt and its leader Moses has ascended the mountain to receive the revelation of the torah or the law of God. In this revelation comes the law of the shemitah. It says this: “and the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai saying, speak to the children of Israel and say to them when you come into the land which i give you, then the land shall keep a sabbath to the Lord. Six years you shall sow your field and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land. A sabbath to the Lord you shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. what grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap nor gather the grapes of your untended vine, for it is a year of rest for the land.

Leviticus 25: As every seventh day was a sabbath day, a day of rest, a day to be kept above the others as holy to God.

So every seventh year was a sabbath year, a year of rest a year to be kept above the other years as holy to the Lord. The seventh or sabbath year was called the shemitah. During the year of the shemitah the land would rest. There would be no sowing, no reaping, no plowing, no pruning of the vines, no gathering of the olives, no winnowing, no threshing, nothing. It was a sabbath for the land. Further during the shemitah there was to be no buying or selling or marketing of the fruits of the land.

So the shemitah had a massive effect on the nation's economy. If it was a year of economic cessation, it was to be a year in which the nation would turn away from worldly pursuits and turn to God. A year to declare the lord's sovereignty over the land and over their lives. The shemitah was to remind the people that the land belonged not to them but to the Lord. And all the blessings of the land, all the blessings of their lives, their well-being, their sustenance, came from God and without him, those blessings would cease.

But the shemitah touched more than just the land. On the last day of the seventh year something unique took place: the ordinance came from the end of Moses's revelation on Mount Sinai. It's found in Deuteronomy 15.

Deutronomy 15:1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. 15:2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD’S release.

There is a day appointed for every person when all that they know, & all that they've known will collapse.

The day when in the shemitah the sovereignty of God will be manifested over everything. This will be the final shemitah when earthly life is finished and we each stand before God on the day of judgment in light of eternity.

How do we prepare for such a day? How does one prepare for the coming of judgment on earth? There's only one way to prepare, and that is to get your life right with God.

In Hebrew, the word for safety is Yeshua, and Yeshua is the real name of Jesus. Outside of him there's no safety, but inside of him there's no fear. The key is to get your life inside, and the only way to get inside according to the bible, according to his own words, is to be born again. He said you must be born again or you cannot enter heaven. You need to take the time you have more seriously. The hours and the time for getting things right isn't tomorrow, it's NOW.

If there's anything in your life that's not in the will of God, get it out now. Don't say tomorrow, do it NOW. If there's anything that should be in your life that God is calling you to but it's not in your life, don't say i'll do it tomorrow. Do it NOW. Whatever isn't grounded on God will be shaken and will fall. Therefore this is a call to ground yourself all the more. Ground your life all the more strongly on the word of God.

One thing that the shemitah strongly shows us is that no matter what it looks like, no matter how out of control it seems, God is in control. And for the one who is in God, there is no reason for fear but peace, as it is written: though the earth be moved and the mountains fall into the mist of the sea, though the waters roar and be troubled, and the mountains shake with swelling, we will not fear, for God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Everything that can be shaken shall be shaken, but for those who place their trust, their hope, their will, and their lives in God, and in His will, they shall never be shaken…

THE KUNDULINI SPIRIT // Ellen Ebbott

When I first met Ellen & heard about her story, I was utterly mind blown. At the time I still hadn’t completely come to faith, but was learning more & more how much this physical world that we live in, also encompasses & intertwines with the spirit realm. Listening to people’s personal testimonies on how they came to believe in God is wild when you are a non-believer. It really makes you question & try to conjure up any other rational, logic ideas about how things could have happened or played-out. But like the many great scientists such as Isaac Newton who delved into every experiment & theory, most-often than not came to the conclusion that there must be a grand creator. Without, some things are just irrevocably unexplainable. This is Ellen Ebbott’s story…

El you had chronic back pain for 7 years…

Yes, crippling. Everyday was my absolute worst nightmare with pain. All day, everyday. I couldn’t do anything but lay in bed for years. I would cry every single day in desperation for it to be over. I grew up with an illness I was born with that resulted in kidney failure & having multiple surgeries, & that was NOTHING on having this chronic back pain. I would wake up, cry that it was still there, try to roll to get out of bed as the pain was too much to bare. I couldn’t bend at all so i couldn’t just sit & stand up to get out of bed like a normal person. I had to roll onto my knees. Then i couldn’t dress myself, I could do my top half no problemo, but my husband would have to pull my pants over my feet & pull them up. Even the wriggling of getting into them would set off more pain. Then I would walk downstairs to the couch. I couldn’t stand for more than a few seconds without NEEDING to lay back down; the pain when I stood was so extreme. I felt desperate all the time, exhausted, so so depressed & if i didn’t have beautiful kids, I would have killed myself, I couldn’t face another day in this kind of pain.

I saw every kind of specialist there is in Australia, I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on trying to heal. I received so many diagnoses you wouldn’t believe it. Not a single thing gave me relief. None of it. They put me on oxycodone which did take my pain down a few notches, but it made me suicidal so I stopped, then I went down the holistic route & never had any relief. I did a lot of yoga, meditation, reiki, kinesiology, osteo & endlesssssss supplements and regimes. Like I was taking 30+ pills a day. It was half supplements, half medications. I did mental health stuff as there is a huge link between trauma & chronic pain, and I did find heart healing in different places but the pain never decreased. I travelled to several countries for healing in traditional practises. Having to take heavy meds, muscle relaxers etc for the flights, only to get home in more pain. I couldn’t lift my kids. I couldn’t shower my toddler, I couldn’t take the bin out, I couldn’t drive for about a year of it, and the rest of the time, driving was extremely painful. I definitely couldn’t drive more than 5 minutes, and if I did the week following would be 10x worse.

My life was hell. Hell. To be honest. Until Jesus.

What methods did you try to heal it with?

Chiropractic, osteopathic, kinesiology, GP/Medication, neurologist $$, MRI/SCANS $$, pain specialists $$, physiotherapy, essential oils, crystals, CBD/marijuana, Bowen therapy, alcohol (legit), “Healers” , psychics, tantric healers, yoga, pilates, healing retreats, pain & healing course $$, trauma counselling , journalling, pain apps, curable app, meditation , anti-inflammatory diet, psychiatrist , refused surgery, every supplement on earth, Borax, naturopathic , daily rehab, massages, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, gut healing courses, Aboriginal dreamtime healer, cacao ceremonies, exercise , no exercise, channelling, tarot cards, psychics, medium exercise, personal training & antidepressants…

NONE of them were able to cure me of my crippling pain.

One day, a friend (Jordan) asked me, “tell me about your pain”. I told her alllllll about it. I probably spoke for 10 minutes about all the things I had tried. She said “do you want my opinion?” I said “yes” & she said “are you sure”, I said “yes please go on, i’m open to anything”. She said “only God can heal you”.

I was not really surprised, I said “yeah probably, no-one else has been able to”. I knew she was a Christian, I never had anything against it/her, I thought it was just “sweet”. All I saw of Christians was that they just needed something to rely on to make them feel better. I didn’t realise that God is LIVING & healing NOW. That that was open to me. We chatted a bit, I asked pretty pointless questions & then she said “can i pray with you?” I said “yep” & she laid hands on me, asked the Holy Spirit to come & take my pain away. I gave my heart to the Lord there & then. I felt the Holy Spirit fill me & my spine was Vibrating!!!! From my brain stem to my tail bone. I left her house thinking WOW, there is something truly here. I had never felt anything, anywhere else, in any other healing modality that resembled anything close to what I had just felt. NOTHING. So I went home, I laid in bed for a month in 10x worse pain than ever before. My wrists swelled up and I couldn’t move my hands, the ONLY thing I could do was cry & pray. I cried out to God begging him to heal me. Listening to the bible & miraculous healing stories. Someone told me “the Bible is the original place of miracles, & that is what i needed. A miracle.

