this twenty-second year, and a bit before

Hello Hello!!!!

So, it’s officially been more than a month since I’ve been gone!! CRAZY!!! It feels like I never left here, and doesn’t feel like I could have been home for six months because how long I was there was too short for it to be six months!!! So weird!! How so many things actually change, but it feels like nothing has!! :)

Anyways… life is good here! Colour Conference is in a WEEK!!!! AGH!!! I get to attend which I’m very pumped for!! Max’s mom gets in Friday, the 9th, and she and I are getting the privilege of going to the women’s conference together, where Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer will be the key speakers!! :) The power of women in unity… things can happen, and circumstances can change, and lives can be moved, and women can know love for the first time, the earth can actually shake… OH the possibilities!! It’s going to be great, so excited and expectant!!

Max and I are going to have a GREAT visit with her, and I know God’s going to move and refresh both of us at conference!!! It’s absolutely, 100% the BEST thing ever to have family come visit I’ve decided. This is Ms. Mem’s second trip over here, and I think I’m more excited this time than I was last time, because I now know how wonderful it is to have family come visit, and experience and share in this life we have here, and it’s just getting to see family. It’s great!! I can’t WAIT!! Max is beside him self with excitement!! He hasn’t seen her in about 7 months, so it’ll be a sweet reunion! :)

Life is keeping me on my toes. It’s definitely a different experience not doing college and just working and serving… but I’m enjoying it. Prayer request- I need a new job. I LOVE E-Sprit and the people I work with, and was beyond blessed to be able to come back to an immediate start there, but I’m not getting the hours I need, and when all I’m doing is working for the moment, I’m a little bit out of ideas on what to do with my time, and how to NOT spend money doing those things. I can’t wait to get my jewelry stuff to me, but for now… I’m out of options, and would love a set schedule and expected income. So PLEASE be praying for me on that end, as I am praying and looking.

So, I’m living in a new place, with 3 incredible girls. Seriously… I couldn’t be more blessed. It’s like I’ve known them my whole lives!! Susie is Austrian, Thea is Swiss, and Selena is Australian, and it’s the best roommate/living situation I’ve ever had. It was my birthday this past weekend and they couldn’t have made me feel more special. Selena went home for the weekend (as only she can, because the rest of us are from overseas) but Thea and Susie loved on my like only family can. :) They are def. God picked friends for me. I was skyping my family Saturday morning for my birthday, and Susie and Thea both came and sat by me as I was talking to my whole family (ash came home for the night) and it was like we were all family. Stephanie messaged me later and was like “OH MY GOODNESS, I love them!! They’re so funny!! You guys are hilarious!” :) It’s true… these girls bring so much joy to my life, I couldn’t have even dreamed up our friendships. :) The 3 of us serve in the middle school ministry, FUEL, together on Friday nights. Fridays are a long day for all of us, because for anything at church, you always have to bump in and bump out. Each room is used for at least 3 things, so you always set up and pack down each time. So every Friday night, we set up and pack down before and after the night. It makes for a pretty long afternoon/evening at church. Well, Max had already gone home because he had to be up at 4 for work the next morning, so Thea and Susie took it upon themselves to start my birthday celebration ahead of time with the rest of the fuel team. I was upstairs by the windows that overlook the entrance to the church, talking to some other girls, when all I hear is my name being yelled. I thought I was crazy for a moment so I ignored it but kept hearing it… So I start looking around like “where the heck is that coming from? Who’s calling my name??” And I turn around and look down… and Thea and Susie have gotten me a cake with candles and everyone is on the steps outside of the church with sparklers lit, waiting for me to come down and sing happy birthday to me. I seriously felt like a princess!! It was so great!! :) Definitely one of those unforgettable moments! And ya know what?? It didn’t even take a boy (Max) to be present for me to feel like a princess!! It was the love of my two girlfriends that made me feel so special. I love how God does that… how He knows exactly what you need, when you need it, and who you need it from. He knows my battle with feeling accepted and loved isn’t from Max, but from friends, and ya know what?? He’s got me covered.

