5 minutes with Kerrie ...
- Tell us a little about yourself
A country girl at heart... daughter of a dairy farmer and nurse in Berry... I was raised by them to love the beauty of God's world and the people he has placed in it.
In my early teens, while living in Kiama, I became a 'daughter of the King!' This decision shaped and formed me in ways that I could never have imagined. I would have to say I continue to be overwhelmed by God’s great love and care for me. He is a good, perfect father and I am loved by him!
A significant part of God's plan for me is being a wife to Graham, mother to three adult children who are all married and more recently, a grandmother. I love spending time with my family and friends and am thankful for good health that allows me to make the most of every moment of every day… even the difficult ones.
- What's your favourite bible passage & why?
Difficult to select only one... Thought I'd share one from the OT and NT.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your strength. These commandments that I give to you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:5-9
I love the completeness and order of this passage.
It shows us that our ‘inner life’ with God is first.
It is practical in its instructions about how we are to share our faith with our children - in all circumstances of life.
It directs us to sharing our faith with those who engage with us face to face – ‘tie on hands and foreheads’, and
Finally, to be identified as someone who loves God by those who may only observe us from a distance – ‘gates’.
The challenge that comes each time I read it… Is my love for God easily identified by all? “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:1-3
During my teens I read this passage at my Grandmothers funeral. This was really my first encounter with the death of a significant person in my life. It brought such comfort to me and continues to do so each time I read it. Death and suffering continue to be a regular part of my experience - including the death of my own mother recently in March. I’m thankful for the peace that this passage brings and the promise of being with Jesus. My mother shared this great hope and I am reminded that she enjoys ‘a room in her Father’s house’ whenever I turn to this passage.
- How do you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus? Disciplines of Word, Rest, Stillness, Thankfulness – including the daily input of FHE. I particularly enjoy scrapbook journaling while engaging with God through word and song. Below is a song that spoke into personal loss and grief and the resulting scrapbook journaling page:
- What would you like the next generation of Christian women to know? The following are truths that will never change –no matter what season of life you are in or what circumstances you face
Your identity is in Christ – Do not listen to the world
You are loved and cherished by your good and perfect father.
God is trustworthy and none of his promises fail.
God’s Spirit is at work in you and through you for His glory
- What's one? thing you love about your local church?
2016 has found us joining an ‘easy language service’ at Bankstown Anglican. It is a very small group with huge diversity. At times it is difficult and challenging but in the midst of this I love…
Sitting with people of all nations. It is a privilege and joy… a taste of heaven.
Being inspired by the believers in this group who seek to see their community won to Christ.
The servant hearted leadership of Grant and Laura. I’m humbled by their love and care for those they meet.
- What did you learn about God at a time in your life you found hard?
That when I come to the end of myself… that is the best place to be. It is then that I truly understand that I am nothing and He is everything.
I found the song ‘Just be held’ by Casting Crowns to be particularly helpful…
- What are you passionate about?
Teaching God’s Word… I have had so many opportunities to do this – particularly with children. The greatest joy has been in teaching my own children but God has also given me opportunities that include working in Christian schooling, SRE, Youthworks and with the Anglican Church of Sydney in a number of roles.
Caring for the broken and vulnerable… As a survivor of childhood abuse I recognise the importance of appropriate support, love and care for people as they journey through suffering. God’s heart is for the broken and as he has worked in my life he has enabled me to walk beside others. My life has been changed by all of these experiences and I have truly been challenged, stretched and blessed by each survivor I have met.
