Happy Australia Day!!

This week has been pretty crazy...loads of convictions, lots to process and encouragement. So many things have been happening that I don't feel like I could explain it all but all I can say is it's been so incredibly good.

This week we have been having lectures on Forgiveness and Repentance. The speaker was Shirly Brownhill which is the director of the whole YWAM base. An amazing woman with incredible encouragement and just an incredible heart for God.

I'll go into a deeper discription of what all has been going on and what she's been speaking on a little later. First though, I have to tell you about yesturday. I had an amazing quiet time and really felt like God was really speaking to me through the Word which was all very encouraging. After our morning chores we had worship. Incredible worship. Here we only have one worship leader just singing and playing a guitar. I think I'm actually really liking that simple form of worship more so than a full band.

Anywho, I asked one of my leaders, Christie for prayer...after she was praying for me I could just really feel God's presence in a new way and the worship really started feeling more real than ever before. It only took until the next song started playing, "love came down and rescued me, love came down and set me free, I am Yours, I am forever Yours" that I broke down and fell on my knees just in amazement of what Jesus has done for us all.

As I was setting there on the floor crying, my DTS leader, Quenton, came up to me and asked if he could pray for me...of course!! God was really speaking through him yesterday. It was so good. God was just speaking things into my life and really encouraging me with where I am and everything. Quenton eventually then gave me a scripture and really encouraged me in a certain area which was all pretty awesome. Maybe I can go into more detail later, but for now I'll just say that it was just the encouragement I needed. God gave me encouragement and strength, and made me so excited for what all He's going to continue to do.

ok...i'm really getting distracted...since it's Australia day, we're all going down to the river dressed up as "Aussies" as most do and we're going to go watch some fireworks!! Yahoo...

PRAYER REQUEST-- Tomorrow we're having a time of repentance as a whole yp...we're all pretty nervous..so just be praying for us all to have deep repentance and to be set free from all the forgiveness and sin issues.

Continue to be praying for the base as well as we might be starting to move in these next couple of weeks!!!

For me, pray for Boldness and Courage to come up within me....not to be afraid, but to be myself, the person God created me to be.

I love you all...so much. Hope you're doing great!!! Thinking of you always!!





                                         

friends

I wouldn't exactly say I'm homesick...but I do really miss the people back home right now. I miss our random adventures and juice runs, chilling at home on the couches with the folks, the 5 billion missed calls, and even the annoying voicemails a certain "someone" would keep leaving me throughout the day ;)

The tiniest things remind me of people back home. Apples are everywhere...reminding me of course, of my best friend/sister...Katie. And I don't even know what day it is, but I know It's time for Katie's Birthday to get a rollin.....shaved your head yet Katie?!?

I really miss our long drives and our conversations about God that would last forever....how you guys would totally challenge me every day....to the point where I was sooo frustrated at you at times, but I loved you that much more for bringing out the truth in me..challening me.

I really can see how God has blessed me with each one of you. I'm so thankful. I'm thankful for parents that taught me how to fear God, for best friends that aren't ever afraid of getting in my face to correct me, and for so much more. I guess I just want you to know that you are loved. Greatly. So skype me sometime :)

on other news, we as a school were praying all night for the new base on Friday night. From 12AM-9AM. I took the slot from 8-9. It was pretty amazing though because I just got to look back and see what all God has done....even though I wasn't here for the most of it, I was still able to see incredible things that God has done for this base. I recently found out that YWAM litterally has no income. I thought that some of my school fees or something would go towards the base, but none of it does. They make it as cheep as possible and have no income whatsoever. Amazingly though, God provided them with the funds to raise up an incredible new base worth millions.

During work duties one day, Salah, my boss, wanted me to go help on the new base. It ended up being absolutely incredible because I...for no reason at all...got to go carry a stick of all things up onto the second floor of the new base. Some of the staff haven't even gotten to see it yet!! But for whatever reason they had to get that stick up there, I got the job done. And the inside of the base is incredible! It's soo beautiful and huge. I couldn't believe it.

