5 minutes with Karin ...

- Tell us a little about you

I am married to Baden and we have been blessed with 3 beautiful children – Caleb (11), Huntley (9) and Abby (7). For the past 10 years, Baden and I have been serving God in full time Christian ministry in Anglican churches in Sydney. At the moment, though, I am teaching full time while Baden completes a PhD full time. Life is full!

- What's your favourite bible passage & why?

Can I choose 2?!

I love these verses from the book of Jeremiah17:7-8.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

I love this image of a tree planted by the water, with roots deep down. It reminds me to be a woman of God who is rooted deep in Christ – who knows Him through His word– and who can then have confidence and not fear, when ‘heat’ and worries come.

I also love these beautiful verses from 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”

These verses always remind me that the Gospel is a great treasure and that God, in His wisdom, has chosen us – weak jars of clay – to carry it around! Astounding! It comforts me that God does not expect me to be unbreakable – I figure that the weaker I am, the more glory goes to Him when I achieve anything!

- How do you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus?

There are a number of ways I try to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus because we can so easily become distracted can’t we? I try to make reading my Bible a priority because I know that God’s word is living and active and is the instrument he uses to mould and shape me, challenge and encourage me, and remind me of who I am and who He is! This isn’t always easy, as the busyness of life can so easily crowd in, and I am always reassessing the best time of the day/week to read and pray. I also aim to make church a priority each week as I love meeting with Christian brothers and sisters to hear the Bible taught and encourage others and be encouraged in my Christian walk. Isn’t it amazing that God has provided us with other Christians to encourage us to keep trusting Him? I’m also a bit of a women’s conference ‘junkie’ because I love taking time out of my everyday reality to hear God’s word taught, sing with 100’s of others and spend time fellowshipping with other Christian women. I’ve recently attended the KCC One Love conference in the city and loved it! I also LOVE listening to beautiful Christian music that points me to Jesus and all He has done for me. Here’s a link to a particular favourite.

- What would you like the next generation of Christian women to know?

So much! But mostly that, despite all the attractions and distractions of this world, the Gospel of Jesus is the one truth that makes complete sense of this world. Sometimes there are times in life when we can’t seem to see what God is doing or how He is working in our lives and the world. But it’s then we need to look back at the cross because it’s there that we can see with absolute clarity and certainty, that God loves us and is for us. I like to encourage myself and others to look up – to Jesus- and to look back – to the cross!

- What's one thing that you love about your local church?

Definitely my beautiful Christian sisters who are such an encouragement to me as we walk through this life trying to serve Jesus through the ups and downs.

- What did you learn about God at a time in your life you found hard?

There have been quite a few hard times in my life and I’ve really had to grapple with God’s promise in Romans 8 that in all things He is working for my good. I’ve often thought “how could THIS be good for me?” But I’ve come to realise that it was my definition of “good” that needed to change, and not that God wasn’t keeping His promise. Romans 8:28 is such a quoted verse but it cannot be read without the following verse. It says : “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Verse 29 tells me that God has predestined to conform me into the image of His Son – and that’s the ‘good’ He has in mind for me! Not necessarily happiness or comfort but rather that I would grow more and more into the image of Jesus. And that’s why I can say so confidently that He is working in all things for my good – because in all things (no matter how hard they are) He is making me more like Jesus.

- What are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about growing as a Christian woman and having integrity in what I say and do. I’m passionate about being a wife who loves my husband well. I’m passionate about raising my kids to know and love Jesus. I’m passionate about encouraging my Christian sisters in their walk with Jesus. I’m passionate about showing Jesus to those who don’t know Him. I’m passionate about teaching my class well. I’m passionate about my beautiful extended family and friends. And I’m passionate about reminding people that Jesus is not only our example of how to live, but our replacement because we will never live perfectly!!

- What do you enjoy doing when you rest?

Sleeping! But when I’m not doing that, I love hanging out with my family and close friends or playing the piano.