How I pray: Nicole Edmiston speaks with The Record’s Debbie Warrior.
Without a commitment to God it’s very hard to progress in faith and grow in your relationship with Jesus. There are so many competing forces for our attention, like the media.
I don’t have a television because there are very few things about commercialisation and advertising that draws people to Christ. It is a real problem because people don’t realise it or they do but they don’t do anything about it. It’s easier to be complacent.
If I’m finding things difficult I pray for strength, guidance and discernment. I retell myself all the things that God has done for me. I find it useful to keep a journal. I write down what I am saying to God and then write down what I think He is saying back to me.
I try to go to daily Mass and walk there praying the Rosary. I have a conversation with God throughout the day and at night I journal to God about my day.
I keep Sundays free for Him. I attend Gatherings of the Disciples of Jesus Covenant Community. I try to do an hour of Adoration each morning. I am a member of the Disciples of Jesus Community and as part of that I am in a share group on faith. I have formation on topics like the Theology of the Body too.
I also find going on retreats gives my faith greater focus and intensity.
It’s hard to fit it all in because I go to UWA where I am studying my Masters in Architecture part-time.
I also work part-time as an architect at Integrity Developments in Osborne Park where the Disciples of Jesus are based.
Prior to joining the community, I was discerning life as a nun whilst working fulltime in Sydney. The only Religious Order that appealed to me was the Missionaries of God’s Love that originated from the Disciples of Jesus.
I joined the Youth Mission Team (YMT) and decided to join the community as this would give me an experience similar to living in a Religious Order.
I moved to Perth in my second year of YMT. In the end I found that I could live this way of life but leave myself open to staying single or getting married.
As our 24:7 youth group got older we recognised a need for a young adult singles ministry. We wanted to reach out to people who weren’t in the community too.
So we decided to start and aim Conquest Young Adult Ministry at entry level evangelisation. People who were just entering their faith or were lapsed Catholics were welcome.
We didn’t want to have anything too intense that would turn people off.
We have a social night monthly. Also, once a month we have café nights where we interview special guests about their Catholic faith and allow question time.
There is time to socialise before and afterwards. People we have interviewed have included Bishop Don Sproxton and Keith Carmody, chaplain of the Fremantle Dockers. Those interested can contact me on 0438 719 092.
Our motto is “Winning the battle of mind, heart, body and soul.” Even if everything I had was taken from me, it wouldn’t matter because I would still have God. My faith gives me hope.