So I'm a little behind on my updates but...I must tell you about orientation day, which was on the 13th of July. It was SO good!! I was truly blown away by it. There was so much of a focus and emphasis on fixing our eyes on Jesus. We worshiped between speakers and once again I felt with all my being that I am meant to be here. Such a good feeling to know you are walking in God's will in order to carry out the purpose and plan He has for your life!! Woo!! I would give you all the details but...I should leave some element of suprise in case someone who reads this decides to come here. (Sorry Crystal...but know that I still didn't tell you everything :) )Basically, the whole staff served us all day and made sure our focus was on Jesus. Definitely the best orientaion I've ever been too!
Enrolment was the next day. My stream that I will be studying is Pastoral Leadership. In case you are wondering there are also worship music, dance, and tv & media streams. The college has recently changed the curriculum and now you also have to choose a pathway, which is a more focused area of study. There are six pathways to choose from in the pastoral leadership stream: kids, youth, young adults, social justice, events, and church ministry. I chose "church ministry." I've served with kids in the past and love doing it, but I feel God wants me to experience other areas of the church. This pathway allows me to do just that. So it's good and I'm excited about it!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Trip to the City
So...everyday here just makes me love Australia more. I had the best time in the city. A large group of us went there. The not so good part was buying our day pass for the train. It costs 17 dollars everytime we want to go to the city! At least we can use it for the ferry to Circular Quay. Anyway, we went to Darling Harbour first. It's very beautiful. Everything is so big and modern looking. We had lunch there and observed seagulls that had the weirdest looking eyes. These birds had no problem getting close to you...and your meal. It was actually kinda creepy... but anyway it was an experience. Oh and I got to see an Ibis, which is a very interesting looking bird. In fact I've seen many interesting birds here. Definitely don't see this kind of variety in Oklahoma. 
...So then we took a ferry boat towards Sydney Harbour Bridge. Oh my gosh it was AMAZING to see that bridge with my own eyes. It was HUGE and so beautiful with the opera house in the distance. It was one of those unforgettable moments in life. I took heaps of photos, trying to get a good shot of this massive bridge. As we went under the bridge, we noticed an amusement park was nearby with all kinds of rides. May have to go back and check it out sometime cuz I live here! Gosh...still trying to comprehend that.
Then we made it to the opera house. We all took so many pictures and there was the most gorgeous view of the bridge from there. We stayed to watch the sunset. It was wonderful. When it started getting dark, we headed for the train. Just before we got on we were able to see the bridge at night with all the lights lit. Beautiful!! The train ride was fun too...let's just say we all got pretty close to each other. There were so many people getting on the train...which was already full. But no worries. It was a grand day in the city!
...So then we took a ferry boat towards Sydney Harbour Bridge. Oh my gosh it was AMAZING to see that bridge with my own eyes. It was HUGE and so beautiful with the opera house in the distance. It was one of those unforgettable moments in life. I took heaps of photos, trying to get a good shot of this massive bridge. As we went under the bridge, we noticed an amusement park was nearby with all kinds of rides. May have to go back and check it out sometime cuz I live here! Gosh...still trying to comprehend that.
Then we made it to the opera house. We all took so many pictures and there was the most gorgeous view of the bridge from there. We stayed to watch the sunset. It was wonderful. When it started getting dark, we headed for the train. Just before we got on we were able to see the bridge at night with all the lights lit. Beautiful!! The train ride was fun too...let's just say we all got pretty close to each other. There were so many people getting on the train...which was already full. But no worries. It was a grand day in the city!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Settling in
How are you going mates? Hope you are all well and at peace. Life here is really good. Homesickness comes and goes, but I know that's normal. After all I did just up and move to the other side of the world! But anyway, God knew I could handle it. So here I am enjoying the moment. My new friends here, Megan and Matt from Florida, are wonderful people. I feel so blessed to have met them and they really helped me to get settled. I so appreciate their kindness! Oh and their little daughter Kenzie is seriously one of the cutest kids ever! If you saw her, you would agree...she's precious.
Wednesday night I was blessed to be able to attend powerhouse thanks to Matt, who was kind enough to drive me. Powerhouse is the church service for 18-25yr olds. It was incredible! I loved every minute. During worship, I just had a sense that I belong here and I felt so at home. Before the offering Acts 17:26-27 was read aloud. "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; 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." Those verses really spoke to me and I felt God saying "You are here for a reason!" It was a God encounter :) The message was really good as well. Pastor Thomas Hansen was preaching about how it's your responsibilty to protect your passion for God and for His word. Distractions will come, but it's your choice to be distracted. Yeah that's it in a very small nutshell. I took a lot of notes. Maybe I will post them sometime.
A few days ago our new housemate Raquel arrived. She is such a cool kiwi! We've been exchanging our cultures and hanging out a lot since she arrived. We made dinner together her first night, but she did most of the work. It was very good and then we chatted for hours.
Saturday night we went to church and it was really good! I loved it! Jad Gillies was leading worship. It's kinda funny how I will be seeing the faces of Hillsong United all the time. Afterwords we went to a party for new students at a house. We met so many people from all over the world! It was really cool and we laughed...a lot.
I went to my first Sunday service yesterday! Worship was lead by Reuben Morgan and it was fantastic! Then Pastor Brian Houston came out onstage with the new hillsong cd and dvd. He asked if there were any new college students. Raquel and I stood up and our seats were on the 2nd row so he looked right at us. He cam over and asked where I was from. Then he called me an "okie" lol! And then he gave me the cd. Raquel got the dvd. Was very cool and such a blessing! After the service we went up to him and said "thank you."
Later we went to the Sunday night service. There's a lot of college students in that service. So we went up front and praised God with everything. Was incredible!! Pastor Brian's been preaching about the significance of a God encounter. It has so much potential for fruitfulness that the enemy will try and undermine in any way he can. So hold on to your God encounter and listen to what God is telling you.
