Matthew 10:19-20  "...do not worry about what to say or how to say it.  At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

Romans 8: 1-2 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

2 Corinthians 1: 9-11 "Indeed in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such a deadly peril and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us, as you continue to help us with your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."

Merry Aussie Christmas!

The first thing I heard as I rolled out of bed was the pouring rain on the tile roof. No beach, BBQ or pool party.  It rained all day yesterday too. This is disappointing because we tried to fill this Christmas day with stuff to do outside. We moved on to plan B to do some inside things.  Some came over to our house to bake cookies and brownies.  As the brownies were finishing up, our oven broke.  It started making a noise and smoke started to come out. We opened all our windows and doors, but the smoke kept pouring in.  So our baking was planned short, and our little Christmas dinner plans were cancelled. I'm physically feeling tired and sluggish as well.  It hasn't been the luckiest day.  I'm  still so grateful for Christmas and its meaning. Christmas Eve last night we got together and watched The Passion of the Christ.

Christmas this year has been different.  I have no family, tree, presents or traditions this year.  However, I'm truly content.  I'm glad for the simplicity of this Christmas,  I had to be stripped of everything to actually know the true meaning of Christmas.  It's easy to say "Jesus is the reason for the season" and stuff like that.  At the same time, I'd be stressed about gifts, parties and the like.  God sent Jesus as a baby to grow into a man and take on the sins of the world so we may have eternal life.  I can not think of a better gift. He has been my source of strength and my best friend.  I've had to fully rely on him and he's always provided, and I know he will continue to.

I hope and pray you have a blessed Christmas.  Wherever you are in the world or however you celebrate take some time to reflect on the gift that God gave us.  The true meaning of Christmas is incredibly special and we can't help but be thankful.

Weekend at Bryon Bay

Last weekend was quite possibly the best weekend I've had on YWAM. We got permission to use a van so a few of us went down to the Byron Bay base.  The whole base came to the Gold Coast in November to hear Mark Parker speak.  That week there was a lot of sharing and growing, so we naturally got close to everyone from Byron.  We call them our "base BFF's."  One leader said that although it's typical for bases to come together to hear speakers, she's never seen anyone bond the way we did with them. It was an awesome weekend of catching up with friends and seeing different sights.

The Byron Base is so different from ours.  They only have one house where they all live, and then they drive to a local church to do classes.  Community is strong because they are constantly together. The house is on a horse farm surrounded by beautiful countryside. It was refreshing to see open fields and green pastures again.  Since I've been here, it's been a lot of concrete and suburbs. Everyone was hospitable; constantly asking if we wanted anything.  We were hanging out on the porch and the guys noticed we were cold.  They naturally went inside and brought out sweatshirts and blankets for us.  Simple things like that, they did all weekend.

Byron Bay the town has a lot of back packers and hippies.  We went into town the first day and walked around. Lots of hippies and new age stuff there.  Crystal shops, vegan restaurants and fair trade stores are common.  The DTS has some awesome outreaches in that town.  They have a coffee shop and a host a free BBQ for the town every Friday.  It was neat to see another base's mission field and ways they reach the community.

On Sunday, they invited us to come to their church.  One of the Byron guys describing said "you can honestly do whatever, you can sleep in the back, dance in the front or sit in the middle."  We were greeted by a tall guy in dreads. My friend looked at me and gasped.  It's been her dream to get dread locks since coming here, so she was thrilled when half the congregation had them.  They had candles lit and cushions everywhere.  The atmosphere was so different from any church I've ever been to.  I felt so welcome and included even though I was never there.  Worship was incredible!  Everyone was dancing and praising God however they wanted.  People were just themselves.  Toward the end, they had a ministry time and my friends went up to the front and prayed for each other. We spent an hour sharing our struggles, passions, and how much we cared for each other. We prayed for the Christmas season since we are away from our families. The service lasted five hours, but I could have been there all night.  We had an awesome time at this church.  We want to go back every week now! :)

There were hammocks, a wrap around porch and an open field to do quiet time in the morning.  Some people sang, read their Bible's and  played guitar or drums.  There was something so peaceful and simple about the morning.  Everyone's first priority of the day was to be with Jesus.  I climbed this tree to have my quiet time. It was great to oversee God's beautiful creation and hear other people worshiping God.

The last day the guys from Byron took us to this secluded beach. It's called beach X because they don't want people to find out about it.  It took a while to get to, but it was so worth it. We drove through wilderness up a mountain, to hike this trail down a mountain and behold see the most beautiful beach I have ever seen.  The day was perfect.  Eighty degrees, sunny and not a cloud in the sky. Dolphins were swimming all day and the water was crystal clear.  We all found these rocks and went cliff  jumping, took some pictures, explored a cave and swam in this natural pool with fish.  We all came back and had a BBQ at the base. Right before we left they took us to the Byron Bay lighthouse.  It's the most eastern part of Australia, so that was cool. We hung around for a while and went stargazing.  It was harder to say good-bye a second time.  They are an awesome group.  With our bases combined, we are called "The Golden Bay."  (Gold Coast and Byron Bay combined)

Last week in small group we were praying for each other. It's a time where we can be real about what is going on in our life. A guy in my group said he wasn't really experiencing God and some other things as well. As I was praying for him, I got this message from God I should tell him ( It sounds weird typing it out, but I don't know how else to describe it.) The message was that God wants to reveal to Himself through nature to him in the next week.  He was going to see something in creation and just know it was God showing him He loved him.  This was before we even knew we were going to Byron Bay, and we certainly knew nothing about this beach.  He did experience this moment at the beach on Monday, which was within the week.  God is so amazing!  As iron sharpens iron, my faith was stirred as well as his.

I was so blessed this weekend! It was refreshing to see other people who are going through the same things.  
God showed us his glory through all we did.

Thankfulness comes from the heart

There is not a day that goes by where I don't thank God for these people, places and things in my life.  I am so blessed to be here.  These are the things I miss, love and am blessed with everyday. 

My Mom:  She is such an amazing woman!  Through thick and thin, her undying dedication to Christ has been my inspiration my whole life.  To be told I resemble in any way is the most sincere compliment.  This summer, I worked for her cleaning houses.  Believe me, she is a hard worker! She cares for her clients and friends so much.  She never talks bad about anyone and is always lifting others up, even when they're not around.  If you know her, consider yourself blessed.  I call her once a week here, and it's so great to talk to her.  I love her!

Grandma and Grandpa Mylin:  I love them so much.  They have been my backbone and super supportive of me being here. It makes my day when  receive an email from them.  I admire their relationship with God, it is so sincere.  They are always looking out for the needs of others.  I hope to be like them someday.

Grandma and Grandpa Sadler:  I have felt so much love and support from them.  I love and miss them a lot. Some of my favorite memories are going to their house after school.  They have a special place in my heart. I know I can count on them.  They are awesome!

