I am so overdue in my posting...time to catch up!

Okay well for this post, since I have been SO delinquent in my past weeks I thought I would catch you up on all the hard work we've been putting in and all the fun we've been having. When I say "we", I mean my team. Would you like to meet them? Okay. Here are my mates!  This is all of the students and a few staff running the school here in Maroochydore.

The gentleman with his shirt off, Ethan, just got baptised!

In our family. There are 12 students including myself. 7 are Americans, 2 Canadians, 1 Swiss and 2 Danish. Amongst the staff there are 5 Americans, 1 French and 1 Aussie. We are a melting pot for sure.

For a more personal intro, here are some more pictures.





Christine, (Canadian) is a very skilled songwriter,
 and she will be leading worship for our team on outreach.

Over the past 9 weeks these amazing people have become like family to me. They are my encouragers, challengers, and best mates. Please keep us in your prayers as we embark September 18th to Thailand and India for 2 months.



The dates are off a little. We will be in Thailand Sept 18th-Oct 14th and India Oct 16th-Nov 12th.

Week of Prayer and Intercession ~ Part 1: Jesus is my LOVE!

   After spending a week learning how to see God as not only GOD, but as my Father, God started to show me himself in a new way. Yes, another "new" way. :) He wanted me to see him as my love. I was well aware of the metaphor of a marriage that goes on in Christianity. The church (believers) are the Bride and Jesus is the Bridegroom, anxiously awaiting to be united with us. I know John the Baptist talks about himself being just the friend of the Bridegroom, helping prepare for that "special day". I have heard all of that, and I was satisfied with the idea of myself as the Bride, Jesus as the Groom...until I really thought about it and realized that wasn't enough. Let me explain.
  
   I'm not sure how long ago it was, 6 months or even a year ago, I had a dream. Which is odd for me because I hardly ever remember my dreams, but I remembered this one in great detail. I dreamt that I woke up the morning of my wedding day. I was greeted by my mom and my friends with big smiles beaming as they exclaimed "It's your big day!". I got up, ate breakfast and tried to grasp what exactly was going on. It was the setting of my dream wedding (you know, the one you have had playing in your head since you first thought about getting married). It was on a beach, all of my family and best friends were there. The dress was perfect, the colors and the bridesmaid dresses were flawless and the flowers were gorgeous. It was designed to be the happiest day of my life but I was overwhelmed because I had no memory of being engaged, or planning the occasion.
  
   Everyone just kept coming up to me and telling me how lucky I am. I heard over and over "What a perfect couple", "He is such a man of God", "You two are going to be so happy", "God really blessed you with such an awesome man", and "You guys will have such an amazing marriage, I'm so excited for you!". There was so much love, smiles, encouragement and just joy everywhere. I distinctly remember my mom, brother and best girlfriends emphasizing how much they loved my fiance and how they couldn't pick a better match for me. The only problem was, I had no idea who I was marrying. I remember walking down the aisle and seeing an average looking guy (whom I have never met) and having an anxiety attack because I was about to marry someone that not only I didn't love...but I didn't even know. Everyone said he was an amazing man, perfect for me in every way...but I didn't know him well enough to agree or disagree, and I wasn't in love with him. How could I have a relationship with someone I was not in love with? 
  
   So I posed the same question to myself: "How can I be Jesus' bride if I barely know him, and I am not head-over-heels in love with him?" I can't. And so, my great desire and focus has been viewing Jesus as my love, my first and greatest love. Slowly, He has been showing me how much He cares about me, and how unconditional his love for me truly is. I am only able to love Jesus in this way because He first loved me, but it is also two-fold. I have to be able to receive love in this way, in order receive it from others. Does that make sense? Me being able to love Jesus as the love of my life allows me the ability to love and fall in love with someone else. Without that, I will not be able to have a God-glorifying and lasting relationship with my future husband. I know God wants to awaken something in me so that I will search desperately and passionately the mysteries of Him who loves me and wants to romance me. I am so ready to skip Christianity and go straight to my relationship with Jesus.

Today I met God in a new way, as Father and Lover

It sounds so strange to say that I met both these persons in one entity; but until today, I had only heard rumors of their existence. Last week, we discussed the "Father Heart of God", or the characteristics that God has that are like a father (loving, trustworthy, comforter and provider). This week we have prayer week, which means we take our lecture time and our free time to pray and intercede for our teammates, family members, our future outreach acquaintances, among many others. With these two weeks combined, I've had a lot to process through. These are a few of my thoughts that lead up to the epic reconciliation of God as a Father and a Lover.

Sometimes, growing up in a Christian family we forget that it is not all about pursuing a moral Christian lifestyle, but it is about seeking God and everything else will follow. So unless I pursue God and cultivate a hunger for him, I will never grow or change. I will just continue to adopt new principles and repeat new mantras, but never get anywhere. Essentially, I will just be going through the motions. I don't know about you, but I've been there and done that...and I don't want to revisit it.

