So let me fill you in on my life....
This blog will be in several parts, cause I have a lot to cover...
PART ONE: Down South
Well we arrived back in Perth on February 12. It was crazy... it just felt like we were going through the motions, not that we were actually leaving Africa. It didn't actually hit me til a few days after we were back in Australia. We had a few hours... yes hours in Perth to repack, get things done, and attempt to rest. I however, had no sleep. I was running on around 40 hours of no sleep by the time I was able to get a good nights sleep. We loaded into the Transit, and we were off down south.
We are in between two towns; Busselton and Bunbury. I encourage you to look them up on google. The beaches here are BREATH taking. There is a jetty (pier/dock) here that is the longest jetty in the southern hemisphere. It is 1.6 kilometers long. The water is CRYSTAL clear, and gorgeous. In a way it could seem like a vacation, but that is not why we are here.
So our accommodation. There is a really nice couple Lynn and Jeff. They live in the boondocks, of bogan Australia off of a national forest. They have let us pitch tents on their property and have given us a barbecue to cook on. They had a caravan (camper) and have let the girls sleep in that while the boys sleep in a tent! They are such lovely people. We offered to give them money for their hospitality but they have asked us to stay for free! Thank you Lord. He always provides.
For ministry we have been doing several things. When we first arrived, our team of twelve was split up into four groups of three and sent on high school retreats. I was with the year 10's. Forty tenth graders. It was great. We spent three days at a camp kinda like the camps we went to when I was in high school. We did high ropes courses, giant swings, canoed, toured museums, and spent time with God! It was so great. I got the chance to share my testimony to the kids and lead a small group! The best part though was there was unlimited coffee.... real coffee. It was like luxury compared to the instant coffee we drank in Africa. It was also great to build relationship with the kids and get to be examples to them!
Since then, we have been doing much as well! There is a government run high school here called Australind Senior High School. It is a public school with about 1,500 students grades 8-12. We just finished a week in the high school and still have one to go teaching seminars on Bullying. We have one hour with 9 year 8 classes, so we are seeing a total of 200 kids throughout the week. This school has a lot of violence, and even though we are not able to talk about the Lord directly, we are able to bring His presence to the school. You know, when two or three are gathered in His name, He is there! And He is there! It's been great. We do dramas, share personal stories, teach, and watch clips from Toy Story 3 to teach on Peer Abuse!
Other than that we have been really enjoying being back in civilization and enjoying each others company a lot! God is so good and
PART TWO: The Future
So one thing that I am really excited about telling you guys is what the future holds for me. I think many of you know, but if you don't, I have felt God's call on my life for missions. So here is what the future holds and how I came about deciding it:
In August, we had a week called "Missions" on DTS. I really felt God telling me that He is worth my life and that I am called to share His love, see the world, and be in the world. I knew that I had to dedicate my life to missions, but I didn't know how that would look, so I assumed join staff with YWAM. When I restarted lecture phase in October, I still really felt this way. God continued to grow that seed in my heart. However, I did not have a tangible word that this was right. One thing I continued to pray for over DTS is that God would confirm things to me through scripture. But that had not happened yet with this.
In November, I submitted my application to be apart of staff with YWAM Perth. Still, I had no tangible word, but knew I had to do this. I continued to pray about it thought and trusted God. One thing I learned from DTS is that there are two ways to go about obedience.
First -- Humanistic View: Hear from God/gain understanding, THEN obey
Second -- Biblical View: Hear from God, obey, THEN gain understanding.
With this in mind, I obeyed by submitting my application.
Now in February [Feb 6 to be exact] , I have received my acceptance for staff. Still I had no tangible word, but was really excited. The next day however, I was having my quiet time in the morning. One thing I have been doing during outreach is reading through some of the smaller books of the Bible that I normally skip. On this particular Feb 7 morning, I was reading in Zephaniah. I picked up that morning on Zephaniah 3. The first scripture I read said this...
“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder." [vs 9]
COMMUNITY! YWAM focus' on community. This was the confirmation through scripture that I have been waiting for!
But there's more....
"From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring me offerings." [vs 10]
Did you see the word worshipers? More confirmation! I will be apart of a ministry on base that uses music to worship our KING! I will be able to have the opportunity to be on a worship team, and to use music and worship as discipleship!
And then more....
"They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.” [vs 13]
LOOK AT THAT! even MORE confirmation! Part of being on Staff with YWAM Perth is I will be a full time missionary, and with that, I will have to raise support to live. Yes that means that I will have to PAY to be on staff with YWAM Perth, but because I am answering God's call, I can trust Him fully to provide for my every need. He will always provide for us when we are in His will!
So with that I guess it is safe to say that after my DTS I will be joining full time staff with YWAM Perth. I will be apart of a ministry that uses music to influence the secular industry. I will be writing, recording, and touring and using music as a bridge. A bridge between cultures to cultures, and a bridge for believers and non believers. I will get the opportunity to staff Discipleship Training Schools [DTS's]. I will be living in community and serving the base. God has given me a heart for the youth and this country and im so excited to be serving God here! Now, what/when going on staff looks like? Well let me tell you...
I will be flying back to the good ole USA on April 6 accompanied with my Mom who will have been in Australia for two weeks getting a good feel for where I have been and where I will be. I will be spending anywhere from 8-10 weeks back home with very important tasks at hand. First off, to connect and spend time with family and friends. Secondly to fundraise. I have to be back in Australia before July 1, 2013. But in order to do that I must raise money. I have to pay for visas, health insurance, and a flight to get back to Perth. Also, I will be having to pay monthly fees to be apart of staff, and also for living costs, so I will be finding monthly support as well!
I am SO excited to come back home. Mainly because I miss it! Also because I already have several opportunities to speak in churches and schools to tell youth about what God has been doing in my life and what he will continue to do. God has put my friends back home on my heart and I can't wait to reconnect with them and really love on them!
SO that is what God is doing in my life
LOVE YOU GUYS!