After a month of terrible crying, but also healing in crying. Learning about how Jesus died for ME, he was beaten & bruised for ME, I felt truly saved from this world. I was overwhelmed with His love, but also suffering in this body. One night, i was laying in bed with my husband & he put his hand on my back. He wasn’t Christian at the time & he wasn’t really interested in becoming one, but he was happy for me to do what “I had to do”. I said “can u pray for me”. He said YES, thank God! I said “repeat after me” & he repeated a prayer about telling the pain to leave in the name of Jesus. I think he said it 2-3 times & he AND I felt something come out of my back. I felt like a plant root being pulled up, come out of the base of my spine. Being pulled root by root, out. At the same time my husband flinched back & freaked out. He said word for word “I felt like a root being pulled up”. I said oh my lord SAME”. He then felt whatever it was, cover him like a blanket, it went inside him. It was an evil spirit. He said he felt all these dark horrible thoughts take over “like a horror movie”, he then jumped up & spewed in our bathroom. I laid there shocked & i couldn’t feel a change yet, but i prayed the same prayers over him. I now know, it’s because he wasn’t Christian, he didn’t have the Armour of God to protect him from this spirit. But God used him. Thank you Lord. We went to sleep & when I woke up, I had NO PAIN. Zero. Gone. Done! HEALED IN JESUS’ NAME.

I haven’t had even the slightest pain since. The spirit in my back was causing the pain. I now can run, lift weights, work, stand, play, swim. Anything. I am eternally grateful for God taking that pain away from me!!! Dave ended up needing some serious prayer to get that spirit out of him. A few days later he gave his heart to the Lord & the spirit left him under lots of prayer. Thank God!!!!

I made a promise when I laid in bed crying in pain to God. I cried out to Him saying “I will do anything, ANYTHING if you heal me, i’ll tell everyone it was you, I’ll change my whole life, I’ll live for you, just please take this pain away”.

He did. So I am. I am now telling everyone what happened to me, & I pray it helps someone else be set free… in Jesus’ name.

Essentially what are you opening yourself up to when you delve into new age / spiritual practices such as channelling, mediumship, divination, psychics & tarot cards etc?

I had no idea that I was opening myself up to not just “good energies” as I assumed / thought, but SPIRITS - of good & bad nature. I’ve learnt that if it’s not of God- it can be extremely dangerous and harmful down the track, because when doing these new age spiritual practices, we’re actually opening ourselves up to demonic entities. I had no idea that I was dabbling in evil. The spirit realm is REAL & that’s why so many people DO dabble, but I didn’t know that I was essentially opening myself up to so much demonic activity.

I found out much later when I was healed (Praise the Lord) that I had allowed a “Kundalini” spirit into my body, it was sitting in my spine, causing the pain (or enforcing it). When I learnt about all of this, my husband prayed on me, commanded it out in the name of Jesus, & I have been COMPLETELY pain free ever since.

This article describes in more detail about what the Kundulini spirit is from a former Yogi…

EXCERPT // “According to the yogic teachings found in Hinduism, there is an energy at the base of the spine called “the kundalini” (in Sanskrit it means “coiled snake”). Yogi Bhajan, the promoter of Kundalini Yoga in the West, called it “the dormant power of infinity.” Adherents teach that it is the impersonal essence of the divine, resident within every human being. Strangely and eerily, it is also called the “serpent power”—because it supposedly ‘uncoils’ and rises, in serpentine fashion, through the spinal column (the seven energy centers called “chakras”) to lift a person up to higher levels of spiritual awareness. Upon arriving at the seventh chakra, metaphorically, the serpent suddenly strikes, and God-consciousness is achieved (a conscious awareness that the soul—called atman—is actually one with the impersonal oversoul—called Brahman). In other words, this supernatural revelation empowers the practitioner to boldly declare, “I am God!”—which is the absolute opposite of the truth, utter blasphemy and an echo of the original lie told to Eve in the garden of Eden”…

https://charismamag.com/spriritled-living/supernaturaldreams/former-yogi-what-really-is-the-kundalini/

All spirits, whether evil spirits or not, ALL fall under the spiritual authority of Jesus Christ & must bow to Him. I was just trying to heal myself, I was just trying to heal from traumas & to find peace. I was seeking spiritual enlightenment, but I ended up with crippling pain, depression & anxiety. I never thought I would have come to faith! But God promises us THE OPPOSITE of what I went through. Faith in Jesus as our Lord & saviour is healing, freedom, love, & above all, LIFE.

When you gave yourself to Christ you not only transformed physically, but your whole being…

I was always searching for validation, whether conscious about it or not, I was always searching. In friends, boyfriends, drugs, alcohol, career, money, parties, healing, all of it. I tried it all. I lived it. Loved it. I was addicted to the “cool lifestyle”. Where did it lead me? To death basically. I was suicidal on and off for so many years I cannot count. I cut myself as a young woman, partied so hard trying to feel something, ANYTHING, but the dread I constantly lived with & couldn’t escape it.

I never found validation- or I would temporarily- in a new relationship, cash, sex, drugs or rock n roll. Since giving it all to Jesus, I feel RELIEF, PEACE, calm, love & contentment. I haven’t felt anxious since, I haven’t felt depressed, I haven’t SEARCHED for anything since. I feel complete, as I have the approval of God, through what Jesus did for us. I don’t need approval or validation from man. I am chosen, loved, saved by God alone & that is everything I could ever need.

What were your goals & aspirations before & after becoming a born-again Christian?

Before, I wanted to build a financial wall around myself; I wanted to build an empire. To be free from responsibility, to do what I wanted, when I wanted. Which really just sums up this generation. Now I see my old self as so selfish, but that’s what the world tells you to do. To be “free”, to be successful, to earn lots of money or live your ultimate dream lifestyle. But I never felt free… until I laid my life down for the Lord. Now I am truly free. Free from pain, free from depression, free from DEATH. Now I want to help others experience the ultimate peace that God has for us. I want to serve. I want to forget about myself & focus on God. Giving him all the love I have, for setting me free from the hell I was living.

How can we protect ourselves against demonic entities?

Declare the name of Jesus over everything, I used to think “saging” my house would somehow clear out bad energies. If I believed in those bad energies well why did I think a smell would make them go away? Only God can save you. Stay close to him. Pray. Read his Word & ask for help from mature christians.

You guys just started up Joe’s smoothie bar in Dunsborough, how’s it all been going?!

It has been a dream! We are having so much fun. We get to make people feel healthier & happier every day and I honestly pray I get to tell people every single day about what happened to me, to hopefully help someone else avoid what we went through.

What makes you happiest now?

JESUS & praying for people who are hurting.

Favourite album?

Zion by Hillsong United

Thank you for reading.

FX's new Little Demon TV Series // IT'S ALL BIBLICAL.

Today, the 25th of August, marks FX’s release of the TV series titled Little Demon, an animated comedy featuring the voices of Danny DeVito, Lucy DeVito & Aubrey Plaza. The description on the official trailer writes: It has been 13 years since being impregnated by Satan, and a reluctant mother, Laura, and her Antichrist daughter, Chrissy, attempt to live an ordinary life in Delaware. However, the two are constantly thwarted by monstrous forces, including Satan, who yearns for custody of his daughter's soul.

Okay. Cruiseyy. Sounds like a fun teen horror right?

“What do you make of this thing, biblical or the media?!” says a character in the trailer… UMMMM I’m going to say 100% BIBLICAL. Thank you for sharing with us the whole last chapter of the Bible!!

