My next adventure...

youcanspellitbackwards.tumblr.com 

O HOLY NIGHT

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

I don't know about you but I don't often focus on freedom from oppression during Christmas.... but this song struck a chord with me this year. His law is love, His Gospel is peace, and He will break the chains of oppression that we often bind ourselves with... He will. I've seen Him do it. 

Merry Christmas Reader

OPEN MY EYES

Yesterday I wrote a paper and I became so immersed in the process I was no longer able to view mistakes or content objectively. At least I'm able to admit it. Think of the wasted hours of my life I would have gotten back if most of the popular Christian authors would have found someone to cut out their wordiness. But I can't judge too harshly, I'm guilty of it. You only see 40% of my original writing and I'm still way too wordy.

So I printed the paper out for my peers to read when they had time. Not wanting anyone to confuse it for the finished work... I stuck an appropriately labeled post-it ("Proofread me!") on it.

This morning I found it accidently stuck to the pages of my bible.

The "super-christian" side of me giggled... te-he* imagine finding error in the Bible...
But then I was brought back to a quote I read in a book by one of my teachers:



"The moment sin meets grace, it can no longer hide."
 -Scott Hagan 

No, it can't hide. But it can lie. As much as the super-religious in us smirks at the thought of finding error in the bible, we live as though we have, don't we?

Because there are things the bible clearly left out, right?

Love God.... unless he asks more then you want to give. 
Love your neighbor... unless you have nothing in common with them.
Honor your parents.... unless they're ridiculous. 
The list goes on and on...

This is why the world has issues with Christians. Heck, this is the reason I have issues with Christians. We have to stop proofreading the Bible. It didn't leave anything out and it doesn't need your corrections. The reason it "doesn't work for us" is because we don't do what it says.

I'll conclude without further wordiness.... Accept it. Do it. 

I'M LETTING GO

During my current adventure, completing a (dreaded) first year at Masters Commission Sacramento, I was given the assignment of writing out my testimony. It was then that I discovered my relatively short life in hindsight looks a lot like great bursts of energy devoted to void causes that end in disappointment right before I find the newest thing. It was like going to Office Max, buying out their store, and then realizing you hate scrap booking ten times in a row. Don't laugh. That's happened to me. I asked the teacher for a sharing time ten years from now so I could have time to do something meaningful with my life before I had to talk about it. 


And the worst part of it was looking back with a objective eye at all the times "God" had "called" me to do something completely selfish. Hmmm.... 
In "The Root of the Righteous" Tozer says he has a feeling of uneasiness when he observes the questionable things Christ is said to do for people these days. We worship a christ of carnal convenience instead of the Lord of Glory. 


I had only to look to my limited prayer times to realize the truth of these statements. This morning I was pineapple-slapped with the realization I come to the Lord with a list that begins in me, finds it fulfillment in me, and ends in me. I can just see him leaning over on his throne of grace going "Come oooonnnn Hannah, you've gotta give me something to work with here!" 

Job 12:10 says "In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."

I looked down at my palm and pictured a lego man sitting in the middle of it telling me what color his house would be, which lego chick he would end up with and how many lego toys he would own. How would you know you little turd? And what makes you think those things are the reason I'm holding you? 


Maybe the time for quests is over and the time for questions has begun. 
God, what is your purpose for my life?

"It's not about you."

-Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

Chapter One 

You know, every now and then it's necessary to drop everything and dance around like a crazy person. Personally, I've simply stopped fighting the urge. 

Thank you, Big Time Rush. We owe you so much. 
If you don't own their new album yet.... Buy it. 

In every Christian's heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross; if he refuses the cross he remains on the throne. Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved but we insist that Christ do all the dying....

-A.W. Tozer

PASSION(LESS) 

At first glance, these new thoughts and perspectives on passion could make passion seem less appealing. 

Why have a passion worth suffering and sacrificing for?

Yes, Christ chose a passionate existence... but why must we?

I sat and pondering these questions, trying to think of an example of a passionless life to demonstrate the pity of passionless existence. But I couldn't think of one.

The passionless don't make it into stories.  

 Perhaps... this is example enough.

PASSION(ATE)

Like a cloud full of rain 

shouldn't hang in the sky

Ice shouldn't burn

Nor a bumblebee fly

If you feel so happy

why do you cry

Nothing about love makes sense

Passion is closely linked with romance, making it an aspect that cannot be ignored. 