I also realized that I have been so "full" for so long, that I lost my hunger for God. Once I was filled with sin and things my flesh delighted in; but now, I am full of good things. All these "good things" that should be glorifying God, instead keep me too busy to even spend time with him. Things like my ministry, conversations and coffee dates with girls, chocolate, Internet, sleep and make up. All these things take me away from time spent with Jesus. I will gladly put them down to get to know Him better. I want my relationship with God to be intimate, active, filled with constant quality time and affirmation. He is such a wonderful father and loving savior.

Christianity without Jesus is so mundane, but a life with Christ is never boring. Today I realized I am so much like Martha in the Bible. I can hear Jesus saying: Sarah. Sarah, you are worried about so many things, but you do not come to my feet and be vulnerable before me...regardless of how it looks. Sarah you have been worried about the wrong things. So silently I prayed to God: "I want to know you love me from experience, not just by faith."

The speaker said that sometimes I can't hear God because of distortion. Meaning, I need vulnerability, I need to presume upon his love. I thought "What? Presume upon his love? I'm supposed to presume that God loves me the way He says He does? I'm supposed to presume this is all true?" A little voice inside of me answered, "Yes, you are!"

Okay...so I prayed this aloud: "I need to presume that you loves me a ridiculous amount. I need to presume that you delight in me and write me love letters. You know what is in my heart and soul. You are so proud of me. Your hand is on my head and you love to hug me and hold me in your arms. I want and I expect you to love me, practically, visibly and emotionally, in a way I can comprehend. You dance with me, you take the lead, you protect my heart and you hold me firmly but gently. You hold me up when I can't stand. You whisper in my ear when I need consolation. You give me words and thoughts when I am void and numb. You think I'm beautiful when I'm broken and bare. You sing to me just to make me smile. You lay with me when I can't sleep. You call me your own. You call me your daughter. You call me darling. You save your best portion for me. God I need all of you and you freely give yourself in every way. I'll take you in until I'm overflowing. I want to be filled with only you. I've always felt you but now I know that you are right in front of me. I want to look into your eyes and see them smile. I want to see the one who created me."

Then something amazing happened. God spoke to me through Tricia (a staff member). God stood next to me and asked if He could hold me. I said yes. He wrapped his arms around me tight, with one hand on my head, you whispered in my ear: "My arms are enough and my lap is wide enough to hold all of you. When you cry to me, I hear you. I'm always with you. I am so proud of you. I delight in you. You are never alone, I am always with you. You don't have to do this all by yourself anymore. I am here. I love you so much. You are so beautiful. You can trust me. You don't have to be scared of me. I love hugging you and holding you tight. I will never hurt you and I will never leave you. I love to see you smile." You continued to hold me and rock me and love me while I wept.

For the first time ever, I felt God in this way. I knew God as my Father and the Love of my life. God wants us to have a love that is deep, intimate, real and everlasting. He desires our relationship to be all-sustaining and never fading. I can't help but be thankful. Thankful that God waited for me all these years to find him. Thankful that my Daddy was so patient with his prodigal daughter. Thankful that God is so ready to forgive. But mostly grateful that He doesn't just love me, but He actually likes me as well.

I know for some reading this, it might be bizarre, uncomfortable, just a manipulation of my emotions, way out there, too charismatic :) or whatever else you may be feeling. In all honesty, when I arrived here 5 weeks ago I would have felt the same way...but not anymore. In this past month, I have seen God, felt God, and known God in ways that I didn't know were possible. Nothing crazy or miraculous; nothing that would stir up a scene. I realized, my westernized view of God was a very "cookie-cutter" one, where I just assumed that God was the Caucasian stained glass figure we all stared at on Sunday mornings or talked about in our Christians circles. But what i realized was that my God, my Jesus, is the God of the Old Testament and the New Testament. He has not changed. The same God that allowed Elijah to rain down fire and burn up a soaked sacrifice on a mountain top, and the same God took a man with a stutter and had him lead a holy nation out of Egypt's captivity...that is the God I serve. My God, my Savior, He heals people. He provides for people, sometimes practically and sometimes miraculously. He does things that I, in my comfy North American living, never thought still took place such as giving sight to the blind, allowing the cripple to walk, casting out demons and warding off evil spirits. If I believe that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, than why is that so hard to believe?

So my experience was a new and unusual one, but I can say with the utmost sincerity that it was as real as the sky is blue. I am so blessed to be here and I am so blessed by all the people who supported me in coming. Without your provisions, none of this would be possible. Please let me know if there is anything I can be praying for while I am here.

Injustices

A lot of people have wondered what I will be doing while I'm in Australia, India and Thailand. My work here involves multiple things. Kingdom Justice issues are just one aspect of that. You may wonder what is Kingdom Justice? Many people may be familiar with humanitarian organizations like the Invisible Children who strive to put an end to child soldiering. Well Kingdom Justice is a lot like that...except it doesn't just stop from rescuing them from their current circumstances. To truly set human traffic victims free, we have to remove them from bondage physically and spiritually. They have to be restored emotionally, physically and know that there is a God that loves them, cares for them and will never hurt them. Someone to put the pieces back together, to offer them family, love and most importantly a safe eternity in Heaven. Kingdom Justice is more than just human rights, it is about saving souls.