WHAT & WHO is the ANTICHRIST?

Christianity & scripture tell us to be on the lookout for the Antichrist, who will appear in the last days. The Antichrist is the polar opposite and ultimate enemy of Jesus Christ. According to scriptures, he will reign terribly in the period prior to the Last Judgment. The Antichrist is Satan in the flesh: a perfectly evil human being & completely opposite to the perfectly good human being, Jesus Christ. Hence ANTI-Christ.

Just as Christians know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, we know that the Antichrist is the son of Satan (or daughter as we see in this series). Jesus was born of a virgin, so the Antichrist would be born of a woman who was apparently a virgin, but was really a whore. Where Christ was God in the flesh, the Antichrist was Satan in the flesh.

1 John 4:3 - and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

According to scripture, the Antichrist will finally be defeated after his 7 year reign by God’s army, under the leadership of Jesus. The battle has already been won on the cross, but the final battle must play out.

2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 - Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he (Antichrist) may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed.

(ie the Antichrist will be revealed when believers are taken out of the world- “in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye”- the RAPTURE of the Church.)

The TV Series //

This series Little Demon is desensitising / ‘prepping’ kids for the 7-year tribulation. Where the Antichrist rules over all nations, & the gates of Hell & God’s wrath is unleashed on earth. Exactly as you see in the trailer. Just look at the blatant satanic symbolism strewn throughout every shot. This is the story of the rise of the Antichrist & the 7-year tribulation written in the bible. Who would have thought film & TV would serve it to us on a golden platter. Gone are the days of subtle programming, this is direct; blatant & in our face. There is nothing hidden, but still we do not see. It just goes to show how blinded we are by the forces at play.

1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.

Have any of you seen Stranger Things? Haaa! You say, of course, I mean derr. It’s the number 1 show people talk about these days- and I mean everyone- from 11 year old kids on outdoor ed camp to 30 year old friends. Guess what, it’s exactly the same concept. They are desensitising / prepping us for hell on earth; for the tribulation.

HA okayyy, whateverrr, you say, as if any of that could actually happen…

During the 7 year tribulation, Christians will not be here, and neither will the hand of God, only his wrath & the evil wills of the Antichrist, manifested as Satan in the flesh.

1 John 2:18-19 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

Satan does everything he can to lead people away from the God of the Bible, the one true God. All movement away from God is movement towards Satan; away from the true Christ is towards the ultimate false christ…

Satan’s ultimate goal is to create an alternate kingdom where he is god and worshipped as god.

- Matthew 4:8-10 - Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’

He even wants God to bow down and worship him in this alternate kingdom. But the Bible has already revealed the alternate kingdom that is prepared for Satan…

- Isaiah 14:9-15 - “Hell from beneath is excited about you, to meet you at your coming; it stirs up the dead for you, all the chief ones of the earth; it has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.10 They all shall speak and say to you: ‘Have you also become as weak as we? Have you become like us? 11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, and the sound of your stringed instruments; the maggot is spread under you, and worms cover you.’ 12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.”

Did you know that hell was not prepared for humans? Did you also know that angels cannot be redeemed?

- Matthew 25:41 - “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels

- 2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

I encourage you today to seriously examine your heart and determine for yourself which kingdom you are heading for… Satan’s alternate kingdom, or God’s true eternal kingdom. God is not willing that any should perish, and He is calling to each one of us to repent (turn away from our sins), turn back toward Him, and to follow Him as King and saviour of our life!!

Or you can keep soaking up the horror & gore & brush it off as a post work TV ritual of ‘I don’t want to think about anything anymore.’ Might be your famous last words.

RESOURCES & REFERENCES //

-The Bible

- https://www.gatherandgain.org/search?q=antichrist&f_collectionId=6090b7236f648c6378f9142c

-A BIG thank you to Mike Bezant from Busselton Home Church who compiled all of these scripture references & notes in his study of the Antichrist back in March. Mike gives weekly bible prophecy updates deep diving into scripture // https://www.gatherandgain.org/

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TO FAITH // Danny Alcorn

The first time I heard the heavy blues rock band Sky Cave, with their smooth guitar licks, the endearing soulful voice of Oliver Quinlan, and relatable heavy rock lyrics, was at a Mojo’s gig early last year. Since then you could say I’ve been hooked on the sweet tunes from this little rock band from the South West. So it was a surprise to see Sky Cave’s (now ex-bassist) Danny Alcorn at Church one Sunday giving a presentation on world events in relation to bible prophecy. Growing up in a Christian family, Danny was bought up in the faith, but as what happens with most young adolescents: was curious about exploring the pleasures of the world… sex, drugs & rock ‘n’ roll baby, haha. Danny rejected and turned away from the faith for most of his years, but since October last year, through reading about near death experiences, researching the relevance of world events in relation to scripture, and contemplating the immensely intricate and detailed design of the universe, has swung hard back into faith & begun a new chapter leaving behind his old life, goals and everything he thought he once wanted…

You grew up in a Christian family but turned away from the faith for some years… What were your goals and aspirations during that time?

“To be honest, for those many years I spent rejecting God, I had a very selfish and short sighted agenda. When I got out of school I pretty much spent every single weekend bendering and doing drugs and just living the party life, as most young adults do. I’ve had pretty hectic social anxiety my whole life so I began to depend on alcohol and drugs to escape my social awkwardness and try and fit in with “The cool kids” haha This sounds so cringe to say but my 2 main goals for many years were to become a big shot famous pop musician and to “get girls''. I was so lonely constantly from my unhealthy, sinful lifestyle that I would try and fill the hole in my heart with one night stands and fleeting pleasures, but it only ever led to more heartbreak and loneliness.

I was also playing in multiple bands and chasing the high life for many years. I had a little taste of success but no matter how hard I worked, or how good of a song I wrote, I just couldn’t crack the scene. I placed all my self worth and joy in the affirmation of strangers on the internet and how many streams my songs got, which just led to constantly being let down and feeling worthless. Although I had a lot of “fun” times, they were always overpowered by the immense feelings of unfulfillment, shame and emptiness.”

How do you view these aspirations now that you’re walking with the Lord as a Christian?

“Oh boy, when I think back to the way I used to live and the things I used to strive for I feel so ashamed, embarrassed and annoyed at myself for wasting so many years. Although I majorly regret the way I was living and the things that I did, I am so thankful that God allowed me to go through that because it brought me to where I am now and showed me that life without God is not life at all, it’s death. Since coming back to God last year, my whole world has literally been flipped 180 degrees from upside down, to upright again. Now that I truly know without a doubt that there is a God who created me and the whole universe, I no longer strive to please man, but only to please and serve God. Around 2000 years ago, he literally came down from royalty in heaven, became man and died the most excruciating and humiliating death on the cross for me (and the whole world), and for this reason I have given my whole life to him (Jesus/God). I no longer live with a selfish agenda of pleasing my own desires, but I now live to serve and worship the God who created me by sharing my testimony, proclaiming the truth of the gospel whenever I can and inspiring other christians to stand firm in their beliefs and to never be ashamed of their faith!

I am now writing worship/gospel music and my new dream is to become a worship leader because I love being able to help people connect with God through the musical gifts he has given me. I have also been teaching and preaching to my friends, family and the church about my belief that Jesus is coming back SO much sooner than most people realise.

After seeing first hand how real God is and how amazingly fulfilling life is with him, there is nothing more important to me in this life than telling people about it and giving people a chance to experience him the same way I get to. This is now my only true goal in life, to please God and to help more people be saved from hell into the kingdom of heaven.”