It’s been so interesting being back, because some things that I was dealing with when I left are still around and still being dealt with… but God’s doing something new. He’s loving on me in a different way, and it’s personal. I’m believing it’s more than just the rough and tough sorting through of self, but that I’m going to see fruit and goodness during this year, and I am.

I’ve been so challenged lately in my thoughts and my thinking, about people, life, situations, church (my whole life experience in church, not just a specific one), leaders, friends, relationships, and God’s just like… renew your self in me. Your mind… just sit with me. I promise you won’t be disappointed, and I haven’t believed him. All the hurts and frustrations that I’ve experienced, EVER, in my life, I associated with who God is to me. What it means He thinks about me, and how our relationship is… that I’m actually more than just disposable to my friends or to the church, but I’m disposable to God. When really… that’s what the enemy has fooled me into thinking. To associating people of God, with God, and God’s still separate. One of the staff pastors was preaching yesterday morning, and he said that a lot of us instead of following Jesus, follow and try to become like the leaders of our church, but God is bigger than our church leaders. He’s separate from the church. The church is His LOVE, but it’s not Him. It’s been SO INCREDIBLEY refreshing to sit back under the heart of this house. It’s so eye opening, and when the spirit is moving and is allowed to move, what God does. Last night in worship, I just felt like I couldn’t go anywhere, I couldn’t focus on anything, I couldn’t encounter God, until I got on my knees and laid it down, so I did. I fought it for a minute, I was like “Lord, can we just do this with me standing up” and He was persistent “just kneel before Me, lay it down” and I did. Oh my goodness, it didn’t matter what the person next to me was doing or how they were worshiping or what song it was. NOTHING ELSE AROUND ME mattered, because I was with Jesus. I was with the God who created me, and knows me more intimately than anyone else possibly could. I was with the Lord who has chased me and pursued me and loved me when I haven’t loved or trusted or sought after Him. He was there to meet with me.

It’s been ages since I felt that way, and it was so much more than anything I’ve ever felt before. Because God isn’t about keeping us in the same place or getting us back to where we came from, He’s about giving us more. More than what He’s given us before, meeting with us more than He has. It’s so overwhelming when He takes you to those deeper places for the first time. It’s actually like “How could I have done life without this??” Because He is life, and His desire is life for us. It’s actually amazing.

Did you know??? To aussie land I go... again! :)

Ok, so here we go… again! CRAZY!!! For those of you who don’t know… I’m on a plane again… headed back to the land down under (Australia, for those of you still not sure where), because yet again it’s where I feel God’s told me to place myself. HOWEVER, while some of you might think you know what I’m doing… not everyone does. So, to update put everyone on the same page, I’m here in Sydney but I’m not going back to study at Hillsong for the time being. That might happen again, later, but for now, I’m going simply because the God I’ve asked to direct me in every decision of my life, has said “My grace is enough to cover any decision you make, wrong or right… you’re my child and I know your heart, and my grace covers your steps.” This is a new thing for me… making decisions based on the grace he’s extended to me and not on what He’s spoken to my heart. So, I’ll be working fulltime and taking online classes, working towards my bachelors. So weird… and I know some of you are scratching your heads thinking “How does that make any sense?” Well, I can ‘t tell you how it makes sense, because I don’t know how it does. But I do know God hasn’t called me to make sense of everything He asks me to do, He’s just asked me to obey. SO, that’s what I’m doing. :)

One thing I’ve ALWAYS adored about how God works is, in Psalm 37:4 it says “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Well, if you piece that scripture together with the rest of His word, delighting yourself in Him is so much more than simply saying “God, I find my joy and delight in You,” but it’s having your heart turned towards Him, on a daily basis. It’s making decisions based on who He’s called us as His children, to be. We’re to love as He loves, to serve as He serves, forgive as He forgives, show grace as He shows us grace, SHARE His love with others the way He’s shared it with us. Whether you think you do this or not, or think you’re terrible at any of them, God knows what it is we desire, and if what we desire is Him above all things, or want to want to desire Him (I hope that makes sense), all He wants us to do is seek after Him, and fall more and more in love with Him. If we’re doing THAT, it’s so funny to watch how all the other things seem to just happen. Not always without us noticing, not always in the most comfortable way, but they happen. In seeking Him, and wanting Him, and loving Him, He starts molding and shaping. SO… delighting (seeking, loving and wanting) in Him, He gives us the desires of our hearts… GUESS WHAT?? Delighting in Him means your desires become HIS desires. I love it… I kinda just beat around a large bush to get to my point, but it’s too great to not go in depth with. I love the fact that this basically tells us, delighting in Him makes us more like Him, because our Hearts become more like His, and He will give us what it is our Hearts desires, because they’re the SAME THINGS He desires. I think it’s beautiful.