Even those who have managed to find the sweetness of an intimate relationship with Christ find themselves struggling to avoid being swept away by romantic passion. 

Unfortunately for me, during the span of one moment to the next, I could easily fall head over heels with little hope of getting up without a long, hard fight. 

While looking over some thoughts I scribbled down last summer, I came across this entry:

Oh, this is a funny little mess, isn’t it? How do I always manage to do exactly what I know ought not to be done? It’s a talent I possess, I think. Perhaps this happened because I so firmly resolved it would not. It always seems to be when I devote myself to a worthy cause that it begins to fail.

Love, if it can be called love, makes everything appear different then it once seemed. Troubles that once seemed terribly significant now no longer exist. Simple tasks suddenly have greater meaning. Willingness to change one’s plans doesn’t seem such a bother. And added to this, one’s peripheral vision and sense of hearing begin to suffer from constant use.

And the only thing worse then the sure disappointment stemming from unmet expectations is receiving the desired hope. Wonderful. Now what am I to do with the possibility there may be something of worth to be found here? 

It’s never the time nor the place, is it?

Perhaps you would reply the answer lies in the assurance of his affections. This seems a logical response. However, let us take into account my heart rarely has and I fear never will plant itself on the side of reason.

This is foolishness. Surely I have the dedication of mind, soul, and heart to apply myself to the better use of my time. Yes. If he doesn’t appear in the next few moments, that is… 

The ironic truth is sometimes attaining the world's version of romantic passion can be just as wretched as watching it fall away. And make no mistake, eventually what the world calls passion will slip away.

If I had a dime for every film, book, or story written about fleeting romance...  

Because regardless of how powerful the draw, passion that finds its end anywhere other then Jesus will be left void and empty.

Once again, let us redefine passion; the passion towards the special someone God places in our hearts and lives. It's called love. 

And we must have the same love towards each other as Christ had towards us.

...it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres... 

....

Passion (love) is a verb, not a feeling. 

Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire. 

-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

(COM)PASSION 

a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who isstricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire toalleviate the suffering

Let us not study passion, desire passion, or acquire passion for ourselves. This will leave us empty and void, for the musician plays for the listener and the dancer moves for the audience. The passion of the Christ was not self-centered; rather, it was others-centered. He didn't suffer for himself, he suffered for others. 

This is called compassion. 

Compassion is always inconvenient.

-Pastor Jim 

I truly believe the reason we live passionless lives is because we refuse to bear the burden of passion. It requires effort and endurance we are unable unwilling to give. And if one is unwilling to sustain personal passion, imagine their response to bearing the weight of compassion. 

Compassion is long-suffering. 

Compassion is sweet. 

Compassion doesn't want to steal what you've managed to gain. 

Compassion doesn't brag about what it's managed to gain. 

Compassion doesn't lash out all of the sudden. 

Compassion doesn't bring up past disappointments and frustrations. 

Compassion doesn't find joy when inevitable consequences overtake the foolish. 

Compassion is more concerned about your victory then being thanked. 

Compassion is always there to keep you safe. 

Compassion is a second chance... and a seventy-seventh chance. 

Compassion always believes in you. 

Compassion never quits. 

There is another word for compassion:

(COMPASSION) = (LOVE)

Yes, it requires much to offer compassion to another. It requires putting others first. How will we ever find the ability? 

Wait...

Let us not forget that we find our strength in the Father of compassion (2 Cor 1:3)... in whom we share this passion.

"Sometimes it takes watching someone love something to love it yourself."

Passion. 

Perhaps you are one of the fortunate few who experiences the thrill of something immediately coming to mind as you read this word. 

Yes. I have known this. 

An 

INTENSE

DRIVING

OVERPOWERING

feeling or emotion that prevents reflection. 

Passion, in its very definition, annihilates reason and suppresses caution. 

Indeed I have a passion for ... 

Fill in the blank. 

Unfortunately for me, my attempt to replace the "dot, dot, dot" returned void. The only comfort upon this realization was the feasible assumption I was not alone. Look around. Passionless people surround us. 

Few notice and even fewer care. 

But not all. 

No, not all. 

 Why?

PASSION IS CONTAGIOUS. 

