Yeeehaaaaw, I'm in Nashville Tennassee!

Nashville is just how you think it would be.
Boots, boots boots, and hats and boots.

There is music everywhere you look, its almost overwhelming at times when you have about 10 different types of music playing at the same time in the are of about 50mts.

I like it here.

I have been to see live music, the broadway show "wicked" (which I highly recommend. I loved it so much. Why I didn't get into broadway/theatre baffles me), beautiful parks, helped a lady loose her keys down a storm drain...woops, went to a 'cool aid' party, watched 2 soccer games, and just hung out with Dan, Kelsey, Brooke and others.

I leave here on Wednesday with Brooke and fly to Vegas for 3 nights. Woot woot. That should be a crazy time.

It has been so good spending time with people that I love and have missed so much. God is really blessing me with great connections and even better friends. I only have 2 weeks left here and am kinda freakin out. I'm just really trying to enjoy the time I have left as it will be all over soon. I'm still not sure what I will do with all this trip has brought into my life and I'm not sure how God will play it into my future and bring it all together but, I am certainly excited for the future and all the doors that God is opening and going to open.

All I know is that I want to do something different. I want to do something so big that I can't do it in my strength as then I will, and others will know that it is, and always was always God.

This is the video of the ladies keys in the drain. HAhahahahaha, so funny, I only got the end of it though. This was after so many people, laughs (awkward laughs) and phone calls. Oh good times.

Well thats all for now,

Peace

Down time

I am in Cincinnati for a few days with Grant and his girlfriend Jacky.


We had a sweet labour day weekend and now they are back at work which is giving me a chance to process through the last couple of months.

Grant, Jacky, Sarah (a girl from England working for BAE with Grant and Jacky) and I all went down into the city to see the Labour day fireworks. It was spectaculour.


I spent a wonderful couple of weeks with the Mazellan family in Marion, Indiana as well as Steph being there. Stephenie is going over to NZ for 2 years to be the youth Pastor at My families church. It was amazing to meet her and for us to be able to connect before she headed over. She is an amzing person and a great example that even scatter brain sanguins can apply themselves, get motivated and get amazing things done for God.

Busy doing haircuts.
Stephs haircut

Evy, Jill and I

These next few days are going to be a time for processing through my time here and my time when i get back. I am looking forward to it.


If you do not have facebook you can check out photos on here as well as videos on youtube.


Peace.

Part 2 of the USA Journey

I have now just got to the second part of my journey in the USA. The internship has finished and I have now started to travel.

The internship was great. I learnt alot from both the leaders and the interns and recognised alot of things that I have been letting slip by. It was so good to be with great leaders that are so good at what they do and love it.

A small part of KCC where I have been the last 3 months.

The interns and Pastor Jeff. Last day at KCC.

It was hard to say bye to them all. I will miss my new found American family alot but am so glad that God has given me this opportunity and has blessed me with new connections and friends. I do miss everyone back home but I also don't feel ready to come back. Please pray that God will help me prepare over the next few weeks to come back to the land of OZ.

One of the highlights of this trip was a SLD road trip that I went on. I was kinda asked last minute to be a leader/driver on a Student leadership Development road/missionary trip. My first missionary trip ever. I t was amazing. I acnnot even explain what God opened my eyes to there. The people that were on the trip were leaders and youth from different parts of the USA, and let me tell you, they were seriously quality people.

Habitat for Humanity.

Surviver camp site. (Below)

Toronto

The road trip went from Indianapolis to Northern Michigan, to Toronto Canada, then to Niagara falls to Buffalo, NY, to Cleveland back to Indianapolis.

Niagara Falls

We started with a surviver camp in Michigan. It was amazing fun. That is where the bond begun. It is amazing how close you get to people when you have to smell their stinky armpits and see them try and just make it through a night without the basic comforts of life to get by. Not only that but we spent the next week in RV's together and doing ministry together. These people have impacted my life forever.

Next we went to Toronto. We went to a homeless shelter there and this was probably the highlight for me. To see these people day in and day out feeding, clothing, and loving the needed without all the glamour, without all the hype, without all the fame was seeing Jesus to me. I couldn't help but think, this is where Jesus would be if He were here today. I could say so much on this one place but have so much other stuff to catch you up on. I was also proposed too and we had to evacuate our builing that we were on the 14 floor of, in the middle of the night because of a fire. It stunk. I thought I would die off the smell.

