Stretch letters

Rest + Abandon + Delight

Issue 1: Stories September 2010

 C
EDITORS NOTE O
So what are the benefits of
stretching? Experts say
4 A Great Story N
that stretching benefits inspired by Donald Miller [http://marshill.org/]
T
your body by reducing
muscle tension, increasing
E
the range of movement in
your joints, enhancing 5 Who’s writing this story anyway?
N
muscular coordination, T
increasing circulation of By Cassie Garrett
the blood to various parts
of the body and increasing
energy levels (resulting
from increased
circulation).
6-10 Jesus teaches us how to join with
Him in writing our life story……….
I got to thinking that our
loving Father is always By Cassie Garrett
trying to get our attention
to invite us to rest in HIM
and take some time to
stretch. Father God really 11 Renee Iveson
wants us to have less
tension in our lives and to
depend on HIM for
everything.
Most of all, our Father
13 Grace is a Wide Open Space

wants us to dwell in Him, By Shea Ritchie

abandon all and delight in
HIM.

So here it is …
Stretch letters
17 – 21 The truth about:
Rest + Abandon + Delight. My Meaning

Enjoy! words by Sunday Waits - Emily Fedele

Cassie Garrett
 So what do all these letters
PUBLISHER/
mean?
EDITOR:
Cassie Garrett Here at Stretch letters we
are celebrating the words
CONTRIBUTERS: that God speaks into our
Renee Iveson lives!
Shea Ritchie Find a quiet place and make
Emily Fedele
sure you are comfortable.

FRONT COVER: Rest + Abandon + Delight

Ruby Brown
Photography

THANKS
A HUGE thank you to all my brothers and sistas
who have been generous and brave enough to
contribute to this debut issue of Stretch letters.
Your PASSION for CHRIST and your gift of
expression has blessed me so much and I know
will give God the glory for all
that HE is in our lives!
C3 Bowral - you guys inspire me every week! True
You can find Ruby Brown family – one enormous HEART and more FOOD
than anyone can eat.
Photography on Facebook Thankyou Jackie for encouraging me to serve God
or contact her at in this way.
rubybrownphotography I’d also like to thank Nate for being an amazing
@hotmail.com encouraging supportive husband who always
believes in me!
A Great Story
inspired by Donald Miller [http://marshill.org/]
A Great Story needs:
1. A lead character
2. An ambition
3. Conflict – hard times, without
hard times the story doesn’t
make sense. The story won’t be
engaging - interesting.
Hard times changes us… we all
want happiness but it doesn’t
transform us like hard times do.
4. Resolution.
Story is the way that we learn almost
everything in life. God is teaching
you more of who He is through
the story of your life.
‘The same principles that screen
writers and novelists use to tell
stories and make stories exciting
actually also work in real life.
For a story to be meaningful and for
a human life to be meaningful you
need the same things.'
(Donald Miller)
 Who’s writing this
story anyway? In Him we are courageous enough
By Cassie Garrett
It amazes me how gentle God’s hand is
to live lives full of compassion,
in our lives. He invites us to write the
stories of our lives with Him. The most
creativity, justice & joy.
exciting and engaging stories are
written when we allow God to lead us.
He is Creativity, He is Courage, He is
Compassion, He is Justice, He is Joy!

When we try to write our own stories

without God we often write stories that
are boring and safe. We tell ourselves
that we are choosing wise and safe
options in life and that those safe
choices will lead to happiness in the
future. But ultimately when we follow
safety and happiness, we are saying yes
to fear, distrust and doubts and saying
no to courageous adventures filled with
joy. His Joy!

Why are we so content with happiness

when joy is right there waiting for us?

I think we are afraid of joy - like we

don’t believe joy can last or that we
don’t deserve joy. So we try to avoid the
disappointment and settle for fleeting
moments of happiness.
But God has promised us a life of
abundance. God yearns to write a
beautiful story with our lives if we
would just ask Him to help us to believe
in Him and trust Him and except once
and for all that in Him we are
courageous enough to live lives full of
compassion, creativity, justice , joy and
full of God!
 Jesus teaches us how to join with Him in writing our life story……….

