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 :)

It's been WAY too long!!

I am SO sorry it’s been so long since I’ve updated all of you!!! It’s been CRAZY busy, and It’s only getting busier!!! It’s INSANE! But great! :) Please pray for strength and rest for me! It’s already been really rough only having one day a week to rest, but now I don’t even have that!! I already got sick last week, and I pray it’s the last time while I’m here, but who knows with my schedule!! So please just pray for protection from sickness and strength and alertness during my VERY long days!!

SO… here’s what’s been going on!! Where to even start??? I GOT A JOB!!! :) Every wed. from 9-5, I will be at the church taking care of the Children’s minister’s baby boy, Orlando. I’m not sure how much I’ll be making yet, but the Lord’s provided the job, I know he’ll provide the amount I need, and if not here, he’ll provide the time and the place to get another job. YAY GOD!!! :)

Church has been incredible!! God’s just been DOING work in my heart and with things I didn’t know still chained me!! Not there yet, but I know he’s gonna free me from them SOON!! It’s been hard, but that’s why he brought me here!! I have SO many things I didn’t even know I needed to sort through!

There’s lots of stuff going on around me that’s testing my personal beliefs and it’s been REALLY trying challenging, but it’s got me digging and finding the truth for myself and shaping MY thoughts. It’s been a struggle, to even find the time to personally seek out my questions, but it’s been good when I have!!

We’ve got the new CD recording the first weekend in November and I’m PUMPED!!!!!!! :) It’s gonna be awesome!! I can’t wait!! The only issue with Worship here, is it doesn’t go long enough!!

Honestly though, I can’t even begin to explain ALL that God’s doing!! He’s testing and trying me in ways I didn’t think I needed to grow in!! He’s FOR REAL!!!!!!!!!! Teaching me how to love ALLLLLLL people!!! Different personalities, different ages, different hygiene, different cultures, different understandings!! It’s been SO hard!! Especially Saturday mornings with the Embrace team (going to nursing homes) I HATE it, but I know God has me there!! I’m just praying and asking that it’s not longer than it has to be!! OH, ONLY JESUS!!! Have you ever had those?? ONLY because Jesus is putting you there, are you capable… this is my ONLY YOU JESUS!!!

OH gracious!! It’s past the roses and green pastures!! Still in them, but the shock and newness of them have worn off, it’s becoming familiar in a sense, but God’s still God!!

It’s been really weird for it to wear off, because it’s HILLSONG, It’s AUSTRALIA… my DREAM and ambition for the last 5 years, and it’s here!! I’m here!! It’s weird!! Honestly, God’s teaching me that things WILL wear off, regardless of how long we’ve wanted them!! Things will become familiar, BUT He’s still God regardless! He’s still placed us there, he’s still IN control, and has purpose!! He still died, and I’m still unworthy without him!! The issues I had back home WILL follow me and won’t just not be an issue anymore because it’s a new place, but they’re actually something I’m going to have to work and process through, and I can!! Regardless of how much work some of the things are, because of CHRIST, I can!!! It’s worth it, because my life has purpose, and can be used to make his name more famous, because I choose to go through the fire!! “This is my prayer fire, in weakness or trial or pain…. There is a faith proved of more worth than gold, SO REFINE ME LORD THROUGH THE FLAME!!!”

I was reading in Ecclesiastes 2 earlier last week, and God totally just WHOOSHED down on me!! It was just me and God, at the coffee shop, I was reading my bible, already journaled, just wanted to spend time with him, and he totally gave me a glimpse of how worthy he is. The author is talking about what’s the point of life under the sun? Some people of wise and some are foolish, some people bust their bums to succeed and achieve and prosper… for what?? To die and pass it on to someone who could destroy everything you strived for your entire life in a matter of a few years?? It’s crazy!! REALLY, what’s the point???? The point is, he revealed to me, that the wise and the foolish ALL face the same day of judgment!!! Being knowledgeable and successful in this life, doesn’t save you from eternity!! Being wise doesn’t set you apart from the world, what sets you apart is HIS name, and how you live under it!! Life, LITERALLY has NO PURPOSE, without his name attached to yours!! It’s one of those “BUT God…” things!! Nothing under the sun means anything, none of it has a purpose, BUT because GOD chose us, we can have life and know purpose!! ONLY through HIS name is that possible!! It was a way cool moment, and it’s been a daily revelation since then, just a little more and more each day!! SO cool!!!! :) That’s our God!!!