My extended family: They too, are so supportive.  I could go on and on about the impact they made on my life.  For Thanksgiving my cousins made me a poster that said "We miss you, Emily!" and my Aunt Andrea took a picture and put it on Facebook.  That made my day.  Some people on base saw the picture and said "you have a great family." and I couldn't help but agree.  I have always felt so much love and support from them.

Mount Joy Mennonite Church:  I'm so grateful to have grown up in such a supportive, loving, Christian environment. From going to Sunday school in the old church to attending the young adult class, I  have been so blessed.  Coming to YWAM, I felt prepared in a sense for the challenging material.  I credit this to what I learned at MJMC.  When I decided to do YWAM, they wholeheartedly supported me prayerfully and financially. I am forever grateful for this. My church is a true representation of what the body of Christ should be.  I love them all!

Friends back home:  Although what I'm doing is different, my friends have included me and have been understanding and supportive.  I have a message thread with a few and it's so great to read to keep in touch with how everyone is doing.  It has been hard not being able to talk to them.  I love them so much!

Families I babysat for: Each family in their own unique way has been such a blessing to me!  I love kids and have been privileged to take care of them for years.  I'm so thankful for the friendships I have with the families.  I think about the children I sat for whenever I see kids here.  I have truly missed them.  I'm so thankful to have such an incredible opportunity to get to know different families and learn from them.  I love each one so much.

YWAM friends:  I couldn't imagine it any other way.  We are truly a community here.  Everyone sincerely loves one another. I have so much fun with everyone here!  The guys are so chivalrous, always opening the doors for us and making sure the girls are okay.  The girls all get along and we're always laughing or there for someone if they need to talk.  I have felt so loved and accepted here.  Everyone came from all over the world with different backgrounds.  Despite that, we can all live amongst each other in community and get along.  I believe that is a true resemblance of the body of Christ. 

Instant coffee:  It never fails!  Every morning, I turn on the kettle, have some God time and enjoy the sun.  I love coffee (plain black), and have perfected the art of making a fine cup of instant. And I never thought I would say that. 

A computer:  Has allowed me to keep in touch with everyone from home. Thank you, Grandpa for the free laptop!

A car, phone and ipod dock:  Being without these for 2+ months, I will never take them for granted!

"We don't fight for victory, we fight from victory."

This week has been amazing as we learn about spiritual warfare.  Our speaker is Leal Pittaeu all the way from Melborne.  She has so much insight and knowledge.  We are learning about our authority in Christ and how to pray with the dominion God gave us since the beginning of time.  She is guiding us through the book of Ephesians and basing the topic on Genesis.  When we're dissecting the Bible word for word, it's amazing the revelation I receive.  The most significant things I'm learning are my authority in Christ, that I am FREE, and I am righteous in Christ. There is so much to learn! I love lectures and am continuing to grow in God.  

God has been teaching me a lot in and out of the lecture hall.  On Saturday, YWAM usually has beach sports outreach in Surfers Paradise.  Unfortunately, the rain prevented us from going, so we went to the mall to evangelize.  Each student paired off with a staff member.  Then we asked God to lead us to someone to talk to. Malls aren't my favorite place to do this because everyone is on a mission and not in a talking mood. So Rochelle and I went to the food court.  She suggested buying something and praying about who to give it to.  I bought a sundae at McDonald's (purposely something that would melt, so I couldn't chicken out) I prayed that God would give me direction on who to give it to.  God showed me who, so I mustered up some courage and I walked straight out of my comfort zone and toward the girl with the ice cream in hand.  I can't remember what I said, but something to the affect that I'm a Christian and I wanted to bless her with this ice cream.  She looked at me obviously surprised.  Then she smiled and said "Oh, wow that's so cool.  Thank you!  I'm a Christian too."  It turned out to be such a blessing.  Here she was thinking about going to America for missions.  I was able to encourage her to try it out.  She asked me so many questions about missions, and I was happy to be able to encourage her to go for it.  I was so glad I got to help her out, and it wasn't an accident I was supposed to talk to her.

Yesterday, I had some time off.  Going through some personal things, I was pretty frustrated.  I could sense God was saying something to the effect of "Well, you can sit around and mope about it or can can get up and do something fulfilling."  So I took up what was bothering me with God.  I wandered down the street and prayed if there was anyone I should talk to.  I saw this lady at the bus stop and felt like I should talk to her.  Now all these thoughts are going through my head.  I was so close to just passing by.  I sat down next to her and we talked for a good 20 minutes or so. (if you come to Australia, be flexible with the busing system because it's always late.)  Anyway, we just chatted about aboriginal life, art and culture for a while and I shared about Jesus through the conversation.  She told me she was Buddhist so we talked about that until her bus came. I mostly just asked her questions and listened.  It was pretty low key.  It's important not to stress when you're talking to someone about God.  If you pray God will give you the words to say He will.  Maybe you're just supposed to be the person who sows the seed or waters it.  I think a lot of times we have such a tendency to get caught up with our own life.  How hard is it to take 20 minutes out of our day to talk to a stranger?  I hope that I'll continue this throughout life.

I am going to learn how to surf this weekend!  My room mate, Caitlin is going to teach Sarah and me.  Some of us are heading down to Byron Bay to reunite with our friends that lived with us for a week.  The base is on a beautiful farm.  It will be a different atmosphere from Ashmore, that's for sure! It's been one of those weeks where you just need to get out, so it will be perfect.

God is so good!  I am continually amazed at his provision and love for me.  This seems small, but I was having trouble sleeping for a while.  I would wake up at 5:00 am,  thanks to the heat and squawking birds.  Now that Laura the intern moved out, (and we miss her greatly )  I moved down to her bed.  I am sleeping much better, praise God! I'm happy to say I've been sleeping in until 6:00am. I had a top bunk before. Every night before bed I would put pillows on the floor in case I rolled out.   My room mates and I would laugh about this ritual, but now I can just cruise into bed and not have to worry.  I'm still in the same room as everyone and I love our late night chats that go on forever.  Being surrounded by Goldy people all the time has been such a blessing.

Philippians 3:7-10
"But whatever I consider a profit I consider a loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ -the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."

Hebrews 10:24-25  - my guiding verse this week.  (I remember Bonnie Mateer leading this scripture in church.  I was in fifth grade and she had all these props and ways for it to stick in our memory.  I will never forget when she led those scriptures in church.  She made it fun and every week, our congregation would recite them. Thank you Bonnie, they will always be in my mind)

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- all the more as you see the day approaching."

"I'll hold on hope..."