Write a story full of compassion and justice:

Luke 14:12-14

Then Jesus turned to the host, “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your
friends and family and rich neighbours, the kind of people who will return the favour.
Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks.
You’ll be – and experience – a blessing. They won’t be able to return the favour, but the
favour will be returned – oh, how it will be returned! – at the resurrection of God’s people.”
Write a story about God the Father by learning how to be His child:

Luke 18: 15-17

People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they
shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them
and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s
kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”
Write a story about abandoning everything to be with God:

Luke 18: 28-30

Peter tried to regain some initiative: “We left everything we owned and followed you, didn’t
we?”
“Yes,” said Jesus, “and you won’t regret it. No one who has sacrificed home, spouse,
brothers and sisters, parents, children – whatever – will lose out. It will all come back
multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!”
Write a story that glorifies God:

John 14: 12

The person who trusts in me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things,
because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing.
You can count on it. From now on, what ever you request along the lines of who I am and
what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son, I mean
it. Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do.
Write a story about God’s home:

John 14: 23

Jesus answered him, “Whoever loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him,
and my Father and I will come to him and make our home with him.”

Renee Iveson
I wake up every morning and
have to totally pinch myself to
make sure that my life isn’t a
dream! I feel so very blessed to be where
and who I am at this stage in my life.
My name is Renee and my life wasn’t always
this dreamy – at times it was actually the
complete opposite, a living nightmare
starring me, surrounded by friends and
family but at the same time feeling so very
detached and alone.
I grew up in an average family had loving
parents and lots of friends. So how did
everything go so very wrong?
I just didn’t seem to fit in and felt that
nobody understood, I’m sure that lots of
young people can empathise with how I felt
in my late teens and early twenties.
I left school and started a hairdressing
apprenticeship and really believed that I had
found my calling in life. I loved learning
about hair styling and colouring and found
that I enjoyed the challenge that working
with the clientele in the salon provided. But
the long hours (often in excess of 55hrs per
week), the low wages and the superficial
obsession with appearances that is
associated with this industry wore me down
and left me in the same boat that I had been
in years earlier in my late teens.
Late 2001, my husband and I were married.
We had been together for nearly 6 years at that
stage and a few months later we bought and
moved into our very first home. This was it! I
had really started to live - I had the husband
and the house, I wasn’t enjoying my job but I
could ease the pain and stress of my over
demanding job by partying away my troubles.
After a while the empty sad feelings returned
with a vengeance and I started to feel like life
was hopeless, my partying got out of hand and
soon became the focus of my life. When driving
past a church one day with my husband he
suggested that maybe we should go and check
out what it was all about. I nearly choked in
laughter and replied that would just make
matters worse. I didn’t need a group of old
people telling me how to live. I was in control
of my own life.
Through all this I stayed friends with a girl
who I had met through mutual friends at the
age of 17. She was a Christian and went to a
local church but never advertised the fact that
she believed in God or even liked church. I
came across my friend one day, having coffee
with one of the pastors of her church and
invited myself to join them, quite rude looking
back! They were talking about an upcoming
women’s conference at a large church in
Sydney that they were both going to. My friend
seemed quite uncomfortable when I asked
about the conference and said “you do know
it’s a Christian thing?” On the spur of the
moment I decided that I would go with them
to this Christian women’s conference. I
thought about it, a bunch of girls getting
together – I did the girl power thing, and the
Christian stuff I could handle, I was after all in
charge of my own life.
When we arrived at the conference the first night session was already in
full swing. I had never seen anything like it over 2000 women of all ages
all together and the music they were singing was awesome not at all what
I expected of a church event. I was blown away, my preconceived ideas of
what constituted church came smashing down and everyone was friendly
and took a genuine interest in me even the older ladies!
That night when we arrived back at the place we were staying I had loads
of questions which the pastor happily answered in a way that I could
understand and made sense to me. The next morning I was raring to go, I
had had a great time the night before and thought that hanging out with
all my new friends during the day’s session would be just as fun.
Looking back at this day I can say that this was the first day of the rest of
my life and I wouldn’t change a single thing that happened.
I was awe struck by how much I enjoyed the music that morning. The first
speaker was a lady from Canada, who was a pastor and hosted her own
TV show on sex, marriage and relationships. She spoke for about 20
minutes and her message was good but nothing she said really hit a chord
with me. She finished up and left the stage only to return less than 30
seconds later. She said that she just had to say this: that she had been
praying that morning and that God had revealed to her that there was a
woman in there that had the following thoughts about herself. She then
