New Beginnings: Week One

Hi. Well, it's been a good 1st week... I had my 1st staff meeting on Wednesday, and my 1st missions and leadership training class today. I am getting really excited about what God is doing and wanna go for it and trust and believe... then I think about the 2 years and think yep... I'm going home... just got here they won't even know... ... but I think that is just a commitment thing. It's more of that walking on the water stuff... I get scared but i've gotta keep walking and I know God is faithful and trustworthy. A good aspect of my class is going to be the depth in which we study and practice missions and leadership training.  We read over the whole plan and it looks wonderful... so specific... all the ins and outs of full time ministry.

I have learned to love ice again in my drinks... Australians have the coolest ice trays... I have little fish ice cubes and sticks and all kinds of fun ice.  When it's so hot it's refreshing.

I am learning things about art.  I am excited to bring home and teach others what I am learning.  It's been quite fun and it's a great way for people of all ages to communicate.  

Today we worked a little bit with charcoal.  Using art for missions has still been challenging.  I want to do everything a mile a minute... it's hard for me to slow down.  I really feel like God has been showing me this week that He wants me to slow down... slow down.... and trust Him. I got a picture (in my mind) of me doing art in the park or with the homeless in the park and leading people to God. (Such ideas bring great joy to my heart) As I worked on some art skills today I felt a bit freer personally so I know it will minister to others as well. 

I am supposed to be focusing on a piece or a medium soon to sharpen.  I want to work on sharpening my cartoons as well as drawing portraits.  There is something about drawing with someone or of someone that makes emotional walls come down.  It is then the matters of the heart are revealed.

Tomorrow we are going to be a part of 'live art' for the church with out walls tent meeting.  It's a festival and we will be serving through art and sharing about it.  Others are welcome to join.  It will be good for me to have some practice. 

Ok... tomorrow has turned into today and it went well.  I drew a wonderful kangaroo from a wildlife magazine.  We were hoping to talk with people but there weren't many so we are going later and longer tomorrow which I am excited about.

*Please pray for divine contacts tomorrow evening here in Perth (by the river) I really want to share about Jesus and impact someone... maybe more than one.

Sweet dreams... or should I say good day mate... 

(ok... so the evening came and went and I got to talk with a girl... I started to draw her and saw the slashes on her arms.  We started to talk but she had to go, I got to finish the picture I drew of her though and encourage her.  Talking with her and encouraging her made my night... thanks for the prayers.

Entry into Aussieland :)

I had a wonderful flight.  I am almost over my jet lag.  Today is day four and I am feeling like a nap here soon.  If I don't stay up I will wake up at four am.  Since I'm on the top bunk being up and about is challenging with squeaky hardwood floors.  They tell on me every time.  

(Above is my sister Gracie, age 8.  She drops me off and picks me up from the airport every time I fly.  She's my best friend, number one fan, and the best little sister I could ask for.)

On my first flight to Perth I sat next to a man from Zambia.  He was considering/praying about doing a Crossroads Discipleship Training School with Youth With A Mission in Hawaii.  Which is what I help lead now and the organization I work for.  So I knew that was totally God.  He was very talkative and we enjoyed our flight.

Then on my 2nd flight from Dubai to Perth I sat next to a very traditional Indian women dressed in full (India) Indian clothing.  She was very nice but she only spoke Hindi and she was very sick.  So sick the flight attendants were considering removing her from the flight.  Through sign language I was able to ask to pray for her and help with her customs form.  She agreed and was very thankful.  Since i had 10.5 hours and some space I also took out my watercolor pencils and a cup of water to painted her a picture.  She really liked the picture.  

God had total grace over my luggage and my carry on as well.  I know they were both a bit over.

I was picked up from Perth airport by a lady from the YWAM base (Narelle).  She told me I'd be working with the Art Refuge (which is what i wanted to do).  They share about Jesus using art and art therapy.  Art Refuge works with the homeless, women's shelters, the detention center, and within the city.   Art is an excellent tool to help people feel comfortable talking with you. 

 My first night here I went out sharing with people about Jesus with several of the schools that are running and I talked with a security guard for about an hour about God.  It's neat, here at YWAM it is so normal... it's just what we do. People were worshipping and painting in the town square amongst the night life.  Some really great conversations took place.

