A new year...

Can you believe it, 2011! I am sitting here about to welcome in the new year thinking it can't possible be the end of 2010....

Thinking back, God has taken me to some pretty amazing places, and I have been privilege to meet some amazing people. Today we had a worship time to welcome in the new year and one of the main things that was being prayed out was how incredibly privileged we are to be used by Jesus and to really know Him. It was such a beautiful time and a perfect way to enter into a new year; with memories of why my life is so amazing. Its because of Jesus... (just in case you didn't pick up on that)  =)

I just finished up my last week working in the kitchen! I must say I am a little glad to be out of there because I think I put on about 5 lbs (or 10 kgs - depending on your country) from eating so much! We have an amazing kitchen staff that know how to cook... so prep for lunch and dinner was all about the taste testing! Most of the time... =)

Next week I am jumping into a whole new world. I am going to be staffing a school of about 20 students. The school is called a compassion discipleship training school. So it is the entry level school to youth with a mission and it has a focus on what we like to call mercy ministries. SO things like health care, child trafficking, children at risk, families in crisis... ect. I love this because it fits in so well with working along side people in their situations. Bringing God's kingdom through His love in words, and actions! I like to help people in a practical way so they know that God is in all parts of their lives.

So this school is 6 months long. I start the staff training for it next week then on Jan. 9th the school starts! We will spend three months in perth in a lecture phase. Bringing in speakers to teach us on topics like hearing GOd's voice, Character and nature of God, SPiritual warfare, intercession... and many more!

Then we will head out sometime in March to go on a outreach to a location that has not been announced yet! Be excited, because I am!

I am really looking forward to learning the new role as a staff, as well as teaching and learning how to disciple the students! I am really hoping to see more health care opportunities be worked into our outreach portion of the school and am really excited to see all these students hear what GOd has to say about their individual part to play in this world. Where does God want them and how can this next six months facilitate God's precious call that He has for all of them!

So I am posting some pictures. I had a super amazing christmas! The base went all out and was so blessed by tons of donations from different companies and people in Perth. We ate like KINGS on christmas! It was beautiful and full of laughter and fun! It was busy busy and I felt like I needed a day off from my day off ! We (the base) went to the beach from boxing day (all you americans that is just the day after christmas - referred to as boxing day... don't know why) It was a beautiful day, sunny, hot, and the wind was blowing off the shore. So there were actually no waves.. the water was so calm, and made swimming amazing!

Well enjoy your new years! Be blessed and have lots of fun moments!! Ask God what He has in store for you this year! I bet it will blow you away!

You are blessed to be a blessing.

Just about life...

I thought I would just update you on life back in Perth. I am settling into the base life for the next four months until I have another adventure, outside of this city any ways... =)
I live in a house with 10 other girls. They are great and it has been so nice getting settled into one house. When you aren't presently involved in leaving to go on an outreach, then you usually get placed on base somewhere to help the whole base run. So for the next four weeks, outside of prayer and worship times then I am in the kitchen. I help prepare lunch and dinner for around 300+ people everyday! Exciting eh? It is taking my little cooking skills to a new level. It is amazing to see how many people give and contribute every day so that all of us on base can simple live and eat. So most days I come home smelling like food... =)
The base puts on a annul carol by christmas lights program. It is help in a local park. An outdoor, come and go event where we have kids activities, drinks, and a program with a choir, speakers, and other different entertainment from people on base. This event happened last weekend. I was able to participate in the choir and it was a blast. I forgot how much I loved being in choir when I was younger. This choir was a bit less dramatic than my earlier years when we performed broadway shows but still made for good entertainmen,t I think for the city of Vincent (this was the area the park was in).

Christmas is in 11 days and I have been busy busy getting together little gifts and cards! Hope everyone is having a great holiday, with lots of JOY~

You are blessed to be a blessing.

A few things...

Well I wanted to share some stories from India. I wanted you guys to know a bit of the excitement that we had while we were their!

Our seminar consists of many different people. We have a mercy ministry team, a team from an NGO, a grassroots team, and then we also have several individual women coming from the local community we are reaching out too. Several of the women coming are illiterate and have had little or no schooling in their lives. They are so amazing and diligent. Two of the women have returned and were apart of the first seminar that we put on here in April. It has been reported to us from the mercy ministry team that lives here, that God has changed these women just from attending the seminars. One of the woman, Lalita, who barely would share or speak has become one of our boldest speakers. She will get up every chance we offer for volunteers or to share testimonies! God worked through this seminar to build her confidence and she is now a voice in her community. The other woman, Anju, has become known in the community as the ORS (oral rehydration solution) woman.  Last April, we taught the group how to prevent dehydration with ORS, and since then anju has made it a goal in her community to spread around this hydrating drink. She has made herself known and now people come to her when they have diarrhea or are dehydrated! She is changing her community one cup at a time!  

Praise the Lord for perseverance. Upon our first visit to Siliguri, we met a family that consisted of grandparents and a mental and physically handicap child. We had members of the team that were persistent in prayer and fasting and bringing in the long term team to help pray for and share about Jesus with this family. When we arrived here for our second visit last week, we were over joyed to see the family again and hear about the consistence of the team here in visiting them, praying for them, and helping them understand about Jesus. Today the grandmother came over to tell us that she had thrown away all of her other gods. That she knew that Jesus was the only God to serve. She is hungry to know truth and so dedicated to her family. She has been coming almost everyday to get prayer for her grandson. Her and her husband were going to have a few more discussions about Jesus and asked for the team to come back on Sunday so they could share about their finally decision whether to fully follow only Jesus. We are so thankful for Jesus and His persist longing for us all, and how He gives us the strength to pray for persistently for others! I am believing to get a report from the team about the families decision to only serve the one living God! Jesus! 

Our time was so full of God and His spirit. He was really raising the people up to see their lives changed and the lives of the people that they know. I think I love this so much because usually in my head when I think about God's kingdom it has to be on the most grand scale. I often tell people it is like I have a motion picture running in my head constantly. The best movie with the biggest effects, the one that wins the prize. I love Jesus and have seen the magnitude of what He did in my life, so I guess I always want to use the biggest and most amazing way to present Him. I learned a lot by going out into the villages and teaching. Standing in a house that was about as big as some people's closets teaching these people about washing their hands or how to get ride of a fever. Praying with them and feeling God's presence so strongly in that one room house. I knew as I stood their, this is the kingdom of God. This is His love and heart being poured out into this family. It was beautiful and so real. So much better than any big picture plan that I could create in my head on how to share God. 

Well I am back in Perth. Getting ready for christmas. We decorated last friday for the holiday season. I am getting more in the spirits of things although when I leave my house in the heat I somehow loose all the christmas spirit.. It just doesn't ever quite feel the same. Praise the Lord their is still the same meaning and importance for this holiday. 

I have plans changing and new things happening. I will write more later. Have a good week! 

You are blessed to be a blessing!