So what I am doing here is helping in just that. By interceding for these children, and when traveling to countries where human trafficking is advertised everywhere on street corners, talking to these children. Trying to offer them other options and do whatever I can to be there for the children who are removed from these horrible places. There are organizations specifically helping with just that such as Destiny Rescue in Thailand and Compassion International. Please watch the video and when you go to bed at night, remember the children held in this bondage.

A Day of Rest and Hippies

After my 1st week of lectures on evangelism, we had the opportunity to go 3 hours south to the Gold Coast and stay on their YWAM base. We stayed specifically in a city called Surfer's Paradise (which I thought was an epic name for a city) and had an amazing time of outreach that I can tell you about in detail if you ask me (for sensitivity reasons). While we were in the Gold Coast I had the chance to meet some amazing Muslim friends. I met a wonderful family from Dubai and I really clicked with the two girls (Mahra and Sarah) and their brother, Mohammed. We had such wonderful conversations about life, our hobbies, love, music, movies, even God. I will definitely miss our chats over coffee and chai, but thanks to Facebook we will keep in touch.  After spending a few days in this city I learned that a lot of the families from middle eastern countries that lie in the gulf peninsula travel to the Gold Coast to get out of the extreme heat of the summer. So literally, we were in a cultural melting pot. I think I even learned a few essential Arabic phrases while we were there.

Our outreach was long and hard. By the end of the week I was so drained emotionally and physically; not to mention my back was killing me from sleeping on the floor. So you can imagine my excitement when we decided to go to this really REALLY cool city an hour south of us to relax and shop around. We spent the night in this small hippie town called Byron Bay. You can drive through this place in less than 10 minutes. They don't allow any franchises and have one major grocery store. The best way I can describe this place is like this: Take the laid back beach town of Mission Beach, California; mix it with the people from Eugene, Oregon and Sedona, Arizona; and add the greenery and lighthouses from Kauai, Hawaii....and you would have Byron. It has shops that you would find only at a local renaissance fair. Very New Age-y with crystals and mysticism. Everyone has dreads in their hair and they walk barefoot, with all of their homemade clothes on their backs. You can rent vans with stoves and kitchen tables, just to park on the beach and surf all day. At night, the whole city came alive at the park overlooking the ocean. As the sun went down, the barbecues were lit and people pulled out their guitars and bongos and music and dancing began. It was something out of a movie.

Speaking of movies, this was the town that was the inspiration for the animated movie "Ferngully" (one of my favorites growing up). It was created to promote the movement that was against tearing down the rainforest. If you don't know which I'm talking about, google it and it will all make sense. :) They have this amazing trail that leads along the beach front and up to a light house which is the most Easterly point in Australia. It is just breathtaking. We went to this church Sunday morning and I felt like I was transported back to the 70's. This church was more like the basement of someones house with couches and chairs, local artwork adorning the walls, and the worship team was comprised of men and women in their 40-50's. The lead singer of the worship team looked like Cyndie Lauper, and they jumped and danced and swayed with the music while they sang to Jesus. The pastor walked around the stage, sharing his passion through his sermon, while we all listened and drank our coffee. It was so comfortable and people could express themselves however they wanted to do and no one cared. All I could think was "my MOM would love this place!!!" Hope you enjoy the pictures.

The Big Scary "E" Word

  Well let's see. Today is Tuesday the 20th of July, and while I've only been in the Sunshine Coast for 3 weeks, it literally feels like years. I will just start with what I've been learning and what God has been doing since my last blog.


  For our 1st week of lectures, we talked about Evangelism. I know that is the big scary "E" word that no one really likes to talk about because it makes people uncomfortable; yet it is also unavoidable because we are ALL called to "go and make disciples". What was taught was a lot of the same things we have been taught over the years from church and Cru and what not, but there was something different about it. Something that made me take a step back and say "Ah ha...that makes so much sense". I wanted to share that with you guys.

  We all know that sharing our faith can be something that is scary, uncomfortable, sometimes overwhelming when forced, and often times we feel nervous or unprepared. When most people think about Evangelism, they think BIG EVENT...with a Bill Bright, John Piper, revival preacher (or at least I do). In reality, it should be a simple casual conversation with someone else about Jesus. Did you know that 85% of people come to know Christ because a regular person introduced them to Jesus-through a normal conversation, reading a book or the Bible? It is truly the little things that have a great impact.

  I was also reminded of some helpful steps, such as: Take the initiative, Be ready for a challenge, Be prepared and finally Know your style. We can be effective at evangelism because we have the Holy Spirit, for God is truly what allows us to be "fishers of men". Think about it; if we are constantly following Jesus and He is pursuing people, how can we not take the initiative? I love how Bill Bright describes effective evangelism: "Taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Spirit, and leaving the results up to God." If we are not responsible for the results then why are we so tempted to hide Jesus in our conversations?