Today was my first day of working.  They gave me the weekend to unpack, rest, and get over my jet lag.  I met with the rest of my house Sunday.  Right now I am sharing a house with 8 other girls.  There are 4 including me in my room. It's tight but we are busy and we have a nice back porch and living room if we need a little space. I have to tell you... my previous leader and I were going to go for coffee.  I ordered just a plain black coffee, nothing fancy... just normal and it cost $3.40 and it had to be 5oz. tops.  A little baby coffee with no refills.  I was shocked, thankfully my leader made me some ground coffee today.

I am going through orientation and work duties right now which is pretty laid back.  I work with three lady artist.  All in there 40's-mid 50's.  I am so excited to learn anything they or the Lord wants to teach me about art, ministry, or anything else.  I honestly can't believe the Lord is opening this door again... I laid art, my future, and graphic design at the foot of the cross during my discipleship training school.  I still can't believe I am going to be working on art related stuff.  Today we are doing something called straw blowing and scribble drawings.  You blow paint through a straw to splash it on the paper and the other you talk or listen and scribble gently at the same time and then you look at it to see what pictures you can see within the scribbles (To the left you'll see my scribble picture).  Techniques like these are therapeutic and help others relax and grow in confidence in their art.  

I like it here.  It feels homey and I feel like I can really focus on God and I know that I am in the center of His will.  I look forward to having these room mates.  A few are from Australia, some New Zealand, US, Norway, maybe one from Canada... I love it.  I love having people around.  I am just hoping to connect with them.  The weather is nice.  There are a lot of people at the training center right now because will soon be a 25 year YWAM Perth celebration combined with a 50 year YWAM celebration the last week of January.  It will be on Australia day, January 26th.  It's gonna be crazy. I helped paint some vinyl stuff on a pretty dead tree today.  They are going to put some decorations on it and use it as a chandelier for the celebrations.  It is a creative idea, I'm enjoying helping.

Please pray:   

-that my time here would be continually fruitful/productive
-that I'd trust people and make lots of friends (or at least a few really strong friendships)
-that God would use me... and continue to lead me in the path He has for me in this season... (on the water)


Love you all.
Thanks for loving me and cheering me on!
Love, Shelly.

January 11th, 2010

Walking on Water

Last night while having a Bible study with Teresa and friends we talked about the account (in Matthew) when Peter is called out by Jesus to walk on the water. God has been speaking this very story to me in relation to stepping out in faith and trusting Him and while we discussed the passage I realize how easy it is sometimes to think we would step out… even in the storm… but what we think and what actually do are sometimes very different.

I am preparing to go back to Australia.  I feel like God has been leading me there and preparing me for the majority of this year.  I have been accepted and for me this has been a huge step of faith and will be once I’m there. 

I keep thinking back to that scene in Braveheart when William Wallace is challenging the men on the battle field.  He says when you are old and dying in your beds, you will look back on this day and want to give everyday from then till now (on the battlefield) for one chance… just one chance to come back and fight for freedom (paraphrase).  

I feel the same way with being part of God’s plans in Perth.  I don’t want to miss out on what He has and I definitely don’t want to look back in my later days and wish I would have trusted God went to Australia.  

Anyways, the best part of the story of Peter and Jesus walking on the water is Jesus was there and He reached out and grabbed Peter when he began to sink.  Jesus in faithful and I'm not afraid.

My 1st official sermon

After my discipleship training school I felt like God wanted me to do some Bible training with YWAM.  The course I am involved in is called the Biblical Core Course and we study and teach the Bible in Australia and in Indonesia this time.

This week we are learning about preaching and teaching.  Monday we learned about preaching and Monday night we prepared one.  I got really stressed out but in the end God came through and I am really proud of how it turned out.  It was on how we deal with defeat as Christians using 1 Peter 5:6-10.  I learned something as well.  Below are my teachers and fellow students.

Tomorrow we start teaching and this weekend we will be going away to a house on the beach to learn the 1st 5-6 books of the Old Testament. please pray... Love you all.  More good news soon, Shelly