Touching Heaven Night was last night. It was a worship night held at the Hillsong City campus and was preparation for the Live Album Recording when all the campuses throughout Sydney all come together for a night of worship. God's presence was so evident last night that it took my breath away. I heard several stories today about people who accepted Christ into their lives. Praise God that He is moving in such an obvious way!

Classes are going extremely well and I am really enjoying them. My favorite class is my Old Testament Introduction. The principal of the college teaches the class and has amazing knowledge and insight into the Old Testament. She really brings it to life and captures my interest.

Please be in prayer for the Colour Women's Conference coming up in only 2 weeks. Women are coming from all over the world to have an amazing experience and have their lives changed by God. There will be two conferences. The first is March 26-28 and the second is March 30 - April 1. Right in the middle of the 2 conferences is the Live Album recording at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. I am very excited and know it's going to be an amazing night of worship. I will be serving in all of these events so please be praying for God to give me strength as I prepare for that week. It's going to be tiring, but I know God will use me in amazing ways.

Thank you for your prayers!

Last night was Leadership Vision Night. I, as well as everyone from the city campus of Hillsong Church, went on buses to the Hills campus for the presentation of the vision for the leadership of Hillsong in the year 2009. It was an awesome night and Brian Houston, the senior pastor, shared some great and exciting things for the church. It is truly a blessing to be involved in such a thriving, growing, and God-centered church.

Yesterday was the launch of Sisterhood 2009. It's a weekly ministry to women of all ages in which they can come and have fellowship, worship, and hear a message. I had the opportunity to help out with the toddlers while their moms were being ministered to. God has been showing me that no matter how big or how small the job is, everything we do is for the Lord and is important in His eyes. So as I was preparing the kid's snacks, cleaning the room, and doing the dishes, I was reminded that we should all do our work heartily as for the Lord. When your attitude is in the right place, serving in any area is a great joy and privilege.

For the last two weeks I have been having pain in my ankles and recently my knees have been hurting as well. Please be praying that God would heal me so that I won't have problems walking back and forth from my apartment to the church several times a day. Thank you so much for your prayers!

Hillsong Choir

Well I found out on Friday that the main area I will be serving in for the church is the choir! I am very excited for that. Every Saturday night service I will be singing in the choir. For now it's only one service at 6pm, but come March it will be two services, one at 5pm and one at 7pm. I got to start this past Saturday already. It was a truly awesome experience. It is a blessing to be on stage and a part of such an amazing and God focused worship team. God definitely has His hand on my time here and is placing me where He wants me to serve. I'm looking forward to learning more about leading worship and being a part of serving in a worship team.

My classes are going great so far. I have one more week of intensives which is basically non stop lectures from 9 to 5 Tuesday through Friday. But it's all great information and very interesting. Next week I will be starting a less intense schedule with more emphasis on leadership in a worship setting.

Thank you for your continued prayers!

I just finished the second day of classes and they were amazing! Yesterday we took a bus to the Hills campus, which is the larger of the two, to go to the church staff meeting and have combined lectures with all Hillsong college students. It was great seeing the facilities and meeting more people.

The Power House Retreat last weekend was a truly amazing experience. Over a thousand people ages 18 to 25 got together from Thursday night to Saturday night. We listened to some great messages from different pastors, had amazing times of worship, and had some fun on the beach as well! I met some truly great friends there who I’m sure will be life long friends.

Being in Australia is an amazing experience for me and God is already changing me and challenging me in many ways.

Some things to be praying for:
God would continue to bring people into my life who will build me up and people I can lead toward Him.
God would provide us with internet for our flat soon.

Praise God that he is providing me with many friends who encourage me and make living on the other side of the world a lot easier.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and support!

Well I'm getting settled into life in Sydney and it's amazing.  The last two days have been Orientation for college.  It's been a lot of information but very exciting meeting new people and hearing about what I'm going to be doing in the next year.

Tomorrow I'm leaving to go on a retreat until Saturday.  I'll be meeting new people, getting to hear sermons and lessons by many different pastors, and also get to spend some time on the beach!  I am very excited!

My third flat mate, Kim, arrived from London on Sunday so there are now four of us in my flat.  Please be praying that we all get along and are able to compromise if needed.  Also please pray that God will bless our friendships and help us to be a strong support system for each other.

My intensive class schedule starts on Tuesday and will continue for two weeks.  I will be hearing a lot of great lectures and will be very busy.  On Tuesday, everyone from the City campus where I am attending will be bused over in the morning to the Hills campus for combined lectures.  The City campus where I attend has about 300 students, but the Hills campus is much larger and has about 700 students!  There will be a lot of people but it will be a great experience!

Please be praying for travel safety going to the retreat tomorrow and returning Saturday night.

Pray for my studies as I will be starting on Tuesday.

Pray for provision that God will provide us with furniture for our flat.

Arrived in Australia

Well I made it here safely.  I spent 5 hours in the LAX airport, then 14 hours on the plane here to Sydney.  But I made it to the airport, through customs and immigration (with all my luggage) and caught a taxi to Hillsong Church where I met the people from the college.  I am settled into my flat with two of my flatmates already here.  Jen is 18 and from California.  We actually arrived at the college at the same time so that was very nice.  Anri is my other flat mate. She is 18 and from South Africa.  She arrived yesterday and was very excited that she wasn't by herself anymore.  Our other flat mate is from England and should be arriving on Sunday.

We got settled into our apartment and then a 2nd year student named Ti came over and took us around town to go shopping and get familiar with the area some.  Our flat is still very empty but we are working on finding furniture. The main thing being a refrigerator.

The weather here is very hot and humid but the occasional breeze is very nice.  I am currently sitting in a cafe down the street from my apartment with my two flat mates.

I am very excited for this year.  I know that God is going to change me and use me a lot during my time here.  I'm looking forward to when classes start on Tuesday and I can meet more people.

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Preparing for Australia

Hello!
As many of you know I am leaving on Wednesday for Sydney, Australia. I will be spending a year (actually 10 1/2 months) studying at Hillsong International Leadership College. I will be taking core Bible and Christian Leadership classes as well as classes focused on Worship Music. If you would like to know more about the college here is the website: www.hillsong.com

A little background as to how this all came about:
This past November I was attending the University of Arizona but I realized that was not where God wanted me to be anymore. I did a lot of praying and God pointed me toward Hillsong College. I then had a chance meeting with a former student there and learned more about the college. I really felt God leading me to apply, so I did. The next thing I knew everything was coming together faster than I could imagine. I got my visa in less than 24 hours! It usually should take at least 2 or 3 weeks. Now that's what I call seeing God work. Well after a lot of prayer and trusting in God to orchestrate everything, I'm leaving for Syndey in 2 days.

I'm starting this blog in order to keep all of you updated and informed as to what I'm doing, how God is working in me and through me, and how you can be praying for me. I really appreciate all your prayers and support.

Current Prayer Requests:
Please be praying as I'm packing and preparing to leave on Wednesday.
Pray for safety as I fly to Sydney and then make my way to the College.

Thanks again for all your prayers!