Mumford &Sons
The Cave
It's empty in the
 valley of your heart
The sun, it rises slowly as you walk
Away from all the fears
And all the faults you've left behind

The harvest left no food for you to eat
You cannibal, you meat-eater, you see
But I have seen the same
I know the shame in your defeat

But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

Cause I have other things to fill my time
You take what is yours and I'll take mine
Now let me at the truth
Which will refresh my broken mind

So tie me to a post and block my ears
I can see widows and orphans through my tears
I know my call despite my faults
And despite my growing fears

But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

So come out of your cave walking on your hands
And see the world hanging upside down
You can understand dependence
When you know the maker's hand

So make your siren's call
And sing all you want
I will not hear what you have to say

Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be

And I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

OZ quest complete

OZ quest was intense!  The past four days were all about preparation for worse case scenarios that can occur during the outreach phase of DTS.  It was a time of team building, trust forming and growing closer to God.  The first night we gathered to cross the line of commitment to the challenge. Everyone crossed the line promising to commit to the challenge 100%  Then we learned the rules and made consequences.

Rule for OZ Quest:

• No team break. - we couldn't be more than 1.5 meters from each other at all times.  Punishment was 15 jumping jacks per team break.
• No bad attitude. -punishment was a public apology, what was learned. an encouraging word for everyone and 5 fist pumps.
• No left behinds- If our backpacks weren't in the tent they had to be 1.5 meters away at all times, unless someone was watching them.  Consequence was 15 push ups per item left behind for 1.5 meters.
• Be on time- this was timed to the second. consequence was 15 crunches per 30 seconds late.

We had between 5-10 minutes to eat and cleanup meals, so manners went out the window first day :) there was also no silverware.  We cooked all our dinners over a fire.  (which would have been more fun if it didn't rain.) 

At night we all (17 people) slept in one tent.  It was a big tent, but we were crammed like sardines.  Our sleeping bags were drenched. I didn't care because of all the activity we were doing, sleeping on a rock looked appealing.  On the last night we were woken up twice in the middle of the night. The first time we had talk to someone who wanted to hear the gospel, and share our testimonies.  The second time was more intense.  At 3:30 AM there was a tribal war so we had to pack up everything in three minutes and escape. That was crazy.  I'll never forget a tent full of 17 people trying to gather everything in such a short amount of time.  I had to do push ups as a punishment for leaving my shoes behind in all that mess.  Our nights were anything but restful, but we were told that both those instances occurred during outreach.

Everything was rationed. toilet paper, kerosene, matches, water, peanut butter etc.. We had to figure out how to spread out supplies to last four days.

The first morning I was up at 3:30 and walked in the pouring rain to the first destination.  We made our way to the first check point and got our bags inspected.  We had a strict list on what was allowed. I opened my my bag to find my Bible and journal  soaked from the rain. (we weren't allowed any coverings or wrappers for anything.) I just wanted to just run away and cry right there, but I stopped because I couldn't be 1.5 meters away from a team member haha.  Thankfully they took them somewhere to dry, but I was without my Bible for all that time.  The first day was spent on a ten hour hike through the bush.  we saw  wallabys and lots of other Australian wild life, which was awesome.  Each team was given a compass and some vague directions.  Needless to say,  none of us were raised cub scouts so  we got lost and an hour and a half behind.  We prayed about it and God led us to this place and it ended up being a short cut, so we made up for the time we lost!  We did another hike the last day as well, but this time it was a competition between the two teams.  The hiking was such a fun adventure.  I will never forget climbing this huge hill with a gorgeous view and a pb&j as a reward.  

Many of our challenges were to prepare 30 minute sermons on the spot, and we never knew when.  We would be the congregation for the other team and visa versa. We would critique and complement each others. Sometimes we had to prepare a church service for prisoners, a normal congregation or a group of children ages 5-12.  We would have 15 minutes to prepare.  It was so good to practice this on OZ Quest and be prepared now.

Every evening we had devotions led by our leaders.  My favorite was the first night.  The topic was on servant hood and we washed each other's feet while we prayed for each other.  Our feet were probably like the disciple's when Jesus washed them.  It really puts a different perspective on it when your feet are hurting, gross and someone washes them, and you do the same for them.  God taught me a lot on servant hood that night that carried on into the week.

The same night my shoes were taken away from the whole tribal war fiasco, we woke up a 5:00 am to do morning exercises. This was the worst part for me.  It wasn't time to do consequences, so it wasn't possible for me to get shoes.  A few other girls and I were had to continue on and run on the gravel rocks.  We ran about a mile. Our feet already killed and the run on gravel made it ten times worse. 

When oz quest wrapped up we had a closing ceremony.  From there we were blind folded and told to find our bags with our eyes closed.  Then with our eyes still closed everyone was led up to this pavilion.  Our noses smelled it first.  The most delicious chicken barbecue.  A real meal after four days.  Opening my eyes I saw the best looking spread and all the YWAM staff there to greet us.  It was a great way to end Oz quest!

Now I am back to the comforts of everyday life.  Although the intention for oz quest is outreach prep, I cant help but think of all the people whose daily life revolves around such conditions.Walking far to get water,  peeing behind a tree, sleeping in a soaking wet tent, running without shoes, eating rice with no utensils, no showers, and running in fear of tribal war are daily existence for some people.  There is no way I should pat myself on the back for completing such a challenge.  Instead, I think more people should experience it.  How incredibly easy is it to get used to the great comfort and luxury we live in and forget what the rest of the world lives like.  I'm not trying to be a downer here, I'm guilty of it too.  In normal life, I think if excuses not to run in my nice quality sneakers.  When your the one that actually has to do it, you think of things a little differently.  This is real life my friends.  I think we should all think of how our brothers and sisters in Christ live around the world. 

OZ Quest taught me so much.  I learned so much about each person on my outreach team. Having to be with in arms reach constantly, I know them all SO much better :) I learned to trust them more.  Most importantly, I learned to act out of my spirit, rather then my body or soul.  Believe me, there were times it wasn't easy.  But if I acted out of my flesh, I would have been doing a lot of public apologies and fist pumps :)

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why for Christ sake I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

James 1: 2-3
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds.  Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

the quest of OZ

Tonight we abandon the comfort of civilized life and head out on a four day wilderness excursion.  This test of physical, mental and emotional  endurance is to prepare us for worse case scenarios that can occur during outreach.  The leaders are secretive about what exactly will happen, so there is not a whole lot to expect, except a lot of challenges.

We can only back the essentials and even they are numbered, no jewelry can be worn and no food can be packed. All we have to wash is a bar of soap. I'm not sure what its like to sleep with out a pillow, but I will know soon!  We will be with our outreach teams the whole time to form unity and team building. 

As I think about what's ahead, I know these conditions may not be spectacular.  I do know however, that it's great we are doing this to not only prepare us for outreach, but because challenges are good.  Challenges are hard at the time, but they are designed for growth, maturity and to learn something about yourself.  When I look back, I wouldn't trade the challenges I've been through because they made me the person I am.  In fact, how are we expected to grow if we don't encounter them once in a while?

So cheers to a four day, rainy, Australian adventure.  I pray I come back a little stronger and smarter then when I started.

Today wrapped up Holy Spirit week, and I believe we went out with a bang. :)  We braved the rain and went to beach for lectures and baptisms.  Our whole DTS shared towls and huddled under the trees as we listened to Chris Twinn talk about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  It totally reminded me of something Jesus would do. After lectures five students got baptised.  It was so beautiful to be apart of.  Then the sun started to come out and we gathered around for an amazing prayer time.  I could sense God was with us in that special moment.  What a cool afternoon.

