Hi everyone.
For those that don’t know me Im Daniel, Im a navy seal and in my free time I volunteer at that St Vince’s Child Hospital and volunteer at the dog shelter rehoming puppies.
For those that do know me shsshhh!
Id just like to thank you all for coming along tonight to support me on this special and important night.
I thank all the people that have driven a far distance to support me and thank you for making that extra effort to make it here.
Id like to thank Uncle Keith for all your words of godly wisdom and for your beautify made coffee for all the times we sat down and discussed many many things, I thank you for your patience and thank you for helping make my baptism a reality.
Your words of encouragement and your countless experiences that you have shared with me, it is truly appreciated.
Thank you for showing me how powerful your connection to the Holy Spirit truly is.
As a kid, on Christmas you were Santa Claus (Wearing just the Santa Beanie.. in a singlet, short shorts.. and some new Christmas thongs. You were the one who read the names on all the presents for us kids, depending on the weight and softness of the present. The present would be thrown at you violently.
Finally when my name was called the whole family would erupt, they cheered and clapped and laughed together.
Opening the presents was a blessing but the true blessing was having such a beautiful loving family to celebrate Christmas.
I guess we’re I’m leading with this is. I am so grateful and blessed to have such a loving, supportive and safe upbringing. So many people are far far less fortunate.
Growing up with you all of you was a childhood to remember and I love you all so much.
Somewhere along this journey, we became partially disconnected. Not pointing any fingers it was probably because of me.
I think it was when I turned 18 and I stopped coming to Church because I was out late partying on Saturday nights.
Sorry about that. Not long after I left, its safe to say things escalated pretty quickly, I was partying a lot!
After all it was my gap year, I then traveled to Thailand and then through parts of Europe.
I came back home and shortly after I arrived I then moved to the to a remote Town in the Northern Territory.
Next thing you know I was catching crocodiles by hand and trying not to get eaten by sharks and crocodiles while fishing.
Its a strange feeling walking through salt water crocodile and shark infested waters while waves hit up to your chest.. while carrying camping gear back to our boat. I did a quick prayer saying lord I’m not ready to go right now….
I guess where Im going with this is life got pretty wild very quickly and time flies.
And depending who you surround yourself with we can easily change our choices and our morals. So connecting back to this Community has been so helpful and important.
Its pretty crazy to think that growing up with a such a supportive family, a safe environment and a lovely church, I still managed to find ways too easily distant myself from God.
I have been rebellious, selfish, self centred, sinful and Ive done things I’m not proud of that I knew were wrong.
Despite all of this things happening in my life I continued to pray and talk to God.
I have not always honoured my parents,
I have been rebellious and deceitful, ———(Look at Mum)
I have tried to live my way again and again and I have continued to not fully prosper.
In my own way, I searched for peace, anything to feel okay and feel comfortable in my mind and soul.
IN which I did find ways, unfortunately the ways I found peace and comfort. I also found myself in extremely dangerous situations, heartbreaks, deep betrayals, stress, anxiety, depression!
Life hits us! Evil attacks us hard!, especially when we make ourselves so vulnerable.
I have struggled with mental health for sometime and unfortunately its taken me a long time to notice how sinful Ive been living.
In the past few years there have been a three major life changing events, extremely challenging times in which I almost didn’t survive.
I truly believe the only reason I’m still standing here today, is because of Jesus.
Many people just like me didn’t survive, including a friend of mine who will always be dearly missed.
Yet here I am, praise Jesus.
While I wanted to share some of the struggles in my story, I must take some of this time to also acknowledge at least some of the amazing things that I’ve accomplished and I wouldnt be the man I am today if it wasn’t for my family.
Im 28 years old and I’ve grateful to have been brought up to be such a kind, loving person.
Mum and Dad you have set the bar extremely high for your love, compassion, kindness to so many people, especially the less fortunate and for the people in need. Thank you for always having a safe place for me and and for showing up for me when I know you were exhausted.