Donald Miller, the author of Blue Like Jazz, used to hate jazz music. But then, one day, he watched a street performer play jazz music for forty-five minutes. The musician didn't open his eyes once. After that day, he loved jazz. He concluded that sometimes it takes watching someone love something to love it yourself.

I have a "Donald Miller" experience every time I see a dancer perform. It stirs something in me. There is something powerful, almost mesmerizing, in dance. If a heart of passion is being expressed in movement, I have a difficult time remaining in my seat. My heart wants whatever it is the dancer has managed to find.

But longing for a passion is not the equivalent of passion itself. 

While a passionate person stirs a desire for passion, man is rarely able to instill passion secure enough in a heart to ignite a movement. 

There is a disconnect. A disconnect between our desire and our reality. 

"WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS IS THE IMAGE OF PASSION, NOT PASSION ITSELF." 

-Roland Barthes 

Why? 

Let us look to Jesus's definition of passion. 

Acts 1:3


To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Passion- also translated: suffering or enduring; specifically referenced the time period between the Last Supper and the Cross. 

This was the passion of the Christ. 

For years, "passion" was referring to the suffering and martyrdom of the saints. Then in the 1580s, a sense of sexual love was first attested to in the meaning of passion. And by the 1630s, passion simply pertained to strong liking, enthusiasm and predilection towards something. 

I can just hear what must be running through the readers mind as he reads this. 

Ok, the word means something different now. Why go back to its original meaning? 

Because... my question is: has the meaning of the word really changed? Or is it our understanding that's shifted? 

You see, I believe we sell ourselves short when we equate passion with happiness. Look again at the descriptions and definitions of passion. Happiness may at times be a small part of the picture, but it's not the complete picture. 

How many wrong notes sounded out before the street musician was able to play without ceasing with his eyes closed? How much time, pain, and effort went into the "effortless" dance routine? 

ENDURING. 

Yes, this is the key. 

The reason we live passionless lives is because we refuse to bear the weight. 

The quote is worth repeating:

"WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS IS THE IMAGE OF PASSION, NOT PASSION ITSELF." 

And this is my question:

Assuming passion is contagious, if the result of Christ's passion was the salvation of our souls, what could this mean for believers who are willing to endure? 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

I will not build my life around creating a security for myself that you've already secured. I trust your conclusion about me, not my own.

-TrueFaced 

DRAW ME CLOSE TO YOU

The only thing I fear more than distance from God is intimacy with God.

When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear.

They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."

Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."

The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Exodus 20:18-21

All my life, at my request, "Moses" (also known as - pastors, teachers, books, worship music, etc...) has come between God and myself. You go to the Lord and I'll listen to what you have to say. You break through the barrier and tell me what you've seen. I'll memorize what you have to say about it and attempt to conjure up the same feelings. I'll stay here. You step out in faith. 

I've feared the "thick darkness where God was" too much to attempt approaching it for myself. I've now come to realize the result is my relationship with the Lord is dictated by what others have experienced.

What is the bible? It's letters and accounts of brave soul's encounters with the Lord. Call me crazy, but I think it's still being written...

Maybe it's time to taste and see for myself. 

ALWAYS ON MY MIND

Do you ever feel like you're losing your mind?
I mean, literally.
Does it ever steal your sanity and then run away from you so fast you can't find it?

I'm a firm believer that if you know you're crazy, then it makes you sane on a different level. Just like if you know you're stupid, that makes you smart in a different way. But even with that reasoning on my side, sometimes I legitimately feel like a crazy person.

I live about twenty-five to thirty minutes away from the church here so every morning during commute my brain has ample time to spin out about everything. (And it's not cute, babe. It's not.) And this morning was particularly terrible because I had "one of those mornings" where I signaled to get over into the next lane, merged, and then the lane ended! Don't laugh. It happens to people sometimes.

Or just me.

I shouldn't expect anything different. It's just like how I'm always the end of a long line. Why does nobody ever step into long lines after me? I'm always right on time to wait at the end. But none of this is the point! There I go spinning out again.

During the drive here (we're back to point one) I was really dwelling on this dream I had last night... which led me to feel emotions I thought were put to rest... which caused me to question whether my healing process was actually over... which made me ponder other aches and pains in my past... which made me feel selfish in comparison to the woman sharing her troubles on the radio at the exact same moment... which led me to realize I wasn't paying enough attention to the road (see a few paragraphs up if you need further proof)... which led me to ponder if life was passing me by like the road was... which led me to....