It’s such an assuring thing for me, for Him to have said “I’ve got you covered in grace, so just decide” because I think, it means I’m becoming more like Him. Does that make sense? I hope you can see how the two fit together. I think it’s so neat and it’s him reassuring me, “Hey, I see you, I see what your sowing and what you want and I know your heart, so YOU decide this time, because I want for you, what you want.” Ha!! :) Just makes me smile. He’s a good God.

It was a much needed reassurance that HE does see me, and hears the cries of my heart, and still has a plan for me. It’s been a very inactive past year and a half as far as “things happening.” It ‘s been a very personally challenging, and foundation building time. LOVE those, don’t you? Ha! Talk about times where you feel like He’s not there… it’s been crazy. But ya’ll He SEES, and HEARS His children. He KNOWS where you seem to be “stuck “ but it’s exactly where He intentionally has you placed. I’m praying and believing that this season over here, will look different than last time. BUT, whatever it looks like, I know He’s working in me. As long as I can cling to the sometime illusive-seeming truth/promise, “I know the plans I have for you. They are PLANS FOR GOOD and NOT DISASTER, to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE,” Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT); “NEVER will I leave you, NEVER will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (NIV). Whatever the season is, prosperous, stormy, or sowing in what seems like a desert, He DOES see me, hear me, and still has plans for me. He knows my heart, knows what I long for, what I desire to see happen in my life and in the lives of others. My desire for this season, is that it’s glorifying to Him. No matter what my circumstances are, He still deserves my praise. He’s still holy, and worthy and to be glorified. That’s what I want.

Well, there you go, that’s my update. So we’re all on the same page about what this time is, it’s not “Hillsong” or anything else you could possibly title it, it’s my life. It’s just a season in the life of one individual who’s made a commitment to glorify God in my life. I’m privileged to be able to work it out with and for you guys. Updates won’t necessarily be about “life at Hillsong,” but just about what God’s doing in my life, where He just so happens to have taken me across the world. :)

I love you guys! I’m beyond blessed to be so supported in following the Lord. Thank you guys. :)

Rosa Michelle :)

PS… I landed at 6 am Friday morning (Thursday afternoon in the states) and Max was gone to summer camp with the middle school kids when I got there… but I got to see him last night and it was SO good!!!! :) It was SO wonderful getting to hug him for real, a little bit weird… because it’s the voice/face I’ve been talking to for 6 months over the phone/skype… and instead of being eye level, on my screen, I had to look up and stand on my tip toes to hug him!! :) It was wonderful!! :) :)

Landing back home...

Hello All!

I seriously think I’ve had the craziest and most surreal week of my entire life. I’ve landed in LA, just waiting for my flight to Atlanta… I’m no longer in Sydney! WHAT??!?!?! I’m actually really freaked out, because just like you all have gone on living life back home, I was building one in Sydney! And now, I’m coming back to pick back up? Do it differently? I don’t know! Def. do it differently, because I am different and God’s done different things in me, but how do you go back to something so familiar, something you’ve been doing all but one year of your entire life, and change it? I don’t know… but we will definitely see now won’t we! It is so crazy to think, I’ve gone… what I talked about for so long, I’m now returning home from! Whether it’s for good, or just a bit, it’s still the weirdest thing ever.

