Week 1
Hey everyone! I left home a little over a week now, and it has been amazing.
After three days of travel, I was ready to make it to my final destination. Arriving in Townsville was a huge relief, since I've spent half a year researching about the city and campus. I was extremely jet lagged during orientation, so the first day wasn't the best. It was a bit overwhelming at first to be surrounded by 80 new people from all over the world, but everyday I've been meeting new people and getting closer with others.
The environment here is unlike anything I've ever experienced. Everyone you meet is extremely kind, and we're all here for the same reason, to deepen our relationships with God. It almost feels like I'm living in a fantasy, with really hot weather.
Wednesday was family night and worship, which is when we have a communal dinner out on the courtyard with all the families living on campus. There were seven birthdays to celebrate that week which meant seven different cakes! The worship has been very different, as everyone gets super into it. It's normal for people to just go up to people they don't know and pray for them. I even had to pray for people I just met the first day. They are definitely pushing me outside of my comfort zone here! Friday was definitely the best day as we did some spontaneous worship during lectures, played soccer in the courtyard before dinner, and spent half an hour "speed friending." (Yes, it is like speed dating) We've also gone to the beach almost everyday, because we can. It's a 10 minute walk to "The Strand" which is the most beautiful beach I've been to. On Saturday morning a bunch of us trekked up Castle Hill at 5:00am in time to watch the sunrise. A few of us attempted to run up, but got winded after the first couple flights of stairs. We spent the whole day at the beach after that, which was so relaxing, but also very damaging to our skin. None of us are used to the Aussie sun!
The first three lectures were about rules and regulations, so I was excited to hear about "Recognizing God's Voice" on Thursday and Friday. The speaker had a lot to say about her personal experiences and how everyone hears God's voice in different ways. I realized that it's not a gift to hear God's voice, but that God speaks to everyone. It's just a matter of figuring out how we hear Him.
As we start "Identity" week tomorrow, I hope to learn so much more about myself and how I can learn more about God. I'm asking for prayers so that I can really open my heart to get the most out of the lectures, and to keep my eyes and ears open to hearing what God is trying to tell me.
I appreciate all the support I've been getting from home, and I'll be back with another update next Sunday!
Here are some photos from the past week. Enjoy!
After three days of travel, I was ready to make it to my final destination. Arriving in Townsville was a huge relief, since I've spent half a year researching about the city and campus. I was extremely jet lagged during orientation, so the first day wasn't the best. It was a bit overwhelming at first to be surrounded by 80 new people from all over the world, but everyday I've been meeting new people and getting closer with others.
The environment here is unlike anything I've ever experienced. Everyone you meet is extremely kind, and we're all here for the same reason, to deepen our relationships with God. It almost feels like I'm living in a fantasy, with really hot weather.
Wednesday was family night and worship, which is when we have a communal dinner out on the courtyard with all the families living on campus. There were seven birthdays to celebrate that week which meant seven different cakes! The worship has been very different, as everyone gets super into it. It's normal for people to just go up to people they don't know and pray for them. I even had to pray for people I just met the first day. They are definitely pushing me outside of my comfort zone here! Friday was definitely the best day as we did some spontaneous worship during lectures, played soccer in the courtyard before dinner, and spent half an hour "speed friending." (Yes, it is like speed dating) We've also gone to the beach almost everyday, because we can. It's a 10 minute walk to "The Strand" which is the most beautiful beach I've been to. On Saturday morning a bunch of us trekked up Castle Hill at 5:00am in time to watch the sunrise. A few of us attempted to run up, but got winded after the first couple flights of stairs. We spent the whole day at the beach after that, which was so relaxing, but also very damaging to our skin. None of us are used to the Aussie sun!
The first three lectures were about rules and regulations, so I was excited to hear about "Recognizing God's Voice" on Thursday and Friday. The speaker had a lot to say about her personal experiences and how everyone hears God's voice in different ways. I realized that it's not a gift to hear God's voice, but that God speaks to everyone. It's just a matter of figuring out how we hear Him.
As we start "Identity" week tomorrow, I hope to learn so much more about myself and how I can learn more about God. I'm asking for prayers so that I can really open my heart to get the most out of the lectures, and to keep my eyes and ears open to hearing what God is trying to tell me.
I appreciate all the support I've been getting from home, and I'll be back with another update next Sunday!
Here are some photos from the past week. Enjoy!
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ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures of a beautiful country. Keeping you in prayer. God's Spirit will continue to teach you exactly what you need each day and the rest will be stored for later, like a seed that will pop open at just the right time. She knows the desires of your heart and she will give them to you. Enjoy each day as it unfolds.
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