You see what I mean? It was a blessed relief to finally arrive at the church if for no other reason then to give me something to distract me from thinking.

A "bro" on my team in Australia once said something I've been thinking about a lot lately. He said, "Men's minds are like waffles and women's minds are like spaghetti. You may have heard that before. Men can compartmentalize, but women wind it all together. I like that we're different but I'll tell you the problem with women's brains. One bad piece of spaghetti and everything is ruined!"

Here is something I'm learning - having a mind as undisciplined as mine is a hinderance to fighting the good fight, running the good race. It definitely belongs in the category of "everything that hinders" (Hebrews 12:1). Especially when it comes to the most crucial element in the life of a saint, prayer. It's not a good thing to allow the mind to sweep you away to whatever destination seems good at the time. Praying out loud helps. But even then I'm learning I must exercise caution. This morning I was furiously whispering a thousand thoughts a minute for who-knows-how-long when I heard the Lord's gentle but firm reprimand that I was sending him a lot of words but not a whole lot of prayer. 


... and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5b


It was then I was able to stop. Just stop... and spend some time with Jesus. I want to encourage any of you fellow crazys out there by sharing there is sanity to be found in your times with the Lord and in the word of God. What a comfort! There's a solution to be found when you pray to Him, amen?

Now to fix my driving problem... 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"It's not about what I want you to do, it's about who I made you to be."
-God

It's been a crazy summer. Is that an understatement?
What better way to end a summer far away from home then uprooting my entire life four days after I return to move to a different city? As a mediocre writer, legendary feeler, and obsessive thinker, I'm tempted to recount every detail of how I got here for the purpose of analyzing the meaning behind every experience. I can just picture myself sitting in a bookstore, a lukewarm cup of coffee on the desk beside my computer, typing furiously to prevent a single detail from escaping my memory. It's quite a story. This is true. But I'm not going to do that. I don't think introspection is the reason God brought me to this both physical and spiritual place.

God brought me here to fall in love with him. 

If you could spent a summer blind you would most certainly see the fall with new eyes. It's taken an entire summer of missions for me to realize I'm the mission. I set out, determined to do the work of God, never realizing that I'm the work of God. My time in Australia was invaluable to me because it drained me. It exhausted every effort I had to do the work I believed God wanted me to accomplish. And when I was too tired to move, no fight left in me, God took me by the hand and led me here. He led me away from everything I know. He separated me from my old ways of living and my old ways of thinking. And then, wrapping his arms around me, he asked me for just one thing. He asked me to allow myself to love him.

I have a feeling the adventure is only beginning...

MIGHTY TO SAVE

G'DAY MATES! After spending the first few days running around Melbourne (pronounce it "mell-bin" if you want to sound like an Aussie), we are finally settled in and are now completely immersed in campus ministry. 

I know that the Lord is good. The Lord is greater then all gods. 

These lyrics keep coming to mind for our ministry here. Satan wants Australia. He wants it so bad. And he is being crafty in his assault. He has the people here STUCK in a state of apathy.  

No searching.

No seeking.

No wondering.  

I have never encountered anything like it. I'm an American. I have an opinion about everything and everyone in America has an opinion about everything. But here, again and again, we encounter students who give almost no thought to eternal things. In fact, they rarely give much thought to serious matters in general. Our conversations with students go deeper then most have ever gone in their lives. 

It presents quite a challenge, that much is certain. How do you fill a thirst people don't realize they have? How do you give answers when no questions are being asked? How do stir hearts that are stuck on the surface of things?

I realized during prayer this morning that we truly are fools for Christ. Here we are, attending school in the middle of our summer for hours at a time, in matching shirts no less, trying to combat apathy and lukewarmness with awkward questions and "chance-that-we-see-is-no-chance-at-all" encounters. Who does this? Well, we do. And for a reason unknown to us but known to God, it's working. Unbelievable. 