Anyways, I've been hearing bits and pieces to the story of how the base is coming together, and it's incredible to see how God has been providing seriously everything. But the base is still not done. So...here's where you come in....with some prayer!! Please be praying for the base, the workers, the leaders, for some energy and encouragement, for the relationships between YWAM and the companies they're working with and for YWAM Perth as a whole. Whenever ya can :) Thanks so much!! Miss you dearly..

Welcome to Perth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNhoDZxq1xo&noredirect=1

Character of God

Lectures this week were insane. So, so good. This week was all about the character and nature of God. Our speaker was Chris Adams which is a leader of the School of Worship. I want to explain everthing he said this week, but I have SO many notes and thoughts I just wouldn't even know where to begin.

There was one day however that he spoke on Jesus..how great He really is and what He truly did on the cross. I was seriously trying with everthing I had not to cry when he went through it all....after class I discovered that I aparently am a major softy beacause everyone else was just fine but I have never heard anyone teach about Jesus like that. Ever. I've hardly even been taught about Jesus at all. So, when I found out that this is what he was going to speak on, I was extemely excited to get things going.

We really broke down the scriptures that told us exactly who Jesus is and what He does. I don't know exactly how to explain it all through writings....in my journal it's mainly doodles that probaby only I can understand.

Col 1: 15-20

"the Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everythin He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all  things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross"

CHRIST-  ALL THINGS- created by Him
                 ALL THINSG- created through Him
                 ALL THINGS- creaed For Him
He is the purpose of ALL creation! It was for HIM.
                 ALL THINGS hold together IN HIM
                 ALL THINGS are made right to God through Him

I learned that I have this kinda of "truth box" that I have built up throughout my lifetime. Things that I have placed in there that are hard for me to change my mind about...I don't waver back and forth...I know that I know that I know that the earth is round. Just beacuase I've grown up knowing that. But not everything in that box is true. Some of my beliefs about God have been so warped that even though I know what to say on the right situations, with my actions, with my heart, I don't necessarilly believe it. My actions don't show it. I have formed this warped view of God in a way. A way of mistrust towards Him. That has really been revealed to me this week. That I need to chose to trust Him with everything. I need to let go. To belive that He really is all that He says He is...that He looks at me with love and compassion, with love and mercy. How great is His love..

Another thing that really stuck out to me on this week was this:

what is the greatest consiquence of sin?

everyone that chooses against God will be gone in hell forever. God says He will wipe away our tears, but no one will ever be able to wipe away God's tears. The tears He cries over the children that He's lost forever..He pays forever. It costs even God. The ultimate price of sin is God carrying part of it for us....Him suffering for our loss. And no one can take that away from Him. He always pays the cost! What does the infinate grief feel like? God pays that cost forever.

I don't want to live in a way to cause God any more aditional pain.

I want to help lead others into a relationship with Him so that God won't have to suffer for them....so that He will get the joy of seeing all of their faces in heaven.

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, in the Name of the Son, in the Name of the Holy Spirit., and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Surely I will be with you always to the very end of age." Mathew 28:19-20

so much

Ok, I have no idea where to even begin. I haven't had internet the past several days, and they days here are just crazy long so a ton of things happen within the 24 hours we have.

First: I'll kinda explain what my days look like. I wake up a little before 6AM to go work out with the YP at 6. We do exercises, run or play a game. Then we have quiet time or a time where we can just take a shower and stuff. At 8 we're all assigned to a different place to get our morning chores done. I got to gladstone, at the guys house, and attempt to capture the atention of the leader as well as I possibly can to get the job I love....watering plants! I've kinda become "that crazy plant lady" of the campus...not sure how that happened haha. But seriously, if I'm going to have a job, I want it to have something to do with water, being outside, and greenery!! Yes please! After morning chores, we have worship. Sometimes it's as a whole base, sometimes It's just our school depending on the day. We start lectures a 10AM and then go til noon when we have an hour to eat and just chill. I do random things until 3:30 in the afternoon, then I go to work duties for about 2 hours. I'm with food distributing..I'm sure I'll tell more about that soon and what it is exactly that I do. After work duties, we go to our clusters. Since we haven't moved into the new base yet, we all go to different staff houses to eat with them and their families with a group of people from our YPDTS. Then it just kinda depends on the day what we do after dinner. We might meet one on one's, with our small groups, evangelism, free night, or who knows what else. So lot's of crazy things to do a lot of the time. But it's good. I like keeping busy.

