Sunny Days

The Latest before Powerhouse Summer Camp

Okay - it’s been quite a while since I’ve updated my blog - I’ve been busy and haven’t been able to get to the computer to update it - I have responded to a few emails though thankfully - anyways so since I last wrote a TON of stuff has happened - this will be a long blog I think - I may break it up into two parts because I’m leaving for summer camp today as well and there will be more I’m sure to add after this weekend - God is going to do radical things in our lives
so I went to help with a youth summer camp that was 5 days in length - they mentioned it to us when we first got here but I wasn’t sure at that point because I had just arrived and all - so anyways I had been thinking about it and at Sunday night church on the 14th I had wanted to go see if they still needed help and when I went to ask the lady told me to call the church office in the morning, so I was going to, but no need, someone showed up at our door to ask us if we wanted to go - so I was listening all about it and was really thinking I wanted to go and help out - I had been feeling a little bored with nothing going on and I thought it would be a great thing to do - go and serve youth and help out and they said we would get free food (seriously, how could I turn that down!!) - the food was excellent by the way - I ate seconds at every meal!! And we would get some free time to spend on the beach and such - so I went - I didn’t know anyone going or anything but everyone was from our apartment buildings (the helpers) so they were really awesome and welcomed me and made me feel comfortable around them etc - so the week was absolutely amazing! We got to help prep food in the kitchen and then do all the dishes afterward, we got to clean the bathrooms and we got to do security - what happens is that this camp is held at a scout camp and in the past kids have had things stolen by the local kids who come in by the beach etc so they had us just patrol the area everytime the kids were in meals and meetings etc and while they were sleeping - so it was pretty much round the clock - but it was so fun because if your shift was during the day at all you got to be out in the sun - it was awesome - I got lots of sun!! I was exhausted by the end of the week, but I really learned how to depend on God for my strength and energy and keep going and serving joyfully despite being so tired - so a great week - I came back just feeling so awesome - I went with the expectation of serving others and God totally met me where I was at and was answering some prayers that I had - I am really trying to be real with him this year and let him in on every detail of my life - I got to go to two of the rallies that the kids had at night - and the first one especially was a divine appointment - I had been wondering about whether to tithe or not since I really have no income coming in at all and when I showed up on the Wednesday night for that one - I walked in and they were just starting to talk about giving to God and really sowing into his kingdom and I knew what I needed to do - God’s perfect timing because the kids leave at 6:30 pm to get there for 7 and we didn’t get to leave until 8:30 because of our cleaning shift, so I totally showed up at his time - the funny thing is - I hadn’t even thought of going - someone came up to me and was like - if you want to go to the meeting tonight you can - you have a ride - and I didn’t think anything of it - was like alright let’s go!
So the camp was Tuesday Jan 16th till Saturday Jan 20th - we got home about 8 pm Saturday night my time here and then Joyce Meyer was here Sunday morning and evening!!! Wow I have never seen her before other than on TV - it was so cool - I took a picture of her although you are not supposed to take pictures in the church! OOPS! The picture isn’t that clear though so that sucks - but she really challenged us to get out of the Give Me mindset and start giving - she told a story of someone who came to every seminar of hers and was receiving - and then all of a sudden she said she wasn’t getting anything out of her meetings any more - and basically what was happening was that she was receiving more and more and more but now she was full - she wasn’t pouring it out on anyone else - so we can get so caught up in wanting more for ourselves etc but not looking to give out to those whose needs around us need to be met - and at night she was talking about our prayer lives and how many times things down change in our lives because we are praying wrong - she said that God spoke to her and told her to compare her prayer life to that of Paul’s - he never prayed for anything for himself or the church in the natural - he always prayed for increased spiritual wisdom or strength through trials etc - so that was definitely challenging - so if we are feeling down and out or like we are not getting things out of messages we are to bake cookies and give them away!! On top of Joyce being there Sunday night, low and behold the people who sit in front of my at church were the people who catered the food at wildlife summer camp - and I got talking to the lady and she said that if we ever wanted to see the blue mountain area they would be glad to be our tour guides!!! I mean this is just fantastic - so we exchanged emails etc to keep in touch.
Monday this week (Jan 22) we got to go into Sydney - we took a bus from Castle Hill here to Paramatta where we walked down to catch a Ferry that took us right by the Sydney Opera House - we got some pictures by it etc - then we took another Ferry over to Manly beach where we hung out for a bit - then we went for a walk up this cliff - what a beautiful view from up there - we saw some poisonous spiders on route - they are big and ugly!!! then we headed back and went to Darling Harbour and got home really late and were really tired - my feet were killing me - what a great day though - everyone here is just so loving and caring and wanting us to see everything we want to see here and get everything out of this year here that we can!
Tuesday I ran some errands, I bought some yarn!!!!! so I started to make a blanket! Then at night there was a get together for all the people going to Powerhouse Summer Camp this weekend - so that was really cool - this girl Julie came and picked us up so we could go - and she introduced us to lots of people and a girl who is holding a cell group (they call them connect groups here) so we have one to go to which is right close to our apartments, which is great
Wednesday we were supposed to go to Bondi beach and Tuesday night I had wanted to go but I was kinda feeling like I maybe just wanted to stay home and relax and prepare for summer camp - I wanted to feel ready spiritually to go - so thankfully it poured rain Wednesday morning! I’m telling you - God is just amazing - there was a rehearsal Wednesday night for worship and creative arts (WACA) that we were going to check out but I didn’t really feel like going so I didn’t end up going - thankfully - because come to find out later there was going to be a prayer meeting happening in our apartment area and after being there I knew I was supposed to be there - divine appointments I’m telling you!
So today (Thursday) I’m heading to summercamp - if you check this and want to be praying for me this is how you can be praying for me:I’m believing for the following:-> the manifestation of tongues - I’ve been baptized in the Holy Ghost but the actual release of tongues has not come yet> an increased measure of faith-> that God would reveal to me areas of my life that I need to surrender to him and trust him with in order for me to be closer to him and able to be a better servant

posted by Meliss @ 7:54 PM