I have so many stories to share but only time for one. Today, a fellow wallabe and I had the opportunity to chat with a student from China. La Trobe Uni is just packed with international students. We have spent so much time in prayer for these students. I want more then anything as an American student to encounter another student from a different part of the world in Australia of all places and see them come to a saving knowledge of grace. How powerful is our God to make that happen? How powerful is the Gospel to see that come to pass? Today we shared the gospel with this Chinese student and he asked for time to think it through. If the Lord brings it to be, we will meet with him again tomorrow. Please join me in prayer! We long to see a movement begin here, in the land of apathy, that will spread all over the world.

And please pray for me. Pray I would be obedient to the Lord. And please pray against discouragement and distraction. It is so easy to lose sight of why I'm here when I'm drained from a day of ministry and it can be so discouraging when you ask a question only to hear yet another student has never thought about it. Pray the Lord would wake up the sleeping students here! 

Again, internet access is limited so I must be off! Much, much love! 

BRICK HOUSE

I'm here! 

And I would like to go on record to say... when you flush the toilet here, it does NOT spin the opposite way. I am extremely disappointed about that. I really didn't know that was a myth.

The city of Melbourne is BEAUTIFUL! You always hear people say their city is mixture of all the beauty of old world and the technology of today. But let me tell you... that is the truth in Melbourne. Most of the buildings are brick, which is my absolute favorite, and it makes every angle on the street a high fashion photo opportunity. But at the same time, everywhere you look you can see construction and improvements being made. Our hotel is smack in the middle of the city, which means we can (and do) walk or take the train everywhere. I love it!

The local people are super trendy and helpful. Yesterday we split into groups of four and went on a scavenger hunt that took us all over the city. I mean, all over the city. We had to take public transportation, walk, and sometimes run like idiots everywhere! But our mini "amazing race" experience was the perfect beginning. This is our home away from home for the next six weeks and now we all feel like locals.

The internet access is expensive so I walked to the shopping plaza to use it for free. But that means my posts are going to be a bit shorter and farther spaced then I originally planned. My battery is also almost dead... so I have to give you guys the readers digest version of everything that has been happening.

Ok...

Total travel time = a little over twenty hours. Most of it in the dark since we were flying away from the sun. Totally trippy but it made jet lag almost a non-issue. It was like having a really, really long night. We're all raring to go.

Local mission team and "STINTers" = AH-mazing, lovely people. Bri, if you're reading this. Turns out I'm working with Nina, and she says hi back!

Time change = Well, it's 4:50 pm for me right now and its 11:50 for you. But we skipped a day in the air... so it's tomorrow for me.

God = So good! We got to go to church in a movie theater today! The seats were way too comfortable for church... But the preaching and the communion were amazing and much needed. We're also still being trained and prepared for when we begin our official ministry when the students start school this thursday.

I'm sure there are things I'm forgetting and better things to share but I'm running out of time and my brain is like oatmeal right now.
I love and miss everyone! I can't believe I'm on the other side of the world. It still hasn't sank in yet...

Please pray for me! Pray that God will be able to speak to me as I seek Him with my whole heart. And pray that we will be a light to everyone we come into contact with! More to come...

O HOLY NIGHT

(Warning: If you are easily frozen in shock due to extreme cuteness... this video is not for you.)

Here it is.
The reason why I'm being sent to the ends of the earth.
Accent and everything...

"Never lose heart in the power of the gospel. Do not believe that there exists any man... for whom the gospel is not fitted."

-Charles Spurgeon 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

A.K.A.

"WHENEVER-QUOTE-OF-THE-SOMETIMES-WEEK-SOMETIMES-MONTH-SOMETIMES-JUST-WHEN-HANNAH-FEELS-LIKE-IT" QUOTE.

"Missions exists... because worship does not."
-John Piper 


(And this week, you get two quotes for the price of one. Thank you, Eric Taylor)

"I'm thinking about going into ministry... You know, becoming a professional Christian."
-E.T.

YOU CAN FLY!

Oh my goodness! Australia is so beautiful! Boomerangs really do come right back to you! And everyone is feeding shrimp to their barbies... PSYCH! Actually, we're at briefing...

You laugh... but its been strange for some of us on Team Wallabe (Yes, we know we spell it wrong. I don't think we did it on purpose but we're saying we did because we're jus' coo' like that. "Representin' 'merica" - i believe is how our team leader explains it.) because it really is how we feel. We're staying at a hotel in L.A... learning everything they can teach us in a few days' time to prepare us for our summer project. I can compare the feeling of these days at briefing to when you're waiting in line at Disney Land and you think you have just one more turn around the corner until you're on the ride and then you turn the corner and there are a million people and five more hours of waiting to go on the Peter Pan ride!! Come on! Why is it always the Peter Pan ride?? Not the point. The point is we are all raring to go and for some reason none of us considered that we'd be spending several days in the States before we flew overseas.