Whew...so I know a lot of people have been wondering what my scheduale is like, so that's basically a highlightof my everydayness.

I was going to write more, but now I need to go to the streets of Perth...we're going to evangelize...a tid bit nervous I must admit.

I'll write more soon. Til then, if you don't hear from me for several days, no worries, I'm doing great!

anew

I am so blessed here in Perth. I look around and I see a beautiful city with a small town feel. I see 30 girls living in the same room with me with all the same desire to grow in a deeper relationship with Jesus. I see incredible leaders that have a heart to disciple, I see evidence on how God provides for this base every single day according to His glorious riches.

Perth is beautiful. I can still hardly believe that I'm actually here. It feels unbelievably natural to be here. I hardly even realize it's a city that I'm in. Yesterday, however, we went for a drive down south of Perth. As we were driving I got the chance to see the bush. All the beautiful scenery really put a smile on my face along with so many others. I love creation. We drove to a beautiful river that connects with the Indian Ocean. The water was crystal blue..so beautiful. We were all ecstatic. We ate, drank, licked ice cream, and swam with all of our hearts. Wonderful thing it was.

If there is one thing that I really got out of yesterday though, it was the realization that I really do love these people. It's crazy to say that only after a week of knowing them, they all feel like my brothers and sisters. And it's so great because through Christ's blood, that's exactly what we are. One big spiritual family. Don't you just love the body of Christ?!

I have been having the most incredible conversations here...you can seriously come up to anyone here on base and ask the most personal question, and instead of freaking them out, they will actually get excited to talk about it! It's amazing. Which is great because I'm not so good at small talk..I'm finding out more and more.

Lately I haven't been feeling God's presence or hear His voice. For a loonng time it seems. This past year and a half has been extremely difficult and has raised up many challenging and hurting times. It's honestly getting a little hard to be here in a since because everyone is hearing from God it seems but me. Don't get me wrong, I get so excited for them, I love seeing God work in other people's lives and seeing them fall more in love with Him. I just really desperately need an awakening. I need my love and longing for Him to run even faster even when I don't feel Him near or hear His voice. I need boldness and energy. More than anything, I want to fall passionately in love with Jesus. More than anything in the world that's what I want.

So when ya'll can, please be praying for me..

I love you all.

I don't remember

I don't remember yest at the moment. I woke up at like 5:20am this morning..before anyone else..again! I love it.

A lot happened yest and I really wish I could remember it all..but at the moment I'm just drawing a blank. But I do remember last night. We went into small groups to share our testimonies. Hearing everyone's story was absolutely amazing. I can't wait to see how God will transform their lives.

Afterwards, a few of us went out on the oval (a small park by the dorms) and just played worship songs. It was amazing. I absolutely loved it.

Other than that, I really don't remember much. We did have a school worship that morning which was pretty awesome seeing everyone worship in different ways.

I'm starving. Time to chomp chomp on some bread and skype one of my best friends, Shaina!! WHoop whooP!

things are a brewin

Yest was amazing. I didn't end up having church on the beach, but I did go to church at a Mega City church with a group from the yp. It was pretty great just getting to worship together. It's always so cool for me to see how other people from other cultures worship. SO awesome.

Once we got back, we all ate our lunches, and split into groups. I went with 13 of us to the city..which is only a matter of min away from the bus. I honestly don't even remember what we did haha. I do know we watched a street magician and lost Megan afterwards..and eventually we went and had coffee. Seriously the best coffee I've ever had. It was funny though, because when I was ordering my "Mocha", the guy kept thinking I was saying "Meat Burgers". What. The. Heck. How do you get Meat burgers out of Mocha? HA. I thought that was pretty funny. We all sat around a big table. The twelve of us, played a memory game with cards, got extrememly loud and almost kicked out of the place. But it was super fun none the less. Later on, we all got together at the park, to go over to another park about 20 min away...there are a lot of parks here. I love it. We were at a river and we all had loads of hamburgers and caffine chips. Verry yummy. I met a few new people and had some good conversations with some of them.
I've been hearing a lot of crazy stories from a lot of new people from around the world. It's really awesome. After the bbq last night, We all went back to the base. We are the first class to be in this new base, so we're all pretty excited to break it in. The staff members were just sharing their hearts and what all God has been telling them about what these next 6 months will bring. It was so good I was seriously holding back tears. It was a huge confirmation for me that this is really were I'm supposed to be. I can't wait to go deeper and deeper into a crazy love for Jesus.