Anyways, this is long as usual!! Please just be praying over provision in finances and in my time management and strength and rest!! It’s already been challenging, but God’s got it!! I miss you ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m excited to be home in December, even if it’s just for a bit!! :) Australia is great, but there is NO place on this earth like home!! Especially not when all the people who have a piece of my heart are all in that place!! :) I love you guys, and am praying for ya’ll!!! (FYI… Ya’ll is totally a southern thing, I get picked on ALL the time from everyone for saying it, minus the few who are actually from the south too!!)

Hope it was worth the wait for ya'll!!

I’m SO Sorry it’s been so long… it’s just been SUPER crazy… and God’s been doing so much!! It’s hard to sit and think after he completely rips you apart! (In a good way!!)

I’m not even sure how long it’s been since I updated everyone!! Basically though… the Lord is beyond GOOD!!! And love his children enough to teach them how to be more like him and glorify him with our hearts! Because if our hearts aren’t behind it, our actions are void!! It’s not by our works but by our faith and belief in him he recognizes us!!

SO… the last 2 and a half weeks… Sum it up for you…

God sent strangers to me at a coffee shop to encourage me in what He has planned for me! I wasn’t suppose to be at the coffee shop, and it’s by chance I was by myself… I love how he knows what he’s doing!! :) Funny story… yours truly totally busted it on the way home from church one night, totally face planted while walking with my friends and landed on my hand!! I was cracking up but it pain… thought I broke my pinkie but it was just jammed, and SUPER swollen… could bend it but it hurt really bad!! God healed it the next day after my roommate prayed over it! Swelling was comparatively down a TON, and I could completely fist my hand, every finger!!

I started classes, which the first two weeks are something they call intensives! Had my last day of those Friday, and start for real classes tomorrow! Intensives were INSANE!!! SUPER long days, but overflowing with truth and Jesus doing WORK in the hearts of everyone I’ve talked to, me included!!

They basically… wanted to set us all straight before we started getting involved in the church and working in groups together! Bottom line, it doesn’t matter WHERE we’re serving or how small our part feels… we’re all just as equally important as the person standing beside us! Just as important as the person with the guitar and mike in their face, just as important as the person handing out the bulletins, just as important as the person making coffee!! Being in the choir is just as important of a role as being in the front ensemble! We’re all part of his body, and all of our desires are to bring people to JESUS! Not for our own fame, but for their lives sake and the fame of the one we call savior!! It doesn’t matter if we’re up front or in the back as long as we’re giving our best in the area that we’re serving!! Because in the end, God has called us to love HIM, and love people!! (Hillsong’s motto!!) What we should all live by!! It’s the biblical call of God’s children in simple terms!!

It’s been INCREDIBLE!! I can’t even begin to explain all that the Lord’s been doing in my heart and all that he’s been teaching me!! That’s the last two weeks in SUPER summary form!!

