Taking Up Esther's Example

Can everyone please pray for my housemate, Sam? She is from South Africa, and one of the housemates that was here last semester as well. You see, the South African government is a little messed up. To make a long story short, Sam owes alot of money to the college for rent, etc, but is unable to pay it. Her dad is supposed to be paying her child support, because in S. Africa, your parent has to pay child support until you're done with your schooling. Her parents are in the middle of a divorce, which is hard enough. But now her dad isn't supplying her with the money he promised he'd give her, and the money that is rightfully hers by law. So she took it to court. She was going to have to go back to S. Africa for a couple weeks, but it worked out that now she doesn't have to. Her mom went to court for her and explained the situation. The court gave her dad til a certain day to pay up, but he didn't, so they put out a warrant for his arrest. For some reason, that hasn't happened, and her dad has arranged for people to kill her family if seen, so her family is in a safe house right now. Her dad has the money to pay, he just isn't paying. So basically, she has to pay all her college fees by Friday or else she gets deported. Only problem is for some reason the court has postponed the court date to Friday. So if you could all be praying praying praying for her, that would be great!

Things in my house are really good. The girls have turned out to be some of the most faith filled people. Tonight one of my housemates, Brittany (she's from SC too! Woohoo!) got everyone downstairs and we all prayed for Sam. We also did that a couple nights ago as well (our house meeting turned into a prayer meeting...yeahhh!). Brittany brought up a really cool idea. She read to us in the book of Esther about the story where the king gave orders to kill the Jews, and Esther, his wife, was secretly a Jew. Her father by adoption, Mordecai, tells her that she needs to do something. In Esther 4:14, Mordecai explains to her, "...And who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this?". It goes on to say in verses 15-16:

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
We thought that it was a little more than ironic that Friday is exactly 3 days away from today. We all decided to fast in some way together for the next three days and stand together in prayer. This is what we are here for: to be the hands and feet of Jesus. This is the church: helping one another through faith, prayer and love. Please join us!!! If you can, please fast from something for the next 3 days (if you're in America, til Thursday.

Keep Sam in your prayers!! I will update everyone come Friday.

THANK YOU!

P.S. I am okay regarding the Australian wildfires. It was about 108 this past weekend, but it's simmered down to about 75 degrees today. The fires aren't near me, most are in the state below me, and I'm pretty sure they are probably under control by now, since the temperature has dropped and it was raining lightly today. Thanks for everyone's concern, but no worries...I'm alright and will be alright. :)

Revolutionary Road/Powerhouse Retreat Highlights

It's really late here. I just got back from the theater a while back because I saw the movie "Revolutionary Road", and I must say that was probably the worst movie I've ever seen. DO NOT see it. Not unless you want to leave the theater depressed. Seriously! I expected more out of Kate and Leonardo.

Okay so since I can't really write much, here is a snippet of a video that the church made. It's highlights from the Powerhouse Summer Retreat I just went on in the Central Coast (about 2 hours north of Sydney). The beach in the video is Terrigal Beach. SO beautiful!

Love love love!



P.S. Here's some pictures on this website from the retreat (more links to pictures on the right side of the page under "Recent Posts"):
http://hillsong.com/blogs/powerhouse/2009/02/02/retreat-photo-blog-no3-saturday/

2009.

I cannot believe that I'm in my 2nd semester of college. All I know is I am determined to make not just semester, but this year, count. I am so excited to see where God is going to take me in my walk with Him. When I went back home I think I got kind of discouraged by doctor's reports on my back, but coming back to Hillsong has really helped me to be encouraged by God's might and ability and willingness to heal me. Going back home made me re-evaluate my faith, in that I lost my passion and my feeling of desire toward God. This made me think. It made me mad that I had gone through a whole semester at college here in Hillsong and yet my faith swayed with the wind. Whether I'm in America or Australia should not determine how in love I am and how much I trust my Savior. I found myself blaming God and getting mad at Him instead. Not sure why my first tendency was to do that, but I guess I just have a human nature of not wanting to take responsibility. Anyways, I am now praising God for health and I haven't had alot of back pain since I've been here. The other night someone from the church prayed for my back and when she walked away, I still felt a hand on my back. God told me that he hasn't forgotten about my back, or about me and I'm now resting in that. Since then I've had peace about the situation, but I'm not settling. I'm still battling out in prayer and thanks for my healing.

This is my year. I believe this will be my best year yet. I feel this year I'm going to have a major "growth spurt" in my relationship with God. I just got back from Powerhouse Summer Retreat (Powerhouse is the 18-25 year old ministry) and God just started the process of breaking lots of things off my life that have been holding me back for a long time in running whole-heartedly with God's plan for my life - things that have been stunting my growth such as unconfidence, self-consciousness, etc. These things still come up within me. It's not just some magic prayer and then, POOF, all your problems and insecurities are gone, but I now just realize that it's stupid and Satan is just lying to me in telling me that I can't do something, or that I'll look stupid, etc. This is why I really believe this year is going to be a great one for me - one of massive growth. But it's just one day at a time. That's how it goes. That's how I plan to live.

Check out the "My Links" section I just added to my blog. There is a link to my photography, including family Christmas pictures 2008.