  I think for me personally, I fear man. The truth is that the Gospel is abrasive. It is not just a story but it requires a response. You either reject it or you lay your life down for it. I remember that Jesus reminded us in John 15:18-22 that we should expect judgment, persecution and rejection in advance. What a weight it lifts off my shoulders to know that I will probably be rejected and that is okay. We are persecuted, rejected and some places hated because Jesus was first. So here is the crux of it, if we find our identity in Christ, it lessens our need for the acceptance of our peers...and fear of the Lord combats our fear of others.

  I think sometimes I forget the power of prayer and faith in God and his Holy Word (the Bible). It is so important to know the Word of God because that is our source of truth when sharing the Gospel with people. If you think of Mark 2 and the story of the 4 men who took their paralyzed friend and lowered him in through the ceiling so that Jesus could heal him. If you read that story closely you'll see (as I did) that the man had no faith that Jesus could heal him...he had been paralyzed his entire life. But his friends had complete faith that if they could just get him before Jesus, he would be healed. Before Jesus healed this man and commanded him to walk, Jesus forgave his sins, which was unheard of during that time because they still adhered to the Scribes way of doing things (sacrificing for forgiveness).
Sometimes I find myself feeling like the friends; full of faith that God is going to do something amazing and great. Other times I find myself more like the paralytic, just discouraged, beat up, tired, and struggling to be in communication with God. But regardless my present circumstance, Jesus still saves people and God will still be glorified!

  I highly advise people to read the book “Becoming a Contagious Christian” (I am going to read it soon), but from what I’ve heard, this book lays out simply our different styles of evangelism. Some people are direct like Peter in Acts 2 and 1 Peter, some take Paul’s intellectual approach like in Romans, other like the blind man in John 9 who just gives his testimony without knowing a lot about Jesus, the 4th style is Matthew’s interpersonal approach (relationship based), then there is the Samaritan woman’s invitational approach and finally Tabitha’s service approach. We all fall somewhere into these categories and it so beneficial to know your style of evangelism. How much better would it be if we could talk about Jesus our savior and also my best friend if we felt natural and in our element…versus some big crazy ordeal where we feel like we have to perform? I’ll take the coffee date conversation any day!

Excessive

Have you ever realized how we in the United States have so much stuff? It is like we start accumulating from the time we can make our first purchase and continue until we take our last breath. We are hoarders of the unnecessary. I say "we" because I am not on a soap box here, but completely guilty of it myself. This past week I have realized this more and more.


Firstly, I brought two HUGE suitcases for 5 months because I convinced myself that I needed all of my stuff. Well, I'll have you know, other than jeans and a few sweaters...most of it is still in my suitcase or hanging untouched in my small closet. My blow dryer and curling iron, considered essentials amongst most females, was completely unnecessary. I can now get ready in 10 minutes since we are forced to take 3 minute showers (because Australia is in a bad drought); so my 20 minute minimum showers are now considered a luxury. (The girls have a system though. We go as long as we can without taking a shower so we can add 3 minutes each day to our total shower time). Everything here that would be so cheap at a Walmart or Albertsons, such as shampoo & conditioner, groceries, just a small cup of coffee is so expensive here...well you learn to live with the essentials. My constant Starbucks or even drip coffee cravings have been replaced with Nestle Instant Coffee. A gallon of milk has been traded for UHT milk, which is a non-refrigerated milk carton of "milk" that is drinkable for up to 100 days. Fruit and veg that is ripe is hard to find, and buying chicken is like ordering a T-bone steak or Lobster; meaning, you only get it on special occasions. So sausages, white bread, and cereal have become my best friend. But you know what, I am healthy and totally content. I have so little, but really I have so much.


This also makes me think about how we are always waiting for that "rainy day" to come, when we will need all of the stuff that until then has just been collecting dust. We save money, we store, we plan. Sometimes I wonder if all of our planning isn't just the outpour of constant worrying or fatalism. I personally don't want to live a life in constant fearing of the worst and doing everything in my power to prepare for it. If I did that, really, I would be putting God in a box. My entire life, and other people's lives, I have always seen Him provide. I have been in seasons where we had hardly anything, and times of great prosperity and God always given us exactly what we needed. In fact, God even promises in the Bible that He will work good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28) and that He takes care of the birds in the sky and we are far more precious to Him than mere birds(Matthew 6:26)...so why am I worried about Him forgetting about me? God, since the beginning of time has sacrificed for us, to help us, to make sure we were totally taken care of. After Adam and Eve sinned, God committed the first sacrifice by killing animals so that they could use the skin for clothing because they were naked. God committed the last sacrifice too, He sacrificed his son, Jesus so that we could have spend an eternity in Heaven...a blessing we did not deserve. So if Jesus made provisions for me in the beginning and has my eternity taken care of...why do I spend all this time worrying about today and tomorrow and where I'll be in 10 years from now?


