Life

Snap. 3 blogs in a period of 7 months. I am on a roll. My bad:) I will try to regularly write until I leave, but that probably won't happen. So since my last blog there has been heaps that has happened. I got to spend an incredible two weeks in New Zealand over Christmas break at Deveron's house. He is the youth director of Tasmania but his family lives in NZ and are Maori. Big island family. Tons of feeds. Lots of getting together. I love their culture. And NZ is absolutely beautiful. It was a much needed break and I was so blessed to be able to go!8 of those days Katie came over which was amazing as well. That really was the highlight of my trip!
After NZ, I jumped right into helping out at Big Camp which is campmeeting. But Big Camp here is way cooler! It is over two weekends. So it basically is 9 days long and everyone stays in tents and camps! The church owns a piece of property that they set up a massive big tent on for the main meetings and their are other "sheds" where the other age groups meet. I was privileged to be able to be the speaker for the JETS (Juniors and Earliteens combined)! It was hard out the whole time, but such a fun week. In the morning we would wake up and eat breakfast with the kids at our shed. Have you ever had sphagetti or baked beans on toast for breakfast? Good stuff:) And then we would do crafts with them. Then in the afternoon we would take them to do an activity. Bowling, swimming at the pool, going to Tazmazia. Tazmazia is a massive maze. This place is amazing. These massive hedges that form this maze that is super hard to find the middle which is the goal. Our group went in circles so many times:) Then in the evenings we would have our meeting. God was soo good though. I had never had to prepare for 9 sermons in a row and while it was not stellar, I know that I was blessed through the whole process. One night I was having a hard time with thinking of a opening illustration. I just could not think of one that fitted and I was praying and praying about it but just nothing was coming to mind. However, I kept on seeking God about it and about 2 minutes before I was up, I was in the back praying and an idea popped into my head! Praise God! Simple praise I know, but it was a huge confirmation for me. Finding the balance between preaching God's word and keeping their interest the whole way through was a challenge, but we had a good week. I was so saddened to see where some of these kids come from and their background:( Lots of troubled kids. Confused. They need Jesus! But unfortunately many are not interested. But you tell them anyway!
Big Camp was good and then just started getting ready for school. They have been out for the summer here and school started February 9. We have a really good group of kids this year. Last year, there were a number of troublesome kids that caused a lot of problems, but those kids are gone this year and the school just has a positive feel which is a huge blessing. We were able to have a dedicatory service on the Friday night after school started. God promises us that "if we commit our work to the Lord, our plans will succeed" Bible studies are under full swing, chapels are being marked out on the calendar, and I am super busy! Such a blessing to be busy though than not. I think it will slow down after next week.
I am super excited about next week. A lot happening. We are hosting a program called Adventism Exposed at the school. Monday through Thursday, 7-8 pm. It will be a series of workshops that explore Adventist Beliefs. I would say well over half, maybe even 75% of the students at the school are non adventist and so we want to share God's word with them! I would really really appreciate your prayers for the program. It is so easy just to let it be another function, another program. You plan. You hope people show up. And then you are relieved after it is done cuz of all the work. However, I don't want it to be like that. I want God's name to be lifted up, I want His word to be glorified, and I want people to hear present truth! I am a little nervous, because I don't know how it will turn out but I praise God that He defines success and not me. This is not really a evangelistic series and thus I cannot really look back and say what are the results. However, I leave that up to God! Once again, please, if you get a chance, remember this next week in prayer and pray that God will convict people's hearts!! "Not for Himself, but for others Jesus lived and thought and prayed" Lord, may we think like Jesus!
In addition to that program, a Christian musical artist named Simeon is coming for chapel on Tuesday which the kids are excited about. It will be good to do something different and have a change for chapel!
To be honest, I am missing home a lot. I am at that stage where I love being here, but I cannot wait to get home and see everyone! I often will pray "Lord, place in me a desire to be here and help me be excited!" God is soo faithful though and I am excited about finishing strong. I leave end of May. Three months to go and they will pass by too quick. It is interesting how the longer I am here the more I am accostomed to the Australian accent. It sounds almost normal to my ear now. And according to my family, I have picked up a bit of an accent myself. Funny how that works:) And I am so used to driving on the left side of the road! Going back to the right will be odd at first.
Anyway, all in all I am doing so good. God is so faithful. The longer I spend here and the more I get to know God the more and more I realize how awful of a sinner I am, but that has made what Jesus did for me all the more amazing! I praise Him who is able to keep us from stumbling and present us blameless before the presence of God! Don't forget, if you have time, to pray for Adventism Exposed! Thank you! Cheers.