5 minutes with Bree ...
- Tell us a little about you
I’ve been a follower of Jesus for more than half my life, I’m a wife, a mother of 2 adorably cheeky boys and a Personal Assistant.
- What's your favourite bible passage & why?
That’s an easy one – it’s definitely Psalm 139 and the tattoo on my back proves it :) I’ve memorised this chapter and use it as a source of encouragement, or a personal reminder of God’s love and sovereignty no matter what I’m going through. The idea of being made in our Creator’s image, of him knowing us intimately and knitting us together in our mother’s wombs is so humbling. It’s not only a source of truth for me but one I can teach my boys to cling to too – that they are loved, they are valued, they are adored and they have the power of God in their lives to help them make a difference in this world.
- How do you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus?
I love worshipping – whether it’s at church or alone, I also use it to get me through some of life’s painful tasks like cleaning my house. I often put on worship music and sing and dance while I’m cleaning (I’m sure my neighbours love it). I also try to spend regular time in God’s word – deepening my relationship with Him.
- What would you like the next generation of Christian women to know?
That they are powerful and that they can make a difference if they lean into God. He is our source of strength and He can do miracles in us and through us to impact our families, our friends, our workplaces, our communities, our country and our world. Dream big girls!
- What's one thing that you love about your local church?
Our bible study group is a group of married couples, who meet together every week (the men one week, the women the next). I haven’t been in a women’s group since high school and God has brought our group together to encourage each other and support each other. It’s not a coincidence that every one of us has experience with anxiety/depression (either in our lives or in the lives of those around us). We are constantly praying for each other and supporting each other through life’s difficult phases and celebrating the joy life can bring too.
- What did you learn about God at a time in your life you found hard?
That he knows more than me. It sounds simple and probably something that shouldn’t have been a light bulb moment, but I used to spend my life questioning Him and wondering what He was doing in every situation that didn’t go easily. I’m learning to remember that He is sovereign, that He knows the plans He has for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He can see the whole picture when I can only see what I’m currently experiencing.
- What are you passionate about?
I have a heart for mission and we’ve been praying as a family what that looks like for us. We’re going down the track of building a house, so uprooting our family and moving to Africa isn’t ideal at the moment. For now I’m serving at our church with a group called M28 (based on the Great Commission in Matthew 28). I’m mentoring a year 12 student and will lead on a short term mission trip next year. I also love serving physically and I’ve just competed in my first triathlon and have been doing lots of DIY things at home to help me learn and prepare for whatever God has in store for me next.
- What do you enjoy doing when you rest?
I love being outside with my family – jumping on the trampoline, being lions and wildebeests with my 4 year old, running under the sprinkler, spending time with friends and watching telly with Scott after the boys are in bed and the house is finally quiet :)
