Day 70

Today, I counted the days until I come home and I am only 14 days out! I miss my family incredibly and cannot wait to see them. These past couple months have honestly been the best I have ever had and God has changed my life so much. I wish everyone could have this and I definitely recommend it! We are having a Christmas party in two weeks before everyone leaves and we are doing a secret santa, and some caroling, and a BBQ beside the pool. It is still wierd for me to think that I am so close to Christmas and in 35 degree weather. I will be very busy these next two weeks, getting ready for retreats, lots of Christmas presents to buy, and getting ready for my journey back to -30. I can't believe I have been here for as long as I have, it honestly only seems like yesterday that I got here. I want to thank everyone for their support and prayer, they are much appreciated. Bless you!

Luke 12:15

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Day 60

It has officially been two months since I came here and I love it. I have learned so much, and although I miss my family, I think it's going to be pretty hard to leave here. We just had a womens conference where Jill Southern-Jones (one of the heads of Ellel) came and taught. It was so amazing! Now this weekend we have a mens retreat of about a hundred people! It is going to be a lot of work because the boys at Ellel all attend the retreat as well so the girls have to step up. I go home for Christmas break very soon and I am so excited to see everyone! I am finally off for the next couple days and I think I am going to have some alone time, maybe take myself out to see a movie. Definitely catch up on much needed sleep. Keep praying for me, for money and for safety (clearly I need the safety bit).

Mathew 16:24

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Day 48

These days I am feeling like a bit of a wimp, it is around thirty degrees everyday and everyone here is fine but I am melting. Other than that, things are good. Yesterday I went for a walk and it was so quiet and peaceful and then it started to pour. Needless to say I was soaked, and everyone thought I had taken a shower. Not so much. We are in another healing retreat now, this one Michael is on, so me and Jason are picking up the slack. I've lately been thinking about what to do with my life, and I have no idea. So pray for me please, for direction. Time to go back to work, my break is over.

'Jesus wept'
- John 11:35

Day 42

Hello!
We only had a short week this past week, so I am off again which is lovely becuase I am so tired! I was on a healing retreat last time and now Michael gets to go on one on Teusday. The temperature is supposed to go up again next week! Making it around 35 degrees. I am very excited. Tomorrow me and Myriam are going to see a movie, so I am very excited for that. Nothing much is going on now, we have a womens retreat this coming weekend, with one of the heads of Ellel. Also we are hosting a high tea! It is going to be very girly and fantastic. God is doing many wonderful things in my life right now and I am so thankful. Also thank you for all of your prayers! I come home very soon, and I can`t wait to see my family! Especially my sister. Praise report! Freddy is back safe in the shower, I found him today in the window sill. I know everyone was worried.

I found this verse in Hosea and I fell in love!

 ^14  "Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the wilderness
and speak tenderly to her.
¹⁵ There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor^[b] a door of hope.
There she will respond^[c] as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt."
¹⁶ “In that day,” declares the LORD,
“you will call me ‘my husband’;
you will no longer call me ‘my master.

In this, God is talking about His people. After all they had done and how many times they had turned away from Him, He still loves and pursues. Even better, He allures.

Day 36

Hello! As we approach Christmas, things are getting more exciting for me. The weather has been lovely and so was the visit I had to the beach last weekend! I am getting very tanned which is nice. I was able to participate in a healing retreat this weekend as someone being ministered to and God did a lot of great things in my life. I was able to forgive people and find out the root to a lot of the problems I have been having. We have the next couple days off which is nice because I am exhausted! I am presently reading the book 'Captivating' which I encourage every women to read at least once, it is fantastic. I am really excited for my visit home to see all my friends and family which I miss very much! I have been getting a lot more comfortable here and I am realizing that when the time comes, it is going to be very hard to leave this place and the people here.

Keep praying.

'The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you!'
- 1 Thessalonians 5:28

Day 26

So, it is officially very hot here. They have had days here so far that are just as warm as our hottest days in Canada. And it's only early spring! I love it. I got to work in the garden today, and I learned a bit about roses from a lovely gentlemen who keeps them looking amazing. Just walking beside them smells so good. This weekend is supposed to be even hotter still, and me and three others are going to live at the beach for three days! A lady that used to go here is letting us stay at her house that is about three minutes from the beach, and I actually cannot wait.

We had a meeting with our new supervisor the other day, her name is Myriam and she is from Colombia. I really enjoy working with her and she is a fantastic leader, it helps that she loves CSI as much as I do! She told us that since we are the only two, she is going to train us to be the House Supervisors for next year, and we will be in charge of the other young people that come in January. Very exciting! Keep praying for me.

