* Conversations with Christian Women * Hosts: Tori Walker and Taryn Hayes chat to women from Australia and around the world about faith, life and ministry. Ordinary women trusting an extraordinary God makes for inspirational stories and great wisdom shared about all aspects of life as a Christian woman.
Episodes
Friday Oct 30, 2020
Episode 56: Ann Austin
Friday Oct 30, 2020
Friday Oct 30, 2020
When Ann’s young husband died suddenly of a cardiac arrest, her world was understandably rocked. In today’s episode, Ann Austin talks to Taryn Hayes about what she means by a startling statement that she often makes when reflecting on that time. She talks also of her years as a missionary in Kenya and South Africa, as well as her current journey of caring for her husband, Tom, during a difficult cancer diagnosis and treatment.
EPISODE NOTES:
Ann Austin counts herself a homemaker, a Bible study leader, and a women’s mentor. But, she has also lived much of her life as a missionary in Kenya and South Africa for 25 years, along with her husband Tom. This included training others in chronological Bible storying workshops in Kenya and South Africa and leading oral inductive Bible studies for women prisoners in South Africa. Ann counts this experience as the most cross-cultural ministry experience of her 25 years on the mission field and one where she has never before felt so reliant on the Holy Spirit. Ann came to faith in Christ while in university through reading the book of Romans. She was struck by her sinfulness and need for a Saviour. Since then, the book of Romans has been a source of comfort and strength in many of her life situations. Ann is the mother of two adult daughters and grandmother to five littlies.
NOTE FROM SHOW HOST:
Many years ago, when I first met today’s guest, she said something that has stuck with me ever since. It was that the emergency room is no place to figure out one's theology. She said this when telling me about the traumatic event of losing her first husband to a sudden cardiac arrest at a very young age. In our chat today, Ann will tell us the story and what she meant when she said that. You will notice a few things in our chat today - one will be Ann’s beautiful Southern American accent. The other will be the not so beautiful audio glitches. As with many of our latest interviews, we have used Zoom and this time it was particularly glitchy. But, we’ve cleaned it up as best as possible and hopefully Ann’s stories and wisdom will be what you most remember of this delightful and encouraging conversation.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
A Sacred Sorrow - Michael Card
SHOW SNIPPETS:
“I’ve seen God heal and I’ve seen God not heal. I’ve seen it both ways. But it’s the same Lord. And His grace has been there.”
“I had nobody telling me that before God I needed to acknowledge my sin and bow before Him.”
“That’s really the one thing (the story of her husband’s death) that I’m always happy to do even though it’s very difficult.”
“He (her late husband) went to sleep and his heart stopped.”
“I remember thinking ‘Has God for a second taken His eyes away from us?’”
“I knew that God is sovereign and that He is in control.”
“He has an eternal perspective on goodness and I can only see the human side of it.”
“The emergency room is no place to figure out your theology.”
“If I would peg my Christian walk on my circumstances then I would have a rollercoaster of a life of faith.”
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Wednesday Oct 14, 2020
Episode 55: Chris O'Gorman
Wednesday Oct 14, 2020
Wednesday Oct 14, 2020
Chris O, as she is affectionately known by many, is someone who is passionate about her love for Jesus, and she is super enthusiastic about seeing young people move closer to trusting in Jesus. In this face-to-face conversation, host Tori Walker finds out how playing volleyball led Chris to ask those deep philosophical questions that ended with her trusting in Jesus for her salvation. Chris talks about the significant role that Scripture Union has played in her life, and her work as a school chaplain, both the formal aspects and the ‘creative loitering’ that she engages in.
EPISODE NOTES:
Chris O'Gorman grew up in Brisbane and trained as a Maths/Science teacher at the University of Queensland. After teaching for three years in the government system, she joined the staff of Scripture Union Queensland and worked as a Schools Ministry Worker, setting up and resourcing voluntary Christian groups in schools, running a vacation camping programme, and helping set up chaplaincy in government schools.
After 12 years at SU Queensland, Chris went back teaching Maths, Science and Christian Education at Brisbane Boys’ College. She was also on the pastoral care team at BBC as a Head of House and remained at BBC for 11 years. In 2007, Chris was appointed as Senior Chaplain at Somerville House, where she is kept busy teaching Christian Education, taking Chapel Services and assembly devotions, pastoral care, and developing the Christian life of the school, amongst other things.
Chris is passionate about helping people to connect more closely with Jesus Christ, and to understand God’s grace as expressed through Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Her life and ministry is driven by the motto “Know Jesus and make Him Known”.
Chris is a credentialed pastor in her denomination.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
SHOW SNIPPETS:
“I was nurtured very much by our Christian fellowship at school.”
“I want more of that. That’s a great thing to do. To talk about God and to talk about how the Christian faith is reasonable.”
“Keith Drinkle’s vision was that every young person in Queensland would hear the gospel, and it’s a vision that he’s passed on to me.”
“We can preach the gospel and teach the Bible and that’s really our focus.” (as a School Chaplain)
“Proclamation of the gospel is the heart of what we do.” (as a School Chaplain)
“My goal is to see people come closer to God, wherever they are on the spectrum.”
“I want to see kids come to know the Lord and grow in their faith and be replicating.”
“I’ve been using Scripture Union notes for a very long time, of course.”
“When you’re a single person, it does force you to rely on God more too - it’s not always an easy thing, but it is a good thing.”
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