Well holy cow. It's been forever! I officially have ONE week left in Australia, and I'm both excited to go home and realllly sad to be leaving. We've been really busy since I wrote last, and there's no way that I can actually recap all of it, but just know that this has been such an amazing summer for me! It's been hard, definitely, and there have been times where I've thought "Ok, this was all just pointless," but I've grown so much from the experience and God is finally allowing Ashley and I to see a little of the reason why we're here.

The biggest obstacle we've encountered has been dissention within the church itself, and we really believe that God has us here to soothe some ruffled feathers and hurt feelings. We don't want to "blow our own whistles" or however the saying goes, but just through being involved with all different age groups (preschoolers, schoolkids, youth, senior citizens, etc.), we've been able to be loving towards everybody yet remain outside of some pretty frustrating arguments.

The other night I thought a lot about the difference between success and failure, mostly because it's easy to second-guess your efforts as your time in a foreign country draws to a close. But God reminded me of this verse, which I want to share with you guys (if anyone is still reading this... but ya know...) "This is what the LORD says: 'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness one earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord." ~Jeremiah 9:23-24

Wow. How true is that? No matter what has (or has not) happened in Australia, all that I can claim is the name of Christ and His kindness, justice, and righteousness. I've learned so much in this place, and gained a new perspective on so many things... like I said, we've stayed busy for the most part and there have been plenty of opportunities to learn and experience new things. We've had a Bogan Banquet, lead WOW's theater night (I got to play the parts of Sarah, Betty Lu, and Jean Claude!!), spoken at Chairo Christian School, been to Bible studies, had a 4th of July party, helped out with Kids Track and setting up for the youth worship service, played Bingo with cool old people, and, best of all... we've been able to meet some really amazing people.

Ashley asked me a few minutes ago if I would, knowing what I know now, apply for this IMB trip again. At first I hesitated and said that I wasn't sure, but now that I think about it, there's just no way I could trade in the friendships I've made. Yes, this trip has been expensive. Yes, it's been an "inconvenience" at times. Yes, I've missed birthdays and weddings and new babies being born and Father's Day and special occassions. But at the same time, how can I put a price on the opportunities I've had? One of my favorite times here in Australia was the time I took a walk on Rosebud Beach with one of the single moms at the church. She's a fairly new Christian, and it was just such a blessing and an honor to be able to encourage her, to show her things and listen to her story. How could the Father give me those kind of experiences and then I say "I just don't know...?"

Guys, I'm so sorry that I haven't been able to update very often and that I try and cram everything into one crazy-long post. But!! I really do appreciate all of your prayers and words of encouragement. You have no idea how much they've meant to me and how, on so many occasions, they've held me up and kept me going. I wanted to close with these lyrics from Relient K that seem to pretty much sum up this trip...

I think we’re going somewhere

We’re onto something good here

Out of mind, out of state

Tryin’ to keep my head on straight

I think we’re going somewhere

We’re onto something good here

There’s only 1 thing left to do –

Drop all I have and go with You

Somewhere back there I left my worries all behind

My problems fell out of the back of my mind

We’re going and we’re never knowing where we’re going

And to go back to where I was would just be wrong…

I’m pressing on, pressing on!

Our money/stress is going, going on

Pressing on, pressing on!

And there we go. To go back to where, and who, I was would just be wrong

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south...let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!" ~Psalm 107:1-3, 21-22

I wish there were some way to describe all that I've learned! Actually, it's not all straight in my head yet, so I guess I shouldn't try and write it down... but really, God has just been teaching and correcting me in so many things since I've been here, and particularly in the past few weeks. The crazy thing is that it's all "little" things (if there is such a thing with Him), and before I could even think to write it in my journal or process it, something else comes up. It's like one giant ball of conviction and learning that - I hope - changes me.