Anyways… so life my last few weeks in Sydney were OUT OF CONTROL!!!! They were so busy as we got ready for conference and as I got ready to leave… God continued to work and build friendships and relationships with people. I love how God never neglects a moment of our time. He never takes us somewhere, before we’ve actually gone. He didn’t take me “home” or shut me out of being there before I boarded the plane! Even at church on Saturday night I met with new people. All of conference was meeting and serving with people I’ve never seen or heard of before in my life. God really blessed me, and grew me. He gave me the opportunity to be the Events coordinator for “The Ark,” which is our 3-5 year olds in the children’s ministry, Hillsong Kids. I got to work with the events coordinator for all of Hillsong Kids Australia, and book vendors to provide food and do all the official business stuff and represent Hillsong on a professional level with people who might or might not go to church, or like Hillsong. That was all the two weeks prior to conference, and then the week of conference, I got to make sure all the little kiddies were safe and all the rooms/venues were ready to go, and do some creative designing for bump-in and welcome. A lot of this probably doesn’t make a lot of sense, but because I AM HOME (at least will be in the next 10 hours), you can ask me about it when you see me around! :)

It was an unreal 3 weeks. From what God did with me, to what He did with Max and me, He just blessed me. Not gonna lie, it was really hard to get on the plane! To leave all the friends and family I’ve made over there, but I know God’s called me back home even if it’s just for a short season. My last day was possibly one of my favourite days. Max and I went to the Royal Botanical Gardens that over look the harbor bridge and the opera house. It’s one of my favourite places in Sydney, and played with the cockatoos, and then that night hung out with everyone playing games and all the girls stayed the night with me! :) It was a lot of fun!!! Just SUPER weird!

So I’m actually back home now… have been for a full day! I ended up boarding the plane so I wasn’t able to finish this in LA and then passed out on the plane and have just spend time with the family since being home. But I wanted to clue everyone in. It’s SO weird being back here… it honestly feels like a dream. It’s the weirdest thing, but it’s good! :)

We went to El Sombrebo last night, my first meal back!! It was the first time I’d had REAL Mexican since I left, got me some sweet tea to drink!! It was wonderful!! :) And today I just spent the morning hanging out with my dad, then the afternoon shopping with my mom, then came home and spent time with Linda when she got home from the summer camp she’s working at. (Stephanie is gone to Africa until the 18^th, and Ashley is up in Kentucky until the end of July). It was such a good day! I got to see my grandparents and my baby cousin. It’s SO weird to think it’s actually been a year. I haven’t seen any one in a year, yet life still seems the same in a sense. But it was a great day!! I’m home… not to say I don’t miss Sydney, b/c I do! And I want to take my entire family to go because it’s just beautiful and Hillsong is unreal, they’d love it…. But for now… I’m home!!

It was so weird driving home last night… it felt like we were on the wrong side of the road, and when I went to flush the toilet there was a knob and don’t a button to push, and when I walked out side it was hot and humid, and when I’m going somewhere, I’m actually in a car and not a on a bus or walking. Life is going to take some getting use to again, it’s all just kinda funny!

Just so everyone in aware… I’m kinda taking a holiday to myself for my first few weeks home. I’ll be around for the most part, but have some stuff I need to do, and it’s best I get it done before I jump back into the full swing of things. Things like getting my wisdom teeth out, and just recuperating from a full-on year, as well as Jet lag! Haha!!! :) Anyways… I’m home! And I can’t wait to see you all! Love you guys and I’ll see you soon! :)

Rounding the bend...

Dear Lord… I can’t believe how LONG it’s been since I’ve last blogged… but even more than that, I can’t believe how SOON I come home!! It’s OUTRAGEOUS!!! I think that might be why I haven’t wanted to sit down and write… because I know what I’m writing about is the conclusion of the year I’ve spent here… the year I anticipated for five, and at the end of a 6 year journey, it’s “done”. IT’S CRAZY!! I know it’s not done, but you know how you have those monumental times in your relationship with God and in your life? Well… being here was one of those monumental things for me, and it’s crazy to think that it’s kinda… done.

Anyways… more on that in a bit; Since I last wrote Max’s mom was getting ready to come. Well… she and her best friend, Darlene, made it and we had some of my favourite adventures since being here. God totally blessed our time together and gave us things we never could have dreamed. For those of you who don’t know, Max’s favourite animal is a penguin. Well after an adventure through “Kangaroo Valley” (where we didn’t see any roos) we drove from the mountains down to the beach to watch the sunset. So the four of us got out of the car and were walking… Max and I were racing to the water (it was low tide) and mid-run, we freeze because there is this thing… and we were trying to figure out what it was without scaring it and getting to close when we both realized IT’S A PENGUIN!!!!!!!!!!! It was a sick penguin and we actually took it to the vet, but we got to pet it, and it was so weak and tired it waddled up to Max’s foot and laid it’s head on his foot. It was one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen and was totally nothing we expected to see. It’s one of the many highlights I have of our time with here.

