I'll be 19 tomorrow! :)

It's true.

I received cards from mom (along with a book that I can't wait to read because I think it's something that will really help me where I'm at right now...don't moms always just know what you need? mom, stop saying "amen"), Dad (along with an AWESOME STUFFED LADYBUG named Leena, who is similar to Pepper, my penguin back home. the two will meet someday), Meemaw and Poppop, Nana, and Aunt Debbie and Uncle Dennis. Today I bought a journal that I have been eyeing for weeks now, but have never bought because it was so expensive (it's two-tone leather, but beautiful). But then I remembered what everyone said in their cards to buy myself something. :) So thank you family! I really appreciate it! I can't wait til my actual birthday tomorrow. Sorry, yes yes...I did open all the cards and gifts before my actual birthday, but I couldn't resist. ;) The cards all meant so much to me! They all touched my heart, and made me get really excited about coming home. But I will be honest with you...I really do love it here now. Being here has really challenged me to think globally, not just from an American's perspective. I am learning more and more here in this multi-cultured city (and household...it's awesome...I'm the only American. we have a Swiss, Brazilian, Canadian, South African, 2 English, and me).

As I mentioned in my last blog, me, Kate, and my other friend Hanna, all went to the city the other day. Hanna is from Sweden, and of course Kate is from England. We were going to go to Pancakes on the Rocks, and then the zoo. Well, we were interrupted by the Holy Spirit. These kinds of interruptions are actually good. :)

We got on a bus to Paramatta, then from there took a train to Central. Then we met this lady who is apparently going to sell her story about how she was healed (well, she didn't really use that word, but that's what happened in reality) of cancer while she was 8 months pregnant. Anyways, we had about a 30 minute walk ahead of us to get to the restaurant. We left the bus stop at 11am, and arrived at Pancakes at 2:40pm. It takes about an hour and a half to get to Pancakes. Haha.

As we were walking across the city (on a very beautiful day, I might add), we all walked past this man who was homeless. I saw the girls from the corner of my eye, and I knew they were all thinking the same thing: "I think we should do something, but I don't want to say anything". They all had this disturbed look on their faces, and I knew at that moment all of our spirits were in check. You see, back home, I used to think, "I don't need to help homeless people. They are probably faking it. Even if they are homeless, they'll just use the money for drugs." Here at Hillsong, they challenge us to think differently. Honestly, I can just see Jesus walking down the streets of Sydney with all the busy business people, and stopping to chat with the "least of these". Check this passage out:

Matthew 25:35-40 (The Message) --
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'
"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'

What if that person really was homeless? What if they really did need help? What if three simple words could change that life - God loves you? That's really what it's all about. We didn't stop and talk to and give money to 4 homeless people that day as charity, a way to help them meet their physical needs only, or as a way to make us feel better about ourselves. We did this to sow not just into people's pockets...that's just a way to sow into their lives. We decided, "We need to do something." The girls boldly gathered some change, and their courage, to turn around and walk against the crowd to get to these broken people. I got 4 opportunities that day to get down on my knees, to their level, and place my hand on them, ask what their name was, introduce myself (and give out some McDonalds), and speak life into their lives by telling them, "I just want you to know that God loves you. You mean something. You have worth." This really really stretched me, because I've done stuff like this before with the Dream Center Street Ministry and such, but that was me setting out at that time for a specific mission...to reach the lost and hurting and needing. I didn't set out that morning with the "seek and save" mindset. Honestly, it was just a selfish mindset - "I get to do what I want to do today...it's my college break! Yay!" But shouldn't that be our aim everyday? Our life mission should be that...to reach the lost. I don't know about you, but I'm not making excuses anymore. I am NOT too young to make a difference. I am NOT too inexperienced to make a difference. I am NOT too unknowledged about the world and Bible to make a difference. There is no excuse as a Christian to not reach out to a dying world. This is our mission.

This past week from October 2-4, we had a big youth event called Encounterfest at the church. I got to go. It was awesome! The speaker was Carl Lentz, an American preacher with a ministry in Virginia Beach, who attended Hillsong College years ago. He's awesome! Every day and night they would tell people to come to the front if certain situations applied to them. I went up almost every time. I normally don't do that, but everything they said applied to me. I felt God break down some walls inside of me as I stood their crying. I don't mean tears streaming down my eyes...I mean snot coming out, trying to catch my breath. Haha. No one really noticed, except for my connect group leader who went down with me hand in hand that one time (I'm talking about the first time I went down). I won't go into complete detail about all I went down for, but basically God just began the process of pouring myself out of me, and pouring Himself into me. Then the last time I went up was to receive a heart for the lost. I already have had this heart, but I just kept asking God to increase my heart for people...and look what He had me do. Haha. That's awesome!

I'm not saying to go and find a homeless person today. But look for those people that just need love. They may be right in your very neighborhood, they might be in your very home. Usually when you set out to look, you find immediately. Why? -- Because everyone needs love. I pray that God will rid me of myself, and pour Himself into me, so that I can pour out love unlimitedly to others.

Now, go love! :) Have a good day!

The world teaches you to look for someone to love you.
God teaches you to find someone to love.
-anonymous