I want to know You

Blog three july 23, 2012

I have my first day of classes today! Time to begin a semester of work but it turns out I have five classes: two of Australian history, one theology, bible, and photography course. With all the wonderful-ness of Australia (note picture on left, focus on teh beautiful background, not my face) it’s hard to remember that I am here for school but I’m sure as soon as classes start I will remember.

God is so good. Already I am seeing Him work and move within me and within the Australians and Americans at Wesley (which is the school I’m at). We got a chance to go to Hillsong church in the city’s college group last night and it was so good to see people so far from home worshipping the same God I do. Being united with that commonality is such an inspiring event. There were a couple songs that I really loved and wanted to share. The first was a Hillsong song called I Surrender:

“Here I am
Down on my knees again
Surrendering all
Surrendering all

Find me here
Lord as You draw me near
Desperate for You
Desperate for You

I surrender

Drench my soul
As mercy and grace unfold
I hunger and thirst
I hunger and thirst

With arms stretched wide
I know You hear my cry
Speak to me now
Speak to me now

I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more
[x2]

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me”

Letting those words over take my heart was huge for me, this is what I want my prayer to be this semester for myself and also for my friends and fellow students. Ultimately it’s about having the desire to surrender all, purely wanting to know Him more, and then allowing Him to have His way in us. The minute that becomes my heart’s prayer is when God promises He will show up. I was reading a passage over again that Kimberly, who is in charge of the program, said during orientation from Jeremiah 29:4-14 and found that verses 12-14 applied specifically to this concept when it says “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.^” It’s beautiful really. The Hillsong worship team followed that song by repeating the end of a Jesus Culture song: “I want to know you, let your Spirit overwhelm me, let your presence overtake my heart.” It was just an incredible time of surrendering my will over to His once again. This will probably end up having to be a day by day surrender as I continue on with this semester.

Anyways, take those words as you will, maybe give the songs a listen as you start your day because they are the best kind to be stuck in your head for the day as a constant reminder.

Please be praying for peace among personalities in the program, there have not been any conflicts but with any group of people it is easy to have personality quirks wear on you after a while. Please also be praying for my brothers as they begin college in about a month, and tag along with that pray for my parents as my mom hopefully will begin working again and they become empty nesters. My heart is heavy for the family I miss back home and flourishing with the relationships I have been making here as my family of friends grows.

May the ever abounding grace of our Savior be with you this week.

Tourist Time

Blog two- July 16th

What a week this has been! I feel so incredibly blessed to have had this opportunity to come early and discover the city of Sydney with the Abourched family. They have helped me feel safe and welcomed into their family and allowed a smooth transition into a new life and country by giving Madelline and I an understanding of where we will be staying. The love they have shown me has truly been a testament of the power of the body of Christ and the generosity of their time and finances has given me memories that will last me for the rest of my life. I am so grateful for their open arms and can lovingly call them family.

We have done so much in just seven days! We have visited many beautiful, well known locations as well as discovered cute little Sydney secrets. The first day started by visiting Darling Harbor (which I found out is named after one of the governors of Australia in the late 1800s) where we dined, visited an aquarium which had the largest crab I have ever seen, and saw The Amazing Spiderman on the largest iMax in the world. Oh and in 3D. Early in the week we visited the Circular Quay which is home to the famous Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge which are beautifully majestic. It is also a harbor where many ferries leave and enter from to go to all different beaches and harbors. We went to Watson beach on one of these ferries which was absolutely wonderful little beach with a restaurant right next to the sand. We also used the ferry to visit Taronga Zoo just today which didn’t just have sea animals and land animals like in the states but also Koalas, Kangaroos, Wallabees, and Tazmanian Devils. Mid-week we spent the day at Bonzi Beach which is a beautiful beach with the softest sand I have ever felt which is saying a lot. Sunday we were able to visit Hillsong church which was a blessing to be able to worship with them and felt welcomed there the minute we stepped in even though there were tons of people there. It has truly been an incredible week full of many adventures. Needless to say, Madelline and I will be returning to all of these places many times throughout the semester.

As much as I have enjoyed being a tourist and discovering all the places to visit in Sydney, I am reminded that I am much more of a small town/ suburb kind of girl. So when we were able to visit our school for a quick walk through mid-week, I fell in love with the little town of Drummoyne almost instantly. It is much smaller than Sydney but still had many places to go and people traveling through it. The word that stood out to me to describe it was quaint due to all the brick walled buildings and homes. And the school was the same way with a grass courtyard in the middle of the four main brick buildings. So I am definitely excited for orientation on Wednesday to meet all my classmates and begin living in the adorable town of Drummoyne.

Thank you again for all your prayers and taking the time to read my simple blog. I have recovered from my cold and am happy to say I am healthy again but I am afraid I have passed it on to the family I have journeyed with so please continue to keep our health in your prayers. I am truly blessed to have such an opportunity to get to know the people and city of Sydney, Australia and cannot wait to see what else God has in store as week two begins.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.

The Australian Journey Begins

Just a little preface, I will put the date I wrote them at the top so that even if I upload them a totally different day it is clear which day I wrote it.

July 10th

Thank you to all who have been praying for me in my journey thus far. I did indeed make it to Australia with my roommate from last year, Madelline, and her family and have been staying in Hyde Park Inn right across from a cute park titled, well Hyde Park. I had been taking EmergenC packages for the week before coming but apparently it made little impact because my sore throat did turn into a cold. It made for just a wonderful plane ride and first couple days. Please pray for my health and the health of those in the program as we endeavor on this adventure.

It was incredible to see God pull this whole semester together even before I got here. He has revealed this to me especially through my parents. I am so blessed. They have done nothing but support and love me through every step and I know will continue to do so forever. The day of and the day right before leaving I saw their love pour through the most by being more than willing to drive me to the store to get any last minute items, and search my whole house for a duffle bag, and pray with me on the street in front of the airport. And that was just the two days before, not to mention them supporting me through finances and helping me work through the idea of Australia from day one which was more than a year ago. Now I am finally here. (insert sigh of relief)

Since being here, now God is humbling me through the generosity of Madelline and her family by allowing me to stay in the hotel with them and experience Sydney 10 days before school orientation. The body of Christ works and moves in powerful ways and I cannot wait to see how He continues to show His guidance while I am thousands upon thousands of miles away from home. Or well I suppose I should begin using Kilograms to get used to it here in the 17 degree weather (Celsius of course). Madelline and I are both hopeful to find wi-fi coffee shops around which shouldn’t be hard in theory because there is a Starbucks on every corner. No sign of a McDonalds yet but there are shops called Pie Face almost as frequently as the Starbucks so that maybe its substitute. Thanks again for your prayers and love, hopefully I’ll update again soon once I begin school and meet the family I’ll be living with.

May the grace of God be with you.

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God." Deuteronomy 7:9