Tell us about your time with Sky Cave & why you decided to leave rock n roll…

“Great question actually. I played in a few different bands but Sky Cave was definitely the funnest project I was a part of. Me and 3 of my best mates started up a psych rock/blues band a couple years ago and spent countless weekends playing shows and touring the Southwest/Perth region. As much as I loved the lads, slapping the bass and head banging till my brain popped out, I decided to leave that lifestyle behind. Since becoming a born again, spirit filled christian, I no longer have the desire to live the classic “rock n roll” lifestyle. I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with performing and entertaining a crowd, but the concept and reality’s of the secular music industry just don’t sit well with me anymore. When you play shows as a musician and develop a fan base, it’s as if they are basically worshiping you/the band and your creation (the music). I don’t desire or deserve to be worshiped, instead I only desire to worship the God who literally created music and gave me these talents. When I’m leading worship, it’s not about me, it’s all about God and creating an environment for the church to pour out their love to him.

I have recently started a new worship/gospel project called "Daniel & The Lion" and am so excited to finally be using my God given talents for his glory alone. I just put out my debut single called "Summer Skies" and it's about the pure joy and complete fulfilment of becoming a born again christian and it also contains a sobering message that Jesus is about to return! “

https://open.spotify.com/track/0tGfjM7yo0ouHQFgrqDRRr?si=8d15bc59df854414

What key things bought you back to faith?

“There were many things that led to me finding God again, but one of the main things was my Dad. He opened my eyes to the evil and corruption hiding behind the curtain of this world and its governments. Through the planned globalist agenda of Covid-19 and many other things, I was able to see how real and present Satan is in this world. From my Dad’s promptings, I was led to study bible prophecy and soon found that everything written in the bible thousands of years ago was real and happening right in front of my eyes.

Another major contender in my journey to Jesus was thinking deeply about the immensely intricate and detailed design of this universe. I would look at the thousands of species of plants and animals, the enormously broad expanse and beauty of the ocean and outer space, the insanely detailed design of our human body anatomy, the way the earth is In perfect orbital balance with the sun, the concept of gravity and how there are these white fluffy things floating in the sky called clouds that produce the one main thing we need to survive; water. When you truly think about how insanely elaborate and perfectly designed/orderly this universe is, you know without a doubt it is impossible that this all came about from a random explosion in space (The Big Bang), and HAD to be created by someone. That’s how I can be sure that God is real and I don’t need to be able to physically see him to believe that.

Let me ask you this, do you disbelieve in the wind just because you can’t physically see its form? Obviously not right? So why is it so hard for people to believe in God? We know the wind is real because we can see the effect it has on its surroundings as well as feel its presence. In the exact same way, we know that God is real because we see the things he created, we see the way lives like mine are miraculously changed forever, and as a christian, we can truly feel the presence of God through his Holy Spirit that dwells in us and all around us.

I think the main thing though, that led me back to Jesus was this one Sunday morning in October last year. I was really sick with a virus and was constantly ill due to my unhealthy drinking/drug habits. After the build up of living selfishly in sin over the many years I spent rejecting God and feeling like my life had no purpose, I finally decided to seek God again. One Sunday morning, both my parents randomly sent me a sermon to listen to and I thought that was interesting. I actually didn’t even listen to either of them though haha but instead I typed in on YouTube “Proof that God exists”… I was blown away when I came across an interview of a man who died for about 15 minutes, said he saw Jesus in heaven and was Brought back to life. I then found an interview of a man named John Burke, who was an atheist engineer that studied 1000 NDE’s (Near Death Experiences) and wrote a book linking these experiences to what is written in the bible! He soon went from being an atheist to fully believing in God and becoming a dedicated pastor. In his book “Imagine Heaven”, he shares stories of doctors, pilots, professors, children, and even blind people that physically died for many minutes (some even hours!), and claimed they floated above their dead bodies, felt more alive than ever before, saw amazing wonders and described seeing Heaven (some saw Hell) and the same “Man of light” written about in the christian bible (JESUS)!!! These people were miraculously brought back to life and instructed by Jesus to go share the sights and wonders that they had seen with the world. When my eyes were truly opened to the unimaginable reality that heaven (and hell) is legit REAL and that we will all one day face eternity, I made the instant decision to give my life back to God and live for him. If you are skeptical of any of this, go read “Imagine Heaven” by John Burke and I guarantee it will make you question everything you’ve ever known in the best way possible.

There’s SO much more to say and I could also tell you story after story of personal supernatural encounters with the living God, give you factual biblical proof that everything in the bible is true and tell you about the evil demonic spirits that torment me night after night, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to a choice. Are you going to turn a blind eye and believe the lie, are you going to sit on the fence and gamble with your life/eternity, or are you going to accept the truth that Jesus Christ is the one true God and be saved.

What is a sinner? Have we all sinned even if we think we’re a “good” person?

“This is a big question and my answer may be hard for some to swallow or accept, but yes, we are all born sinners and no matter how “good” you think you are, we are all sinners In need of a saviour. Ever since Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan in the Garden of Eden, we have been under their curse of sin. We have to understand that this was NOT God’s original plan or desire, but it was purely the evil in man and Satan alone that caused this. What we have to get our heads around, is that God is perfect in every way. He is a God of pure unconditional love, but he is also a righteous and a just judge of the world. God created the boundaries and the definition of sin and although there are some things that don’t seem “sinful” or “evil” in our human eyes, they are in God’s eyes. God created everything and has every right to be the final judge of what is classified as sin or not. That is why it is so important for everyone to take the 10 commandments very seriously. God knows it is impossible for us to be perfect, but all he asks is that we recognise we’ve sinned, try our best to live by his laws and when we break them, simply to repent and ask him for forgiveness. There is no sin too great and no deed too evil for God to forgive, if you are truly and genuinely sorry.

I want ya’ll to take a minute to look at these commandments and ask yourselves, have I broken any of these laws? If the answer is yes, then well done, you are a sinner just like the rest of us haha.”

The 10 Commandments:

1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.

2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.

3. Remember to keep holy the LORD’S Day.

4. Honor your father and your mother.

5. You shall not kill.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

7. You shall not steal.

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9. You shall not covet (desire) your neighbor’s wife. (Lust, sexual desires/immorality)

10. You shall not covet (desire) your neighbor’s goods.

Another thing we must realise is that just as Heaven is a real place, so is Hell. And trust me, it is NOT a party. Hell is an unfathomably horrific place that is the exact opposite of heaven due to the total absence of the presence of God. God is perfect peace, love, mercy and joy and the absence of God is Hell which was initially created for the demons (fallen angels), which is a place controlled by demons, pure fear, pain and merciless eternal torment; the direct opposite of heaven. It is not God that sends us to hell, but ourselves. God gives us ALL the gift of free will, and if you choose to reject him he will give you what you want, an eternity separated from him.

I know it sounds hectic but here’s where the good news comes in! God loves us SO much that he came down from royalty in heaven, became a mortal man and sacrificed himself to be brutally beaten, mocked and murdered by the people he created! By doing this ultimate sacrifice of love, he broke the chains of sin and death and gave everyone the free gift of salvation (an eternity in heaven with him). In the bible it says “We are saved by grace, through faith”, which means, all we need to do, to avoid an eternity in Hell is to simply believe that Jesus (God) died for us, rose again to save us and genuinely repent (ask for forgives/TURN AWAY) of our sins (John 3:16). You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to give God your heart. The only sin that sends people to hell is unbelief. You may think you’re a good person and that you have good morals, and I’m sure you do, but if you can’t or chose not to believe in the God that created you and died for you, and if you can’t recognise that you are a sinner/have sinned, you will not be worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven. The only way to be worthy of salvation is by the blood of Jesus Christ. Accept him as your Lord and saviour TODAY, because truly, this life is so fleeting and none of us are guaranteed our next breath. <3

The past 8 months you’ve been deep-diving into scripture & God’s word… tell us about that journey.

