EMBRACING LIFE'S SURPRISES
June 20-22, 2008

On every journey there are surprises. Some are good and readily embraced. Some are not so welcome and some we simply refuse to embrace. After all, why embrace what I don't like? Why embrace something that seems to want to work against my best interests or well being? As human beings, we crave familiarity. We long to be secure. When our hearts are unsettled, any unwanted surprise becomes an enemy that threatens our sense of stability. But life's surprises should be seen as part of growth and a crucial part of life. As frightening as the unknown can be, God wants us to embrace the unknown that lies one step beyond our ability to see and predict. The disciple's journey with Jesus was full of surprises. Imagine being asked to feed 5000 people; or being told to not be afraid in a violent lifethratening storm; or to forgive that abuser servant times seven. What we do with the negative surprises in life becomes either a point of growth and maturing, or it destroys us. We either run to Him or we run from Him. We either embrace what is happening so we can learn what God wants to teach us or show us, or we can stay where we are. This course will help you to recognise and embrace life's surprises as a tool for encountering God and all He has planned for you.

· Why we need to Embrace life’s surprises
· Working Through the Negative
· Dying to Live
· When Heaven Invades

EMBRACING THE FATHER'S GIFT OF HOLY SPIRIT
October 17-19, 2008

Imagine spending time and energy searching for that special gift for the person you so passionately love. You spare no expense and when the time comes, you place the gift in their hands. With breathless anticipation and joy you wait for their response. But it never happens. The gift is received but quickly ignored or pushed aside. And the heart of the Giver is grieved, not so much for the indifferent response perhaps, but for what might have been for the recipient.

For many of us our response to the Father's gift to us has been less than honouring and respectful to Him. We have not truly embraced His gift, the Holy Spirit. Some have treated the gift as a doctrine, others a theology. Some have been too afraid to interact with Him. To others He is just a resource in a time of need, used but not loved.

God never for a moment expected, nor wanted, us to Embrace the Journey apart from Him. He made every provision possible to ensure He was with us all the time by giving us His Spirit to indwell us. This course will challenge you to embrace this wonderful Gift in ways you may have never before experienced.

· Why did the Father give me this gift
· Awkward Moments with Holy Spirit
· Making Things Right with Holy Spirit
· In Step or Out of Step?
· Who is in Control?

EMBRACING LIFT IN THE WILDERNESS
October 31 - November 2 , 2008

I will allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope; there she will sing and will call Me 'My Husband,' and no longer call Me 'My Master'(Hosea 2: 14-16).

In scripture, the wilderness is portrayed as both brutal and beautiful. It is a place of deep brokenness and despair. It is also a place of profound transformation and encounter of the glory of God. Knowing how to embrace suffering and hardship is an invaluable tool of transformation. It allows you to be anchored in the truth of God's favour towards you, regardless of what the circumstances of life may be. It allows your soul to be firm in the manifestation of His love and faithfulness towards you, even when it seems like the promise has gone unfulfilled. It is in the fire of trial that intimacy and trust is forged. As human beings, we hate the arid seasons when prayer seems unanswered, God seems distant, and trouble seems to be everywhere. But it is in the desert that fruitfulness is born. It is through the door of trouble that hope, singing, and love spring to life. There is a treasure waiting in the wilderness if we could only learn to recognize it. Come and join with us as we explore the riches waiting to be discovered in those of wilderness times.

· How Did You End Up in the Desert?
· When You Find Yourself on the Potter’s Wheel
· Has God Forgotten Me?
· Leaving the Desert

EMBRACING MARRIAGE
November 14-16, 2008

Marriage is a unique gift given by God. From Genesis to Revelation, we see hints and pictures of God relating to His people as a husband relates to his wife. In Ephesians 5, Paul explains the mystery of sacrificial love between a man and a woman as a shadow of the desire and intention of God to live in fellowship with those He created. So often, the beauty of marriage and the intimate vulnerability that God intended is lost in busyness or familiarity. Instead of a journey of discovery and disclosure, transparency and embracing; we find that the journey hasn't led to the depth of intimacy that we crave. Come and join with us as we explore the purpose and pitfalls of marriage, and take the next step in embracing oneness.

EMBRACING THE KINGDOM
December 5-7 , 2008

We know that Jesus is King and Lord. But in order for a king to be a king, he must have a kingdom. Jesus taught that "The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:31)." There is a profound shift that takes place in our spirit when we perceive ourselves as participants in the kingdom of light rather than prisoners, or even ex-prisoners, of sin and shame. That shift not only impacts our personal lives, but it is a catalyst to release the kingdom of God. But what if I could live as a king, in a palace as though it could possibly be true? When we tap into living in the presenceof the King and His kingdom, we will begin to live on the earth the way that they are heaven. Divine power is unleashed in us and through us. The dynamics of heaven were meant to be an integral part of our daily lives. Yet, if we are honest, we have little understanding of the ways of kingdom, much less how to order our lives by those principles. What does it mean that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places, and that we are a nation of kings and priests before Him (Eph 2:6, Rev. 1:6)? As Christmas approaches, reminding us again of the coming of our King, come join us as we discover the ways of kingdom living and the power that kingdom will unleash, if we let it.

· From the Pasture to the Palace
· Developing a King’s Mindset
· Kingdom Principles
· Ruling Over Your Domain

Course fees are as follows:
$95 Registration, $60 Accommodation, $40 Meals
A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 deposit is required as a minimum payment for each course.