I’ve served two weekends now, and LOVE it!!!!!! I sing in choir, work with the kids, and am part of what they call street teams! Which is out of church ministry!! They go into the surrounding communities every Saturday, and clean houses and provide company and do yard work for the people who are physically incapable, can’t financially do, or just need someone to invest in them as a human being!! I’m in a branch of that ministry which is called embrace!! And instead of going to surrounding houses, I go to surrounding nursing homes and spend time with the elderly!! It’s crazy how different each culture is!! If I thought sticking someone in a nursing home back home was bad… having that done here basically means, no one cares!! The people in them never have visitors!! It’s like they’re completely forgotten about!! SO… the mission of the team I’m on is to go and love and invest in the lives of the older community!! I had my first Saturday!! It was interesting!! But SO good!! It seemed so simple to me for it to be something Hillsong does… but it’s loving people in Jesus’ name!! I felt like a middle schooler at camp again, because we sang some songs for them and then just chatted with them!! SO simple, but SO vital for that community!! For someone to actually take the time out and come see them and spend time with them!! The man I spent majority of my time talking to was Mr. Cooper!! It was a little hard to understand him and what he was saying… but what I did get was that He has two sons and one was suppose to have come to visit the last few Saturdays and has yet to make it!! He said, “I hope he’s able to make it! I’m not sure what happened but he hasn’t made it yet!!” He hasn’t seen his son in over a year!! UGH!!!!! It broke my heart!! That’s someone DAD!!!! Took everything in me not to fall apart!! And it is now!!

SO… anyways!! Onto a happier note!! I’ve so enjoyed every BIT! Of school and church and life here!! Well… maybe not all of life here… it’s SO different, but the joy of church and school completely overshadows it all!! God is so good and I’m amazed at his love daily!!

I had my first connect group meeting this week, their version of home-teams or FE groups! And I LOVED it!! My leaders are 1^st year 2^nd semester students and I love them!! They’re so precious and our first time together as a group was precious!! One of my leaders dad had a brain aneurism in May… after she’d been here 5 months… and she was told there was a 1% chance that he would be a functioning person again!! He had no brain activity or anything!! After TWO months… he’s now learning to walk again and is talking a bit!! PRAISE GOD!!! When I was talking to her, she said, “I never in my life thought I’d be happy that my dad could pee, but he peed on his own for the first time last week!! PRAISE JESUS!!” She then went onto say though, that anything that could go wrong back home, WILL why you’re here!! Because the enemy is going to try and knock you down and take you back to prevent what the Lord has in store for you over here!! I’m totally praying for protection against that!! I ask that you do the same!! And pray for protection over everyone around me back home, and the family God’s blessed me with over here!! That SAME night, my flat-mate, who is in the same connect group as me, got a call from her mom telling her that her dad was moving out for at least two months to figure things out!! Please be in prayer over her heart, Kristine, because she has no relationship with her dad as it is, and her not being home for her mom and dealing with other family stuff… she just fell apart!! The enemy is already trying to tear it apart before it’s really even begun, but I ask for you to PLEASE partner with me in prayer against the attacks!! I’ve been constantly covering Kristine and her parent’s marriage and her family since I found out!!! The enemy is trying, but we won’t give way!!

MRS. JEANNIE… I just want you to know, BEAU IS BEING COVERED!!!!!! This morning in the prayer meeting the choir covered him with healing and believing the Lord will bring it!! Ya’ll don’t understand HOW much the belief that God is ABLE, is over here!! And the entire school and church is praying and believing that God is able to take the cancer and tumor out of Beau’s body forever!! I’m not exaggerating when I’m telling you the ENTIRE Hillsong City Campus Community is pleading the blood of Jesus over Beau’s body!!! No more sickness!! I can’t WAIT to see how the Lord is going to use Beau more than he already has, because the enemy is very aware of God at work in Beau’s life!! (Totally listening to Desert Song right now too….) GOD IS SO GOOD!!! :)

Anyways… I’m about to have to head out for Sunday night service!! It’s my 4^th service this weekend… close to prob. my 50^th in the month of being here… and I’m still ready for more!!! When God’s in it, when people around you love you and treat you the way Jesus does, you can’t get enough!! When the leaders are transparent and practice what they preach, God is revealed even more!!

This whole entry is prob. crazy sounding and doesn’t make a lot of sense because it’s so scatter-brained!! But it’s what the Lord is doing!! I’m praying for you all back home!! I love and miss you all the time!!

It’s only been two full weeks of classes and its already completely indescribable what the Lord’s been teaching me!! Like honestly… all I know is that he IS, and all I pray is that my life testifies to that, and that he’s seen through me!! Words can’t describe it, but communication isn’t what’s said, it’s how its said and portrayed!!