"Love that will not betray you, dismay or enslave you,
It will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be.
There is a design,
An alignment to cry,
At my heart you see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be"
Lyrics from Sigh No More by Mumford and Sons.  a great song and worth a listen.

While my intentions were to update more frequently, I suppose my lack of corresponding with you all is a sign that they are keeping me occupied here at YWAM.  Now that the internet is back on track and we're back from our outreach trip I'm planning on getting back on track with blogging. With each passing day, I wish more and more to update. I decided to crack down and do it today, to let you all know I'm still alive and still loving it here :)  I am learning and experiencing so much here! Here is a quick recap of what I have been doing since the last update.

My last update was right after Fear of the Lord week.  We had Mark Parker as our speaker.  This was the most significant and life changing week thus far for me on the DTS.  Ever since then, I can truly say I wake up with a different mindset.  On November 13, Mark Parker lead a 14 hour ministry time for our group. (we were also privileged to host the YWAM Byron Bay DTS that week)  We praised and gave thanks to God, surrendered, confessed and received healing.  I will never forget this amazing time.

The next week lectures were on faith and finances, and conflict resolution.  Greg Cummings spoke to us about trusting God with money.  He has an amazing story.  He and his wife run an orphanage in Africa, so he knows quite a lot about what it says in Deuteronomy 28.  Conflict resolution was good as well.  It's amazing how the Bible is our answer book about anything in life.  I'm glad to say that I haven't had to put this into practice much since we all get along so well here :)

Last week, our base had the opportunity to volunteer with a highly credited Christian chaplaincy organization.  We spent the week in Surfers Paradise helping out with the Australian version of senior week. (I have to be rather careful with my words because they are strict about what we blog and share...) My group of John, Grace, Michelle and I were assigned to a hotel.  We would knock on the door and offer them candy (I promise it wasn't as creepy it sounds. The graduates know what this organization is.)  and then they would have us come in there rooms to hang out.  We would clean up their apartments, (no maid service here) make them pancake breakfasts, clean up their vomit, walk them home for safety, take them to first aid etc...  When we weren't in the hotel we would do all these other things.  Our group formed some amazing relationships with them.  The best part was leading a girl to salvation.  God is so amazing! In fact, that was my one expectation going into the week and he never ceases to amaze me with his impeccable timing   As exhausting and crazy as the week was,  I would do it again in heart beat.  As I walked down streets and saw all the young people, (most were drunk)  my heart went out them and I know God loves them so much.  Each one of the 30,000 kids in Surfers has a destiny with the creator.  So many of them I talked to were hungry and longing for something more out life.  Doing YWAM, I am so spiritually fed; constantly in a christian environment.  It was a privilege to be sent out and be the hands and feet of Jesus.  To win a generation is to SERVE a generation.

This week the topic is the Holy Spirit.  Chris Twinn is our speaker once again, and just like last time it's been amazing!  I am so thankful to be here learning this.  It's amazing how much more God wants for our lives.  Christianity is not intended to be boring, monotonous, and full of rules.  Rather, it is exciting and the greatest source of joy anyone can ever know or experience. Everyone here is open to what the Holy spirit has to offer, which makes for a neat environment.  I'm excited for the rest of this week.

I am doing so well!  Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray.  Not just for me but for my whole group.  Pray that we will be united and strong through this time.  We have been here for ten weeks and as they say: "the honeymoon phase is over."  God's grace is sufficient in every situation and I love every person here on this DTS. Seriously, living community style, you not only learn so much about your neighbor, but so much about yourself. 

the beauty of love as it was made to be

We spent the past fourteen hours in an intense ministry time. We spent the day praising, worshiping, confessing and praying.  It was incredible.  I experienced healing and an encounter with the Holy Spirit.  Oh my goodness, surrendering everything to God gives such freedom! After I gave God everything that controlled me, I have never felt more happy or free.  This day changed my life.  Running on very little sleep, my bed is calling. :)  God is good!

I'm wrapping up week six here on the Gold Coast. I can't believe how fast time is going. God is doing so much in my life.  He always wanted to, it's just that now I am letting him. I find myself waking up, wanting to spend time with God.  This journey has been incredible.  Although situations come up as they would in normal life, I have this grace to handle them like I didn't used to. I am getting reallllllllly excited for the outreach trip to Alice Springs.  I know God put our team together for a reason.  Each of us brings something unique and I know God will use each one of us.  God is so good.  We are all anticipating the arrival of YWAM Byron Bay this week.  They are going to be staying with us so they can hear the speaker as well.  It will be nice to make some new friends. :)  I think a few girls are staying at our house, so that should be fun!

Service not serve us

The topic this week was poor and needy.  Our speaker was Sue Strachan, who was from YWAM Byron Bay.  She talked about it in a way that didn't make us feel bad, but rather motivated to go out and make a difference.  It is important not to underestimate the power of making a difference in one persons life, because it creates a ripple effect that can impact eternity.

  Sometimes it's easy to be overwhelmed with the problems of the world, there are so many.  The good news is we serve a big God.  If we're willing, He can use us for big things.  Jesus fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish (Mark 6:30). The boy sacrificed his lunch for Jesus.  With the seed of faith he planted, Jesus used it to feed a whole village.  Everyone was satisfied.  It doesn't matter to Jesus how much money we have.  What He cares about is our hearts.  Think about the widow who only gave two coins.  Jesus said she gave more then those who gave ten times more than her.  I learned this week that it is our heart that trumps the amount of money we have.

The Invisible Children were on our hearts this week.  A group of us got together after evening lectures to watch the documentary filmed by three guys out of high school.  As sad as it was, it was inspiring  to see how God used these young guys to bring light to the subject.  We were all pretty emotionally burdened after the movie.  It was quiet on the way home, then we just held hands and prayed.  As we cried and prayed, I knew that God heard our prayers.  These children have been on my heart a lot this week.  Every time I think about them I lift them up in prayer.   

Among the Invisible Children we learned more about different people groups and issues in desperate need around the world. We spent time learning about  Human trafficking and  the Railway Children of India.  The statistics on these issues broke my heart. We spent Saturday morning praying for all everything we learned about in the week.  The websites out there are good for raising awareness and giving information on ways to become involved.

Ephesians 3:2o (msg version) "God can do anything far more than you could ever imagine, guess or request in your wildest dreams!" 1 John 4:4..".because the one who is in you is greater than he that is in the world." Romans 15:20 "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ is not yet known."

Websites:
www.invisiblechildren.com
www.humantrafficking.org
www.railwaychildren.org
www.worldvision.com
www.timeanddate.com/worldclock

"Everyone has worth and value"

This week our speaker was Annette McClasscen and the topic was on relationships .  I enjoyed the lectures and got a lot out of them.  I thought that they would be focused more on the dating aspect, because that is on the minds of many young people.  Instead she spent majority of time talking about how God created them and his ultimate desire.  In a society where the relationship concept is often distorted, it was refreshing to break down how God designed the way relationships with Him and others to be.

