Good onya, on me for a new post!! :)

So… I’m trying to do better!! I think I updated last week, which is really good!! Right now I’m at the Hills Campus taking care of the Wakerley’s baby, because they are filming next years children curriculum and videos. So… I’m out here in the children’s room keeping their little boy! :) He’s asleep… so I figured instead of updating JUST on Hillsong life… I’d give you all a little bit of Australian life too!!

1. They have VERY limited cereal choices. All of the Americans are trying to deal. It’s pretty funny actually, but really annoying when you’re really just craving a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Captain Crunch…

2. Bacon here… NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! To American bacon… It’s basically… Ham!! It’s thick and isn’t even the same cut from the pig that Americans call bacon! It really is, just like ham.

3. EVERYTHING here, tastes different, Except for Coke! And Sprite here is better!

4. They have parrots that are just birds. They’re not everywhere I am, but there are some areas you go and parrots are all over the trees and just flying around.

5. They drive on the other side of the street… SO WEIRD!! I freaked out the first time I rode in a car, still have the tendency to tell my friend Josh he’s going the wrong way into traffic!! It’s really crazy! Turns are the worst!!! I still haven’t figured them out!

6. Everybody here… calls each other a legend! I was telling Max (my boyfriend) about that last week… and we’d literally just the day before been talking about it, and when I was skyping him someone came in and said hey… and they were like yeah… “Michelle’s totally a legend!” One of my friends from here wrote it on my wall too! It might be a Hillsong thing but… Legend…

7. Not all of them, but some of them call afternoon, arvo.

8. Good onya- means, “That’s awesome of you” or “great job” it depends on the context it’s used in!

9. Everyone rejoices when something is free or under $10! Aka… nothing here is cheap… and RARELY is there something we get for free around here!

10. Vegemite is an Australian favourite… I haven’t had it… but apparently only Australian’s love it!! Something you have to grow up loving… or prepare it right.

11. The Australian’s call it “Asian invasion” aka… sometimes I’m not sure what country I’m in!

12. There is no one-stop shop place ANYWHERE here!! Nothing where you can buy everything you need… like Wal-mart!! However… they are getting a Costco soon! :)

13. New Zealanders and Australians have different types of accents… and they call New Zealanders “Kiwis”

14. It’s totally easy to have an Australian accent… only when you’re praying after one!! The whole “Repeat after me” deal… yeah… the only time I even come close.

15. In dollar stores around here… there is nothing under $7

16. Cookies… are called “biscuits” and they don’t have normal biscuits!

So… There are just a few things about Australian life so far… I think It’s been too long since I’ve gotten here that I’m not even sure what exactly is all different anymore!! HOWEVER… the one thing I’m certain that is different for sure is the church culture and environment. It’s not home… but it’s the healthiest church I’ve ever been to in my life. It’s the only church I’ve ever been to in my life that empowers their congregation to believe that they themselves are leaders. There isn’t a difference between the leaders and the congregation because they believe, as Christian’s we’re all leaders. Some of us are leaders in the church… but all of us are called to lead this world. And each of us impact different areas of it. They believe that It’s just as much the congregations responsibility to lead the church as it is Brian and Bobbie’s and everyone who is in between them. It’s crazy!! I honestly can’t think of another environment I would want to be a part of. It’s so neat to see how they allow and encourage people to find what STRENGTH and gift God has blessed them with. It’s hard for me to believe and adjust to the fact that my campus pastors and the worship leaders see me as their equal and respect me and what God’s placed on my life. THAT’S church family. That’s the kingdom of God!! And it’s beautiful!!! It’s taken some adjusting to, and some trust barriers to fall… still is!! But God’s church is beautiful!! And by no means is it perfect… but when you bring the best that you can, your excellence, which is different for each of us but you allow God to do the rest, it’s incredible to see how God transforms atmospheres and lives and situations… DAILY! Absolutely blows my mind!! So neat!! :) Only God…

So… that’s pretty cool!! Still taking lots of adjusting to! Please pray for me, because it’s basically a roller coaster day to day!! There’s SOOOOOO much, on my plate!!! I’m really stressed out between church/school (they go hand in hand these days) and trying to figure out a job that provides what I need, and trying to figure out the time that I even have for that job, OH… and trying to figure out when I’m suppose to sleep and rest, and process through everything that God’s doing just on the inside of me!!!! It’s ridiculous… and I’ve had about 2 melt downs in the last 2 weeks, it’s a struggle… so please just pray for God’s provision and assurance and peace and strength. I know he’s brought me this far, he knows what I can handle, He’s asking me to trust, just pray!! Because it’s even CRAZIER than I thought it was going to be! BUT… God has me here!! And has the people surrounding me he knows I need!! Back home, and here!! It’s hectic… but I’m trying to trust and be positive!! I’m here… Praise the Lord! :) ALSO… I had my first performance for classes Yesterday… My Tuesday! And I was super stressed… I’m 1 of 4 vocalists in my band (our 5^th one has been sick since she got here) and I’m the only one who speaks English as their first language, and one of 2 that has ever performed or done music before or performed before, and I felt like I was the only one who was really stepping up to the plate and taking charge or putting opinions in… and It’s been really frustrating!! I’ve had my moment about it, and I’ve come to realize, after talking to my roommate, because there’s a whole heap of things that I’ve really struggled with and been frustrated about with the worship class aspect of school, and my roommate pointed out, that God’s totally teaching me and growing me, just not in the area I ever expected it to be coming here! I came to study Music right?? WRONG, I signed up for God to absolutely demolish any attitude or behaviour that wasn’t glorifying to him. I came to learn, and I’m SO learning, just wasn’t ever what I could have expected!! SO… please pray for me in that area too!! I never realized how hard I really am, and how easily frustrated I get sometimes… GET IT GONE GOD!!! Haha! :) That’s what he’s doing… I’m laughing about it now, but I totally wasn’t yesterday morning or the past 2 months!! BUT… Our performance went really well!! I got some really encouraging feedback from people, which was needed!! Sometimes you know where you’re suppose to be, but you question if you’re doing what you’re suppose to be doing because you don’t seem to be moving forward in it at all, God totally knows what we need!! ALL the time!!! I don’t always trust or believe that he does tho!

I love and miss you guys so much!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate missing football games (Georgia State’s first season!! GO PANTHERS!!! Aka… GO MAX!!!!! J) and birthdays (Stephanie’s was Monday the 6^th!) But I’m here… and God totally keeps reminding of that!! HE’S holding me!! My foundation isn’t Georgia or the states or my family and friends… It’s the God who holds the entire universe in his hands. He knows me SO much better than I could ever know myself… and has purpose and plans… and love!!! He chooses me even on the day’s I don’t choose him!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Father!!!

Anyways… YEP!! I’ll be home at Christmas… and I can’t wait to see ya’ll!!! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Michelle :)