Day 19

Hello again! I have not posted in a while on account of how busy it has been around here for the last week. We had a course this past weekend, 'Getting to the root of the problem'. It was really fun, and along with helping in the kitchen and cleaning, I got to sit in on some of the teachings. On Sunday night, I ate a kiwi and suffered a bit of an allergic reaction, my throat closed and I had to go to the hospital. Not very fun! Ten injections later I'm okay, just dissapointed that I never get to eat kiwis again. I had Monday and Teusday off, and on Teusday I went into the city and toured Sydney Harbour which was fantastic! I loved it, and I saw the Opera Houses and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Everything was so awesome to see in person, and I was forced to get over my long standing phobia of public transit. We are now back into work and tomorrow another course starts! It is starting to get warm out, which I am so thankful for! Also, thank you for your prayers. I have raised enough money (with mom and dad's help) to come home for Christmas! I am very excited to see family and friends.


The gardens have started to bloom, and I love the flowers!

I also saw an echidna today! This is apparently not even common for Australians to see, so we were all pretty excited.

Day 10

I just finished my long weekend, very restful. The time change is messing me up again because of daylight savings time, so not a lot of sleep last night. I cleaned today again, I got to use a vacuum that they have that straps onto your back. Using it you feel a little like a Ghost Buster. The food here is so good! I will be fat by the time I return home. God is wonderful and I have been feeling more positive everyday. I read Esther last night, and it made my problems seem rather insignificant. She was such a brave woman. Keep me in your prayers! Missing everyone.

When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. - Esther 2:15

Day 6

Everything was pretty regular today, we stuffed 5000 envelopes for the morning, then worked in the kitchen again. Right now to help out at the centre we have the GST (Gilbulla Seniors Team). They are honestly the loveliest people I have ever met and some of wisest as well. I love working with them and listening to the stories they have. On Saturday I am going to the Blue Mountains to a garden centre that you buy a ticket to go and look at. This morning during our devotions we broke down Psalm 23 and I saw how many things we have to be thankful for! Just that God is guiding us and we never have to worry about anything.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
- Psalm 23:1-3

Day 5

We have started working, we have morning devotions at 8:30 every morning and then get started on the day. For the past two days we have mostly been working in kitchen, which is fine with me since we only cook for twenty. I am falling in love with this building more and more everyday. I found a garden enclosed in the middle of the main house today, with a fountain and trees and flowers and a little bench. I saw my first Australian tarantula today, unfortunately it was not impressive, rather like the wolf spiders we have at home, and non even poisonous. I have another long weekend this weekend, so I think I may travel into Sydney and see some things there.

Pray: That I keep receiving donations so I can come home for Christmas.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

Day 3

We still haven't done aything yet, but I met the Michael today. He is from Germany, and we went to the mall for a bit today and got to know eachother. I am so excited about this next nine months, I really think God has a lot in store for me. Keep praying for me that I learn more everyday. Also pray for my family while I'm gone, that they are safe and not missing me too much! 

I spent more time with Hannah earlier today, a lovely little girl that honestly has captivated me.

Matthew 7:7-11
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Day 2

I am going on day two of doing nothing, just waiting for another YPT (Young Poeples Team) member to arrive. I am still dealing with jet lag, and his morning I woke up at 4:30 in the morning and could not fall back asleep. I ate breakfast at six and was sitting in front of a huge window outlooking the back of the centre and I saw two wallabies hopping across the lawn! I felt like such a tourist, but I was so excited. I went to the cinema later in the morning, (what they call the theatre) and watched a movie with one of the families. Everyone is just lovely here and I am really enjoying it. Even though it was hard leaving, God knew I needed to come and I hope that I get everything I can out of the experience. Thank you all for the prayers, they are so appreciated!


"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 5:1

Here is the view from my window.

Day 1

Well this is my first blog, so here goes. I made it all the way to Australia after a 21 hour flight. I sat beside a lovely gentlemen who happened to be a proud newlywed. I think he may have been rubbing it in a bit. Customs was a mess, but Australia is beautiful! The leaders that picked me up from the airport were ones I had met once before and are so nice. Everyone here is so welcoming, which is good because I was definitely nervous. I have moved into my room, and the view out my window is amazing! I just got to see a bunch of parrots on the lawn. Also, I am told that they have wallabies (little kangaroos) on property. I met most of the team and played some board games with the families. I met one little girl who met me and five minutes later had her arms wrapped around me for the rest of the afternoon. I am off until monday, when the newest member of the team comes.

"Be strong. therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7