Then we all played a game of celebraties..I"m not going to try to explain it...but I sucked at it..I don't know celebrities! So that was random, but they made super amazing sundays for us afterwards which were dilicious. Then, a few of us went back to the girls house to play dutch blitz. Which I actually didn't become apart of the game. Instead, had some awesome talks with Tyler. A lot of people have been telling me here that I'm def a leader. Which is so weird because I've def been known as a follower. But even Tyler yest was saying that I seemed super confident and comfortable. He said I seemed a little shy the first day, but eveyone already knew eachother so that was understandable. But he saw right away that I was a leader. Megan said the same thing. I just think that's so weird. But I love it. I want to be a leader.

Anyways, we were both about in tears after our talk haha. Bonding moment! But it was just so good to encourage eachother, and to see eachothers passions. I love hearing people's passions!

Anyways, I gotta go. Here in about two hours, the YP officially starts and I'm so excited to get going!

Love you all, and miss you dearly.

in da house

I am currently in the kitchen of the house I'm staying in. There is something in my eye and it hurts a tid bit. I'm basically the only one awake...again! I'm known as a morning person here and I love it!

Everything is still going great. A big group of us went to the beach yesturday which prob took us two more hours than it should have..the "Aussie" of our group, Nathan, was leading way, and well, we found out that he has a HORRIBLE since of direction ahhaha. We ended up walking about a complete hour away from the beach..in the complete wrong direction. Finally some wonderful soul asked for directions and we got turned around...then we let a Canadian guide us from our group..Braden. A good switch it found to be.

The beach was beautiful!! I had to keep reminding Tyler that he was in AUSTRALIA and not to complain about the beach that "sucked" in his opinion. He knows me as "the peace maker..the happy one" I'm ok with that. Some girls and I chilled at the beach and soaked it in. A small group of us ran into the water..it was freezing at first, but soon the clear blue water became uncommonly warm as we swam around slightly afraid of the sharks. There has been one person bitten at the beach we were at this year...AHHHH!!!!

After beach time, we had some good convo about what all of our passions are. I brought up the question of course..always find the answers interesting. Then we headed back to the city. By this time, I was walking around bare foot because the sandals I was wearing gave me blisters...ouchy mamma! But we went back to the city for some of us to get towels and such, then me, Hayley and Clarissa, went and got smoothies. Possibly the BEST smoothie of my life...Mango Mystic. AHH soo good. The three of us have been named "the three musketeers" according to Tyler.

After we arrived back at the base, we met up and started to go back into our groups. We break into groups and go to different staff members houses to eat dinner. I'm in a group with LeLora, Tyler, Brice, Maisa and Maddie. There are more to come into the group soon. We had wonderful chicken leggs, rice, and super yummy veggies. I'm lovin it. We cleaned up our messes we made, thanked them for our food, then went and got some icecream with the whole YP at Hungry Jacks. Supper yummy. The only thing cheap here is the ice cream cones. $.50!! Even a small smoothie costs $5...whew!

After that, we went to a park and played the name game again. You sit in a circle, one person starts off by saying someone else in the circles name. The person in the middle tries to smack the person's name they said before they say another's name with a sandal. If they succeed, they win, and that person is it. It's become a favorite around here.

It's been pretty chilly here at night esp so we all went back to the house to hangout. I had some good convo with Megan, as we chilled in the hangout area with some of the crew. Everyone is so amazing. So many nice people, so many names. I can't wait til I actually know them all with the faces. And more are still coming! How exciting!

Anyways, I'm starting to get a little hungry, so I'm going to make me some toast!! I think we're having church on the beach this morning with the whole YP that's here, then later tonight beach time again with everyone and all the leaders..it's going to be great. Tomorrow the school begins! Can't wait.

(currently the Hayley and Clarrissa are freaking out....they see yet another cocroach. haha..they're kinda everywere here..)

I made it!!

