Re-learn

Hiya folks!

I hope the snow is treating you kindly at home, the forecast this week is in the 100s here in sunshiny Perth! :)

The beach here. Just sayin'.

Can I just start this off by saying how strange it is getting older? I am so accustomed to being the youngest one in the room, whether that's from being the last kid in the family or what I don't know. And now I have leaders who are younger than me! It is such a bizarre sensation. Most of the people here guess my age to be around 17 or 18. I've gotten a couple 16s as well. I know. I know. -_-

It is so hard to believe that it's been 3 weeks since I posted last (I'll try to get better) and we are beginning our 6th week of lectures tomorrow! That will be the halfway point between leaving for outreach! Speaking of, I now have details of where we'll be going! We found out that for the first 7 weeks of outreach, we as a school of 23 students will be going to Nepal together! And for the next 4 weeks, we will be splitting up into three teams. Our options were India, Cambodia, or China. I prayed about it, and ze answer is:

Not my picture, but here's a caption anyways.

Whoop! It's so exciting! Since it is a closed nation, I need to be cautious of what I say over the internet. Another time I will give you more details on what we'll be doing in these two beautiful countries.

God has been bringing up so much in my life these past few weeks. Week three of lectures was on repentance and forgiveness, and let me tell you it was a heavy week! The teaching was so solid, but I definitely felt the weight of my sin. But during that time I learned an incredible amount about God's character. He has given us conviction as a gift, and when we recognize that and repent (not just the "I'm sorry, God," like I used to, but truly turning from sin and to God) it leads us to freedom and wholeness. And the great thing about God is that when He convicts us, it is specific. He is not that "you are such a horrible person" or "why do you mess up all the time" voice. Nope, that's someone else. And it is a beautiful, beautiful thing that we don't have to live in the bitterness of unforgiveness. Forgiveness is so powerful, so freeing, so simple. Not easy, but simple. Thank God for that. At the end of the week, we had a time of "application," where for about 10 total hours the entire class repented one by one, prayed with our leaders, and was forgiven. We nailed it all to the cross, literally, and left it there. Such immense joy and freedom from bondage that many had been living in for years. It was powerful!

Random picture I took at the beach one evening, to break up the text and keep you interested.

Week four of lectures covered worship and intercession. I went into the week excited for worship and not for intercession, haha. But I ended up being convicted and learning a bunch on both accounts, especially in the area of corporate prayer and worship. I had never realized how often I went into those times as if they were only for me and God. What would God say to me about me. I missed that whole corporate thing. I think a lot of this stems from our culture's greediness to receive, and my own ignorance of what God is doing within the body and how we can spur one another on as the Spirit leads. Also a fun little tidbit that I learned, there is no such thing as so and so being an intercessor and me not being one. We are all called to be intercessors. No cop outs for Grace. But I'm learning! 

Taken on Australia Day in the city, just because they're palm trees.

And finally, week five of lectures was on authority and submission. I was wary of this topic for various reasons, but I figured I had "most of it down" because I don't usually find myself having issues with my leaders, or with being obedient. But as I have found out, there is aaaalways much to learn :). I welcomed the fact that the tone of the week was not burdening, but enlightening to me. To learn why God has set up structures of authority in our lives for our good, and how rebellion, whether outward or inward, tears at that fabric and opens the door for the enemy. I never realized what my silent complaints and criticisms against leaders were doing to my heart. Or my not so silent ones, for that matter. We have allowed ourselves to feel like we have the right, and even the duty, to critique our leaders. We go to the movie theater, and when it's done, "well that was good, except for that one part, and why did the director choose him, and I couldn't believe it when --." We go to church, and when we reach the safety of our cars, it's "he's preached on that three times already this year, and I hate the way he paces back and forth, and the way she sings that chorus, and my old church did it like this and it was so much better, and and and --." And this is not okay! Yet we do it all the time. I never realized how little respect I can actually hold for someone who is in a position of authority over me. I can be obedient, yes. But there difference is between obedience and submission. It is possible to to obey an authority without being submitted to them. Kooky, isn't it? Continually praying for the fear of the Lord in the area of submission, so that I can see it as He does. God gave me so much revelation this past week, but I'll stop typing there :).

Perth skyline as viewed from King's Park, the largest inner city park in the world!

Whew. Have you guys had enough yet? I'm pooped just typing this much up, and I bet you are reading it too! But hey, I'll just throw it in here that we had an open mic night here at the base, and I can't even believe it, but I sang in it with a friend of mine from Norway :). If you feel so inclined, have a listen. I apologize for the background noise, but maybe it will help cover up the nervousness in my voice! 

Actually it won't. I've listened to it like 10 times. And you can definitely tell I was nervous. 

Ah well. 

Much love!