We had lots of other adventures but I won’t spend the whole blog talking about them… because I totally could! :)

So, other than that... what’s gone on? We had a college break and I worked 50 hours during that week… it was a bit hectic yet rewarding in the end. I also… have officially been marked Competent on all of my assessments at Hillsong International Leadership College, as well as finished my last “real” week of classes as of 12:15 this afternoon. These next two weeks we have “conference intensives” and the week following is then the 25^th Anniversary celebration of Hillsong Conference. I’ll be serving in the kid’s ministry doing “events” which is all of the running behind the scenes making sure venues are set and ready to go, communicating with the venue and the team. It’s gonna be a full on next 3 weeks but so good.

It’s so weird getting stuff packed up and thinking about moving back home. I remember getting ready to come here this time last year… and it’s over. SO weird. I don’t feel like I’m done with Hillsong yet, not clear about College, but I do know God’s directed me home for at least the next 6 months. I’m not sure what’s in store but I know it’s right, I could be back in January… but I’ve decided I’m only making 6 month plans at a time right now. So… home… here I come at least until Jan. :)

I really can’t believe how long this year has felt but so quick at the same time. The people I’ve met, the friendships I’ve made, the work God’s done. It’s unreal. Still, thinking about it feels fake. You think it’d become more real the more time you’ve had with it… it’s still a dream. God’s done so much… even now He continues to. It’s been an adventure and will continue to be because it’s more than just being here… it’s my life. It’s who God is to me, real and alive and moving. Taking me places only He could dream of… it’s so cool. I can’t even think right now about what all He’s done because He’s still in the midst of doing it.

It’s a bit crazy… Who know’s what exactly comes next… all I know is I’m still not quiet done here… 3 more weeks! I’m going to try and update you all again before I come home, and if it’s not then… I’ve got 20 hours on a plane before I get to ya’ll so I should get something done then! :)

Please just pray for packing to go smoothly, my last bit of finances, and what God’s doing as He is preparing me to come home. As myself and the whole of Hillsong gets ready to head into conference and the craziness it’s going to be, just as for strength and ability and for God to prepare all of those who will be in attendance. It’s going to be incredible.

I love you guys and miss you, but not for too much longer! :) I’ll talk to, possibly see you before, soon! :)

Michelle

Such a time as this...

Hello!!!! :)

I hope everyone enjoyed they’re Easter and that God moved in similar ways to how he did here.

It was a powerful morning and weekend! We had over 300 people at our city campus alone come to know Christ! It was incredible! :) The month building up to Easter morning, the way we were inviting people to church was with a little “invitation” card that had the image “cross = heart” on one side, and on the other it said “This is love, find out why” with a web link that would take you to a page where Australia’s head pastor, Joel Abel invited the people to join us for our Easter services. Our job as the church, was to give them out with a random act of kindness. It was so much fun! A lot of people bought the coffee for the people behind them in line and gave them a card, I actually made some earrings and punched them through the cards and handed them out to women throughout the city. It was such a fun thing to do, and was so cool to actually be a part of making church happen, aside from behinds the scene stuff!

It was an incredible Easter morning that followed into our evening service.