I'm not saying we should all just sit around in static laziness, we need to be proactive. But really we should live with eternity in mind and not distract ourselves and depleat our savings with things that really, in the end, are just stuff.

Changing Things Up

Okay well this is my 3rd official day in Australia and minus the jet lag it has been pretty awesome. Just to let you all know, I will be changing my blog style up a little. Here at YWAM we have to journal, it helps us remember some of the things we learned that really moved us, but we are limited in the way we can express it. So while some are expressing the way God is moving through drawings, song, sculpting, videos, etc...mine will be through this Blog. So you will be seeing a lot about what we are currently learning and how that is affecting me. So enjoy! :)

But today I am just going to catch everyone up on what Australia is like so far.

Okay, so my DTS (Discipleship Training School) is very small this term. Where usually there are 30 students, there are only 11 of us. 6 girls and 5 guys. But it gets better, because we are 2 DTS's in 1. YWAM Waves (which I am on) and YWAM Around the World DTS (which travels from Aussieland, to China, Thailand and India). So when the Around the World girls leave the there will only be 4 girls and 5 guys, plus the staff members. Normally I would think such small numbers are a bummer, but it is actually like a family. I love it. The ages of the students range from 17 to 24(me)! :) But the students and staff are all great.

Let's see. Since most my staff are from Florida, we celebrated the 4th of July down by the beach. We grilled up some "hot dogs". Haha. Okay "hot dogs" in Australia are called Snags and I think they are this beef chicken mixture, but they taste like breakfast sausage. You eat them with sauteed onions and ketchup on a piece of white bread. I thought it would be gross, but pretty decent. Oh and for all you sushi lovers, I had 2 big sushi rolls for $5...pretty sweet.

What else? Okay, so breakfast is called "Breckie". Afternoons are called "Avos". Salvation Army is called "Salvos". The mall is called "plaza". McDonald's is called "Mackers" and we have "Tea" every day, which is great cause I love tea and coffee. Every thing here is abbreviated or sounds like a made up word...hence Mooloobala (where the big beach is at and Starbucks!!!)

While we are living here, we all share house duties. Today myself and my friend Jack were given the duty of grocery shopping. Which is hilarious if you know me. I have such a hard time shopping in America due to my indecisive nature and always wanting the cheapest deal, so imagine me in Australia, where everything is worded or spelled different and the eggs are in an unrefrigerated aisle next to the utensils; and the milk is "special milk" that doesn't go bad and it is located next to flour. Everything is so random. The grocery store is in a plaza/mall next to the shoe store, clothing store, liquor store, tattoo parlor and every other kind of retail you can think of. It is like SAMS on steroids.

I am so excited to start school and outreach. We will be learning about Australian culture here soon. So far, they are pretty cool people. Very breezy (ie. chill or laid back).

Well that is all for now. I will be posting some more serious stuff as we get more into our trip. Cheers. Love you all, and hey "Catch ya later, Mate!"

ON MY WAY

What a day it has been. Let's see, I started the day (July 1st) in El Paso, TX. As my mom, brother and boyfriend tearfully drove me to the airport I kept thinking "this is so surreal". But of course, as soon as I arrive at the airport we are informed my flight is delayed 2 hours, giving me a little more than an hour layover till my connecting flight to Australia. Honestly, I was stressed, to the max. I kept thinking what would happen if I missed my next flight and all the other "worst case" scenarios. But as I said my goodbyes and marched up to security God totally reassured me everything would be alright.

Getting on the plane in El Paso was simple, and I sat next to a nice woman from Baton Rouge who let me vent to her all of my stresses and issues awaiting me at LAX. But a Christian herself, she was quick to remind me that God was in control and He has perfect timing. How could I be late when He controls the clock? Which brought me some ease. I passed the time by cracking open some letters my boyfriend Bobby and best friend Nicole had written me, they were so encouraging but I couldn't help but a bit sad for all of those I was leaving behind. I cracked open a book my dear friend Hollie gave me called The Cross Centered Life by CJ Mahney and I started to read. In the first few chapters God really started to convict me. Where was my joy, where are my priorities, why am I so worried? Before I could answer myself, the plane landed and it was time to run.

So literally, I ran to baggage claim. After wrangling 2 50 lbs bags off the baggage carousel I darted towards the island where I was to wait for a shuttle to take me from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4. Oh and I had to check my bags at Ter. 4 before 10:30....and it is 10:10. Talk about a blessing. This kind Asian woman who spoke very broken English, grabbed one of my suitcases and helped me run all the way to my Qantas counter. She said goodbye and walked away. I had made it there with 15 seconds to save. Thank you Jesus. I took a deep breath, called some family members and friends to inform them I was going to be okay and then made my way through customs. An interesting process. :) Finally, walking towards my terminal I see that most of my plane had already boarded, so I raced to the last gate and boarded this GIGANTIC bus of a plane. A double decker. Maybe a 747 or something (my brother could tell you). I take my seat and take a deep breath.