Believing that the joy he brings me is evident enough in my life words aren’t needed for people to be curious about what’s different!!!!

Michelle!! :)

So… I know I’d said I’d write about Sunday morning, but truth is, it’s been crazy busy, and I never got around to it after I got off Sunday!! BUT… I remember it was INCREDIBLE!! I’m not going to go into too much detail about it because I have a more recent service I attended and can share about!! The 18-25 group meets every Wednesday night, called Powerhouse!! And last week we didn’t have it because we had a joint group on Friday instead with all of middle and high school students!! The past few days have just been so fun and so awesome (I’ll go into detail about last night in a minute!!) Monday we had brunch as a new student intake, it was the first time it was ONLY new students and so it made things a lot easier and it was such a good time!! I love the friends I’ve made but it’s been cool to get to know other students from all over the place also! Tuesday, yesterday, we actually went to Bondi and Bronte beaches!! We got out at Bondi and walked this GORGEOUS trail to Bronte up on cliffs and everything!! It was BEAUTIFUL!!! Oh my GOSH!! You have NO idea… it was SO much fun too; walking with all new students and just getting to know each other and sit in Gods creation together and share out hearts and hear what everyone’s expecting God to do this next year!! I’ll post pictures as soon as I get a solid internet connection, but they’ll be up SOON!! :)

Today was the last day before we start orientation and enrollment tomorrow, and they had a trip to Manly Beach today (the harbor with the bridge and opera house) as a group, but I opted out! I was in DESPERATE need of alone time, me and Jesus and his word and my guitar! I woke up a little bit discouraged because I thought I’d have my flat to myself because everyone was planning on going, but I woke up to find that only one of my three flat-mates went, so my time was going to be a challenge! But God KNOWS what he’s doing! :) So instead of me being inside with him, he stopped the rain and led me to a park right beside our apartment complex that has a HUGE hill, that overlooks just about all of Sydney!! So I spent the day on a hill!! My friend Lindsey went too, we just sat in different areas! But I was able to talk with Jesus and love on Him and let Him love back on me, and Just sat with him!! It was SOOO needed, and I’m not keeping the park to myself, I’m just not telling anyone about it! Haha! :)

So I came home from my time and got ready for Powerhouse tonight, and was SO ready to encounter Jesus with a full band and lots of hungry hearts surrounding me!! And OH MY GOSH, is that what I got!! I can’t even BEGIN to explain, from the first chord to walking in the door of my flat, how thick the presence of God is in this place!! Learning to lead others into the presence of our God is what I came for, but little did I know I’d be learning how to be lead in worship!! There’s this thickness and saturation and THIRST AND DESIRE for Jesus to come down and TRULY change the lives of those in attendance, it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before!! And I can tell you one thing for sure… PLEASE listen to me… it’s not because I’m at Hillsong… it’s not because of the structure of the country I’m in… it’s because it’s God’s children saying mediocre is NOT ENOUGH!! That being ushered into the presence of the Almighty is not something that is to be taken lightly so we PRAY and we SEEK and we PLEAD with our Father to come MAKE HIS NAME KNOWN!!! For his Face to shine on us, and he DOES!!!! The hunger and desire is genuine not for a few in the body of the church, but the odd ball is the one who isn’t genuine about it!! I just bawled on a row by myself tonight during worship because everyone surrounding me had already staked their ground at the altar, and the foot of the floodgates!! There was such FREEDOM!! To jump, to dance, to shout, to cry, to be still, to WORSHIP OUR GOD!!!!!! I opened my eyes during the middle of one of the songs, and I’ve never been apart of such uninhibited worship before, not even at Passion! I CAN’T explain it to you, other than to tell you I can’t get ENOUGH, and honestly for the FIRST time, I didn’t feel like one of a few, but one in a majority!! I’m honestly watering down the explanation because it’s SO different than anything, many of us, have ever seen!! I wanted MORE and DIFFERENT!! It’s why I came, and this is just the beginning!! I’m sorry if I’m stepping on any toes, but there’s now way to accept or understand the lukewarm when there is SO MUCH MORE, all you have to do is ASK!! It doesn’t always come immediately, because we don’t always fully understand what we’re asking for and the Lord has to prepare us for His greatness!! But it is GREAT and WORTH the patience and glorious pain of unquenchable desire!!