went on to list about 10 different things. It was like time stopped. I felt
like the only one in the auditorium and that we were having a private
conversation just the two of us. Each new point she listed was like a
hammer blow to my chest, she was listing my deepest secrets and fears in
precise detail. As she got to the last point tears were streaming down my
face, my heart felt like it was about to break out of my rib cage, she then
said: “God just wants you to know that He forgives you and that He loves you.”
Then she left the stage.
I can’t explain how I felt, I remember looking over to my friend and she
was crying for me as I had confided some of these things with her,
everyone else seemed unaffected and was standing to leave for morning
tea. I just sat there and kept crying and with each tear I felt release. Each
racking sob that left my body brought a lightness and a warmth that I will
never ever forget, it was in that moment that I knew beyond a shadow of a
doubt that God was real and that he was concerned for me.
In the next couple of hours I could barely speak I was so very
overwhelmed everything that had seemed so very important and crucial
to my identity had crumbled the minute I knew God. It was a lot for me
to wrap my head and heart around!
My friend bought me my first Bible and between her and the pastor they
explained who God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were and how by
acknowledging Jesus as my saviour I could be assured that I would go to
heaven when I died. I felt then and still can’t believe that no one told me
about Jesus before this, that it was some big secret that I had missed out
on!
I came home and told my husband what had happened, he couldn’t
believe the difference in me. I went away to this conference a sullen
troubled young women who needed to “escape” the reality of her day to
day life and returned hopeful, fully aware and looking forward to my
future.
I started to regularly attend the church that my friend went to and my
husband tagged along – just to make sure that these people weren’t
trying to brain wash his wife! Over time God worked on his heart too
and he also gave his life to Jesus.
When I read over this story I realise how far I have come in my life. I
shudder to think where my life was headed had I not acknowledged God.
What I have learnt is that God can move mountains in your life, He
longs to have a relationship with you and that He speaks to your heart.
In my case it was very hard not to hear Him! I know that no matter the
situation you are in or how big your secrets and fears are – God is bigger
and He can overcome all things for good.
My husband and I now have 3 beautiful children that are growing up
confident of their identity in God. I am so very blessed to be surrounded
by amazing and inspiring people every day of my life now. It’s my prayer
that you experience and connect with God in a real and tangible way too!
Grace is a Wide Open Space
By Shea Ritchie
Tell us where you worship.
I actually go to C3 Watson, I've been going there for almost 4 years. I started out attending just youth
there but found my church home. I now serve on the senior leadership of youth running the friday
night program and running a connect group for year 11 and 12 girls.
Your journey with God has blessed you in heaps of ways tell us some of your story….
Throughout my life I have been through seasons of tremendous joy and ease as well as seasons of
severe trial and frustration. I have been blessed in life by having people around me who can show me
how to live and through it all I have learnt to live under God’s absolute grace and unfailing trust.
Earlier this year I had a revelation of the grace of God, I finally understood what God wanted for me. I
had been a Christian for years without fully understanding one of the fundamentals of my faith.
It says in Romans that he has called us to dwell in the wide open spaces of his grace, where he has
always wanted us to be. This is where I live. I live in the wide open spaces of Grace, not striving to be
perfect out of fear of punishment, no longer being defined by sin that I am refusing to give to God,
refusing to accept forgiveness. I live under grace and know the freedom that I have been freely given.
Like the woman in John who was caught in adultery. She knew that when he was brought into temple
that she was going there to die. When the group told Jesus of what she had done they were expecting
him to give her a death sentence instead he dropped to his knees and started drawing in the dirt. When
the shocked group told him again he stood up and asked everyone but the woman to leave. It was just
her and Jesus now and he asked her to look up at her surroundings. What she saw was her and Jesus
standing in a wide open space free of ridicule and judgment but full of grace and freedom!
I love that while the world may judge us, even more harshly when they now that we are Christian, and
they point at us and say "God, look what they have done!" God sends them away and brings us into
grace.
What characters/people has God written into the story of your life and what have they taught you about God?
This grace has been demonstrated to me through the life of my younger brother. No matter what i do,
even if it is the biggest mistake, there is no judgment in fact there is the opposite. I know that i can go
to him and receive nothing but love and guidance.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11, "Imitate me as i imitate Christ" and my brother is one to imitate. He has
taught me not only grace but about the Christian life. He has shown me that its not about living from
moment to moment or hype to hype but about a lifestyle and longevity. He lives his life with an attitude
of acceptance, never quick to judge but rather being more like Jesus every single day. He is one of my
hero's and I know he will go far beyond the place where he thinks he can go.
Hebrews 5:9
And having been perfected.
he became the author of
eternal salvation to all who
obey HIM.
1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author
of confusion
but of peace.
 The truth about:
My Meaning
words by Sunday Waits Emily Fedele