Just so everyone is aware, Beau (whom I asked everyone to pray for in my last update) was made whole in the presence of our Savior the day after my last post, April 8th. So in saying that, we rejoice that he’s now healed and alive and well, but we don’t forget that his wife and family are still here learning how to do life without him. SO continue to lift the Slocumb’s up in prayer, as well as all of Beau’s friends and other family. I actually avoided church the entire weekend apart from serving in Kids before I heard the news. The first service I attended was my Tuesday morning chapel service. I had been having it out with God the whole weekend and into the week. Was finding it really hard to focus on worship when I had so many questions running through my mind and was just talking to God about it. Decided He’s still worthy and worshiped out of knowing I needed to, and even though I didn’t understand He was still good. During the second song, I totally felt God start talking to me. We were singing one of the new songs coming out on the new Hillsong Live album, and the lyrics just hit me. “There’s nothing in this world that could take you away.” The words just resonated with me, and I felt God saying you guys have it all wrong in seeing it as the end of something when really it’s the beginning. Not even death can separate my children from me. We see death as the end, because all we can see is physical, however, not even death can separate us from Him, as His people, death is our hope, and it's the beginning!! Beau is now living in God’s promise! He is alive and well!! Which God just concreted even more in the last song we sang. All I’m going to say is that I stood there weeping because all I could feel was Beau singing that song not as a hope anymore, but as His reality.

On that day when I see

All that You have for me

When I see You face to face

There surrounded by Your grace

All my fears swept away

In the light of Your embrace

Where Your love is all I need

And forever I am free

Where the streets are made of gold

In Your presence healed and whole

Let the songs of heaven

Rise to You alone

No weeping no hurt or pain

No suffering You hold me now

You hold me now

No darkness no sick or lame

No hiding You hold me now

You hold me now

In this life I will stand

Through my joy and my pain

Knowing there's a greater day

There's a hope that never fails

Where Your Name is lifted high

And forever praises rise

For the glory of Your Name

I'm believing for the day

Where the wars and violence cease

All creation lives in peace

Let the songs of heaven

Rise to You alone

For eternity

All my heart will give

All the glory to Your Name

It’s been an insane busy/challenging month. I can’t believe it’s almost May. That so much has happened in the last 10 months of me being here. That this time last year I was getting ready to come here, and now I know what day I’m booking my flight home. It’s out of control! There’s so much God’s done and shown and I know he still has a heap to do. It’s been a challenge and been a road I never thought was gonna look the way it has, but God’s known from the beginning of time! How cool? :) I love him! Even in the midst of feeling like just a face or just a being, He knows what he’s destined me to do, What he’s purposed my life for. In the midst of not getting the hours I need at work to pay bills, he’s gonna provide, because that’s His character! He doesn’t leave His children stranded anywhere. We’re never alone and never without a way, even if we can’t see it or feel it, He’s there and has gone before.

I can’t wait to be back home with you guys, for however long it may be!! Love you all so much and am praying for you constantly!! I’ll update soon!! After the next 2 weeks, because on Friday, Max’s mom and best friend get here for 2 weeks!! AGHHH!!! :) can’t wait to have a piece of home here, Max and I could not be more excited to have them here and to be able to get out of the city with them!

I love you guys and miss you!! Thanks for all of your prayers and financial support you guys give me!

Side note, if you do want to help support me in the last 2 months that I’m here, I have the “Donate” button on my blog page, up at the top!

Love and miss you guys SO much!! Praying for you!! I’ll talk to you soon, but more importantly, I’ll be seeing you soon! :)

Michelle

Whirlwinds

So, first things first! I don’t care who you are or where you’re from, I want you to take moment to pray for my friend Beau Slocumb who is 26 years old, and to put it as politely as I can, is battling cancer right now and it doesn’t look like he’s winning! BUT in JESUS name, he stands victorious! Its been a roller coaster medically and emotionally for him and his family! Many of you know who he is, but some of you don’t and to be honest, know him or not you need to be praying! It’s time for us to see a miracle and I’m believing God for one, I’d love to know you’re partnering with me in that belief! One thing my principal says often during Chapel when we pray is “lets petition heaven” and I’m asking you guys to do that with me! Lets bombard heaven with an expectant faith!! You guys are amazing and I believe because of YOU, we’re gonna see Beau be HEALED, in Jesus name!!

Now that that’s taken care of, how are you guys?? I miss you all more than you could know, but can’t deny that this place and these people have become family and home away from my family and home!! I could not be more blessed, not that that’s the song I’ve been singing the whole time, but what they say a lot here, and God’s made it more than just a saying in my life is “It’s all about perspective.” God’s been teaching me so much in this area lately! For a while there I couldn’t see the light in what God was doing… until I finally came to the realization that my attitude and perspective doesn’t change my circumstances of the people in my life, but it does change how I let them effect me. God is GOOD!!!!! A truth he’s been sure to have me learn about Him this year. I LOVE HIM!!!!!