I definitely didn't plan well for these days. I packed my bag to the exact specifications I was allowed. I didn't waste an inch and that baby is DENSE. So now I have to go into stealth mode to try to grab my toothbrush and a fresh set of clothes or else everything will explode everywhere!!

But regardless, this time of training has been a total blessing. We've been learning so many things. Goodwin, our team leader, taught us we should listen to our team leaders. He backed this up with a reference from Goodwin 4:8, an enlightening book to say the least. We also learned NOW IS THE TIME FOR P.O.O.P. - which we found out means it's a good time to bond with the People On Our Team. Was this a necessary acronym? Absolutely.

In addition to these valuable lessons, I've already started trying new things. Today I had my very first chick-fil-A sandwich. Very tasty. I walked away from the experience with this...

...and a coupon for another free chick-fil-a sandwich, which some guy named Erwin guaranteed would work at ANY chick-fil-A ANYWHERE in the United States. Good deal.  

I know what you're thinking... what could possibly compare? I should just wrap up now. 

But wait...

In all seriousness, there is something better to share. Something more valuable then team preparation, building relationships, and a free chick-fil-A stomachache. Commissioning. 

Our leaders and staff wanted to officially send us off in the best way possible. So our "servant-leaders" washed our feet and prayed for each and every one of us. And then we ended with group prayer. I really needed every moment. It was such a blessing to experience the shift from feeling like I was chasing, pushing, and working to go on this summer project to feeling like the Lord was sending me through the prayers of his leaders. It was a huge burden lifted off my shoulders. The Lord has handpicked this team and tonight we were bonded through prayer and His Spirit. He is going to do is doing amazing things! So I consider this the beginning of an amazing thing... because we have officially rounded the amusement park corner and the boarding platform is in sight. 

And this ride is going to be even better then the Peter Pan ride. 

WHEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

Dear Lord, I sure am thankful for the peace you've given me the past few days. If I had spent all that time feeling the way I'm feeling now I'd probably curl up and die. Lets do this. You know, I keep thinking about something Pastor Tim said in a sermon he gave about Moses a few weeks ago.

Moses committed himself to doing God's work but he didn't commit himself to the God whose work he was trying to do...

Sometimes I think I do that. So God, I don't commit myself to the idea of serving you. I don't commit myself to the anticipation of personal growth. And I don't commit myself to winning souls, planting seeds, or lighting fires. I commit myself and next six weeks to YOU.

God, I think it's an amazing thing that you had some work to be done in Australia and you searched the entire earth and decided I was the right one to do it. Give me the strength to fulfill your plan for me each day. Prepare the hearts of every person I come in touch with. Be sovereign over our trip, Lord. And above all else... bring glory, honor, and praise to yourself. Be lifted high in our lives, God.

I'm not getting on the plane by myself tomorrow, Lord. So I sure hope you're planning on coming with me...

Also, thank you for the cheesy bread for dinner. That was yummy.
Amen.

A NEW DAY HAS COME

Dear Wallabes,

You guys are on my mind today. We have five days until we leave!!
Car-azy...

I hope you're prepared for the time of our lives becuase I know God has awesome things in store for us. I'm so excited to share the gospel and see Harry Potter. Perhaps even at the same time. I feel like I should warn you... I'm scared of butterflies and I'm what you might call a "cry-er". Whew, I'm glad I got that off my chest. Now you know the real me : )

I know some of you guys are scrambling to get the last of your support money in and I just wanted to throw this out there...

2 Kings 6:24-7:20 

Consider it thrown.
I know this passage is a little intense and possible just a touch crazy (Old Testament, what's to be said?) but I always think of it when I think about "impossible situations" like ours. Overnight God completely changed EVERYTHING in a way everyone thought to be impossible. I think He can do the same for us. The least of our worries is money. So don't worry. He has a plan.

Can't wait to meet y'all!

A THOUSAND MILES

Only six more days! So you know what that means...