“Oh jeepers, where do I start! Yes, over the last 8 months I have been eagerly studying the word of God and have been absolutely blown away by the immense depth and truth written in the bible. After a deep dive into scripture, I have learnt that the bible is SO much more than just a bunch of stories and “life-guide” morals. There are things written in the bible that men didn’t discover till centuries, even millennia after they were written. For example, around 740BC Isaiah wrote that the earth was round (Isaiah 40:22) and man didn’t discover that till hundreds of years later around 500BC. Also, in Leviticus 13:46, written around 538Bc, it talks about quarantining but the concept of quarantining wasn’t discovered till around the 14th century! Imagine how many lives could’ve been saved if they just read the bible! I could go on and on about these but what I’ve mainly been focusing on is bible prophecy and eschatology. This is the study of “End Time” biblical events and through extensive research, I’ve found that every prophecy and sign that would directly precede the return of Jesus Christ, is happening right now in front of our very eyes. If you are paying attention to world news you will quickly see that these big world events eg. Covid-19/Vaccine mandates, extreme weather or “climate change”, predicted global food crisis/hyperinflation, corrupt government/the New World Order and many more things, were written about and predicted thousands of years ago in the most famous/well known book ever written, the Bible. I have recently uploaded a video on Rumble presenting my study on End Times Bible Prophecy so you can see some of the proof that we are living in the final days just before the return of Jesus Christ.

I understand this might be hard to believe and very controversial, but I’m telling you with bold confidence and certainty, that we are the generation that will see Jesus return. The bible says that no man knows the day or hour Jesus will return, but it says we can know the season and that we are to watch so that day doesn’t come upon us like a thief. If you’re a christian (or even non christian) reading this I HIGHLY recommend you seek God on this and I guarantee he will show you that Jesus truly is coming soon, just as he’s shown me and millions of other christians worldwide.

LINK TO PRESENTATION // https://rumble.com/user/TheKingIsComing726

Before stepping back into faith, you struggled with self esteem, societal expectations & public speaking - Which you’re now a wiz at by the way!! How has God & His Holy Spirit that now dwells within you changed all of that?

“Yeah I was such a little dweeb of a kid haha I was always so shy and had major confidence issues due to my social anxiety and other personal problems. When I finally discovered my true identity and realised I am a child of God, the things of this world that used to give me anxiety and doubt no longer affected me. When I fully submitted to God and stopped living in sin, God filled me with his Holy Spirit which has given me the confidence and strength to do things I never before could’ve done. I used to be terrible at public speaking and used to stutter a lot but I now love getting up in front of people and sharing the word of God! Also, since re-discovering that God is alive and living in me, I don’t mind what people think of me because I know that one day, when they either die or Jesus returns, they will ALL see and know that Jesus is real and every christian they came across on earth was actually telling the truth. (1 Thes 5:21)

What makes you happiest? Favourite musician ever?

“Nothing brings me more joy in this world than seeing/helping my friends, family and strangers accept the truth of Jesus and sharing the personal encounters and confirmations I’ve had from God about Jesus coming back soon! Equal first would definitely be worshiping God through my music and soaking in his presence. The presence of God is SO much better than any drug or earthly pleasure this world has to offer.

My favourite artist of all time for many years was actually Justin Bieber! Haha He’s freakishly talented and he’s also a christian which is super cool. If I had to choose a favourite artist now though it might be either Phil Whickham or Maverick City Worship! I literally only listen to christian music now. It soothes my soul and keeps me close to God.

Why is now more than ever the best time to give your heart to Jesus?

“You don’t have to even be a christian to see how far gone this world is and how close we are to total utter destruction of unprecedented proportions. If you don’t have your head buried in the sand, and are paying attention to world news, you can see that things are seemingly spiralling “out of control” exponentially. However, by reading the word of God and studying bible prophecy, we can clearly see that every single sign/prophecy that precedes the second coming of christ is occurring right now in front of our eyes. All the major famines, extreme weather/natural disasters, wars & rumours of wars, pestilences/viruses, corrupt governments, New World Order, Lawlessness/violence, demonic alien deception, intense spiritual warfare, prophetic dreams and open visions from God, were ALL foretold thousands of years ago by the ancient prophets of God and the convergence of ALL these signs/prophecy’s indicate that Jesus is SO SO close to returning. My point to make is that, although this ship is sinking like the Titanic, God has given us a way to be saved from the present and coming destruction of this world and his name is Jesus Christ. We can no longer put our hope and trust in the world, or the government, but if you accept Jesus and invite him into your hearts, there is a brand new and perfect world waiting for you just on the other side of this life on earth, and it’s called heaven.

I want to give a message to all christians reading this blog. If you had the cure for all cancer, would you do everything you can to tell people and get it out there so they could be saved from their illness? Any reasonable human being would say yes, absolutely! Well us christians hold the cure to death which is the blood of Jesus Christ and we need to do everything we possibly can to show people the truth and salvation we have in Jesus. We were not put on this earth to just sit around and live for ourselves. We have a job to do, and I pray that reading this testimony will encourage and convict you to step out in faith and boldness, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope we have in him!

Lastly, a desperate message to those who don't know Jesus - This world is a sinking ship and Jesus Christ is the ONLY lifeboat. He is coming back so very soon. Please get onboard now before it is too late. I love you all <3".”

To a non-believer, this article might come across as overly ‘religious’ and a bit much, and that’s okay— 7 months ago I would have been like wtfffff as well. But when you actually deep dive into God’s word & see how much the truths of Christianity, & the presence of the occult play out in every industry throughout this planet, every thought in our head, always at war between making the right choice or giving into temptation, world events & the imminency of Christ’s return; these personal testimonies can be really helpful to relate and provide a better understanding of Christianity, who Jesus Christ is, what he did for us, and ultimately, how to give our life to Him.

Thank you for reading <3

FEEL GOOD VIDEO UPDATES…

S O U T H //

Shot on Super 8 in the South west of WA over the last few months x

A B R O L H O S //

2 weeks spent at the Abrolhos Islands, swimming with dolphins & sea lions (with a bit of a psychedelic twist). Onboard Singularity- the rents new home on water yeowwww!!

The Great Controversy

Ahhhh the great controversy… which religion is the RIGHT religion? Don’t all religions lead to God? Isn’t one faith as good as another? Isn’t it arrogant to say that only one religion leads to salvation? These are common questions that our world wrestles with to search for truth, and a greater meaning and connection with God.

This article has taken me a long time to write. Realistically, to release and actually hit publish…

Over the past three months I’ve been heavily researching the Scriptures, bible prophecy in connection with world events and the story of Christ. Coming from a family of atheists where “the beach is our religion”, & having no prior knowledge of this faith, but a built-up conception of corruption, mockery and ‘how could you be so blind in believing in that poppycock’- it’s been super fascinating to delve into haha.

It has taken me over a year and a half to connect all the dots and to finally accept & believe, that Jesus is the one true path to salvation. It just got to a point where there was too much factual information to disregard it anymore. So here we are.

In a world and society that feels like it is becoming more moral less & evil by the hour, I hope this article can shed light on a few very important truths, and give you hope for the future.

RESOURCES THAT MADE ME RETHINK SPIRITUALITY & TURN TO CHRISTIANITY…

-Out of Shadows documentary

https://vimeo.com/406852155

This is not a light documentary… but unfortunately it is a perfect place to start. This documentary unveils the insides of Hollywood (satanic rituals & child trafficking / paedophilia) and how the mainstream media & Hollywood manipulate & control the masses through their content.