That's the thing about this trip... I'm starting to see that I could, potentially, go back to the States as a different person. Maybe not in obvious ways, but definitely in my attitudes and opinions. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I was so just caught up in being "poured out" this summer that I never really stopped and thought about how I would be changed. I think about all the times during my past year, especially at Clemson, that we (roommates, friends, family, whoever) would just sit and talk about God... and I miss it. It's such a privilege, and one that I definitely took for granted while at home. I mean, I'm from the South - the Bible belt - where "being a Christian" is the cool thing to do. It's just different here, and that's been difficult to adjust to. Although, on a reallllly selfish note, that's probably been good for me because it's taught me about different types of evangelism.

Please keep praying for Ashley and I... we're heading into a difficult (for us) time because the school holidays are coming up, which means that the ministries, etc. that we've been helping with will be put on hold until the next school term. In other words, it gives us a whole lot of time to do nothing, and it's when you're not busy that you can start being negative. It's not so much like "Oh I want to go home" as it is "Oh, this is different from back at home and I don't really like this part" kinda thing. Not that I don't love it here! Australia is definitely a cool place, filled with some great people. But the missionaries who did our orientation warned us about weeks where you can dwell too much on the differences. On the one hand, I'm not here to be comfortable so with God's help I'll just suck it up and deal with it. On the other, this is a great place and I don't want to miss out on a single second of it because of a critical attitude.

Somebody told me, shortly before I left, that Australia was just like America. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.  I really like that we get to live with Aussie families, though, because it really does allow us to embrace the culture as much as possible. Plus, they taught me to play pool and the way they say "fairdinkum" is just awesome.

OH!! Please be praying for me on Saturday... I'll be giving my testimony in front of the church, and I'm really nervous. Normally I'm ok with public speaking, but I so badly care about what the people in Pakenham think - I'm scared! There are also a few teenage girls that I've been talking to, so please keep them in your prayers as well. I won't get into their situations, etc. on an online journal, but please pray that they'll be open-hearted and most importantly, for God to be glorified. He deserves it :)

Alright... whoa, this has been a really long post! I was trying to make up for lost time, I guess. I love you guys!!

Ok, let's try this again! I'm still sick, but feeling better. The past few days have been so busy! As I was TRYING to write last time, just as Ashley and I were about to become totally frustrated with our lack of understanding for ministry here (not as dramatic as it sounds... but can't think of another way to explain it), God started throwing all of these opportunities as us. I love how it took me finally saying "Ok, Lord, I don't really know what i expected from this summer, but whatever it is, I surrender those expectations to You" before He showed me what He's asked.

Not that I'm perfect or have this whole thing figured out, not by any means. But we're finally starting to form relationships with some of the kids/youth here, and that means the world to me. Today we had our first 3 RE classes (religious education), and it was sooooo fun! We had a class of 12 year olds and 2 classes of 8-9 year olds. They asked us all kinds of questions... such as (and I'm not kidding) "Are you married? Do you have children? Do you know Britney Spears? Do you have a boyfriend? Did you ever meet George Washington? Do you have a President? Do you like Vegemite?" and, my personal favorite, "Do you have a Lamborghini?"  haha these kids are fantastic!

Ashley and I went to the "Seniors Hymn Singing" at PBC the other night - it was so sweet because they just stopped in the middle of the last hymn to pray for the two of us! I have to say, although there is still that difference between "hymns and that other loud music" (i.e. contemporary worship), for the most part Christians in Australia tend to rely on one another more. They much more obviously are the minority and therefore can't afford the petty arguments that we (and by "we" I mean "I") so often succumb to. Obviously there are still problems, and the church here in Pakenham seems to be experiencing a few of them, but overall the fellowship among believers seems more like the model in the New Testament.

There's so much more to tell, but I don't have time to go into it at the moment. Here are some of the phrases we've heard a lot since getting to ol' Pakky (Australians shorten EVERYTHING): No worries, mate... brekky....Ah, she'll be right. ..Fair dinkum?! ...bikky...'av a cuppa....i'll give ya a ring....ta...