Chorus:
Where did I go wrong? Why did I
loose my concentration?
Something happened along the
way…
Bridge:
And I told you all I’m just,
Would hide away and retry my
meaning,
Oh, but, if I didn’t spend the time
believing all the lies
I would let you, let you,
Bring colour to this dull day,
Lift the clouds and the weight
And breathe again.
I’d live this life complete in all that I
do….
Knowing you.

Song: My meaning
Written by: Emily Fedele and
Sunday Waits

Check out Sunday Waits

on Face book & My Space.
 If I could write a letter to my past self, it would begin with: Don’t
believe the lies. I guess it would read the same for the present me also…

It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.
Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had
his eye on us, had designs on us for a glorious living, part of the
overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
Eph 1:11-12 (The Message Bible)

I’ve always had a dream to sing ever since I was small and hopeful.
Every night after dinner I would stand next to my dad by the piano and sing
melodies. He would teach me the Beatles, Jesus Christ Superstar, James
Taylor and Van Morrison. Whenever I hear any of those songs now, I lift a
little. There was hope at that time and it’s embedded in those songs.
At 14 years old, I had no problem believing I would sing and be successful for
the rest of my life. People would know me and like me.
Where did I go wrong? Why did I loose my concentration?

Journal entry 2007 (21 yrs)

“There is no joy, just a sinking feeling. Days are passing and I don’t feel called
or apart of anything amazing. I’m living average and I’ve only got one life-
what a waste.”

At this point in my life, I was deep into believing the lie…

That there was no way I could achieve my dream, that I wasn’t good enough to
any way. I didn’t even want to try, because I knew I would fail. There was so
much pressure and I couldn’t see beyond it. How did I get like this? Where did
the sparkly, eyed girl, full of wonder go?

As I was growing up and becoming an independent person I strayed

from God. People and things were calling me to all different directions and I
started to listen.

With anything God gives you like money and music, it can get lost in
its purpose and be used for selfish reasons and not for His glory. The pull of
people’s approval and material success became attractive to me, and
ultimately my focus.

The whole experience was so strange, it seemed like one day I woke
up and realised I hadn’t been living in God’s will for years. But in retrospect I
look back on that time and see the slow, chip away of my faith and belief
system.
 Jesus often spoke about seeds being planted and in finality, producing
fruit. I left my heart open to all kinds of seeds that weren’t from God and my
produce was lies, fear, low self-esteem and no sense of purpose.

Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them.

Matt 7:20

Oh, but, if I didn’t spend the time believing all the lies…

Journal entry 2007 (6months later)

“But if I just stop…
Back away from the fuss and noise; from the order and melody; from the right
words and enthusiastic prayers… How do I feel? What’s my sense of it all?
God makes my fingers tingle each time I think of him. No matter what
circumstance insists that thought: Guilt, regret, pity, thankfulness, uncertainty, or
even depression. God constantly reminds me, that despite what I am feeling or
experiencing he is constantly with me- loyal and devoted…”

I sometimes feel so inappropriate in my connection with the Lord; my

mind wanders and my words flitter about in prayer. But on golden days my heart
breaks free and fully seeks Christ. That’s when his light is brightened in my
thinking- with darkness gone, mysteries are revealed. I now have clarity in a small
corner of my life.

“Lord when I allow it; you make me feel complete in moments…”

I would let you, let you

When I rediscovered God, I remember being so thankful. I looked back on

the past with insight and clarity; I saw the deception and understood it for what it
was. But when I was in those moments I couldn’t see past selfish desires and
couldn’t see that my path differed from what I always knew to be right and true.

I used to say, “yeah I’m a Christian, but I’m not very good at it.”