PACKING. 

The good thing about a trip that lasts six weeks is you know doing laundry and taking one or two trips to the drug store while you're there is going to happen anyways. It takes the pressure off. But the bad thing is you feel like you're leaving for your entire life. I don't want to forget ANYTHING! I've found it's helpful to make lists.

Things I know I have to take... 

-socks

-toothbrush

-Justin Bieber album with bonus tracks, poster included

Things I wish I could take...

-my overalls ("Over all" they are awesome! Buh dum chhh! Drum roll. That was a drum roll. They're shorts though... so you know... probably won't work with the climate.) 

Things I know I can't take...

-fireworks

-lucky rock collection
-all nine seasons of Little House on the Prairie (probably going to have to pick four or five)

-egg salad sandwiches  

Things I know I probably shouldn't take...

-Justin Bieber album with bonus tracks, poster included 

And thats all I have so far. 
Oh! That's not true. I also have this helpful visual aid. 

Any advice for me, reader?? 

ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR

Did you know...
For at least 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century, Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians. 


You probably didn't. 


And did you know..
Australia is the flattest continent. 


You do now. 


But did you know...
I leave for Australia in one week!

One week.

Seven days. 

10080 minutes.

604800 seconds. 

I found all this information on wikipedia. Except I did all the math on yahoo answers. But I searched for both those sites on google. So google wins. But that is not the point right now. By the way, I did try to ask yahoo how many moments were in a second but it told me not to push it.  

UPDATE!

I have officially reached the $5000 goal! Thank you so much to all those who supported me with prayers and/or money and/or encouragement and/or hugs and/or cake and/or snuggling. I LITERALLY couldn't do it without you. Especially those who offered snuggle support. I require three times more snuggling then the average person, I think... 

You know what I'm looking forward to? In Australia, I will be the one with the accent. I can't wait to be the one to smile and pretend I don't know how strange I am pronouncing my words. 

I will be doing my best to keep all y'all at home updated. (I say y'all now) But who knows? 


It's been a long day and my brain is mushy. So I'll have to post more tomorrow. I just wanted to take a moment to let y'all (see?) know that operation summer project is a go!! 


side note:
The Australian national anthem's title is way more B.A. then ours. We need to work on that. 


I love you, reader.