The Lord has brought me here, and has SO reassured me of that in the times of worship in my own time, and in services!!

Please continue praying, joy doesn’t come without the sufferings or the trials!! It’s how we know the difference!! I have orientation the next 2 days, and auditions on Friday (ya’lls Thursday!) Thank you so much for your prayers! Know that I’m praying for ya’ll just as much!! I love and miss you!!! The Lord is Great and Glorious!!

P.S.--- tonight at Powerhouse, instead of having a message, they actually set up a panel chat with some of the United Band members, not Joel or Brooke, but some of the other members also!! Def. not what I was expecting but God used it as confirmation over more than one thing! SO COOL!!! :)

The first of many....

So... it's been SO CRAZY!!! :) God is SO good!! There were a few days where it got a little rough for me, but STILL God is GREAT!! And true to His word, and never leaves His children!! And I AM HIS CHILD!!! It blows my mind!! I've just had some precious time with God revealing how much he loves me!! I'm here, five years after the dream was birthed, with these people, for one SPECIFIC reason!! "for such a time as this..." is all that keeps resonating in my spirit! The friends I've made, the reason why now, everything leading up to it, purposed for the same thing, HIS GLORY!!! All in different ways, but the same goal and purpose!! It's beautiful, and I'm SO PUMPED for what God has in store!! There's a group of 4 girls particularly God has knit me with so far, Kristine and Carly are my "flatmates" and two other girls Angela (from california studying worship, emphasis keys), and Lindsey (from texas studying worship emphasis voice). I'm so blessed and overwhelmed at my father's love for me.

Friday night was actually my first official Hillsong event, they had "United Night" which i thought was going to be a recording, which come to find out, everyone here just kinda communicates by word of mouth, and it was a RELEASE night of these EP style cd's that the United band has going on, they've been working on ones for each season and this was the release of the Winter one. It was also one of the four times a year that they gather together all of the youth for a night of worship and word. Their youth consists of the middle school, high school, and also college aged kids!! They're all usually separated except the occasional night out of the year. So it wasn't actually a recording like I'd thought, but it was still awesome! It took me a little while to get into worship because I was so overwhelmed by everything going on around me, and was still a bit jet lagged, it was just a lot to take in I didn't feel like I was fully there!

I don't have time to post about church this morning, because I'm at a coffee shop and they're getting ready to close up, and the way they have internet set up here, is RIDICULOUSLY annoying... but I will word it, that way it's fresh for all of you!! And post in tomorrow or Tuesday!! :) Thank you all so much for your prayers and thoughts!! God is SO good, and I'm so excited to see what he has planned this next year!!

Tomorrow I'll actually be meeting most of the new students! This past week was "settling in" week, students were coming in every day and no one really knew who any one was because we're all spread out through an apartment complex!! But they have actual new student activities this week!! Tomorrow is brunch at the church, tuesday, they're taking us to Bondi beach, and wednesday, they're taking us to the bridge and opera house!! Thursday and Friday, ORIENTATION!!!! :) It's an exciting week!!

QUICK... for those of you who wanted to know... my address here is

333/8 Lachland St

Waterloo NSW 2017

I miss you ALL SO MUCH!!! :) But so enjoying what God's already doing!! I'll be in touch soon!!