Many thanks to each of you for your prayers. I LOVE Y'ALL!!! Make sure ya say "Happy Birthday!" to my dad on the 14th :)

And to close... this has been on my heart for the past few days. I find myself asking, "What kind of person ought I be..." as I'm here in Oz, yes, but also as I return home, to school - as I graduate, become a responsible-halfway-to-forty-year-old in a few weeks, work as a nurse, whatever He has. It's that "How now shall we live?" mentality. Look at all that He's saved us from, and all that He's calling us to be. This passage from 2 Peter... it's a good one; fair dinkum :) "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But, in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him."~2 Peter 3:11-14

Wow. First of all, Australia is AMAZING!! I seriously love this place, although the trip so far hasn't been without it's difficulties/surprises. I really don't even know where to start, so I apologize ahead of time for this sounding all kinds of scattered! Here goes...

Orientation in Sydney was so helpful, and Sydney is definitely one of the coolest places I've ever been in my life. Didn't see a whole lot of it, but we're get a chance to explore Circular Quay when we fly in for debriefing. WOOHOOOOO!!! All throughout our sessions, they kept saying how important it was to build relationships with the people, how Aussies don't care about anything until they've established that you care about them. And that sounds pretty logical, right? Like it's easy to say to yourself, "Just build relationships, you'll be fine." Ha. Never had I realized how we've (or maybe just me) "americanized" even a "mission trip!" Ashley and I struggled for days after arriving in Melbourne, feeling like we had no purpose, that this church probably shouldn't have requested students to come. PBC (Pakenham Baptist) has so many activities established that it just seemed like a waste of their time to have us here. But don't get me wrong! The people themselves have been GREAT -soooo welcoming. But still, it was disheartening and frustrating.

And then a couple of days ago, I just kept praying "for the sake of Your name." I had no idea what I was doing here, I've been pretty sick, I didn't even have a glimpse of what the Father wanted me to learn through it - and I definitely didn't see how He could get any glory from Ashley and I being here. And when I opened my Bible to read in 2nd Peter, the first thing that jumped from the page was "for the sake of the Name.' Whoa! I love when He surprises me with little stuff like that. (For the record, "stuff" is okay, but "stuffed" is a bad word here. So if you're ever in Australia - don't say it.)

In any case... I don't have time to write all that's happened over the past weekend, but God is definitely (finally!) starting to show me some things. As obvious as it sounds, I really DON'T have to be doing construction work or even planning some even in order to minister to the Aussies here. So far it really has been about investing your time and your heart in people, so that they can see how we love hime - and hopefully, through that, how Christ feels about them and just how far He went to save all of us.

Alright, there's more to write, but like I said, I've been pretty sick and I'm at the point where staying at the computer would probably mean I throw up. Soooo on that note, please keep praying! Your prayers are doing mighty things ... I appreciate it! I'll finish this up tomorrow...

Well, kids....

This is my last stateside entry!!! My bag is packed (hopefully under 50 lbs!) and the plane takes off in just a few hours. I talked to Ashley Graham again last night and we both agree that this whole thing seems pretty surreal. I wanted to thank all of yall for your encouraging words over the past few days! There's no way to describe all that I'm feeling right now, so I'll let this song do it for me...

"Revolution Cry" by Passion

When passion takes on a purpose
And searching ones embrace the light
When skeptics find themselves down on their knees
You'll know it's here ...

When you hear a sound as loud as thunder
And you hear a cry that shakes the ground beneath you
When you hear a shout that shatters the darkness
You'll know it's here...

When the lost find a Name worth believing in
And the fallen get back onto their feet 
When the broken start to dream again
And the sound of praise fills these streets
You'll know it's here ...

It's a revolution!
Can you feel it?
Revolution cry
Revolution
Can you hear it?
Revolution cry
And I believe it!
Oh I believe it!

How long do we have to wait
And how long will we stay silent?
When will this weeping generation dance again?
Oh God, when will 
Your truth be restored?

When the lost find a Name worth believing in
And the fallen get back onto their feet 
When the broken start to dream again
And the sound of praise fills these streets
You'll know it's here!

I love you guys!!