Location
Brisbane, Queensland
Way Corp group(s) I was in
15 and 14
Where I live
Brisbane, Queensland "Sunshine State", Australia
About Me
Born in Kenya, raised in Australia. I am a Subject of the Sultan of Zanzibar, a British subject, a naturalised Australian Citizen and I have two Kiwi/Aussie children... but I don't think I have a valid passport just at the moment.
My Interests
English literature, history, education, music, dance...
Employment or Career
I am gradually working towards my BA, majoring in History and English literature as an on-and-off part-time student.
In the past I have been employed in the following jobs: fruit shop assistant, waitress, Arnotts Biscuits factory worker (biscuits = cookies), Hoyts candy bar attendant, legal secretary, McDonalds front-counter (are you impressed?), student nurse, nurses aide, customer service at St George Bank: loans and enquiries, motel house-maid, cocktail waitress, house-cleaner (for Dial-an-Angel), Telecom NZ faults centre officer, bookkeeper, and self-employed office manager for high-rise window-cleaning business (the latter for about 13 years.) I resigned from my full-time job in administration at the University of Queensland to study and complete my Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Literature and History.
Music I Like
Piano, guitar, clarinet, trumpet... I mean, I like to hear other people playing them - solo, as accompaniment, in orchestras, and bands.
I like music.
Books I Like
I love to read! Recently I've read several "Postmodern" novels for a literature course.
I enjoy novels by Jane Austen, George Orwell, Charles Dickens, PD James, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jonathan Swift, Gerald Durrell, John Steinbeck, Rosemary Sutcliffe, E Nesbit and many others.
I like reading the poems of writers like Rudyard Kipling, AB Peterson, Lewis Carroll, William Shakespeare, Oodgeroo Noonuccal, Henry Lawson, John Donne, Robert Frost, Mo Wilkinson (she's my mum!)
And I like books that help me to spring-clean the brain cells:
- The Peter Principle (Laurence and Hull)
- The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements (Hoffer)
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Pirsig)
- Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior (Brafman and Brafman)
- The Language of God (Collins)
- In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed (Honore)
- Dumbing Down: Outcomes-based and politically correct – the impact of the Culture Wars on our schools (Donnelly)
- Endangered Minds (Healey)
- The Tipping Point (Gladwell)
- Coercion: Why We Listen to What “They” Say (Rushkoff)
- Boys Adrift: the Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men (Sax)
- A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-First Century (Van DeMille)
- Eve’s Bite (Wishart)
Television I like
Crime investigation, British comedies - don't watch it very much - so I even find the adverts interesting!
Movies I like
The Mission, Out of Africa, The God's Must Be Crazy, The Constant Gardener, The Devil Wears Prada, Gone With The Wind, The Bourne Identity, The Sound of Music, Brave Heart, Spy Game, Finding Nemo, The Insider, Pulp Fiction, Along Came Polly, Love Actually, The Full Monty, Cool Runnings and all the rest! :-)
Sports Teams I like
Yeronga Devils, Brisbane Lions, the Kenyan Olympic team and the Kenya national rugby union sevens team.
Comments
Here is a quick note to say hello and to introduce myself. This is Lonnell Johnson. I’m not sure if we have met, but there is a strong possibility that we may have years ago somewhere along “The Way.” Recently I heard from Matt Miller, my dear friend and beloved brother. He suggested that I write and say a few words. Matt and I have been corresponding steadily over a year, and our exchanges have been lively and solidly grounded in the Word of God and our mutual desire to be a blessing to the Body of Christ. The Way Corps site has been a glorious opportunity to connect and reconnect with so many wonderful believers from across the globe, including this present connection with you from the “Land of Down Under.”
I’m not sure if Matt informed you that I am presently working on a collection of poetry which I would like to publish. For a number of years I taught composition and literature on the collegiate level. In fact, my calling as a college professor goes back to the Way College of Emporia, where I first taught New Testament History in 1976. That experience ignited a passion to teach, which still burns brightly. In fact, that may be where we met long, long ago. In any case, Matt is working with me in completing a collection of original poetry which I intend to call Immortalized in a Sonnet: Selected Poetry from a Son to His Father. Overall my poetry reveals a fascination with various kinds of poetic expression, particularly the sonnet, this classic form, which having lived in England, you would also appreciate. One of the last pieces in the manuscript was inspired by Matt’s intense desire to bring wholeness to a somewhat fractured situation. When I completed the work, I saw its application to my life and to so many other like-minded believers. I trust it will be a blessing to you as well.
May this year continue to unfold in beauty as a fragrant rose in a garden of God’s delight.
Blessings,
A Reminder: God Is Faithful
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Hebrews 6:10
For Matt Miller, my beloved brother, faithful friend, and fellow bondslave in the Lord
The good deeds that you have done may not be extolled
When the fervor of God’s love has long since grown cold.
Some quickly forget all the good that you have done
And fail to recall that you were the only one
To answer the call, seek the Lord and intercede.
Time after time you were the one to meet the need.
When others were busy and chose to walk away,
You were there and remained in the thick of the fray.
In dark times when words of thanks are distant memories,
Recall that God knows all things, for He alone sees
Your labor and saves all the tears that you have shed.
Our Father is ever mindful of how you serve,
And He shall reward you beyond all you deserve.
As you strive to finish your course, have no regret:
Our God is faithful--He will never forget.
Lonnell Johnson
I still have a picture of you and I at Gunnison. My childern often ask who the lady in the picture with me is. Boy did I look younger in that pictre. I have 2 children,Jonathan & Nicole . they are 8 yrs old. A wonderful husband John hynes ,and we still love God and teach the kids the word. we just got back from a 5 day weekend of family camp ,with wonderful fellowship and of course word. When are you coming to the states/ You and your family are always welcomed to visit us in Pennsylviana. My email address direct is hyjulie@aol.com. Love hearing from you . Your are God's Best, Love Michelle (WAX) Hynes
Shalom & Charis.
Good to see you here from the land down under. Still have that wonderful room brightening smile and I'm sure the laugh to go with it. We always think about heading down there. We have someone if our home group[ that has a brother in Brisbane and just came back from visiting. They love it there.
Shalom.
Kick back your feet and enjoy,
Love Matt
I have wondered what happened to you over the years. It is great to know you are fulfilled and happy. I read the comment by Robert Martinez below. The Way Corps is planning a reunion in 2010. You will notice there is a link to the plans for it on the top of this page- appropriately named: “Reunion 2010." Also check out the 14th and 15th Way Corps pages. Have fun on here and
God Bless you to the max!
Tom
We've been in Alaska for 14 years now. Love it here, it's a beautiful place and has lots of "elbow room."
In Him,
Linus Mathis