5 minutes with Katrina

Tell Us A Little About You

My name is Katrina (everyone calls me Kat) and I am a campus pastor at Faith Christian Church in Melbourne. I’m also privileged to sit on the board of Australian Christian Churches International. I’m married to Nawaf and we have two boys – Benjamin and Daniel. We also have a gorgeous Labradoodle named Charlie. I became a Christian at the age of 19 and it completely changed the trajectory of my life (I had planned on being a lawyer!)

Do You Have a Favourite Bible Passage?

As I study the word of God more, it has become harder and harder to choose just one favourite verse! Every year at the beginning of the year I ask God to give me a verse. My verse for 2021 is

1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him

God has been reminding me in this season of uncertainty that there is still more He wants to do on this earth. There is more for us to see and hear of his goodness, his love and his power. That encourages me so much.

How Do You Keep Your Eyes Fixed On Jesus?

Two practical spiritual disciplines help me to keep my focus on Jesus. I love to go for walks so I walk and pray at the same time. Getting out of the house and going for a walk while I pray helps me to keep my perspective on the Lord and what He wants from me (not the other way around!) The other discipline I find helpful is memorising scripture, something I really discovered in a new way when I had young babies and struggled with lack of sleep and trying to find time each day to read the bible. Choose a verse to meditate on and memorise for the week – it adds such a richness to your bible reading. As a side note, a great ‘hack’ for mums of young kids: keep your bible open and on the kitchen bench. Every time you go to the kitchen, take a moment to stop and read your memory verse for the week. It’s a great way to stay connected to go in that season.

What Would You Like the Next Generation of Christian Women to Know?

You are needed! Acts 2:17-18 reminds us that God’s spirit is poured out on both men and women and so we need more women to preach, pray and participate in building the kingdom of God. I also want the next generation to know that they shouldn’t feel afraid to ask for help. We need each other and I wished I had learnt to ask for help when I needed it a lot sooner in my journey.

What’s One Thing You Love about The Local Church?

The local church is like no other community you will find around the globe. I love that church draws people from all cultures and walks of life. We can be so different in our outlook on life, opinions, culture and even choice of music but at the end of the day what brings us together is our love of Christ.

What Did you Learn about God at a time in your life you found hard?

I learnt that God is always near, even when it doesn’t feel like it. Genesis 28:16 sums it up perfectly:

“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about Christians being a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. We can be a voice for good, for change and for justice.

I am also passionate about making disciples and helping Christians to know and understand the word of God. When you understand the word of God, it truly changes your life

What Do You enjoy doing when you rest?

I absolutely love to read and if I can combine that with drinking good coffee, then I’m in my happy place. I also really enjoy exercising – it brings out my competitive nature. Finally, nothing beats spending time with my family.