I try not to be too hard on myself, but that’s amongst the most stupid
things I’ve ever heard. Christians are Christ followers and it’s not about what they
do, it’s about whom they serve. By following Christ they are automatically
transformed day by day to be more like him. It’s not about “not being good at it”,
it’s just about the choice to give your whole being to the Lord- he will sort out the
rest. I picture myself with the veil over my eyes when I spoke those words. The
truth is I kept myself for myself and I wasn’t following the one, true creator who
can meet my every need, transform my heart, heal me and help me achieve the
dreams he had planted in me. You cannot half follow the Lord. It’s all or nothing. I
know this to be true now.
 This was my prayer of thankfulness to the Lord when he lifted the veil:

“Lord Jesus it’s been so long and so much has happened, but I am back with you
again despite the years of absence. Thank you Father that you did not let me stray
too far and that you never let me go. Thank you that I know I always had your
spirit in me because it spoke to me, always wooing me back…”

As a prisoner for the Lord, then I urge you to live a life worthy of the
calling you have received.
Eph 4:1

Bring colour to this dull day

Lift the clouds and the weight
And breathe again.

Journal entry 2009 (23 yrs)

“There is music in me. It bubbles underneath my skin and rises in my chest- it’s
ready to surface. It may spill forth with over eagerness and produce over trying
sounds and vowels, but I will take control of this surge. I will ponder, I will
research, I will assay. Then it will be beautiful TRUTH, even if it’s simply 1 song. “

At this point I had found my purpose again. I wanted to write and sing
for the Lord. I did not have a piano or any sort of equipment to record my songs.
But I prayed to my provider and he came through.

I truly believe that if you are fulfilling the God given destiny assigned to you, God
will make a way.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.
Prov 16:3

I’d live this life complete in all that I do….

Knowing you.
What has become of the little girl with big dreams?
She’s grown up and is living them out!

I am currently in an originals Band called “Sunday Waits”,

which I write songs and sing for. Last year we recorded our debut EP and
my song “As I Did” made it into the top 5 finalist songs at the MUSICOZ
awards. We have played all over Australia with amazing artists such as
Brooke Fraser, Katie Noonan and Ben Lee. We are so busy with shows
and song writing and God is truly blessing us.

We commit our songs and gifts to him and we do it all to

make him famous and to reach people where they are at in relatable way.
This is my purpose! This is my truth!

Sometimes I catch myself still believing the lies, but I

constantly pray for truth. I have to reaffirm his word in my life and
discard the lies. I have a reflex action when these thoughts seep in now
and it’s prayer. It’s my greatest defence and I will use it to my last breath.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer

and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Phil 4:6

This is my letter to myself and to you:

Love God and let him consume your every particle. Turn off the TV, it will
reel you in. Write inspiring music to change the world (or whatever you do
best). Never complain for it wastes every second God gives to us. Be good
friends to friends and a friend to everyone. Be honest, especially to your
family. Be brave and breathe. Tell everyone about Jesus and become his
loyal friend.
 A Prayer from a servants HEART
O Lord of all, Master of all creation, I pray your Potters hands around my children, my
darling lumps of clay. They are clay of my clay and we are spirited in your Spirit,
made by you in your image. Mould us to remain in you God, that no matter what, we
stay in you, because you are true fulfillment. If people choose to not like us, let it be for
you my King! People either like us or they don’t. We stand for you my King of Grace.

Wisdom my sister, I’m seeking you out. Lead me along your pathways. Fill my heart
mind and mouth with your words. Lord, as you command the sun to rise and dawn to
go to work. You pick up darkness like a blanket and shake out wickedness like
cockroaches. So too shake out in me all wickedness and selfishness, blindness
and ignorance, hatefulness and rebellion, pride, lies, vanity, depression, loneliness,
idolatry, lust – all of it Lord. I want to love people, even the unlovable. I want to be You to
all I meet. Talk you and let my hands be you, my mouth, and my feet. Lead me there
Lord Almighty!

Let me love people Lord – not see them as a threat – let me love them. If they are ridiculing
or making fun of me because they are better off financially, in education, or for any
other reason, let me see into their need O Wisdom my sister. Ride my back dear one.
Whisper your longings into my ear and let us
seek them out together.
O if I am to be used let it be by you, to do your blessed work. Whatever – Whoever –
Wherever. Master equip me, lead me, make me, Master me, so the world sees you in me. I
nail me to the cross and take up your Spirit! Direct my steps in the way I should go
Lord. Master God! I don’t need a trophy of a Ba or a degree in the wisdom institutes of
this world. I want to invest my time into the Wisdom of your Kingdom. I only want
lasting treasure.... the joy of winning, disciplining and investing in the lives of others.
Thank you Father in Jesus precious name Amen.
stretchletters@gmail.com
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