Today I'm going to the city with some other students. I'm so excited to see it!!! Will take lots of pics!!
Wednesday night I was blessed to be able to attend powerhouse thanks to Matt, who was kind enough to drive me. Powerhouse is the church service for 18-25yr olds. It was incredible! I loved every minute. During worship, I just had a sense that I belong here and I felt so at home. Before the offering Acts 17:26-27 was read aloud. "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; 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." Those verses really spoke to me and I felt God saying "You are here for a reason!" It was a God encounter :) The message was really good as well. Pastor Thomas Hansen was preaching about how it's your responsibilty to protect your passion for God and for His word. Distractions will come, but it's your choice to be distracted. Yeah that's it in a very small nutshell. I took a lot of notes. Maybe I will post them sometime.
A few days ago our new housemate Raquel arrived. She is such a cool kiwi! We've been exchanging our cultures and hanging out a lot since she arrived. We made dinner together her first night, but she did most of the work. It was very good and then we chatted for hours.
Saturday night we went to church and it was really good! I loved it! Jad Gillies was leading worship. It's kinda funny how I will be seeing the faces of Hillsong United all the time. Afterwords we went to a party for new students at a house. We met so many people from all over the world! It was really cool and we laughed...a lot.
I went to my first Sunday service yesterday! Worship was lead by Reuben Morgan and it was fantastic! Then Pastor Brian Houston came out onstage with the new hillsong cd and dvd. He asked if there were any new college students. Raquel and I stood up and our seats were on the 2nd row so he looked right at us. He cam over and asked where I was from. Then he called me an "okie" lol! And then he gave me the cd. Raquel got the dvd. Was very cool and such a blessing! After the service we went up to him and said "thank you."
Later we went to the Sunday night service. There's a lot of college students in that service. So we went up front and praised God with everything. Was incredible!! Pastor Brian's been preaching about the significance of a God encounter. It has so much potential for fruitfulness that the enemy will try and undermine in any way he can. So hold on to your God encounter and listen to what God is telling you.
Today I'm going to the city with some other students. I'm so excited to see it!!! Will take lots of pics!!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
G'day From Down Under!!!
I'm here in Aussieland!! I must admit the firts 24 hours here were kinda difficult because the jetlag set in and I was really homesick. I think I was mostly homesick because I made this journey all by myself and wanted to see someone familiar. However, I am adapting well now. It was so surreal seeing the hillsong church sign and when I got there I was greeted by many of the students and they were all very friendly. Very diverse group too. There were Americans, a Brit, A Swed, Aussies and an Indonesian. I haven't seen any of the sights in Sydney yet but hope to venture there soon.
I'm living in a house called Kiss of Heaven. Love that name :) There are going to be 7 girls living here total but some are on holiday and a couple have yet to arrive. I've met 3 of the girls. Tiff is the only Aussie. Rian and Brittany are both Americans from South Carolina. They are all so sweet and I know I'm going to like living with them. Raquel is coming tomorrow and she's from New Zealand and Carmen from S. Africa arrives on Monday. So yeah...it's going to be awesome!!
I went to a huge shopping centre with Rian yesterday called Castle Towers. It really was huge and not all that different from an American mall. The even had a K-Mart...lol! I found it to be pretty cheap too so I spent some AUD there. There was also a target. It was so funny... I felt like I was in America until I heard all the accents around me. When I entered Target an older gentlemen working there smiled and said "Have a jolly time shopping." I was like "yes, yes I will(haha). I took my first bus by myself yesterday. I wasn't sure where to tell the driver to stop once we reached the area my house is at. So I just got off the first time he stopped there. Basically I got very lost and was walking up and down trying to find my house. Thankfully there was a young girl waiting for a bus and she let me borrow her phone. I called the house and figured out I wasn't very far from home. So I made it back. Gosh, it's seems like I can't go to a foreign country without getting lost at least once.
So yeah, things are going well. I'm meeting up with a couple from Florida in a bit to go grocery shopping. I met them on facebook so it will be good to meet them in person. Anyway, hope you are all doing well and enjoying the summer. It's nice outside here but super cold in the house. But no worries...I bought socks :)
I'm living in a house called Kiss of Heaven. Love that name :) There are going to be 7 girls living here total but some are on holiday and a couple have yet to arrive. I've met 3 of the girls. Tiff is the only Aussie. Rian and Brittany are both Americans from South Carolina. They are all so sweet and I know I'm going to like living with them. Raquel is coming tomorrow and she's from New Zealand and Carmen from S. Africa arrives on Monday. So yeah...it's going to be awesome!!
I went to a huge shopping centre with Rian yesterday called Castle Towers. It really was huge and not all that different from an American mall. The even had a K-Mart...lol! I found it to be pretty cheap too so I spent some AUD there. There was also a target. It was so funny... I felt like I was in America until I heard all the accents around me. When I entered Target an older gentlemen working there smiled and said "Have a jolly time shopping." I was like "yes, yes I will(haha). I took my first bus by myself yesterday. I wasn't sure where to tell the driver to stop once we reached the area my house is at. So I just got off the first time he stopped there. Basically I got very lost and was walking up and down trying to find my house. Thankfully there was a young girl waiting for a bus and she let me borrow her phone. I called the house and figured out I wasn't very far from home. So I made it back. Gosh, it's seems like I can't go to a foreign country without getting lost at least once.
So yeah, things are going well. I'm meeting up with a couple from Florida in a bit to go grocery shopping. I met them on facebook so it will be good to meet them in person. Anyway, hope you are all doing well and enjoying the summer. It's nice outside here but super cold in the house. But no worries...I bought socks :)
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