We also went to a Yankees vs Blue Jays baseball game. That was so much fun. My first baseball game, oh and the Yankees won...GO THE YANKEES! Then we went to Niagara falls. This blew me away. I could not believe I was there under the falls. God was all over the place and I felt a small part of the splender and power of the God I serve.

Next we headed to Buffalo where we worked at a food bank. This was a lot of fun. The rest of the trip we had broken up into teams but this time we were all together and man did we have fun...well, I did. We also help to redo a whole house for habitat for Humanity. An organisation that buys houses ready to be demolished and does them up for a family that has no other way to live.

We then headed to a hip hop church in Cleveland. Oh my goodness. To hear the pastor there (who was very young) speak about his church and the passion he had for the poeple he works with impacted me alot. It was such a blessing to be around paople that are chasing that dream and passion God has placed in their hearts. His church is right in the middle of the a really tough area...I mean really tough. When we went to hand out pamphlets he had to give us the run down of what to do and what not to do if we get held up...and this is in the day time. I loved that church and loved being apart of a team of people out there getting their hands dirty.

Then we headed back to Indi. Wow, seriously, trip of a lifetime. If that is all I came over for, I'm done.

Other things that have happened...

I came close to death...and when I say that, I dont say it lightly. Like I mean millimeters away from being decapitated. I have the scars to prove it. Yet another tubing accident. Stupid tubing. The rope came straight for my neck but luckily (I dont know how) I got my hands up to my neck first, it wrapped around my body and sent me spinning across the water like a skipping stone. I thought I lostmy head. Everyone was screaming and seriously expected for my body to rise to the surface without my head on. When I realized my head was still attached I checked the rest of my body because I thought for sure something had come off. Oh the pain. My back felt like it folded in half, I thought I had broken both my thums and I was bleeding and bruised instantly. Good times. The funniest bit was when the pastor asked if I wanted to hop back on.

Me and my friend Steph (love you girl) got scammed from a fake bus company and lost my bus ticket, my NY City tour, my hotel but managed to make it for my flight. After about 8 hours of calling banks and mastercard and all sorts of people in OZ I managed to get them on an investigation and closed my account and got a new card sent. Lost a bit of money there which really sux, but I'm working through it...hahaha. It's fine, I'm used to it now. Oh thats right. I borrowed my host families car to visit Brent Dongell and in the span of 4 hrs the window was smashed and my camera and ipod was stolen. Yes more stuff of Tash's was stolen. That was my 3rd Ipod. Oh man.

I went to a drive in movie in Buffalo, NY. That was awesome fun. I then went to Niagara falls again with two of my most special friends i have made over here. FFL (friends for life).

Me, Lauren, and Steph at Niagara falls.

I made it to NYC for a few hours before I had to catch a plane. Oh, and I did it by myself. Woot woot. I saw the Empire State Building, Madison Square garden and the Statue of Liberty. I ran it, but I did it.

Me infront of the Statue of Liberty

On the phone to my B.E.A.utiful sis Hailz, infront of the Empire State Building.

I am now in Marion, Indiana with the Mazellan family again for a week and a half and then I go to Grants for like 5 days, woooohoooooo. I then head to Nashville for a week with Dan Eggenschwiler, then fly to Las Vegas with a friend Brooke for 3 days, and we then head down to California for a week before I fly home on the 26th.

I got spend afew days at the Mazellans with a good fiend Heidi that I met in NZ and so Evy, Nathan, Heidi and I went to Chicago for 2 days. I loved that city. I would love to live there.

I am so pumped for these next few weeks but also recognise it as a time of saying goodbye to a bunch of people I dont wont to say goodbye too...like really dont want to. God willing though, I will be back for longer.

God is really challenging me to press into Him and seek His will for my life. Like really looking in deep to my passions, gifts, talents, strenths, and past experiences to find out where to go next. He is being so patient with me.

I should really write more often so that each blog is not so long.

If you are not on facebook, join. Even if it is only to see my photos...kidding, but really. I have all my photos up there.

Peace.

