Outreach options

I got my outreach options today - very exciting. The first outreach is for three weeks and the second one is six weeks. :-)

Please can you pray and see what/if God speaks to you for me going on a specific on. If you have a certain one you think i will benifit from please explain why you believe i should go here. :-)

1)     Cairns/Taber lands + PNG

2)     Towes region in Aus + Darwin/East T-Mor

3)     MT ISA + PNG Medical ship

4)     Gladstone/Emerald + Throughout Queensland.

God Bless,

Els.

Creative Devotions

Thursday 27th January I have to do a creative devotion for 5-10 minutes on a Character of God, And how it was can related and put into practice in real life, i.e work, relationships, social groups. I have decided to do love as my characteristic as i can incorporate many different aspects into this.
I would love your ideas and thoughts on this topic, so please feel free to make sugestions! :-)
I will tell you what i end up doing! :-)
God bless.
Els.

Peace

So the few days since my last blog A LOT has changed. I feel at peace, everyone is becoming more open and more trusting. I realise that being here I can fully trust in God instead of relying on my friends, boyfriend and family. I realise that this isn't going to be easy - I don't know why I thought it would be easy.
I've been telling people what I've doing here for a good few months and before that for examply, lectures, assesments, etc. However actually being has made me realise that this isn't a holiday where everything includes sleeping and going to the beach, with a few lessons here and then, but its going to be an awesome experiance of delving deeper into the heart of God with the outcomes undescribable and so powerful that each and everyone of us here doing the DTS will go and change the world.  We've all come from different back grounds and deffinately different countries - there are 14 nations in Townsville! but we all have one thing in common, to serve a God with all our hear and to show his love to people who need it most. Were not perfect, we may not look how you would like us to look, you may think youth slob around grunting but actually - we have hearts that can and will change the world if someone will just believe in us. I've learnt in the 3 days that I have been here that if you invest love and time into one person, that one person will go and do incredible things.
The idea's that I have to bring home with me already as steadily stacking up, the excitment of coming home and investing what I have learnt in Chesterfield puts a massive smile on my face - I've only been here 3 days!!
My mum is awesome and even though I'm on the other side of the world she is still showing her love for me in so many different ways - whether its getting out of bed to talk to me late in the evening. to e-mails of support and encouragement. This is one of the things that really made me realise that there is no point worrying about the future as it's not in my control, it is in the hands on OUR gracious, loving, caring, funny Father.
With love, God bless.

>> Thank you to all prayers over the past few days of peace and comfort as it has been tough. They are greatly appreciated.

Townsville

Its hot, very hot.
What I've been up to:
So I've been here (townsville) two days, its good, lots of fun, tiring and VERY HOT - Did I mention that?
Yesterday when I arrived it was very overwhelming. After getting up at 5.30 to catch the plane at 6.45 I was very tired. It took 3 hours on the plane and when I got here I got a mini tour around Townsville - I thought it was going to be bigger but its not. I arrived at the base at about 10AM met the girls in my dorm, there are 8 of us in one room all bunkbeds and limmited storage - they weren't kidding when they said that! We all went to the beach anout 10.30AM - there was loads of us doing the 30 minute trek to the beach, it was deffinately worth the walk, the beach is all palm trees and white sand. Stingers are really common in Australian summer so there is a part of the sea that is netted off so we don't get stung by them which is really good. After the trek you just go and jump in the water, which is a very ncie warm temperature, not freezing just cooler than the air temp (which is REALLY HOT) Chilled out for the rest of saturday. Major problem: as I couldn't fit a pillow in my suitcase over here, saturday night without a pillow really sucked! But i managed to get about 8 hours sleep. All the dorm woke up really early though 6.30 so today (sunday) it feels like I've been awake forever!!