Relationships all began with the Trinity. The ultimate love poured out to humans was Jesus dying on the cross so we can have a relationship with Him.  The cross demonstrates a perfect love. Christ came to earth and died for our sins to show us perfect love in action.

What does the cross signify?
1. death to self.  John 13:34-35
2. service  Matthew 20:28
3.humble oneself.  Romans 12:3

A relationship with Christ is the ultimate relationship.  All others should align  with that. I had a gym teacher that once said "everyone has worth and value."  and it is so true.  Relationships are necessary because everyone has value. Although it's easier said then done; we give the people we don't like the love they don't deserve.  We didn't deserve to have our sins forgiven. Christ is the perfect example of giving us the love we don't deserve so we can have a relationship and someday spend eternity with Him!

Often when you're at the end of something, you're on the beginning of something else."

God has been showing me what this means more and more lately.  It's exciting to see what He has for me in the next couple weeks.  I'm growing spiritually and the Bible coming to life more then I ever thought possible.  I don't want to take my time here for granted.  I'm here for a reason and I need to see this thing through. I am so incredibly blessed to be here. 

the seed I've received I must sow

Every Thursday night is Coffee Van outreach.  We get pastries donated from a local bakery and serve free coffee, tea and milo to people in Southport.  It's an informal way to talk to people, hear their stories and tell them about Jesus. To be honest, I wasn't thrilled when I saw I was on the schedule to go tonight.  It's not that I don't like it, I do.  I was really drained with everything we did today and was looking forward to a laid back night.  God kept saying to me "I have great things in store for you tonight.  This is your mission field and these are my people."  I was exhausted, but I said "okay God, give me the energy I don't have." God showed me when He calls me to do something He will give me everything I need and then some.  He is everlasting, faithful and sovereign.  I couldn't help but write about what happened tonight. :)  What God is doing in my life is incredible.


So many people came tonight.  It was awesome.  I found that it was easy to talk to them and the conversation was good.  But then this couple came up. It was obvious the man was drunk, but his wife wasn't.  She was yelling at him the whole time as we got him a drink.  I asked her something about what they were doing tonight and her face turns stone cold.  She looks at me and says "Nothing." Then she starts backing away.  She then says " I hate people right now; I hate Christians!"  Time out.  They were only at our stand for 30 seconds.  There was no way in that time she could have known that.  After he got his coffee, she grabbed him and walked away.  The people sitting around me saw what happened.  Our leader said there was something demonic going on.  She explained that the way she kept backing away from us, it was like they couldn't handle Christ in us.  The fact that she knew we were Christians without us saying anything says something in itself.  I felt a real heaviness being around her.  We prayed that the spirit would be broken in Jesus name.  That was a pretty crazy experience for me, as well as the other students who saw it happen.

Tonight I got to talk to and pray for two guys which was really neat.  The one man has been in and out of rehab.  He just got kicked out today and has to wait a week before he can go back in.  I could tell he is really making an attempt to get back on the right path.  We talked for a while and I got to tell him about Jesus.  Then Caitlin and Laura came up and we prayed for him. We encouraged him to stick with it and keep fighting. He seemed to appreciate it, and I'm continuing to pray for him.  Toward the end, I prayed for another guy.  He goes to a university in Southport, and looked like he just got done with classes. We small talked for a while about New Zealand and music, but then I felt like the conversation would go deeper. Usually when I ask "How are you tonight?" people say " fine" or "good" but he totally opened up to about his life at home.  It was pretty intense. I felt compassion for all he is going through. Everyone else was occupied so it was him and me. I asked if I could pray for him and he said yes! We prayed and could really feel God's presence.  I don't know this guy well at all, but I'm praying for his home and family life?  Only God can do that.  The words were definitely God's and not mine.  I am continuing to pray for him as well. It's unbelievable the stories people have, underneath any facade or mask they put on , people are people who need love and acceptance.

That was Coffee Van tonight!  God is teaching me lately to step out in faith. It's so exciting to follow Him.  He will provide everything I need and then some.

Along the lines of God providing: This morning we all gathered and had an "encouragement circle."  Some of the things people said to me totally made my day.  What everyone said was so nice and sincere.  It was just what I needed.  Also I got a package from my mom in the mail!  In it was a book on Australian/ Aboriginal cultures and etiquette.  I am so excited to read this(which is a miracle considering my love for reading is a 2 on a scale of 1-10 ) Since I'm going to the outback on my outreach trip it will be perfect!  Also in the package was lots of gum!  That made my day.  God knows what we need and when we need it.  When I put my trust in him he is always faithful and will provide. 

weekends are bomb

This weekend was awesome!  After a week of sitting in classes and being so busy, it's great to relax and spend time with everyone. 


Instead of going to Surfers Paradise beach, a small group of us went east to Burleigh.  I loved it!  It was less touristy than Surfers and is pretty much what one would picture if they thought "Australian beach". Many shops and cafes line the streets on the way to the ocean. There were lots of hippies and VW busses parked in the lot. A surfing competition sponsored by ripcurl was going on, which was so neat to watch.  The day was perfect!  In fact, I can't think of a way it could have been better.  The way the sun hit the water made it look so blue. The shoreline was on a curve, so I could see the city of Surfers Paradise,  which was fifteen miles away.  I have always loved the beach.  For me, it's the most liberating place to be. so to be at one this beautiful is incredible.

God is such an awesome creator.  When I see something as beautiful as the beach, I'm reminded that the same God who made the blue Pacific Ocean made me and you.  We were thought of even before that was created.  After the Father Heart of God week, I keep being reminded with ways in which God loves me. I want to encourage you to find something that you enjoy whether it's being outside or doing something creative and to invite Jesus with you.  It's great to quiet your thoughts and hear what he has to say.

Psalm 27: 4-5 

LOVE is spelled GIVE

Every week during the lecture phase, a speaker comes in and talks about a certain theme of the week.  This week the speaker was Chris Twinn.  The topic was the Character and Nature of God.  I learned so much about God and who he is.  Questions and confusion I had about the Bible and God were answered. He said in the beginning of the week "I don't want what I'm teaching to be information, but revelation."  You know he's a good speaker when its 9:30 pm and everyone wants to stay in class asking questions.  I'll write out a few of the revelations  I had this week.