DAILY SHE APPROACHED THE KING

SOMETIMES MINUTES, SOMETIMES HOURS

AND EVERYDAY HE'D GENTLY ASK

IF SHE HAD SEEN THE FLOWERS

SHE NEVER GAVE A STRAIGHT REPLY

HIS HEART WAS GREATLY HAUNTED

FOR SADLY SHE WAS MUCH CONSUMED

WITH ALL THE THINGS SHE WANTED

HER HEART WAS SELFISH, BLIND AND DIM

HER OUTLOOK OFTEN BLUE

SHE ALWAYS SAW THINGS HER OWN WAY

THE KING KNEW THIS WAS TRUE

THE KING WAS WORKING EVERYDAY

AS SHE WOULD MOPE AND SIGH

HE WAS PLANTING HER A GARDEN

FLOWERS THAT WOULD NEVER DIE

THESE FLOWERS WERE A SPECIAL TYPE

ON EARTH YOU'D NEVER FIND

SUCH PLANTS AS THESE,  REFLECTIONS OF

THE BEAUTY OF HIS MIND

HE LONGED TO SHARE HIS PLANS WITH HER

HOW FULFILLING THEY WOULD BE

BUT HE WANTED HER TO NOTICE

HE WANTED HER TO SEE

THE KING HAD WAITED PATIENTLY

A GENTLEMAN THROUGH AND THROUGH

BESIDES, HE LIKED TO HEAR HER VOICE

HER HEART HE FULLY KNEW

HE WOULD SMILE AND SHAKE HIS HEAD

WHEN SHE APPROACHED HIM WITH HER PROBLEMS

HE ALWAYS HAD THE ANSWER

BUT SHE RARELY LET HIM SOLVE THEM

SHE HAD FAITH, AND LOTS OF IT

THE KING SAW HER BELIEF

BUT SHE WOULD ONLY SEE HIM MOVE

WHEN HE BROUGHT RELIEF

THE KING TRIED TAPPING ON HER SHOULDER

HE TRIED A SCOLDING TOO

HE EVEN TRIED A LITTLE DISTANCE

IT JUST WASN'T GETTING THROUGH

THEN ONE DAY, THE TIME HAD COME

HE KNEW BECAUSE HE LOVED HER

AS MUCH AS IT WOULD BRING HER GRIEF

HE TOOK AWAY HER COMFORT 

AT FIRST THE GIRL WOULD NOT ACCEPT

THIS TRIAL COULD BE TRUE

 SHE HANDLED IT AS SHE ALWAYS DID

AND TOLD HIM WHAT TO DO 

HE OUGHT TO TAKE HER PAIN AWAY

HE OUGHT TO TREAT HER FAIRLY

AFTER ALL, SHE'D SPENT EVERY DAY   

SPEAKING TO HIM SQUARELY 

SHE HAD A VISION FOR HER LIFE

LONGINGS AND DESIRE

SHE DIDN'T KNOW OF THE SUFFERING 

ALL GOOD THINGS REQUIRE 

AS TIME WENT BY SHE DID HER BEST

TO BARTER WITH THE KING 

"I WILL DO THIS, THOSE AND EVEN THAT

IF YOU GIVE ME JUST THESE THINGS"

THE KING STILL LISTENED EVERYDAY 

BUT HE WOULDN'T SETTLE

AND EVERYDAY HE'D TEND AND GROW

EACH STEM, EACH LEAF, EACH PETAL

ALMOST WITHOUT HER NOTICING

ANGER FILLED HER HEART

SHE'D TOLD HIM WHAT WAS BEST FOR HER

TOLD HIM FROM THE START

AFTER SHE'D SPENT HER ANGER

CAME THE DARK TIME FOR THE KING

WHAT SHE THOUGHT SHE WANTED MOST  

SHE SAW HE'D NEVER BRING

SHE BECAME QUITE DISTANT 

CRYING NIGHTS AWAY

HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME - SHE'D CRY OUT

I'M STILL HERE - HE'D SAY

TIME WENT BY, COUNTLESS HOURS

HER DISCOURAGEMENT STILL GREW

HOW AM I DIFFERENT THEN ANYONE ELSE

WHO NEVER SPOKE TO YOU? 

THEN WHEN SHE LOST HER WILL TO FIGHT

BECAME WEARY, BECAME TIRED

DOWN INSIDE HER SEARCHING HEART

SHE SURRENDERED HER DESIRES

SHE LET GO OF HER WISDOM

PAIN HAD MADE IT USELESS

AND SHE LET GO OF HER SELFISH PLANS

 INTROSPECTION = FRUITLESS 

SHE ALSO PUT HER DREAMS TO REST

THOUGH THEY PUT UP QUITE A FIGHT

SHE'D SPENT FAR TOO LONG DWELLING ON THEM

DURING LONG AND PAINFUL NIGHTS

AND WHEN THOSE THINGS WERE DONE AND GONE

SHE FOUND SHE MISSED THE ONE

WHO'D BEEN WAITING THE ENTIRE TIME

SO PROUD OF ALL SHE'D DONE  

SHE WANTED TO VISIT THE USUAL PLACE 

WHERE THEY USED TO MEET 

BUT SHE FELT EMBARRASSED KNOWING NOW

OF HER PRIDE AND HER CONCEIT 

THEN ONE DAY SHE HEARD IT 

AN INVITATION LOUD AND CLEAR 

COME AND SPEND SOME TIME WITH ME 

LET YOUR SOUL BE FILLED WITH CHEER 

SHE COULDN'T HELP BUT SMILE

WHEN SHE SAW HIS FACE

AND HE COULDN'T WAIT A MOMENT LONGER

TO PULL HER IN HIS TIGHT EMBRACE

AND AS HE HELD HER CLOSELY

HE CAUSED HER EYES TO SEE

THAT THIS WAS ALL SHE EVER WANTED

ALL SHE WOULD EVER NEED

CONTENT NOW IN HIS ARMS SHE KNEW 

SHE'D AGAIN STAY FOR HOURS 

WAIT A MINUTE - SHE ASKED THE KING 

HOW LONG HAS THERE BEEN FLOWERS?

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

The scars of your love remind me of us

They keep me thinking that we almost had it all

The scars of your love, they leave me breathless

I can't help feeling 

We could have had it all

-Adele