Woops...catch up!

Hi ya'll. Well as usual I have taken about a year to update you, so here is the latest stuff that has been happening.

Family:

I love the family that I am with. We laugh alot together and we have managed to get a few good talks in there too. Most of the time I think it is more of them doing the laughing and me doing the talking...weird, I know.

Me and Brianne (sister) baking cookies.

Interns:

We have all really begun to open up and get to know eachother better over the last month. I am starting to form some really good relationships there and am excited about the future investment in them. They all have something really different to bring to the table and it is alot of fun to be around....alot.

Church/ministry:

We have been doing alot of programing and organising in the first half of the internship but I feel like that is starting to change a bit. We just had NTS (never the same) camp in New York last week and it was amazing. I had really been praying that God would use me there and it wouldn't be wasted. I really wanted to be a leader that invested into the kids with all of me.

Let the games begin.

Well at first when I got my group I honestly didn't know how God was going to use me there. The girls seemed to be so different from me and I was worried I would not be able to relate with them. Although I knew I could love them, I didn't know if that would be enough. Well, after more prayer and pleeding I saw God move amazingly through me. I was able to relate to them in so many ways and realized we were so much alike on the inside.

I was able to talk with them from my own life experiences and speak hope into their broken lives. I so enjoyed being with them and I miss them all already.

Shelly then me at the top, Amber, Erica (my twin), Angela (middle row left to right).

Alexandra, Kelly and Steph (front row, left to right).


God and me:

As most of you know, I had to quite my job to come over here and do this. Through doing that, it has tested my faith to the utmost. I dont know what the heck God wants me to do, but as I pray through it and speak to people and just go through different experiences I see Him panning it all out. Now like I have a clue what to do, but more that God is showing me how to rest in Him and at least tick things of the list.

There has been opportunities that have come up since I have been over here and they all sound wonderful, but do I want to just go through life trying things and experiencing things, even if it is for Christ, or do i want to wait on God to see exactly what He wants me to do and not just take up any opportunity that arises.

I dont want to live a life of just doing whatever comes up to do even if it is for Christ, but on the other hand, I dont want to just sit and wait. I guess I believe there is a time for each. A time to step out (which I did to come here), and a time to sit and wait on God.

WHAT TIME AM I IN NOW?

Other stuff:

Well I got to hang out with the Mazellan family for July 4th holiday down in Marion, Indiana. I had the best time ever. Wrote a song, recorded a film clip. I will post it all. Love that family.

I also got to spend a 2 days with Brent and Evy and met Brent wonderful parents. We had a ball. We went surfing on a like!!! Can you believe it. When you dont live nere the beach you have to make the most of what you have, and we did. We ahd a blast but the time ended in my car getting broken into, the window smashed, my ipod stolen and my camera with photos on it still stolen too. No good at all. Oh well, sow it into the Kingdom.

Brent, Evy, and I on our way to surf the waves. Evy and I shreading.

Brent amazing perents ended up paying for a new camera for me. What a blessing. And for now I am using Brents ipod. So all's well that ends well.

I will try and write more often so I dont have to cram it all in so much.

Love to you all back home.

Ministry here.

So, me and Nate Clark are doing the highschool ministry which I am really happy about. We organise Summer Sizzle every Wednesday night for grades 9 up. It is alot of fun, games, God and just pure American crazyness.

Summer Sizzle. First night! Game on!

I am slowing getting to form relationships with people. With pastors, highschoolers, middle schoolers and the other interns. The latest pay out I recieve is my new nic name and the thing that comes up every time I talk... "subtitles". They always try and get a translater for when I talk and think it is hillarious. Which it kinda is.

The first few weeks have been hard. Just settling in, changing the time of my body clock, making friends, feeing my way around the new home, ajusting to the difference in the church, and the food...wow, that is a whole other story, but I am now feeing more at home and seettling down alot more. I have had some really good discussions with people and prayer and this has helped in the whole experience alot.

During some of the discussions I have had with people I have been challenged on what is in my heart and it has been a growing experience already. Questioning what I am called to and where I stand in a church setting.