Wouldn't you know it, God had placed me in a seat right next to a Pastor from a Church in Denver who was traveling to Papa New Guinea to do missions. We talked about life, joked about the chaos of international flying, and He reminded me about how sovereign Jesus truly is and how awe inspiring his Gospel is. After sharing our supper I fell into a very deep (Ativan-induced) sleep and woke up 2 hours before landing, just in time for breakfast. The flight was the smoothest I had ever experienced and God just reminded me that He gave me the desire for Australia, He used people to bring this opportunity to my attention, Jesus raised all the money to come and He took total interest in all of the safety provisions to get me here...there is literally nothing to worry about because I am in the hands of my eternal Father and no one can take me from His grasp.

Now I sit at a computer at the house I will call home for 5 months and I can't even fathom how I was chosen for such an amazing blessing. This place is really something, it is like the Wizard of Oz. Like California mixed with Crossville, TN, and Hawaii. The drivers are crazy and pedestrians cross the street at their own will. It will be one crazy adventure, so stayed tune. Love you all and God Bless.

11 Days Till Departure

God is so good. Not only did I meet my support goal but He is just working so much in myself and my family. It is so strange to think I only have 3 days left of work at Mitchell Chiropractic. That place has been my second home, and I have developed such a friendship with Teri and Tifni; it will be hard to say goodbye. But I guess all good things come to an end. What a blessing it was to work for a wonderful Christian boss and to go into work knowing everyday we would be sharing and showing the Love of Christ. It was a blessing and a challenge many days, but I learned so much.


Also, while I was reading the Bible with my mom this morning, a passage really stuck out to me. In Philippians 4 Paul thanks the Philippians for their gifts. He says (v10-12) "I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed you have been concerned, but had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." and then in verse 14, 17-19 Paul says "Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles...Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received the gifts you sent me. They are fragrant offerings, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus".

I think this really hits home for me because of the past 3 months I have been trusting the Lord in his decision to send me to Australia. I have depended on him to take control of my future, do with me what He wants and ultimately raise the support to get there. Honestly, at first, I put God in a box and doubted that He could conquer such a big goal; but the Lord was quick to put that lie to rest, and He provided continuously. I had so much encouragement and reassurance from people. But ultimately I think God was trying to teach me the "secret of being content in any and every situation". I don't need miraculous signs for him to prove to me that He is the great provider and in control of all things, because He has done that my entire life. Truly, this experience has changed my perspective.


I too like Paul want to give thanks to all of you who gave. I absolutely am blessed, and humbled by people's altruistic character and obedience to the Lord. I had total confidence that God would meet my need and having you all be a part of that is a joy. I am so excited! I am overwhelmed with excitement because I can't wait to see how God will "credit you account" with blessings. Thank you for being a part of my life and for your blessings, love, kindness and grace shown to me daily. I will continue to pray that God would provide above and beyond for all your needs, and I have faith that He will.

Wretched, broken and weak and yet He still loves me.

This past week a uniform thought has stuck with me since a Bible Study I attended, and that is the reality that I am not a good person. I am wretched, sinful and I bring nothing to the table. Having faith in Jesus has taught me that I am a sinner, destined for hell and beyond repair; however, Jesus died for me while I was his enemy so He could cure me of this disease, this irreversible flaw=sin. I know all of that, and yet I still find myself from time to time thinking "I'm a good person, or at least I'm better than some". I tell myself I don't feel that way, but truly my flesh is delusional to think I have a "one-up" on the rest of humanity. Until last night.

In a nutshell, last night I lived in the flesh. I turned into this ugly, selfish, self-righteous girl who was willing to say hurtful things and disrespect someone I love on the sole principle of being "right". In fact, I stuck to my guns so fervently that I dare say I didn't even recognize the girl I let myself become. There was no hint of Jesus, grace, humility or love...anywhere. What did I do? I went home, thinking I was the victim in this whole mess and went to bed.

Which lead to this morning. I woke up feeling terrible, physically, emotionally and just plain overwhelmingly sick. I thought "maybe I'll call in to work today" but figured I'd go, since it was payday. Getting ready for work and on my drive there I was in this fog of conviction...even my 30 minute shower couldn't cleanse me of the filth I felt clinging to my body. I tried to pray but felt like it wasn't genuine, I wasn't ready yet. I just wanted this feeling to go away, I wanted to go back and do things differently. I wanted to feel better about myself...cause I'm a good person, right?

Work was a good distraction, we were so busy. Between answering phones and talking to patients, I had little time to focus on my sin...until a older lady who has much less than I, pays for her and her husband's treatment and then opens her wallet and gives me the cash in her wallet. She leans in towards me and in a hushed voice says "I know it's not much, but I wanted to give you this for your mission trip to Australia". In that very moment the scales fell from my eyes as they welled up with tears and I saw Jesus, I saw the Gospel being lived out and I saw myself for who I am. A girl who is sick beyond a cure, terminally condemned by my sin and I felt so ashamed for the way I had acted and who I had been. All I could muster to say and think was "thank you but I don't deserve this". That's just it, I am so undeserving of all of this.