Today(Sunday) has been another chill out day as the rest of the January DTS students get here. Me and a few of the girlies went to the Sunday market accross the street - it was more like a carboot sale! and then over the the shopping centre which is 15 minutes away .I bought a pillow (good night sleep tonight I hope!) and some other bits and bobs. Today has again been REALLY HOT! Give it a week or two and I'm sure I won't be mentioning the weather but for an England girl this weather is very hot! We had orientation this afternoon which basically meant we were all together chatting and then had to go through all our home info and put things in the safe! :-)  Worship was at 4PM and it was really awesome. :-) really moving! I feel like the next 5 months is going to be AMAZING! :-D

How I'm feeling:
I really need prayer at the moment, I'm struggling to find my confidence, I'm struggling to believe in myself, I might be jumping to conclusions or being paranoid but these were the feelings I felt last year when I was first struggling with depression, I'm anxious in massive groups and the need to go hide is really strong. So I guess I ask that within your prayers you could pray that I am able to be apart of the group and not withdraw into myself. However, when I'm on my own I'm really looking forward to what God has instore for me which is great but not good. I'm not giving up hope and I know God brought me here for a reason and I believe one of those reasons is to become more reliant on him. He will keep me safe and He will guide me and He will protect me, which is great but at the moment I'm struggling to believe that He'll proetect me which I know doesn't make any sense but I'm human and that's one of the best things about us, we are complicated.

What's in store:
Tomorrow (Monday) the course actually starts so we start doing lectures and worship and get into the swing of things which is really exciting. :-) I guess as the not know what we are doing is making me anxious so when everthing actually gets going it will get much better! *fingers crossed* We actually get a lot of free time which is great for getting settled but also for doing assignments when the course is really going. :-)

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.
 ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.
 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.
 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121.

Fish and Chips

Its been raining since Monday, on off but its not gloomy rain, its still very warm and pleasent. :-D Went over to Sorrento today  on a boat, it was raining when we got on the boat but became dry and lovely as the day went on. :-) (Good call Reg!) Went to this cute cafe where i had a gorgeous hot choc and this muffin which was chocolatey and gooey - Mmmm! :-D Linda and I went moseying around the shops - very expensive but the clothes were so lush I could have spent loads! However never fear no money was spent in Sorrento! :-P R&L's neighbour was there, turns out he has a relative that lives in chesterfield - Glouster Rd - such a small world! Yay for england! :-)
So we all had fish and chips in this resturant which was very nice, although you can't beat fish and chips from a polystirene container with a plastic fork! :-P
Went for a swim in the sea before tea - well it was more jumping over the waves and a lot of body boarding! I haven't lost my touch from all the times in France! :-) Zooming in on the waves was lots of fun! :-)
Bargain Hunt, want a brilliant TV programme, its so funny! Out of the ones I've seen non have gone away with a decent profit, the only one I have seen went away with £24... :-P
I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone up in Townsville on Saturday/Sunday, it will be good to start that part of my adventure! :-)
The funny thing is i don't feel like I'm on the other side of the world, due to technology it's amazing (uh oh starting to sound like my dad.. :-p) keeping in touch is a lot easier but I've still had time to ping a few old fashioned letters off in the post! :-) Everyone loves getting post! Especially when its not a bill or a bank statement!

Mark 11:24Jesus said, "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." 
This verse is awesome - I can deffinately say that this is amazing, God is amazing, he can provide anyone with anything if they just believe, He took me to the otherside of the world, just imagine what He can do for you. Keep strong, Have faith, and believe.
God bless, Els. Xx

Arrived

So the flight over was long! Very tiring but i got to see some gorgeous views. A sunrise which blew my mind, i opened the shutter on the plane (i was lucky enough to get a window seat!) and the sun was just rising - i'm not too sure where i was over - but it was gorgeous, an amazing view. I also got to look out over the nights sky, as i was over the clouds the stars were so clear! and there were so many, really beautiful and so different! I figured that's what God thinks about us, different but each special and beautiful in our own way! :-) And i came up with that all on my own!
My first night was good, i slept for 8 hours which was surprising considering that it would have been 1.00 PM English time! :-p
Ok, off for a swim now, a few mopey days to readjust.
God bless and thank you for the prayers.
Els. X

36 hours until I leave for Australia

Wow!! Its happened so quickly, I mean one minute i'm thinking of applying the next i'm accepted and now i'm packed and leaving in 36 hours!
I think everything is done - My wonderful parents have helped me lots with the organising! Thank God for parents! :-D I'm spending a week with family friends which i'm glad about - i get to acclimatise and get over the jetlag before the hard work begins! :-D
Its so hard saying goodbye to everyone, the fact that i won't see many until July is very daunting but its nice to know i won't be on my own and there will be others going through the same emotions as me! :-/
I guess i should get on with the rest of the organising. Will update again when i arrive!
Els.