• Truth is higher than fact

• I never understood how God is love, when he wiped out all those tribes in the Old Testament.  What was going on in the land was some pretty hardcore stuff. It was God's attempt to save his people and land. Chris said it like this: "Because I love my wife and kids I will do anything to protect them.  If anyone tried to hurt them, I would do anything to make sure my family was safe." Even if I don't understand why God did everything, from now on I will say "God, even though I don't understand why this happened, I'm believe in my heart, you're a God of love."
• Isaiah 54:14- God doesn't make businesses go bad, people get cancer or make us do things we don't want just to teach us a lesson.  That is NOT his character .
• Elevate truth from fact.  If I am sick, I shouldn't publicize it right away. There is so much power in our words. Pray in faith you will be healed.  Because "By his stripes we are healed." Don't pull the Word of God down to our experiences such as "I know so and so had this, got sick and died." I know. Much easier said than done. Matthew 12:37. Words contain faith or fear.  Words are so powerful!
• About to say something negative or demeaning about someone?  It is best to be silent.
• Sometimes Christians go around searching for signs and wonders others are doing.  What we don't realize is we can be doing the same things.
• He emphasized living a life of excellence and quality.   Being on time and a trustworthy person are important. 
• Instead of focusing on past sins (which is detrimental and gets absolutely nowhere) Take them, bind them up and cast them down. It's the enemies way of getting you to think youre not good enough.  Meditate on the Word, Holy Spirit and pray if feelings of inadequacy arise. I am already forgiven, it is a matter of forgiving myself.
• Faith is the substance we can not see; it's the substance by which we can change things. Unforgivness in my heart will stop faith. God is always working plan A.
•  A lot of time people look for the spectacular, but God wants to speak in the little things of life so its important to be attentive to that.
• We are manifestations of Jesus on Earth. 
• I will always have my needs met and be taken care of because He loves me.
• Read the bible before Email and seek His face before Facebook.  Big challenge for me!  I'm learning it's not because God doesn't like them, but it's important to have a mind on Christ before anything else.

Key Bible verses for me this week: John 10:10, Isaiah 54:14, 2 Corinthians 4:18, 2 Corinthians 5:7  Hebrews 11:3,  Matthew 12:37, (about words)Galatians 6:7, Galatians 5  Romans 1:16, John 4:24, 1 John 4.

This morning I led intercession.  YWAM Gold Coast has students from all corners of the globe.  I had it on my heart to pray for our cities. We split up in groups and gave 3 prayer points about the city, state or providence we're from.  Then we prayed for a different one than our own.  Afterward we all came together and prayed Korean style for a different city that was mentioned.  Not only was it a great way to learn more about where people come from, but ways we can lift up the places they live in prayer.

Today was also the last day of Angels and Mortals. I made my John (the leader and my Mortal) a rap.  Since I was leading intercession, I surprised him with it. I had a few girls come up and do the chorus.  It was a good laugh!  I think he liked it because he kept talking about it :) Today I got gummy bears and the sweetest card from my angel, who I found out was Amanda.  I was so blessed this week by her notes and gifts!

This afternoon it was a beautiful day so we spent the day doing beach outreach.  It's real low key.  We set up volleyball and soccer nets, have free water, and invite people to come play. It the opportunity arises, we talk about our faith or ask if we can pray for them. I love how laid back and chill the beach culture is here. If we ask people to play they are like"oh yeah! that sounds fun!"  It's pretty neat.

I am looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend.  Thank you for the prayers for me leading intercession.  It went very well! Love and blessings,
Emily


   

angels and mortals

It's another great week on YWAM Gold Coast!  God is really moving in our group as well as me. On Teusday during intercession, we prayed for unity in our group.  Ever since then, I have noticed a real change in the group.  I believe unity is so important in the body of Christ.  I'm experiencing this first-hand; living community style, having to rely on people and being relied on.

This week is also Angels and Mortals week.  It's like spirit week, YWAM style :) Everyone got a name and whose name you received you are there "angel" for the week.  You are also a "mortal" which means you get lots of nice things done by your secret angel.  We have been having a blast with it!  I must say, I have the best "angel" ever!  The first night I got a note with a flower, Yesterday, a box of cookies, a note and  night off dinner clean-up! Today,after my run I found on my pillow I found a package of roasted almonds.  Then after small groups someone goes "Emily, don't worry about dinner clean-up tonight. Your angel has it covered."  Seriously, it has been such a HUGE blessing!  Dinner clean-up takes about an hour, so for someone to take over for me means a lot.  I have been so blessed to be apart of such an awesome, caring group. 

My "mortal"  is actually the main leader.  It's kind of challenging because he doesn't have work duties or other obligations like the students. I made him a smiley face out of mints(his favorite) and left him several notes.  I wish I could be more creative. I have a few good ideas for tomorrow :)

Prayer request:  I lead intercession tomorrow.  I have a topic and everything planned out but I want God to move and have it not be my own agenda, but his.

I don't have enough time now to update on what is happening spiritually, I will very soon because it is incredible.  Thank you for your support and prayers.   

G'day Mate!

Being half way around the world, it has been interesting to learn the culture in Australia.  Although it is similar to America, here are a few things I've noticed that are different here:

• Minimum wage is about $13.00.  This makes everything a little more expensive than the U.S.  It's funny because I thought coming to Australia everything would be cheaper.  Not so.  The sales they have here, we would consider expensive in the U.S.
• PopTarts and Koolaid are rarities.  Poptarts are $10.50 a box and KoolAid is $8.50. 
• Sushi places are everywhere
• The bus system is always late by15 minutes.
• They love Nicole Kidman (and then, who doesn't?)
• Students have to wear these terrible looking uniforms to school.  They remind me of a slightly uglier version of my old Girl Scout ensemble.
•   Australians don't tip.  Everything is already in their salary. The downside is the service isn't as good because there is no motivation.
• Australians take a lot of pride in rooting for the "little guy" or the underdog in sporting events.
• The church going rate in Surfers Paradise is 10%
• They drive on the opposite side of the road.  Most  cars are stick shift.
• Gas is cheaper here than in the U.S. Although I'm not sure how much because its measured in liters.
• A lot of people have blond curly hair.
• Where I live there are so many hills!  The views are fantastic!
• Hungry Jacks is the Australian's Burger King. It's the exact same from the crown to the menu, just different names.
• They call breakfast "Brekky" and the coffee is usually from a french press. 
• There are pictures of kangaroos and koala bears everywhere!  I have yet to see a real one...But I will on my outreach trip!!
• Vegemite is a staple in 9 out of 10 Australian homes.  It's a black, pasty and is spread on bread for sandwiches.  If you're not used to it, it could be the worst thing you've ever eaten.  Seriously, we had to try it and it was terrible!  No one likes it in YWAM except Dave, who is from Australia.
• Saturdays and Sundays are family days.  All stores and businesses close at five o clock.
• Tim Tams are to Australia as Oreos are to America.  We go crazy when they go on sale.  They're these wafer cookies coated in chocolate.  Sounds ordinary but trust me, these things are incredible.  One is not a true Australian until they have done a Tim Tam Slam.
• People walk barefoot everywhere, even to the stores or places we wouldn't think of.
• All the roofs are tile.
• No offense, but every dog here I have seen has been ugly.  I don't mean to sound rude, but it's true.  Most are breeds I've never seen. I guess it's whats you've grown up with, but there are no yellow labs!
• Instead of saying "your welcome" Australian's say "That's alright."