Getting settled

So it's been 5 full days here in the land down under... and I was FINALLY able to get some things done today!! :) It's been an insane adventure of wrong buses and no phones or internet and not having a CLUE as to where in the world we are!! Tuesday we were trying to take the bus out to the mall to get some stuff for out apartment, and ended up down at the harbor by the bridge on complete accident!! Then after eating because we were starving, we got on the bus that took to absolute longest to get to the mall!! haha! it was just crazy!! :) After 2 days of failure... the Lord was good and provided the time and people and strength... to go to ikea and get stuff for our "flat" is what they call apartments here!! As well as get a cell phone!! :) It's been a CRAZY past few days... but God is good!! When i say we, I'm mostly talking about my roommate Amy who I actually met before leaving!! :) She's from peachtree city and studying worship as well!! We've got 2 other flat mates, Carly from Michigan, and Kristine from Flordia!! But but we've met people from all over the world! It's SO cool!! All of the girls are precious and It's gonna be an exciting year!! :) It's draining and very different being here, and its more than just the side of the road they drive on!! The first time I got on a bus, i was about to die i thought because it's SO weird the driver being on the wrong side of the car and the wrong side of the road, turns are def. the worst and scariest moments!! But it's fun and I know everything is going to be wonderful once classes start!! Just trying to learn my way around this crazy big town right now!! haha!! It's been interesting to say the least!! LOTS of funny stories... and almost melt down moments where I was just ready to come home because it's so chaotic and doesn't feel even close to home yet... with a mattress on the floor with an insane amount of hard springs... no heat because of the bills... no comforter because i didn't know where I was going, no phone to call anyone I've met here to ask where I was going... hahaha!! It's been an adventure! but the Lords been stable!! And knew it was time to make some of those things happen today! :) Which is wonderful!! I have some videos of my flat and some of the adventures... I'm trying to figure out how to upload them to my facebook now, but I'll get them up soon if it doesn't work out tonight!! Please continue to pray over what God has in store!! It's already been very trying, but I KNOW the Lord has me here!! Even in the little things, like furniture, just ask for God to provide what out apt. needs in order to feel like home!! Because all of my roommates and I are trying to be as careful as we can with our money, and are trusting that God will provide what we all need!! Thank you all so much for your prayers!! I'll post VERY soon!! :) I'm SO Excited for school to start and I actually get to go to a pre recording concert tomorrow night for the new United CD! I can't WAIT to worship and get this thing going!! but having this week to get settled in has been wonderful and needed as well!! I love and miss you ALL!! :) Be in touch soon!!

Rosa Michelle! :)

On the Way

So… I’m sitting on my flight to L.A. that connects to Sydney, in amazement!! Is this REALLY happening right now?!?! Am I FOR REAL on my way to study at Hillsong in Australia!! No way did I really just leave Georgia, my family and friends, and am moving across the world… hahaha!!! WOW GOD!!!! :) I am so overwhelmed and blessed and amazed that he’s really got me doing this!! He placed the dream five years ago and is really bringing the fruit about!! I’m SO excited about what God has ready for me this coming year!! So eager and desiring his spirit to pour out in a new and fresh way in my life, and reveal more of himself to me in a deeper and more intimate way!!

OH MY GOSH!!!!!! I’m really doing this?!?! Hahahaha!! I LOVE it!! I’m so amped up on excitement right now I don’t even know what to do!! :) I left for Australia with $6,700 in my account!! YAY GOD!!! It’s been a CRAZY crammed week and I’m still not even sure if I got everything done I’d intended to, but off I go!! :)

I can’t wait to get there and get stuff settled in and update everyone!! It’s so exciting!! :) If ya’ll could please be in prayer for a safe flight to Sydney, a restful first few days in Sydney before classes start July 19^th, for God to begin opening the door for a job for me!! That he knows and is certain of what I’m suppose to do and the energy and time allowed for it!! This is about to be the craziest year of my life yet I feel like, but I KNOW he has it!! Thank you all SO much!! God is SO good, and LOVES, OH how he ADORES and FAVORS his children!! That’s what I rest in!!

I’ll be in touch SOON!!!!! :) Miss you all SO much already, but am ready to get there and get started!! Even though the adventure and lessons begun the night I got home from Bonefish and was on the phone with Pastor Aaron from the school, and he called and told me I’d been accepted!! It’s been a ride, and it’s not anywhere CLOSE to being over!!!