What’s gone on??? Let me think for a minute… the new Hillsong United album is out, titled “Aftermath” it is incredible! If you haven’t already gotten your hands on it, I recommend you do so. It has a newness and freshness about it, and as usual, the anointing of God on it. I can’t WAIT for the Hillsong Live album to come out for you guys!! I still can’t get over the leadership I’m under!! I seriously sit under some of the greatest most inventive worship songwriters in the world… only God could bring me here! I love it!! You think after 9 months it would wear off however I think it’s actually taken me this long to understand and appreciate the leadership I am actually under. Seriously, little me, from Macon, GA in Sydney, studying under some of the greatest leaders of our generations… ONLY GOD!!!!! :)

So… apart from constantly having a revelation of where I am and how I can’t be anywhere but in the grace of God because I’m here… we had Colour Conference which is the women’s conference they have each year. We meet as “Sisterhood” every Thursday, and then gather conference style every March. I served in Kids which was AWESOME, except for the fact I lost my voice the very first night of the conference and had 2 full days to go. I serve in kids on the weekends and absolutely love it, and wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else for conference!! :) I actually was blessed with the privilege of getting to watch and take care of Sam, Stephen and Joy, who are Craig and Amy Groeschel’s youngest three children. Craig Groeschel was one of the key speakers for the conference and Hillsong wanted his whole family (of 8) to come, and provided them with chauffeurs and nannies. It was an honour to be asked and I was so blessed by the family. How cool is it that my first trip to the zoo since being here was with the whole Groeschel family…ONLY GOD!! It was so much fun! For those of you who don’t know who Craig Groeschel is (I didn’t until I met him), He pastors Life Church in Oklahoma! He’s an incredible speaker and man of God, and His wife is absolutely PRECIOUS, along with their six children! So for conference I was half with just the Groeschel’s and then with all the other women’s children. I do have to say… one of my favourite moments was listening to all the children years kindergarten to 5^th grade proclaim in worship “The same power that conquered the grave lives in me, Your love that rescued the earth lives in me.” Talk about a sobering moment… how often do I walk my daily life without that revelation?? His SPIRIT lives IN ME!!! He’s with me… all the time… the SAME spirit that was with Jesus on the day he raised from the dead, is with me today!! WOW!!! Challenges God gives you from those younger than you… Yeah… it was WAY cool! I love how God does that… you’re serving or giving of your time/money/energy/knowledge… and he blesses you when you least expect it and challenges you in a way you WANT to be challenged… it’s a challenge… but living my life with the revelation that His Spirit, that same power on that day 2000 years ago is with me still… They’re more than just words but a reality in how I should work life out daily. He’s equipped me for all the challenges and circumstances he’s placed me in, because that same conquering power is inside of me… he’s already risen above it, in me!!! (THE SAME POWER IS IN BEAU!!!) HOW COOL?!?!? AGH… I just LOVE Him!!

So… yeah!!! School is back to normal, for the past week now and I can’t believe my time is almost up and the peace I have about that… but I plan on utilizing the time I do still have, and not checking out mentally prior to July 10^th! There’s so much vision and passion God’s been stirring up and placing inside of me and Max… it’s unreal! And We are SO blessed to be here!! What God’s doing in us individually and together is not something we could have fathomed in deciding for him to stay, and we know it wouldn’t have been the same elsewhere! I can’t WAIT to see what’s in store!! We’re surrounded by some of the greatest people in the world and couldn’t have asked to be someplace better! To clear up any questions though, we ARE coming home in July! :) We hope to be back someday, and don’t necessarily feel like our time here is done, but there has been clear direction that says for now it is. We’ll see what God does!! I have no idea… Its going to be so hard to leave this place and these people, but what God’s been doing in all of us as a group and individually and sharing in that, not even seas or continents can separate us!!