Those are just a few.  Australia is a wonderful place, but many things are different here.  Ill think of more and share them later :)  I love learning about different cultures so experiencing one is an amazing experience!

"God will speak if you will listen"

This week the topic was Hearing God's Voice.  I really enjoyed our speaker. Dave Bartch.  His energy and passion for God made it easy to pay attention to.  I can honestly say this week changed the way I talk to God. 

At first I thought we would get a step by step way to hear the voice of God.  I have never heard him directly speak to me.  Therefore, I was a little skeptical about it all.  It wasn't like that, and Dave backed up everything with a scripture reference.  This week was amazing! 

We did two exercises to help us hear from God.  I can honestly say they changed my life and God met me in a profound way. 

We did the first one on Thursday.  Dave told us to quiet ourselves and ask God to lead us to an object or place, pray about it and see what happens.  I had thoughts going through my head like"What if God doesn't lead me anywhere?  I don't want to be the only one that didn't hear from God."  I was able to block out all those doubts.  (which I need to more often) I said "God lead me."  He did.  With my mind, body and soul in His hands, I was led to these stone steps with a closed gate at the top.  I had no idea why.  I prayed about it and this is what God spoke (I will do the best I can, however it won't do justice to what I experienced):

"I love you so much and you are my special Daughter.  I treasure you and want you as close to me forever.  I take great delight in you.  Emily, I brought you here because these steps you've climbed up represent the challenges to have overcome to fully reach my presence.  You will no longer descend these steps, but keep moving upwards."

At this time, I kind of started to cry because I looked back at all the things of my life I clinged to for security.  All it created was a false sense of identity.   Although I was always close to God, the things I was holding onto were creating a separation between Him and me.  Fully surrendering seemed scary for a while, but it is actually the most freeing feeling one can experience. 

As I kept meditating on these words God said this: (I was on the second to top step, and there was a closed gate with cracks only to reveal some green grass)

You still have some ways to go but once you let go of that, you will be able to fully walk in my presence." (my hand was touching the gate as I was praying) " You  are so close, Emily.  Just trust me and let go of that which you have been holding onto for so long.  I will help you.  I am Almighty and I never let go"

After this, I was very encouraged. We all shared our experiences and it was very moving.  I had this amazing God high the rest of the day. 

For the second exercise, Dave counted us off by twos.  half of us went up and closed our eyes and Dave put an individual in front of us and we had no idea who it was.  We were told to ask God what he had to say for this person.  I prayed for Matt, and the things I prayed out, he later told me related to him.  It was God, because there was no way I would have known that. When he prayed for me, he kept saying God was telling him that I am ready to serve God and I have a strong desire for him.  He is also proud of me.  He also kept saying harvest.

Harvest.  That has been the word for me it seems like.  It has come up on many separate occasions when people have prayed for me.  It is so exciting to see what God means by this word and what he has for me.

I know this was a lengthy post.  It is honestly the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me though.  Here everyone is so encouraging and seeking the same thing. I have this desire to spend time with God like never before.  I hope anyone reading this can sense my enthusiasm.  God is doing things greater than I can ask or imagine.






 

Alice Springs!

I knew something was going on tonight at dinner.  The leaders wouldn't let us in the dining room because they said there was a surprise. We got excited because we thought there was a good chance we would find out our outreach teams.  Each student was blindfolded and lead into the dining room by a leader.  I had no idea what to expect.  Then they said they said "TAKE OFF YOUR BLINDFOLDS!" My eyes saw this little Australian set-up with a map, didgeridoo and adventure hat.  This confirmed that my outreach location will take place in Alice Springs, Australia.


Dear friends, I wish I could tell you that my heart skipped a beat and I cried tears of joy.  That was not the case.  Although I genuinely love everyone here, I am not in the same group as the people I have spent the most time with.  Also the other group is going to Pupa New Guinea, which I would have loved to have gone.  My new teammate, Cassie has such a sweet, kind and infectious personality.  Her enthusiasm  was contagious. Our leader, Sarah, gave us more details during dinner about Alice Springs and what our mission will be.  We will be working with the aboriginal people, working in schools, building relationships and sharing the love of Christ.  Another pro is this trip is half the cost of P.N.G., since we will be driving.  Sarah told me I was one of the first people God confirmed to go on this trip.  And when one is following the will of God, what can go wrong?  For his ways are higher than mine.  I will hold that truth close to my heart as God prepares it in these next few weeks of Lecture Phase.

 Another plus:  I will for sure see some Kangaroo, hug a koala,  hear didgeridoos on a regular  basis,  engage on one on one relationships with people, and experience some real Aussie life! (outback steakhouse is going to look sooo commercial when I come back home!)

This was an unforgetable night! I am already beginning to sense that this is going to be a wonderful experience.  God has these people on my team for a reason. He is so faithful and I know together, we will do some amazing things through Him.

It has been a great week thus far in Australia!  The rain decided to stop and now the sun finally came out!  Tuesdays are always busy days on the base.  In the morning we have intercession that is led by the students.  We prayed for Tensburg,  Norway which is the hometown of one of the students.  I love these times of learning about the countries and cultures of where others are from.  Then Sarah and I go grocery shopping for our houses and the Kitchen hall.  Lectures are in the afternoon.  Last night, I went on a run with my roommate, Tara.  Later, some of the girls came to our house to watch a movie.

Wednesdays would have to be my favorite day of the week. (aka "dress up Wednesday" because all the girls dress up)  Today was awesome! We all gather for worship in the morning.  I'm enjoying these intimate times with the Lord, and really look forward to them.  The Topic this week is hearing the voice of God.  I am getting so much out of it.  It's crazy  when I think of how much I'm growing and learning in the short three weeks I've been here.

There is a lot God is teaching me.  Someone prayed over me that God just wants me to be his daughter and he longs for me to know how much he loves me.  Okay, I cried a lot when she prayed that  because that was exactly what I was going through.  I sometimes struggle with feeling how much God loves me.  However, I block it out and put up walls because I don't want God to see the real me.  I came to the revelation that God sees all of me; good and bad and he likes me despite it all.  How incredibly blessed we are to have a God like that.

Tomorrow I am greeting the day young with an early morning run to Surfers Paradise with some guys from my team.  I am also doing the Coffee Van outreach in the city next evening.  Cant wait. God is good!

rain, running and reading...

6:45 AM:  I woke up this morning to the sound of rain on the tile roof.  I rolled out of bed kind of disappointed because it's been been the third consecutive day it has rained here!  Everyone that lives here is says it is so rare for it to be raining this much.  My roommate, Laura is from Seattle so we joke she took the bad weather with her.  Our weekends here are Sunday and Monday so we can talk to our families in different time zones.  It would have been awesome to go the beach today.  I suppose it all worked out though because I was able to get my homework done and finish the reading assignment.  

