Two Yanks In Oz

Last week in chapel, the band did an item while we were taking up our weekly missions offering. It was "Beautiful Things" by Gungor. I liked the song so much that I immediately went home and bought the album on Itunes. I have sat and sat listening to that album, and that song, the rest of this week, with my Bible open, just seriously on the verge of tears.

I feel like I've been on the edge of tears for several weeks now. It's not like anything incredibly sad is happening to me, but I seem to be filled with a whole new compassion for humanity and for other people I don't even know. That sounds really cheesy and dis-genuine, especially coming from me, but it's the truth. When people put in prayer requests my heart is heavy for them. I think of the people the missions offering is going towards and I empty all the change in my wallet, because I feel a new burden for them. I see pictures of the Tsunami literally wiping northern Japan out- in real time, on the news- and I cry. I feel full and filled with this love for other people. And I get so burdened when I know people don't know Jesus- especially when I'm riding the trains and I hear people cussing at each other or when I see comments on Yahoo news making fun of other comments that talk about God- I just feel so horrible for all those people who don't get it. And I look on facebook, and see friends, friends who used to be so much farther along in their Christianity than me, who now are questioning, stuck, burdened or completely backslidden- and I'm realizing that those friends were probably never that far along in the first place; I just happened to be even farther behind them. It makes me so incredibly sad to see people misunderstanding God, abusing His word, or suffering from great hardship.

I've been praying that God would make me a more compassionate person with a heart burdened for all of his people, and I really think He's doing that. I have a new courage in me that I've never had before. I'm not afraid to drop God into conversations or to ask people if they'd like to pray over things. It's really amazing. And the thing that is the least scary, that used to be the most scary for me, is telling people that they are loved- by God and me. It's literally amazing that those simple words can bring so much life into a person's eyes.

I'm not saying I have it all figured out, but I feel that over the course of the last 8 months, I'm finally understanding the character of God. Once we get to know God's personality, His voice and His heart, it's so much easier to hear Him speak to us, and to recognize Him out in the world- and it's also easier to love His people. It's like I have no choice now. My heart is being so softened. I mean I still have issues within myself that are less than perfect, but I am able to turn those things off when it's important.

God makes beautiful things- He really is making something beautiful out of everyone in this world, and out of every situation. The Bible says He makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecc. 3:11) and I'm really starting to see that come to fruition inside of myself and within situations happening in my world. I even see the beauty in the aftermath of disasters like the Queensland floods and the Tsunami that claimed thousands of Japanese lives last night. What beauty and hope there is in the encouragement, help and love we offer to other people we don't even know- simply because God loves them, we love God, and we want to not only honor God, but let other people know they are valued and loved too. So good.

We've had the spiritual update, but now for the news update:
We're about to go in to Colour Conference (international women's conference put on by Hillsong Church, and they not only have them in Sydney, but in Kiev, London, Capetown and now some day-long ones in the States). I'm doing catering for the first one, but I get to sit in on the second one for free! I love the Colour Sisterhood, and all women go to Colour on Thursday mornings each week and hear teaching from Bobbie. But it's more than just a women's meeting- it's a movement to make a difference on this earth, and it's a movement to empower the women of the earth to step out and influence, change their world. Check it out at www.thecouloursisterhood.com.


Currently the worship students in my intake are in the middle of our first songwriting project. We got paired off and told to write either a worship or praise song, which will be performed in a few weeks in front of our tutorials. Each tutorial will send the best two from their group to a worship night in front of all worship students where the songs will be performed and used in a real worship setting. I think it's way cool, and I love the training I am getting for writing songs. Hillsong uses curriculum by Pat Pattison, John Mayer's song writing teacher from Berklee- so I feel like we're getting some good insight.

I'm officially getting to go to New Zealand in July to stay with my housemate's family in Wellington for a week! I'm so excited- right now it looks like me, Robin and our friend Jeremy and his friend Caleb are going. It should be fun.

I have a job interview on Wednesday with St. Saviour's neighbourhood centre, which is part of an organization called Anglicare. I am interviewing for the position of "Youth Residential Support Worker". Basically, here in Oz, some children who are too "high need" behaviour wise for the normal foster environment get placed in group residences, where they are cared for by staff in shifts. I'd be doing 2 overnight shifts a week in various houses owned by Anglicare taking care of kids aged 12-18. I think this is really cool- especially because I've been asking God for years to please let me be a foster parent some day; and I feel like He's introducing me to that world. So please everyone, pray in agreement with me that I get this job!

Also, if you know Staci McIntyre, my dear friend, please encourage her to come here for a year to study. I'm working on it but I may need some backup, you know what I mean? :)

Alrighty, that's all for now. I pray that everyone on your side of the world is having a lovely Spring and that God is blessing you!

Blessings,
Aislinn