Out Of The Cup, But Still Loving It

Monday we left for Beaudesert or as the Aussie's call it... the bush... for our team retreat. It was a great time of fellowship and planning. It was so nice to see the Australian outback and all the cattle. I mean, I thought I saw a lot of cows in my life, but this does not even compare. We also had time set aside for quiet time with the Lord. Man, it was good. I read Jeremiah 29:11 and decided to read around it for context. I loved how the Lord was promising His people to bring them back to the place where He originally took them. Now, I'm not saying I feel banished to Australia, but I do feel that God took me away for a month for a reason, and He will bring me back to the place He took m e from. Now, I am praying with an expectant heart that He would fulfill His plans for me this summer. They are not to harm me, but to prosper. I am promising to seek Him with all my heart so that I can find Him. I also loved the reminder that He is the vine and I am the branch, and my ultimate goal is to bear fruit. I know full well that fruit does not grow unless it is being nourished, so I am choosing to remain in the One who gives nourishment.



Tuesday and Wednesday we were able to keep the kids at church while their parents attended Chris' midweek Bible study at Holland Park. This is a big deal because they don't normally provide child care, which we found out last Sunday sitting in the service with kids running around. It was nice to give the parents a chance to really listen and soak up the story of Exodus as Chris is presenting with "The Road Trip" series.

Thursday was our day trip to the city! It was full of adventures starting off with two of our guys and our Kiwi friend running onto the train with 30 seconds to spare (without a ticket, might I add). We went to Queenstreet Mall downtown which is much different than our malls in America. The city was very busy and we enjoyed being as touristy as possible. The only places we bought things were from the Australian souvenir shops. I got a socceroo jersey that I am pumped to wear even though they are out of the World Cup. We rode the CityCat (water taxi) and went to Kangaroo Point to watch the sunset behind the city.



Friday was AWESOME. We went to Redlands College (the grades 1-12 private school) and plugged Camp Orion and Camp Connect (two camps coming up) in the homerooms. They split us up so that we talked to two "form" (homeroom) classes about ourselves and the camps. I was paired with a grade 11 girl named Kristy to speak to two grade 11 classes. The first class was great. I couldn't believe that they were able to sit on the tables and chat as much as they did, but I think their teacher was just a chill guy. They were very interested in my accent and if I was related to Chris Daughtry, of course. I loved asking them questions too. I kept telling them how much I felt that I was in an Australian Hogwarts because they all wore uniforms and the feel of the school just felt like a place Harry would go to school. When I said this, a redheaded guy said, "Well I guess I'm Ron." Ha. He later called me Hermione just to go along. It was the best. As if it could get any better, I got to follow Kristy around for the morning and she told me all about her school and introduced me to her friends. She was a part of the SALT leadership team at Redlands (sound familiar PTC people?). I can really see how God is going to use her in her school. And then we went to a few different assemblies, one of which being the announcement of the HOUSE CUP! Yes, they are split into 4 houses, can you believe it? Her house won for the sports carnival they held the day before. They didn't have a big feast, but it was close enough. I loved the school and seeing all the kids in their uniforms. I wanted to take pictures, but I didn't want to be creepy. Had to keep my cool, ya know.

We went back to Wellington Point to plan for KidzDay and some of us walked to an island.



Friday night was "Family Fun Night" where we go to another family's house for dinner. Steffani, Leslie, Nikki, Swinea, and I went to the Johnson's house. Andrew and Danielle just moved to Brisbane from up north with their three kids Laura, Harry, and William (yes... like the royals). They were GREAT! I loved the fellowship and the food. We talked about all the places they had visited in the North America including Atlanta, Kelowna, Calgary, and Edmonton! Small world huh. Andrew was really curious about our chosen majors and what we might do with them. He was the headmaster at a private school up north and now he works with more schools down here, so you can imagine that we talked about the school systems a bit.

Today was KidzDay where we watched the kids from 9-3 while their parents listened to more teaching from Chris. Tonight we rest and hang out with our host families to prepare for Camp Orion which starts tomorrow! Pray with me for my buddy and our relationship. I pray that God will shine through me and that He would get all the glory.

More Aussie vocabulary:
Dodgey = sketchy
Brekky = breakfast
Sweet as = great... but it throws you off when they say it at the end of a sentence. With their accent it sounds like something else.
Kiwi = a person from New Zealand

Jet Lag Will Get You Up At 5:30 am Ready To Start The Day

We are in AUSTRALIA! At a picnic yesterday, I couldn't believe that I was sitting on a different continent. We literally flew over the entire Pacific Ocean to get here. That's amazing. I love how intentional God is with placing specific people around us at His perfect time. Even on the plane, I sat with people I loved getting to know and share life stories with. I sat between a sweet couple from Wisconsin traveling with their two daughters in which one of them just published a book and is touring in Australia for two weeks. I loved hearing how proud they were and how much they loved spending time together. Behind me sat a 23-year-old guy from Brisbane who told me and Nikki where all to go while we were here. He also eased us into the sarcasm of the Australian people by making fun of me for watching Disney Channel and How to Train Your Dragon on the plane.