I'm in Australia!! I can hardly believe that after years and years of wanting to go do a DTS, I finally am here!

I started my journey on January 3rd when I left Versailles to IL to stay with my friend Ali. It was wonderful that I was able to spend my last night with the greatest parents I could ask for, and my very best friends, Ali, Melissa and Katie. We all set off to the airport early in the morning as we said my goodbye's. Which were pretty emotional...ha. I'm not the best at saying goodbye to anyone. So you can imagine how sad it was to say goodbye to the people I love the most..at the same time.

I set off for Chicago at 10:50 AM. The flight went well, however once I landed and tried to check in with Cathay Pacific, they said they didn't have room for me! They kept my passport and made me sit in the back just in case they had an opening. Finally after what seemed almost like hours, they finally said they found a seat for me and eventually I got on my plane. It was wonderful though because they ladies I did end up sitting by were absolutely amazing. There was to of them from the Philippeans. One was a retiered doctor, and now she just travels the world doing missions work. The other, was just getting back from IHOP's One Thing. Her son is a missionary with IHOP and does a ton of inner city missions. It was incredible to hear their stories and all encourage eachother in the missions that God has called on each of our lives.

I arrived in Hong Kong pretty confused...I got a little lost and had a tiny bit of trouble getting around (I was dead tiered by this point). The flight from Hong Kong to Perth seemed to take even longer than the 15 hour flight before. Especially the last two hours. I felt so miserable. BUT, I made it! The plane hit the ground with a glorious thump and I was able to get through customs and everything just fine. I went to search for my luggage, and two hours later I had everything but my guitar..still haven't gotten it yet. I was talking to the baggage people about getting my guitar and such, until I finally made it outside and found my poor DTS leaders who have seriously been there for hours waiting for me to come through those doors. Patient people. I felt horrible. But, they were really great and showed me mercy. They showed me around Perth a little bit, the new and old base, and then the house where I'm staying at.

I talked to all of the new girls for awhile, they are so great. We all are pretty chill and easy going, and it seemed really easy to talk to them all. Praise God! After some coffee and a good shower, I was ready to go again as we all made our way to the great city of Perth. I bought most of my needs (pillow, blanket, toothpaste) and then we came back to chill at the base. We made tons of noodles, and played card games. Then we went outside to do one of my most favorite things....CLIMBING TREES!!! YES!! haha...I went up with Hayley and Tyler. Going up was good, but once Hayley made it up as far as she wanted to go, she sat in an aunt home and they crawled all over her. I was abover here and saw it all happen. She seemed a little nervous as it was so I didn't even try to tell her what all was crawling all over her bum...I didn't want her to fall out of the tree!! So I tried to help her down talking through what I would do. When she got past Tyler however he was like, "Hey! What's that on your butt?!? Are those aunts??" Good job Tyler...good job. She started getting a little scared, which made me scared so I went and brushed them all off of her. Hahaha. That girl was Terrified!! I made it down the tree with no problem, but Hayley...well, she took awhile ahha. She was shaking like crazy!! But finally made it down with a safe landing. Hahaha..it was brilliant and I'm glad I have a tree climbing buddy..even if she does freak out a little bit, it made a story!

Soon after, we broke into small groups and ate at staff houses. I was with Tyler, Maddie, Brice, and Elora. I honestly can't remember my DTS leader that took us there..whoopsie!! But everything was delicious and we filled our stomaches full. Afterwards, we went to the oval, a kinda park/field infront of the girls house, and we chilled and played games. We attempted to play the game atmosphere but it basically just became one huge laughing stock. Greatness.

The day was a success. I met a lot of really amazing people, and they're still pouring in! I cannot wait to see what all God is going to do. I know it's going to be incredible. There were three school leaders in here yesturday that even just sat, each of them reading aloud different books of the Bible..They've been going through the whole Bible reading it aloud in the whole school. It was beautiful.

I have no idea what to even expect for today (It's 6:09 AM at the moment), but I cannot wait. I have God with me, and He has chosen Me of all people to come to Australia. Why? I have no idea..but I can't wait to find out.

Well, I suppose this is a good place to end my first blog. I can't belive I'm in Perth!! I also can't believe I'm the only one awake!! If only I knew how to make coffee....

Blessings,
whit