Jesus just used a woman to bless me with all she had, hours after I threw him under the bus and decided to live life my way. I am such a wretched soul and yet Jesus, who is infinitely more important, and who is unfathomably Holy, He not only gave his life for me, but He provided support for me to go serve him in Australia. And so I sit here realizing that I am completely undeserving of everything I've received...but He deserves it all, and I am a very grateful for his mercy.

The Word is Alive and Active All Around Us

Well with two months left I have seen God's grace overflow in the lives all around me. I wanted to share a recent experience I had with the girls in my Bible study. Every Tuesday night, at 8:30, a group of girls from NMSU and myself meet at Barnes & Noble. It's a time for us to share our lives, struggles, funny stories and study the Bible together. Currently we are focusing on Paul's epistles. Galatians was awesome, but now we are in Ephesians, chapter 4 to be exact; which brings me to last Tuesday.

We had just finished reading this: "(v.14)Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. " Basically, we broke this down to understand that as we grow in our faith in the Lord, our knowledge of God and what He has accomplished, and in our spiritual maturity, we will ultimately grow up. We will not be like little kids (infants) who are confused and convinced by every charismatic statement or belief that comes our way. Instead, the Gospel will be alive and at work in our hearts so that we will know the truth and there will be no room for any lie or add on. So when we hear other's ideas, world views, convictions, religions, theories, etc...our world will not be turned upside down because we know the truth. Our foundation is on Christ and will not be shaken.

As soon as the words fell from our lips a man about our age (early-mid twenties), named Lance, came over and asked if we were doing a Bible study. We told him we were and he probed us with questions about our beliefs and wanted to know if we had heard of "the god of India" or this other Egyptian god. Lance explained to us that this "god" had the same story as Jesus, from being a deity, dying on the cross and even the Resurrection. In fact, the story of this Egyptian god was documented way before the time of Christ. He told us that he actually grew up in a Christian household but once he found out about all of this, he realized it was all a lie, just a story. With extreme bitterness and hurt in his eyes he bluntly stated that what we are studying and living for is just a story and we should really look into it because it is a joke.

I have two thoughts about this. Firstly, what an AMAZING God we have to give us a blatant and tangible example of what He was trying to communicate to us through his Word. Secondly, I wonder what happened to Lance that could build up such contempt for his Heavenly Father. I imagine that it had something to do with the church, the believers, or anything else that involves us humans because we are imperfect, sinful and totally selfish. Maybe he was let down by something or someone. But ultimately it broke my heart that something broke his so severely. I hope and pray I encounter this gentleman again so I can ask him...but this also excited me even more to go to Australia and meet other people like him, who are broken, hurt, hopeless, infants and unbelievers so that they can understand the love and graciousness of the God I serve. I want them to know how much God loves them and the sacrifices He made for them. Man, God is so good, even in the face of despair.

Update on Support and Everything Else

First off. God has just blown me away with how He provides! I have received such encouragement from everyone, it has totally sustained me emotionally. Also, students at NMSU, friends, family members of my friends, patients at work, and strangers...God has used all types of people to bless me with prayers and financial support. I am so so so THANKFUL!

Another HUGE answer to prayer: my application for a student visa was granted, so that obstacle has been conquered.

In case you were wondering, this is what my support has gone to so far.
Since first announcing my trip I have raised exactly $3300.
That allowed me to pay for my deposit and health insurance ($646), it also allowed me to pay for my student visa which was $100 more than what I was originally told ($502.26). My next payment is for my flights to and from Australia with is approximately $1500-2000. How perfect is God in providing I need?

What do I still need support for?
appx. $1500 for round trip flight to and from Thailand/Cambodia
$3400 for time in Australia (room, board, food, transportation for 4 months)
$2000 for time in Thailand/Cambodia (room, board, food, transportation for 1 month)

I know as each hurdle comes, God will provide right on time... So thank you to everyone who is joining my support team and supporting me in this. I am so excited to be used by God in every way possible. Thank You!

Hello, My Name is Sarah Whitney Mulis...

Exodus 33:15-18 "If your presence does not go with me, do not send me there. How will anyone know you are pleased with me unless you go with me? What else will distinguish me from all the other people on earth? The Lord said: I will do the very thing you ask because I am pleased with you and know you by name."

Well, you are reading my blog so I guess I should tell you a bit about who I am and what I'm doing. From reading the description you can tell that I am on my way to Australia, but to tell you why I'll need to take my story back.

In a nutshell: I am an Arizona native, who was born into the typical suburban childhood. I didn't have a care in the world and thought the world was a safe perfect place. But at a young age, that world was turned upside down and I was acquainted with despair. My parents marriage ended and my single mom moved my younger brother and I to New Mexico for a fresh start. My father remained in Arizona, and continued on with his severe cocaine addiction which would permanently sever our relationship.