-Seeing satanic symbolism in top hit music videos / people of fame & status

Once you recognize and pick up on the symbology- it’s fkn everywhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I

https://www.tiktok.com/@artemaslevi/video/7113005751655845125?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1

-Diploma of Film -subconscious programming

Your sub-conscious mind is 90% of your brain. That means that of everything you take in, only 10% you are actually aware / conscious of. Isn’t that wild? It makes sense how we can be so easily manipulated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oa64ktrwKY

-Home Church

First time I’ve ever been to church!

These guys branched out of their regular church because they were picking up on false doctrines / statements that weren’t in line with the word of God. Each week they deep dive into the scriptures and focus on different topics- ie who is the Antichrist, deception within the church, truth and error etc…

Resonated with everything I’d been learning through other sources. Shed the light on good & evil (God & Satan).

-JD FARAG podcast

Weekly Bible prophecy updates from a Hawaiian pastor- connecting the relevance of today’s events of the world with passages from the bible.

THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST HELPFUL. It may come across as overly ‘religious’, but give it a chance, hear it out.

If you weren’t a pro-choicer / anti-vaxxer before it might be harder to swallow, when I found out a lot of Christians weren’t getting the jab & were on the same page as me I was a little taken aback aha! Bit of spiritual ego coming through there. You’re probably just sitting there thinking who are these nutjobs?

https://www.jdfarag.org/

-CERN Super Collider Switzerland video

I didn’t realise religion was so prominent in science…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk0Ax6Mlw4w

-History of Hinduism / the Bible

https://study.com/learn/lesson/hinduism-major-beliefs-origin-history.html

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-asia/beginners-guide-asian-culture/hindu-art-culture/a/roots-of-hinduism

https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/13852/Indus-River.htm

-Personal stories from people I met on how they came to Christianity (crazy miracle stuff)

-God is Not a Theory podcast // Yoga Pt1 & 2

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7uqg0KhDAkKIfBfs8AfKuT?si=t4WkhwsWQW2NybpRIl55_A

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3k6HXPdnoqURrXWW0DKgi6?si=rphAGCpRSQy0McpmItL4Vw

-The Great Controversy book

Enabled me to understand the origins of the Christian faith & where corruption & deceit slipped into scriptures & churches since the beginning of time. Reading this in conjunction with the Bible thoroughly helped gaining context / understanding scripture.

Ellen G White is a seventh day adventist, which means their view on the day of the Sabbath is different, but all the core principles of Christianity are there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Controversy_(book)

https://greatcontroversyproject.org/

-Doreen Virtue // interview & Instagram

If you’re into the New Age- angel cards, divination, manifesting your reality, then Doreen was the QUEEN of it. But after reading the Old Testament she turned to Jesus.

Her past beliefs of different religions resonated with me a lot, so it was cool to be able to connect with someone of such background & influence in the new age that has turned solely to Christianity.

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/march/doreen-virtue-left-new-age-behind-old-testament.html

Her Instagram shows why she rebukes everything she once taught & helped me gain more of insight into the roots of yoga & meditation & why you don’t want to be doing it… as much as it’s helped me in the past.

https://www.instagram.com/doreenvirtue/?hl=en

In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4,5. The words of the serpent spoken to Eve in the Garden of Eden. Little by little Satan has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism.

God’s holy word, which has been handed down to us at such a cost of suffering and blood, is but little valued. The Bible is within the reach of all, but there are few who really accept it as the guide of life. Thousands who pride themselves upon their wisdom and independence regard it as a weakness to place implicit confidence in the Bible. It is as easy to make an idol of false doctrines and theories as to fashion an idol of wood or stone. By misrepresenting the attributes of God, Satan leads men to conceive of Him in a false character.

While scoffing at the credulity of those who obey the requirements of God, the multitudes eagerly accept the delusions of Satan.

With many, a philosophical idol is worshipped, while the living God, as He is revealed in His word, in Christ, and in the works of creation, is worshipped by few.

Thousands deify nature while they deny the nature of God.

Many will be ensnared through the belief that spiritualism is a merely human imposture; when bought face to face with manifestations which they cannot but regard as supernatural, they will be deceived, and will be led to accept them as the great power of God.

The theory which forms the very foundation of spiritualism, is at war with the plainest statements of Scripture.

“He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking him to anger.” 2 Kings 21:6

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” 1 Timothy 4:11

“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” 1 Corinthians 10:21

Our purpose is to glorify God, we are commanded to not worship other gods or have idols. Yet yoga is all about making our body into the image of other gods. For example, the Warrior 1,2 & 3 poses in the Sun Salutation Series, are literally re-enacting the pose of the Hindu Warrior god Virabhadra as he murders the son of Brahma. The Sanskrit name for warrior pose is Virabhadrasana- Asana meaning ‘pose’, so Virabhadrasana means ‘posing as Virabhadra’- who is an incarnation of Shiva, the god of destruction…

It doesn’t matter if you’re a full yogi guru or just practice yoga recreationally, you are worshipping another god. Unlike exercise, which is for the self, “yoga is for observing spirits who are “attracted to the offering.” In Sun Salutations, forward bending movements are overt, physical acts of veneration, adoration and submission. Among these are bowing the torso, genuflecting the hips and knees, and prostrating the entire body. Similarly, backward bending movements are overt acts of receiving and surrender, exposing the vulnerable parts of the body- the heart and belly. Raising the hands overhead expresses need, desire, and trust, much like a child begging daddy for an airlift or a victim signaling for aid. Folding the hands in prayer expresses petition or thanksgiving. Collectively, these movements are a full-body sign language to the spirit realm, beckoning or inviting spirits to respond and engage in the practitioner’s life.

Whether or not a practitioner “knows or agrees” with the meanings, “practice constitutes consent” in the sense that “doing is the act of agreeing”. Yoga is not just a human invention but co-authored, a collaborative work between mankind and the spirit realm.

I was hesitant whether to deep dive into the origins of these practices in this article, as they are a major part of my friends lives and livelihood. I don’t want to turn people away by jumping into topics that directly oppose too quickly. But at the same time, this may be profound knowledge for people who are unaware and are keen to look more into it. Things take time. Mate, it took me nearly two years. But in honest truth, time is of the essence, so I will bring it up.

A battle between the religion of the Bible and the religion of fable & tradition will continue in an impending conflict.

To the self-indulgent, the pleasure-loving, the sensual, spiritualism presents itself under a less subtle disguise than to the more refined & intellectual.

Spiritualism has made its way into scientific circles, invaded churches, found favor in legislative bodies & even in the courts of Kings- this mammoth deception is but a revival, in a new disguise, of the witchcraft condemned & prohibited of old.

In certain ‘higher consciousness’ workshops I’ve done in the past, facilitators told us the story of the witches & how they were burnt at the stake, & that we were to reclaim our rightful power that has been taken away from us… creepy I know.

Satan is making the world believe that the Bible is mere fiction, or at least a book suited to the infancy of the race, to be lightly regarded, or cast aside as obsolete. And to take the place of the word of God he holds out spiritual manifestations. Satan can present a counterfeit so closely resembling the truth that it deceives those who are willing to be deceived.

“The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel and the glory of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

There are few who have any just conception of the deceptive power of spiritualism & the danger of coming under its influence. Many tamper with it merely to gratify their curiosity. They have no real faith in it & would be filled with horror at the thought of yielding themselves to the spirits control. Others just know that there is more than meets the eye in this world, that there is a higher power, and are just trying to search for truth. It is impossible, in their own strength, to break away from the bewitching, alluring spell of spiritualism. Nothing but the power of God, granted in answer to the earnest prayer of faith, can deliver these ensnared souls.

So why is spiritualism so wrong in God’s eye?