The Lim family is wonderful! Cyril (Dad), Dee (Mom), Shuen (16), Lin (grade 8), and Min (grade 3) welcomed us into their home for the next month. I love each one of them already. The girls speak with an Australian accent because they grew up here while Cyril and Dee are originally from Singapore. They love teaching us about their culture and making fun of me when I try to speak with an Australian accent. Lin says I sound British.



We went to Wellington Point the other day for a picnic. Here's a picture of the girls, Steffani (my roommate), and me on the pier.



We are slowly but surely being introduced to the church family of Holland Park and will continue to hang out with them as camps come and go. I have met two people from Alabama! Ronya is from Florence, AL, married an Australian (Brad), and now lives up the street from the Lim's with their son, Orion. I can't wait to have some sweet tea with them and hear their story.

Fun facts about Australia:

Way out = exit
Give way = yield
Gents = men
Socceroos = Australian soccer players. They are really proud of their socceroos regardless of that "hand ball" against Ghana.
Heaps = a lot
Toilet = bathroom
Take away = take out/to go
Uni = University/4-year College

They drive on the LEFT SIDE of the road. And the driver is on the right side of the car.

They watch American television, but the commercials are Australian.

Supposedly koalas will climb across the electrical wires over the road. I'm still waiting to see one.

Leavin' On A Jetplane...

Sitting here in the LA airport waiting for my team to arrive. The internet doesn’t work, so by the time I post this, I will be in Brisbane. Nevertheless, I want to put some thoughts down.

I’m listening to “Always” by Hillsong United... How appropriate, right? (They are from Australia). Here are the lyrics:

“Did You rise the sun for me
Or paint a million stars that I might know Your majesty?
Is Your voice upon the wind
Is everything I know marked with my Maker’s fingerprints?

Breathe on me. Let me see Your face.
Ever I will seek You.

Cuz all You are is all I want always
Draw me close in Your arms
Oh God, I want to be with You.

Can I feel You in the rain?
Abandon all I am to have You capture me again.
Let the Earth resound with praise.
Can You hear as all creation lives to glorify One Name?”

This is my prayer. Right now. As I sit with a journey ahead of me that I cannot even comprehend. I am amazed that He would rise the sun for us, His children, so that we might know His majesty. I love the idea of His voice being in the wind. I pray that I will hear His voice so clearly this summer. My heart’s desire is that He would take me to this foreign country to romance me and bring out all the gifts He has given so that I may serve Him wholeheartedly. I want to be broken, challenged, grown, and loved by my Maker. I know that He will draw me close in His arms. I hope to feel Him in the rain, in the waves, and even in the stillness of the day. Mainly, I want to be with Him. I crave this attention from Him so that I might be overflowing with love to share.

I read this morning in Romans 8 that we are more than conquerors. “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (v.20) I know that God may put us in the path of frustrated people because this world is broken. My prayer is that they would be brought out of that bondage and into freedom! “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose… If God is for us, who can be against us?” (v.28,31) I am trusting Him to make all things work together for His glory and my good, whatever that may be.

Waiting with an expectant heart for good things. I can feel Him moving already.

Think Australian. Live Adventurous.

If you are a fan of Outback Steakhouse, you might recognize this saying. With a little persuasion from my wonderful sister, I "borrowed" a coaster from an Outback last summer that said this on it. We did this because I loved the idea of Australia one day, and I decided to let it be my inspiration. Well, yesterday I started going through the clutter that is my room, and I found the coaster. On the back I wrote this verse:

"and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 'For in Him we live and move and have our being.'" Acts 17:26-28

WOW! How amazing that this time last summer, the Lord laid this verse on my heart to strengthen my faith and confidence in His plan. And now, 15 days until I leave for Australia, He is taking me to the very place I had on my heart last summer. He is so good.

I also read this verse to a friend the other night, and I think it goes very well with the situation at hand.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

In my heart, I had planned to go to Australia for my internship last semester, but the Lord obviously had different plans for my steps. I am so thankful for His continued protection and faithfulness. My ultimate goal is to bring Him the most glory, and it looks like this trip is exactly what He had planned.

As June 17 approaches, I find myself planning for HBS (Holiday Bible School) and receiving more information about my host family and flight itinerary. Pray with me as I talk with my team over the phone/email to relay information back and forth. I want to make sure we do HBS with excellence, and that means we need to get planning now (even though it is the 3rd week we are there). Continue to pray for the hearts of Australians we will meet and relationships we will build. It's all for Him.

P.S. Keep wearing your shirts and share with us (post on Facebook).