God is doing something great through this church and the outreach that it does. They are huge on reaching the community, and not just speaking about it, but they are so active in the lives of everyone they can be in the erea and they are known for it. I have loved that side of it. I got to go out door knocking with a couple of other interns to ask them to come to different things we are doing over the summer, and the whole experience was positive and eye opening. We went to areas that I would not have ever seen if I was just a tourist, and for that I am so grateful. These kids and families were just so excited that they were invited to something and that they got a FREE meal TOO! hahaha. We all love free food.

Paintball outreach. Shooting people for Jesus.

We had 4 decisions for Christ...Woohoo

I have been trying to get out and about as I have put on weight already...I know, I know. You are all going to work me to the ground when I get back...GOOD!

Playing tennis with Doug (Dad) and Austin (brother).

Check out the link to FLICKER to see photos if you dont have a facebook. Oh, and if you don't have a facebook...GET ONE! Even Grandparents have it here.

God is good, and I can see Him using me here... I hope. I am so happy He has placed the poeple around me that He has, and I am really looking forward to getting more and more into LIFE here in the US.

Settling in?

Well, I made it. Most of you know the drama that went on to get me over to the states to do the internship at KCC. It all took so long and then last minute I got the visa and had 2 nights to pack. Living on the edge...thats me! Hahaha!

Updates for all ya'll back home. I'm here and it has been strange but good. It has taken the first week to kind of settle in. Although there is alot more bonding to do I have started making some good friends and am loving the interns, my host family, the pastors and the church.

Interns:

(Left to right) Me (Tashe, Tishe, Tesh), Reecie (Carrice), Lauren (The New Yorker), Todd (Mod squad Todd), Nate (Holes), Nate (Nate the great. He is the one I am working with doing highschool stuff), and Mike (Koleslaw or Kozy bear). There are 7 of us. We are going to have alot of fun and really grow together and I am getting more excited everyday we spend time together. For the first time, me and 2 of the other interns spent some real quality time talking about life, love and God. It really encouraged us all and helped us to get to know eachother better. SOOOOO good! I'm really looking forward to more times like that with all of them.

Host family:

I am living with the Clarks. And, as it is with everything else, it is getting better and better everyday as we get to know eachother and get comfortable with eachother.

Ruth (mum/mom) is thoughtful and caring.

Doug (dad) is funny and cheeky. He threw me in like nearly freezing water to welcome me.

Austin (brother) is fun, polite and cool. He also plays guitar in the HUGE church band.

Brianne (sister) is cute, giggly and makes me laugh. She also sings in the middle school band on Sundays.

Pastors:

Well I am working directly with 3-4 pastors.

Jeff is the high school pastor and also the person that asked me to come over. He is encouraging, inspiring and incredibly good at what God has asked him to do.

Ian is the middle school (5-8) pastor, He is so much fun and just makes me laugh. When paople talk he listens...rare quality.

Mike I have not spent alot of time with yet but he comes across as a welcoming, caring, and christ-like person.

Church:

The church is huge. It is called Kentwood Community Chuch (you can google it). It has a great feel great leaders and an awesome worship team. When I say team I mean like, 7 upfront singers a choir of about 50-60 people, a drummer, 2 keys, 2 guitars, 1 bongos, 1 bass, an either brass or strings orchastra, and probably more that I cant think of. The worship leaders is some of the best singers I've heard and it is just alot of fun.

So I am working mostly with another intern named Nate. Nate and I are heading up the high school ministry...woohooo... as well as alot of other things like programming camps, events, games, and also just being with the kids, speaking, and they want me to do some music as well. AHHHHHHHH! It is all very exciting and challenging.

Alot has happened in the first week and it has been tough already. Alot of questions have gone through my head but I am so glad that I came.

On my first day, pastor Jeff announced that he is stepping down from his position becouse God has laid something very huge and challenging on his heart. That was a huge blow to all of us. The middle school pastors daughter had a fall and fractured her skull, and the other pastor that heads up the family department has had a heart attack and is in hospital waiting for an opperation as soon as he is well enough for it.

I also got to spend 2 days with Grant (more to come on that).

It's been crazy, but I know through all of this, God is doing something great with all of us. I am excited to see what God is going to do wiht the time we all have together.

Prayer requests:

Please pray for all those things that have happened,

please pray that I will continue to connect,

and please pray that God will use me here in every way possible.