Any New Age practice such as yoga, meditation, Ouija board, angel card readings, tarots, getting in contact with spirits, astral projection, even visualization & manifestation… is all strictly against scripture and the 1st and 2nd commandments. We may think that we are in contact with angels of light, our inner self, or the greater universe, but we are in fact giving our power over to demonic entities that disguise themselves as light bearers…

“He deceived the whole world. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Revelation 12:9 , 2 Corinthians 11:14

All who indulge sinful traits of character, or willfully cherish a known sin, are inviting the temptations of Satan. They separate themselves from God & from the watchcare of His angels; as the evil one presents his deceptions, they are without defence & fall an easy prey. Those who thus place themselves in his power little realise where their course will end. Having achieved their overthrow, the tempter will employ them as his agents to lure others to ruin.

The vilest of criminals, when thrown into prison for their offenses, are often made the recipients of gifts and attentions as if they had attained an enviable distinction. Great publicity is given to their character and crimes. Just switch on the 7 o’clock news. The practice of fraud, robbery & murder, the infatuation of vice, the wanton taking life, the terrible increase of intemperance and iniquity of every order and degree, should arouse all who fear God, to inquire what can be done to stay the tide of evil.

Except those who are kept by the power of God, through faith in His word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. People are fast being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God.

It is Satan’s constant effort to misrepresent the character of God, the nature of sin, & the real issues at stake in the great controversy. Papists place crosses upon their churches, upon their altars, and upon their garments. Everywhere is seen the insignia of the cross. Everywhere it is outwardly honoured & exalted. But the teachings of Christ are buried beneath a mass of senseless traditions, false interpretations & rigorous exactions. By perverted conceptions of the divine attributes, heathen nations were led to believe human sacrifices were necessary to secure the favor of the Deity; and horrible cruelties have been perpetrated under the various forms of idolatry. When the standard of righteousness is set aside, the way is open for the prince of evil to establish his power in the earth.

“You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them.” Exodus 20:3-5

“Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.” 2 Kings 22:17

“…those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the constellations, to all the starry hosts…” 2 Kings 23:5

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Theology of PSALMS

(Chapter in the Bible)

1.At the core of the theology of the Psalter is the conviction that the gravitational centre of life (of right human understanding, trust, hope, service, morality, adoration), but also of history and of the whole creation (heaven and earth), is God. He is the Great King over all. The One to whom all things are subject. Because He alone is the Sovereign God, people are governed by one hand and held in the service of one divine purpose. Under God creation is a cosmos- an orderly and systematic whole. What we distinguish as “nature”.

Through the creation the Great Kings majestic glory is displayed. He is good, (wise, righteous, faithful, amazingly benevolent and merciful- evoking trust), and he is great (his knowledge, thoughts and works are beyond human comprehension- evoking reverent awe). By his good and lordly rule he is shown to be the Holy One.

2.As the Great King by right of creation & enduring absolute sovereignty, he ultimately will not tolerate any worldy power that opposes or denies or ignores him. Because the lord is the Great King beyond all challenge, his righteous and peaceable kingdom will come, overwhelming all opposition and purging the creation of all rebellion against his rule- such will be the ultimate outcome of history.

3.As the Great King on whom all creatures depend, he opposes the “proud”, those who rely on their own resources (and/or the gods they have contrived) to work out their own destiny. These are the ones who ruthlessly wield whatever power they possess to attain worldly wealth, status & security; who are a law to themselves and exploit others as they will.

When you read this you instantly think of big businesses & companies that have done exactly that; exploited the earth & others to reach the top. Is this not the underlying dogma of society? Succeed in all that you do, strive to be the best... ‘When there are no morals or codes of ethics that you are bound to, when people are led to believe that desire is the highest law, that liberty is license, and that man is accountable only to himself, who can wonder that corruption and depravity teem on every hand.’

‘‘The “humble”, the “poor & needy”, those who acknowledge their dependence on the Lord in all things-these are the ones in whom God delights. Hence the “fear of the Lord”- ie humble trust in the obedience to the lord is the “beginning” of all wisdom. Ultimately those who embrace it will inherit the earth.

Christ gives no example in His life for men and women to shut themselves in monasteries in order to become fitted for heaven. He has never taught that love and sympathy must be repressed. The Saviour’s heart overflowed with love. The nearer man approaches to moral perfection, the keener are his sensibilities, the more acute his is his perception of sin, and the deeper his sympathy for the afflicted.

God designed that mans intellectual powers should be held as a gift from his Maker and should be employed in the service of truth & righteousness; but when pride & ambition are cherished, and men exalt their own theories above the word of God, then intelligence can accomplish greater harm than ignorance. Thus the false science of the present day, which undermines faith in the Bible, will prove as successful in preparing the way for the acceptance of the papacy, with its pleasing forms, as did the withholding of knowledge in the time of aggradizement in the Dark Ages.

It should be remembered that the greater the light bestowed, the greater the darkness of those who pervert & reject it.

A concise & conscientious study of the Bible would show protestants the real character of the Papacy (the authority of the Pope- Catholicism) & would cause many to turn away in disgust; but many are so wise in their own conceit that they feel no need of humbly seeking God that they may be led into the truth. Although priding themselves on their enlightenment, they are ignorant both of the Scriptures and of the power of God.

All religions in the world make absolute truth claims regarding the way to salvation…

-Christians proclaim that salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

-Hindus claim that salvation (liberation) is achieved when a person transcends this world of illusion by building up enough positive karma (good works) to escape the cycle of reincarnation.

-Muslims state that the possibility of salvation results from submitting one’s life to Allah and faithfully carrying out the Five Pillars of Islam.

-Buddhists say that salvation (Nirvana) is the result of detaching one’s self from the desires of the physical, material world.

Each of the world’s religions claims to promote the true path to salvation, but each of these religions provides a distinct and contrary path from all of the others. A common thing to do nowadays is to take a little from each, to pick and choose what you like from each religion and use that as your general guide and moral compass. A little bit of meditation, “I do yoga every now and then”, “I’d like to think I’m a good human being.”

Test yourself against the Ten Commandments and then ask yourself that question again.

The truth of it is that it is so much easier to just pick and choose and ‘feel out’ what we want to do in the moment, to have an earthly, sensual, ‘in the flesh’ view on life. To sleep with anyone we want whenever we fancy, to lie and steal and desire what we don’t have. This is the society we are brought up in and encouraged to partake in, this is the current world we live in. This world is ruled by Lucifer- Satan.

Bible prophecy and scripture show us that yes, we are living in a time of great hardship and evil, it’s not hard to see or discern for yourselves, just turn on the TV. But the good news is folks that in turning to Jesus, you can find hope, and complete trust and faith in what’s to come, just by believing Jesus is lord and admitting that hey, yes I have sinned… Admit, believe, and call upon His name, that’s all.

We live in some extremely exciting times if you’re a Christian, and some exceedingly frightening times if you have not yet let God into your heart.

I hope this article can help you on your journey in seeking out the truth.

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References //

-The Bible

(A 6000 year old text containing 66 books from different authors across different time periods formed into one- The Holy Bible- which includes the New Testament & the Old Testament).

-The Great Controversy, Ellen G White

-Debating Yoga and Mindfulness in Public Schools. Reforming Secular Education or Re-establishing Religion, Candy Gunther Brown P.H.D

-The Evidence Bible, commentary by Ray Comfort

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My friend, I stand in judgement now, and feel that you’re to blame somehow

On earth I walked with you by day, and never did you show the way

You knew the Saviour in truth & glory, but never did you tell the story

My knowledge then was very dim, you could have led me safe to Him

Though we lived together, here on earth, you never told me of the second birth

And now I stand before eternal hell, because of heavens glory you did not tell!