Im grateful to have learnt some of these priceless, beautiful, rare traits from you two. I thank you for my upbringing.
My older Sister Rebecca who couldn’t make it today has also shown me how gifted we are as a family at showing people that they are loved and there is hope for their future. I thank you for leading us siblings and taking the expected hits and challenges that life has thrown at us, you and Joel took the first hits so I can be more prepared for what to expect and what to avoid in life.
To my older brother Joel, man, have we had some amazing times together, we’ve done some pretty mad, funtimes an and silly stufff together!
(Maybe don’t read this sentence)-and if I’m being honest id probably do them again haha.
We have faced challenges together, tough times and it’s been a gift to grow up with you. Thank you for always being there for me when I needed help. We have seen some dark times and I’m glad we have each others back always.
I know many of you have had the blessing to get to know me very well and you’ve seen and I believe a lot of you have seen those priceless traits such as empathy, compassion, kindness, love and humility, many of you have seen my heart and the way I can brighten up a room with my humour and stories or just my presence.
Ive always helped support my family where and when I’m able too,
Whether that’s supporting my family doing foster care or helping around the house.
Growing up with the hundreds of foster brothers and sisters that Ive been able to call family has been a blessing it has certainly had its challenges but what a gift it has been to grow up in such a unique way.
I have always done my best to be a mentor to the young people around me, specially young Lachlan my brother (The man himself) Who I’ve been teaching kick boxing, he’s a smart kid I no longer play chess with him because he has beaten me to many times.
We’ve had some great times and some great laughs and I look forward to more great times.
Tyson Im so glad to grow up with you. We will be brothers forever.
You will always be my family and I look forward to riding motor bikes in the near future, preferably a motor bike that isn’t posted on Facebook as stolen.
Ive done a lot of NDIS Support work, working with some of the most challenging people and kids who suffer significantly from their disabilities.
I can proudly say I have helped create safe environments for kids who have seen so much darkness, Ive been able to show people that there is love, kindness, compassion and fun in this world.
The precious childhood memories they’ll remember for years is a great feeling to have, to know I was able to make that happen is an absolute blessing.
It’s not easy helping those in need, It can be exhausting but together we can make change as my Dad has said many times “If everyone just did what they could, the world would be a better place.”
Another thing my Dad taught me as a young man is “When we camp somewhere, we leave the campsite better than we found it”
That one has been on my mind for years because when I thought about it deeply, I realised I don’t have just use that quote for camping. Yes, keep nature clean and healthy but I realised I can use that in every day life.
Whether it’s simply giving someone a compliment.
Making someone laugh or smile,
Listening to someones story.
Making sure someone is safe.
If I can walk into a room and leave that room better, safer, and cleaner than I found it, I think that’s pretty amazing.
I owe all of these blessing to Jesus. I thank you lord.
Because even tho Ive been deeply betrayed by people that I loved so deeply!, even tho I’ve been beaten and bashed!, been a victim of racism!, abused!, manipulated!, attacked by evil. Even tho I’ve experienced extremely painful and difficult times.
When I could have easily gave up, changed for the worst.
My heart hasn’t changed one bit!, my values are strong and I have only become wiser and Ive only become more compassionate and loving to others.
I believe that is a miracle in itself.
So tonight I stand here, as a repetitive sinner, a man who has fallen short from gods glory, over and over.
I acknowledge only through the power of Jesus have I overcome so many impossible situations, challenges and life threatening moments.
I thank you Jesus, for all your compassion and endless love.
I thank you for protecting me from evil forces that I could not face alone and for all the times I did feel worthy of your presence and for your love. Yet you were always there.
I thank you Jesus for your sacrifice you made on the cross.
So
This is where I take a stand to say I’m sick of the way I’ve been living,
I can’t do this alone.
I need you Jesus.
I open my heart to you lord, my heart is yours.
So tonight I declare that you Jesus, my saviour, my heavenly Father,
You are my king.
Praise be to you.