I love you all so much, and have no idea how much I appreciate you guys and can’t wait to be back home with you all, but if you’re worried about me being too ready, don’t be!! I’m ready to hit the ground and run with whatever it is God says for me to do, but I’m not ready to leave this place and these people that I’ll never be in the same place with all at the same time again! I’m learning to anticipate the future, but not loose sight of the present! It’s a good lesson to learn now I’d say! :)

I’ll be in touch SOON!! Love you all so much and praying for God’s presence and blessing in church as Easter comes up! I’ll tell you guys about that here in a bit! It’s already been so cool preparing for it! BUT, I’ll save that for next time! :)

Michelle :)

P.S. I dyed my hair… it’s dark brown/auburn! No more blonde… for those of you who were curious! Don’t have a good picture of it yet but as soon as I do, I’ll get it up for you guys! :)

"Hello hello it's me again, it's me again..."

Hello everyone!! :)

So… I counted it up the other day with some of my friends here… and I can’t believe it will have been a year in 4 months!!!!!!! CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously…. It’s ridiculous how quick the time has flown by! I can’t wait to be back home with you so soon, but I also hate knowing the rest of my time here is so limited!
It’s been unreal since I last updated you all. I’ve officially started back because I had my first 2 assessments due yesterday! I absolutely love being back for real!! It’s great! My tutorial group is great, my teachers are amazing and there’s just so much to get! I feel like I’m more open this semester than I was last semester, and more aware of the classes and what they have to offer.
I think my favorite class has got to be Old Testament. All the first years have it together, with our principal, who is AMAZING! She’s huge into the Old Testament, and is actually learning Hebrew now. She’s been to Israel heaps of times, and is so knowledgeable and good at imparting her knowledge. She manages to turn every class (a 2 hour class once a week) into a sermon.
There’s just so much to take from it about how to read it and apply it, but how to keep perspective that it was written as a history log… just SO much! I love it! I walked out of class this past Thursday, just mind blown and ready for more.
I feel like this semester, and even talking with some other students, we’re much more receptive to what’s being taught because we’re not so new anymore. We’re not the newest intake; we’re not new to the culture; we’re not new to church life, we’re just much more settled and comfortable and can focus a little more.
I just love this place. I seriously have heard God this semester giving more direction than anything else and it’s quite exciting! I know he covered a lot last semester on the tedious internal details of me, but this semester I feel like he’s still working on that however He’s trusting me with more of his vision for my life. It’s been so great just to be with him and talk to him. Not always easy, hearing what he’s got to say, but he’s softening my heart to be capable of carrying all that he’s purposed out for my life, and knowing that is really cool!
I promise to blog soon, and give some more nitty gritty details, but for now… this is what I’ve got! :)
THE NEW HILLSONG UNITED ALBUM IS OUT!!!! “Aftermath” is AMAZING, and if you haven’t already, you should check it out! I love it, and it’s so cool that we worship to a good number of those songs every week! :) It’s quite nifty! :)
Also… one last thing, I’ve been informed that some of you have expressed interest in supporting me but didn’t know how to get that money to me! Well, here’s the link to my paypal account where you can donate whatever you would like! :) Thank you so much in advance for your help! God is so sovereign and good to provide, all the time. If you haven’t thought about it, I ask that you do pray about and consider it now. Thank you SO much, you have no idea how much it means to me.
Even if you can’t or don’t feel led to support me, please partner in prayer with me about my finances for the rest of my time here. I was given 4 hours at work over the last 2 weeks, I pay rent weekly, and was making mends meet prior to the lack of hours. I know God will bring what’s needed, and ask that you believe in prayer with me for that.
Thank you all so much for your prayers and thoughts!! I am so blessed to have the family and friends that I do!!
Here’s the link to my pay pal account, and if that doesn’t work, the link to the right, there is a “donate” button that will take you to the pay pal screen the first link is suppose to take you to! :) The donate button will always be there so even if the post doesn’t have the link, the blog will always have it to the right!
Paypal link:
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=E63gEX8gaU61g-Yi2XcNX6QGO-cNEyg4kZs9MsHO48LbybC461o8SWYOIHC&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d61ec37c409b56235bed2ddf64505aee9


Miss you all and am praying for you and what God’s doing constantly!! Love you all, and I’ll see you sooner than we all think! :)

Michelle :)