-Anonymous

Why I Left My Dream Home to Live in the Bush

It’s been a while in between the last article… over a year actually.

In that time I’ve found myself struggling with the demand of the creative process, even though the jobs I choose to take onboard and the brands that I work with are super soul-aligning; there was a creative struggle to ‘produce’. Partly from limiting beliefs & self-doubt of my work, & an innate yearning to slow down, to simplify. We can get caught up in the hustle & grind of trying to make a living, and when you’re a creative- whether that be a musician, artist, photographer, writer, etc- the demand to create something authentic and from your soul becomes obsolete when you know you have to make the rent that week.

Covid-19 and being restricted to Western Australia (where you’d previously only find me here a few weeks of the year) has taught me so much about my creative process, why I shoot & do what I do, and how to integrate my authentic self into my work.

I first fell in love with photography in Nepal & shooting friends in the surf on a lil Canon G1X.

I realised that I could combine this passion to travel, surf & meet new people. This is what it has always been about for me. Tick those three boxes and I’m a very happy gal.

So when it came down to staying put for a while, it’s no wonder I eventually struggled with the reality of a ‘normal life’- stationary. This is coming from a very privileged reality- WA has had so much freedom over the years with this global pandemic, and I feel super grateful to be where I am, knowing that others over east & around the world are going through some immensely tough physical & emotional trauma.

Vision boards. Have you ever made one?

Quantum physics shows that our thoughts are ultimately our reality- so what think, what we feed our mind, has a direct correlation with our external environment & how our life unfolds. Listen to Zeitgeist by Babe Rainbow- those boys know what’s up in a beautifully weird, trippy way. By visually laying out in front of you a mood board- inspiration for your dream home, career, relationship etc, it automatically fast-tracks you to manifesting anything you bloody want really. It just takes a bit of time & a whole lot of self-work!

Over the past year I’ve constantly been adding to my Pinterest vision boards…

A great platform to get started on & inspired by. Within 6 months I had moved into my dream house & had a creative studio 30 seconds down the road. I was so blown away by the accuracy & minute detail of the images in my vision board that featured in my new house. Literally down to the same two Canadian style pines outside the full-length window wall. I was living in a wooden cabin loft in the heart of Freo- how is that even possible haha? When you dream something up you bring it into consciousness, and if your vision or dream is strong enough it materializes. Don’t worry about how it might happen or how to reach that point, there are infinite possibilities in the quantum realm- this is a science after all. The universe just finds a way to make it all happen, so go with it & be open to new opportunities.

So I spent 5 months in this little sanctuary. Riding down to the studio to organize shoots, package NU GEN books, set up the old school camera & surf books collection, get inspired from other creatives & just have a space where I could THINK. It’s amazing when you have a dedicated space to create how many ideas start flowing through your mind. Most of those ideas I didn’t pursue to the end but hey we’re only human. SO, I literally had the dream setup. Living in Freo, in my dream home & with an epic creative space just down the road.

But guess what… I found myself still dreaming & vision-boarding half-way through.

Are we ever content? Can we ever just sit still & appreciate what we’ve got? This was a big realization for me. Gypsy at heart, I’ve always been on the move, so it was a challenge to commit to staying in one place for a while, even though the previous year helped me so much in being content in stillness- I don’t like being stationary (half the time I was away assisting on outdoor ed camps & road tripping to Broome anyway haha).

As much as I had the dream life setup, I was yearning for something more. Simplicity. To narrow my visual field to only the most beautiful aesthetics; glistening water, the silhouette of a surfer jumping off of the rocks to a beautiful left hand point break, sunlight shining through the trees, through the forest, wholesome home-cooked meals on a rock, & good friends. Simplicity. A life outdoors basically. Trick is you’ve got to make all these things happen, step outside & put your vision into action.

It wasn’t until after an outdoor ed camp down in Margaret River where a week after was spent surfing nine hours a day, cooking up meals on the fire with a beautiful crew, waking up to the surf, making breakfast out the back of the van & then naturally falling into a carpark jam, was when I was like FUCK it. I’m moving. Hahahahahaha.

Call me crazy? I think we all deeply yearn to drop everything and just retreat into natures arms. I’m grateful that I’m in a situation where I can do that, where I’m not bound by a 9-5 job or stuck in the mindset of pursuing societies version of success.

The day I got back I told my housemates I was moving out, they weren’t too surprised, and honestly a bit stoked to have some stability come back through the house haha. Within 2 weeks I had sold a large majority of all my belongings, found someone to move into my room, transformed the van to fit only the essentials and was ready to go live in the bush ha. A property had fallen into a friend & mines lap a few weeks earlier, so everything kind of worked out perfectly. When everything flows & you’re not trying to push up against a wall, you know you’re on the right path.

And so here we are. Living it up in the south west. Content in the dirt. Still freelancing. Surfing. Meeting new people every day. Life is good baby. Never be scared to re-shape your dreams & who you think you are- or who you have to be. As Morning of the Earth filmmaker Albe Falzon stated in NU GEN… “When you follow your heart, the world opens - everything you could possibly have wished for emerges with the least amount of effort. Almost like there’s an almighty eye in the sky watching over you, and a hand guiding you…”

Conversations with Jack Medland // RHYTHM

It’s a different world down here in the small coastal town of Yallingup, Western Australia. A far cry from the dormancy of a city in lockdown, where fear and the screeching sound of the seven o’clock news controls the general population. Down here Mother nature rules, she is our master. When you’re surrounded by a million stars and wake to the sound of birds chirping and offshore winds with beautiful glassy swells, you begin to forget that we’re still emerging from a global pandemic. It comes as no surprise that this is where surfer, shaper & Rhythm ambassador Jack Medland chooses to reside…

Jack since you were a young grommy you've been intrigued by surfing culture & the art of shaping. Can you tell us about your relationship with Ross at Soul Board store and how this all started?

I first started working with Ross when he agreed to show us how to fix dings in return for sweeping the floors at about age 13. I was blown away by the collection of old mals and various memorabilia he had buried in amongst his shop. I was quickly hooked especially after he made me this beautiful 9’1 hybrid log one morning when I turned up for my Saturday morning shift. Ross and the staff there became my ultimate role models and that is how I became so indulged in surf culture and the art of shaping.

The first board you ever shaped...

A green and yellow thruster reshaped out of an old kite-surf board we found at the tip. Stripped the glass off and remodelled it.

Why have you decided to base yourself in the small coastal town of Yallingup?

A beautiful coastline with epic waves, great wine and good people.

Jack your surfing style is timeless, elegant & somewhat classy. Who are your biggest influencers? Whether that be jazz musicians or wild west cowboys...

My biggest influencers in terms of surfing would be the old boys here in Yallingup. They lived and surfed throughout the greatest period of evolution in surfing. I love sitting up on the hill listening to them burn off stories of the good ol’ days.

It's inspiring to see more West Aussies express the multi-dimensional talent that we have oozing from these shorelines. How would you describe the surfing scene from West to East?

There is so much talent here in WA. That’s one thing I love about it. From big wave chargers to wipper-snapping groms or the next generation of loggers.

Its such a diverse range of surfers and whether or not they are pro or it’s a hobby, it doesn’t seem to matter to the community because everyone’s just out there having fun.

You started Moonshine Surfboards in 2019... tell us the story behind that name.

Still fresh but a long time pal Pete Dwyer and I came up with the name to represent the fact that we are out here makin’ boards in the wild west.

Where do you see your business heading in the next five years?

Trying to take each day as it comes but I would like to think of having my own workshop for cars, boards, music and memorabilia. The ultimate den.

Favourite album on vinyl?

The Legendary Jim Croce

INTERVIEW, PHOTOS & VIDEO for Rhythm