5 minutes with Jill ...

Tell us a little about you I'm a late 20s federal public servant, currently enjoying Sydney's inner west lifestyle. I love tea, Jane Austen and spending time with friends. What's your favourite bible passage & why? In countless hard times, I keep coming back to Isaiah 40:28-31. I think it's a beautiful picture of God's protection, strength and care that I can cling to in our weakest moments. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. How do you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus? I've been blessed by some rich Christian friendships who help ground me in Jesus. Through encouraging each other, praying for each other, and being open with each other through hard things and doubts - I am encouraged to keep running that race, one foot after another. Even from a young age, relationships have been important to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. I'm grateful to have to grow up in a Christian home, and the ongoing example and encouragement of my parents - to this day - has been a great blessing. What would you like the next generation of Christian women to know? When thinking about what work you want to do, there's no one "only right" way to go. Often women seem to have a tendency to pit different camps against each other - the career woman against the stay-at-home mum. And as Christians, there's an added layer, where we can be tempted to see those in vocational ministry as having followed a higher calling and everyone else as a bit second class. I was really struck by thinking through a theology of work. As Luther wrote - 'God milks the cows through the vocation of the milk maids'. So - whatever your circumstances are - at home with the kids, long hours studying, high powered exec job, faithful service in a not-so-flashy workplace, or stepping out into vocational ministry - 'work at it with your whole heart, as working for the Lord' (Col 3:23). What's one thing that you love about your church? I love the sense of community in my church. We're a pretty small congregation (within a larger parish) but we share life together, through the ups and downs. There is a genuine openness and care between us all. Plus - being small means we always have our eyes peeled and hearts open to welcome and include any visitors. What did you learn about God at a time in your life you found hard? Time and again, I've learnt that God is faithful and will never let you go. In the midst of difficult times, I like to think of the picture of God holding me in the palm of his hand and never letting go (Isaiah 49:16). What are you passionate about? I'm passionate about men and women having the opportunity to hear the voice of both women and men, in different contexts. (Bravo to Fixing Her Eyes for being one such platform!) More broadly, I'm concerned for women and men being seen as equal, in all sorts of areas that this plays out. I'm also committed to a number of justice causes. I believe it's really important to recognise the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to our nation's history, and also to mourn the injustices committed. Similarly, I want to celebrate the diversity that multiculturalism brings to our fabulous melting pot nation, and make sure we continue to be a country that welcomes the stranger. What do you enjoy doing when you rest? I love spending time with loved ones, often exploring a new cafe or cheap eats. I enjoy reading - mostly fiction but sometimes a bit of history non-fiction thrown in there. I speak French and enjoy watching French movies so my language doesn't get too rusty! When I'm feeling stressed, I bake - but don't have the patience for fancy decorations, I'm quite a functional cook. Have you ever made crack? Link: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5457546fe4b004a608864e88/t/598a59f8914e6b5b5960d4c1/1502239225613/ChattersCrack.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjO68ugvNjcAhXBxLwKHV07CgEQFjASegQIABAB&usg=AOvVaw1B5q00sZ00FnwJeg3Hs52X