While I lost my father, moving to New Mexico was the greatest blessing in disguise. Why? Because I, as well as my mom and brother, gained a relationship with Jesus Christ! Since that moment, my life has been a grand adventure filled with many successes and failures. But my journey didn't really take off until I arrived at New Mexico State University. It was there that I would meet my best friends and the people who would help mold me into the woman I am today.

My first semester of college I got involved with a non-denominational Christian organization called Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as [Cru]). Instantly I was surrounded by people I could relate to; students who were experiencing life in the same capacity as me...and I realized I am not alone. Through [Cru] I was able to spend two summers on a mission trip in San Diego, CA; once as a student and once as leader. Now San Diego for a summer may sound like a comfy vacation; however, it was a mission trip and soul-searching and purifying experience that offered everything but comfort. Living in a 3 bedroom condo with 15 other women...and one shower, I learned patience, kindness, and other virtues I had shrugged off previously, and quickly! :) Being in a different state filled with different cultural influences, I started to learn how to love people from all walks of life.

My second summer in San Diego, I was able to intern with the [Cru] staff. I was entrusted with responsibilities I never expected and the Holy Spirit did amazing things in and through me. I got to lead and love a group of girls who I learned from as much as I taught. That trip helped me transition from the student into a leader. The Lord let me see the difference between what I want and what I need, what is permissible and what is beneficial. I saw the world, and my own life, in a completely different light...this time I saw them with eternity in mind. I fell in love with people in their twenties. This age group is tomorrow's future, and they are still in process-growing in wisdom and deciding what they will stand for. If you can change that group of people forever, you can change the entire world for the better. During those trips to San Diego, God revealed to me my identity in him. He showed me that I was "enough", and that even though my father abandoned me; He would never. God took the role of my dad, and promised to love me unconditionally. But with growing there must also come brokenness.

Broken is the perfect word for what Jesus did in my heart. He humbled me to see that I can't do everything on my own, and if I tried, I would always fall short. Regardless of how self-sufficient I thought I was, all of my endeavors would inevitably fail. He showed me that I had been living a mediocre life, one that was full of sin and selfishness. With that realization I made the choice to live my life for Him and Him alone. God brought wonderful people into my life who challenged me, held me accountable and spoke truth into my life constantly.

When approached with the idea of spending an extended period of time in Australia...instantly my heart soared. All I could see and think and speak was focused on Aussie-land and slowly a passion lit inside of me and after a year of praying and pursuing the Lord's will, that flicker became a fire! As a result, I committed to give God a year of my life, specifically a year spent spreading the Gospel. I told him "I am ready, where you send me I will go, so just say the word". Well, God said "GO!!!"

So here I am. An imperfect college graduate with a passion for helping people, standing at a threshold. I have a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, and the safe next step for me would be medical school or chiropractic school, but I can't deny the very thing I yearn to do... to share the Gospel and the grace of Christ shown to me. I want to love people the way Jesus loves them, even though my flesh desires to hate. I want to meet people right where they are at, without expectations or judgement. I want unadulterated relationships with people that point them to God, so that they can experience the acceptance and salvation I so undeservedly received. My first step towards that goal: following God to Australia.

What I'll be doing: I will be attending a Discipleship Training School where I will spend 50 hours a week learning more about God's character, and how to reach the world by using the gifts and skills he's given me. We will use that knowledge to reach the unreached, love the unloved, and use practical ways to minister to the local community. The second part of my trip will be spent in Thailand and Cambodia, working primarily with the sex trade industry and the orphanages.

Who: I will be working with the christian organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM).

When: July 5th -November 21st, 2010.

Where: Maroochydore, Queensland Australia (Sunshine Coast). Thailand and Cambodia.

In order for me to go I need your support, both spiritually and financially!

Spiritually, please pray:

• That God would be continually breaking my heart and drawing me near in the next few months of preparation. Keep me focused and sustaining me.
• That I can be a good steward of my finances while preparing for this trip and maintaining my job and expenses here.
• For my family and friends. That God would give us all a sense of peace and encouragement as we get closer to my departure.
• For safety and strength as I face spiritual warfare in the months to come.

Financially:

In order for me to even get on the plane to Australia I must raise $10,000. This will pay for my transportation to and from Australia, as well as my airfare to our outreach. It will also supply my room and board, lecture costs, student visa, health insurance, local transportation and supplies.

While this seems like a gigantic feat, I am confident that the Lord will provide. I believe that there are people I encounter everyday who will support and love me in this. If 100 people gave me $100 I will meet my need. That is $20 a month for the next 5 months. In reality, that is one night of not going out to eat at a local restaurant, or a week without Starbucks. It is doable. But this is not a charity or a hand-out by any means. On the contrary, the money is already God's...He provided us with it and it is up to us how we use it. So please, pray, and if the Lord leads, help me fulfill the Great Commission!

You can pay by credit/debit by clicking on the "Donate" Button or

You can mail me your checks or cash to:

Sarah Mulis

1651 Alta Vista Place

Las Cruces, NM 88011

Or feel free to contact me with any questions: 575-644-8639