Advice and Accountability...

Accountability is a good thing: to be people who are ready to get advice when we need it. Too often, because of emotions, tiredness and bias we tend not to see things clearly. Those who keep to themselves, and are not open to asking for help are liable to getting advice from all the wrong places!

One of these "wrong places" is fear. Never take advice from your fears!! In other words: do not go back on a decision you made at a time of courage and clarity when you are fearful and confused!

We do get scared, but our "territory" (1 Chr 4:10 - Bible) is increased when we move forward on previous, positive decisions in spite of our fears!

Christmas Message!!

Dear Family and Friends,

Almost 5 days have passed since I was ordained a deacon and I am posting this blog from Tropical Cairns in Queensland where I am enjoying time with my parents. The ordination celebration was one that surpassed my expectations. It was such an honour to be surrounded by friends and my parents who came over from Malta for this special occasion.

Over 1,000 people packed the Bendigo Cathedral; a decent number of whom flew in from Sydney, Adelaide, and two bus-loads of people took the two-hour drive there and back from Melbourne. What an honour!

The service took the form of a mass, attended to by some 50 priests and presided by Bishop Joe Grech. It was a peaceful and prayerful experience, helped a lot by the magnificent choir and music present. After the mass there were drinks and some food offered, accompanied by some live music. I could not have imagined a clearer and fresher spring evening!

I have spent 7 years in formation and am more passionate about my vocation today than I have ever been. I am looking forward to work with and serve the people here in Australia over the next few years, and possibly returning to Malta after that. I will be working in a country parish over the summer (Kerang) and a more suburban parish after that (Benalla) while I finish off my last year at university.

My ordination to the priesthood is planned for October 2010 in Malta! I excitedly await to seeing you there!

I pray you are all well… thanks so much for your beautiful and encouraging emails. Wishing you were all here!

God bless!
(Rev. ;) Rob

Ordained!

Overwhelmed by the love of God and the amazing people in my life! Last Friday 20th November I was ordained a Deacon by Bishop Joe Grech at an amazing and peaceful ceremony, before 1,000 faithful at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bendigo, Australia.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support!!
The best is yet to come!!!

Diaconate Ordination

Just 3 days until my Ordination to the Diaconate and I am lying in bed unable to sleep with excitement. I am excited about what is to come but just as excited about what God has done to bring me to this point!

Who would have thought?!? A rebellious teenager picked out from a crowd to serve a great God in and through ordained ministry!? I could have thought of 'better' things to do with my life; my family and friends too could have given a few sugestions... but a Deacon? A priest?!

Humbled and honoured I am excited because if God has the ability to bring me to this point, with a life lived in His grace, I know that the best is yet to come!

Stronger 2009 Promo Video!

"More of You" Re-Release!!

It's official... the re-release of my 2004 EP "More of You" is NOW OUT on iTunes and CDBaby.com. This is the digital release of my very first recording project which went out of print in 2006! To celebrate the re-release we are including a never-before released song "Reign in Glory"!

iTunes >>>>

CD Baby >>>>

New Song

"GOD DOES NOT MAKE RUBBISH"

Download it from iTunes!

LISTEN TO SONG (Free) >>>

DOWNLOAD SONG (iTunes) >>>

IF YOU HAVE DOWNLOADED THE SONG PLEASE RATE SONG AND LEAVE A REVIEW

DOWNLOAD LYRICS & GUITAR CHORDS >>>

This is a song written by Seminarian Rob Galea and Bishop Joe Grech, using the words that Bishop Joe loves to use during his passionate preaching!

"God Does Not Make Rubbish" features Bishop Joe Grech.

Also e available from

Napster, Rhapsody and other digital music stores...

NEW SONG... Coming Very Soon!

Download Guitar Chords Here...

//Loved//

30-days of silence and prayer are over and now the new Seminary semester begins. I am so excited about this semester - Ordination to Diaconate (God willing), new subjects to study, a few concerts (www.ThatsWorship.com for more info), recording and just enjoying and digging deeper into the mind and heart of God!

A small note: It is such an amazing gift to feel loved, accepted and liked!! But so many of us walk through life feeling that we need to prove ourselves; that we need to win the love and acceptance of others. My prayer for you is that you would realise, even for just a moment, just how loved and treasured you are by the One who made you!! You ARE loved... "Lord, teach me to let You love me!!"

Thank God For Music!

Thank God for the gift of music!!! The right music helps us turn our hearts to the right place... here are some New Christian Releases I recommend:

1. Life Light Up - Christy Nockels

Available from Amazon.com and iTunes

2. The Power of One - Israel Houghton

Available from Amazon.com

(iTunes Australia and Europe don't seem to have it.)

3. Faith+Hope+Love - Hillsong

Available from Amazon.com and iTunes.

All of these CD's have been a real blessing for me over the last few weeks!! Get a hold of at least one and let me know what you think!!

// AWAY //

Hey... This is a quick "public notice" letting u know that I will me on silent retreat until the 20th of July! Ill try to leave some of my thoughts on Twitter every few days (twitter.com/robgalea) but will not be able to respond to emails, comments, etc!

Please say a small prayer for me... Silence and I don't get on too well!! ;)

Singing before 200,000!

Studying!

Studying... a necessary evil for some and a pleasure for others. I'm not the 'always- at- your- desk- studying' type; far from it, although I do realize the importance of it. God created us in his image and each and every one of us are personally called to become more like Him. One way we do that is through reaching our mental potential (he he.. it rhymes)... Moving on...

Through prayer we listen to what is on the heart of God, however, through study we can learn more about the mind of God. Study may be a sacrifice, but in the context of eternity it one worth making... So let us give our studies all we've got!

Echuca Moama

Greetings from Echuca Moama,
I am now 260K's from Melbourne & am here to sing & speak at a Catholic College about how much God loves us... all I hope is that these 15 to 17 year olds would catch a glimpse of how much they are loved & treasured by God.
Please keep the young people of Australia in your prayers!!
Rob

Also Coming Up...

Persevere!

Prayer... sometimes I find that an easy thing to do, but more times than not it is a big struggle. But the power in prayer is not in feeling good or sensing God near (though that is a great thing), but in perseverence! If we keep at it God is given the space to work miracles in our life - miracles we sometimes don't even know we need! So my encouragement to you is to keep at it... Keep seeking God in prayer through thick and thin... That is where the power is!

Coming up...

Health!

Life is a wonderful gift & we need our health to live it to the full! God has made it quite easy for us to live in good health, through choosing what enters into our system and when, the countless exercise opportunities available around us (from a daily walk to your local athletics club or gym), to reading good material about how to stay healthy!

The Bible too has a bit to say about health: take the book of Daniel as an example (Dan 1:8-20).

Anyway, my point is that we out to make a good effort to look after out bodies, as well as our souls! These bodies we live in are the instruments through which we are to learn to know, love and serve God!

A Glimpse!

I just spent a weekend 'preaching an singing' in Wodonga, 360 or so Km's from Melbourne and once again I am burning with enthusiasm for the Kingdom! Sometimes we catch a glimpse what we were made for & that just gives us the energy and the drive to go on with the everyday, sometimes mundane stuff!

Ok... Will be in the studio over the next few weeks recording and working on the DEVOTION SERIES ... please do keep this in your prayers!!
Stay well!!