To be honest, weekends are the hardest as far as missing home go.  I have to intentionally keep myself busy with things to do.  Thankfully that isn't very hard, everyone here is great company. My room mate has been baking up a storm (her scones are indcredible!) and yesterday we all had a movie marathon. :) Homesickness hasn't been too bad yet.  They told us weeks 3 and 5 are the most difficult.  I'm close with my family, so that may be the most challenging.

Yesterday I ran to the ocean!  It was an amazing prayer time.  God has been showing me that I can do what I enjoy, but to include him in it.  My ipod is loaded with music that distracts me from him.  I decided to take  a hiatus from the music (plus, it was raining) and to pray while I ran.  My mind felt so clear when I was done.  The ocean looked so gray and stormy.  If you know me, you know I LOVE the beach.  Anytime I'm close to the ocean Im at total peace.

This weekend is wrapping up pretty fast!  I think some people are coming over soon to play some dutch blitz.  Oh yeah!  I don't feel so far from home after all. :)

This week our speaker is Dave Bartch.  I'm not sure what the topic will be, but whatever it is I know it will be awesome.  Please pray my heart will be open to what God has for me this week.

Side note: I looked in our garage to see three surf boards!! They were donated by other YWAM students.  I can't wait to learn!

Life is good!

Although I have meant to blog more frequently then this; due to internet issues I have not been able to as much as I like.  As each day passes, God is showing me so much.  I always say to myself "I cant wait to share this with___" or "I cant wait to tell people this!" Right now Im grateful for the opportunity to fill you in on what has been going on these past few weeks.  God has been teaching me a lot.

YWAM is such an awesome organization to do missions.  The staff here are super committed to supporting the students to receiving all God has for them.  These first three months I am in what is called the Lecture Phase.  Speakers from all over the world come in and teach. Along with the lesson we have homework that helps us process what we are learning.  Right now I am reading the book by YWAM founder Loren Cunningham Is That Really You, God? Then do either a written report or creative project about it.  These in depth assignments are a way for me to process everything that I am learning.

One aspect of processing I like is the one-on-one times and small group meetings.  Each YWAMer has a staff and once a week they meet together and talk.  It can be as informal as going to the store or chatting over coffee.  My one-on-one's name is Rachel.  She also lives in my house and we have a lot in common as far as things we have been through.  We spent our time together running. (which I have really been enjoying here) The one-on-one time is very beneficial.  Small group meetings are neat as well.  In my group there is four students led by a staff. When we met I was initiated into the Australian tradition of the Tim-Tam-Slam.( a tim tam is the best tasting cooking and to preform the "slam" you take a bite out of each corner of the cookie and sip a hot beverage through it.  When you taste the beverage, you shove the cookie in your mouth and it literally melts with all the chocolaty goodness.) Then we selected verses that meant something to our lives and prayed them over each other.  Afterwards we picked a person who God laid on our hearts to pray for.  We didnt say anything about them or what they were struggling with, we just taped them on the wall in the circle.  From there we prayed for each individual Korean style (meaning we all prayed at the same time)  Being here I am learning how powerful prayer really is.  I really like being able to pray and talk about issues with that group of people.

This week our speaker is Rob Henser.  The topic is the Father heart of God.  Rob has a unique gift of making the bible come alive.  Through his personal testimony and stories I've learned:

God doesn't just love me, he LIKES me
God sought out Adam when he was still in sin, and he wants the same for me.
I can not disqualify myself from his love
I can not surprise God
Trust is the courage to accept acceptance
God is running and wanting me to accept his love which he want to freely give! (how awesome!)

Although It's busy here at the Gold Coast, we are always finding time for a good time.  All us girls go to the beach on the weekends, shop, chill, whatever. Everyone here is great. Anything we do is fun.

God is doing a lot in my life.  Particuraly with the aspect of control, accepting his love and not dwelling in my past sin.

Thank you to all for continuing to keep me in your prayers.  God is answering them.  I greatly appreciate it and I feel so loved.  Keep me updated with what going on in your life.  I would love to hear!

all my <3
Emily

Im here!

I love it here!  I got here safe and sound and all the flights went well.  So much has happened in these past few days!  Its crazy to think about what God is going to do in 6 months.  I know Im here for a reason.  I felt that for a while and its so great to have that confirmed.  I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time yesterday!  The beaches here are beautiful!  I am in love.  The people here are just as cool.  Everyone on the base is awesome and I feel like we all really click.  I have to share my testimony in the next day or so, so Im praying that God will give me what to say.  The food here rocks.  We ate wild boar last night for dinner.  It was actually pretty good! I hope all is well in PA.  I miss you all!

Life's interesting!

I should be in Australia right now, but instead Im in the middle of a 13 hr lay over in the san fransisco airport.  Last night tops my list of top ten stressful moments in my life.  Its a really long story and I only have 45 min of free wifi. (Really, airport people?!)  I want to explain it sometime because it really is a good story!  Anyway United apologized by hooking me up with economy plus seats.  That meant 5 in of extra leg room, which is great for long legs! God has really been bringing me through all of this.  I'm feeling optimistic about everything.

My Grandpa, Grandma and Mom dropped me off at Philly airport. They couldn't go any further past security.  That's when it hit me and the tears started shedding.  I tried to clear my eyes as I was immersed into the rush of getting everyone past the checkpoint.  Trust me, its hard to take off your shoes, take out the laptop and wave one last goodbye.  Family has been calling me throughout this long layover, which has made the time go faster.   

Thank you friends and family for the sweet and encouraging wall post on Facebook! They mean so much, especially when you're secluded from everything.  Even more, thank you for your continued prayers.  I believe with all my heart this is what God wants me to do.  It is amazing to know others are praying and believe in me too.
Pray I can get past customs okay, and the rest of my journey goes smoothly.

Well 45 minutes goes by fast  I'm now gonna buy a latte from starbucks.  Ill have to get over the outrageous $4 price tag haha (thats for you, mom!)

Lot  of xoxoxo

And the journey begins...

Hi there :)  Welcome to my blog.  The main purpose for creating one is keep family and friends up to date about what's going on with me in Australia.  I am doing a DTS (short for Discipleship Training School) through YWAM (short for Youth With A Mission)  in Gold Coast Queensland, Australia.  I plan on updating frequently with updates, stories of crazy adventures and prayer requests. 

In a few hours I will be leaving  Pennsylvania and flying down under. I am excited, stressed, sad, nervous and happy all at the same time!  When people ask me is I'm excited for this trip, my heart starts racing and I usually say yes :) And I should be. I know God is going to do some incredible things in my life that are beyond anything I can fathom at the moment.  It is only by the grace of God that I'm able to go.  Ever since this trip was merely a thought, I've seen God at work. I'm anxious to see what he has in store for me to learn!

Prayer Requests:

• Plane ride down.  29hrs. 53 min.. Whew. Im not complaining, but that's a long time.
• My heart will be open to the new changes and all God wants to teach me.

Well now I'm going to finish packing.  Next entry...I'll be in Australia!


Take care and God bless
Emily