Live Album Recording

        Sunday instead of having church as usual, all of the Hillsong campuses throughout the city joined together for the recording of Hillsong United's newest album. Admission was free and it took place in the Sydney Entertainment Center which is insanely massive. It was a packed house and as you may have guessed, it was an absolutely amazing night. As I'm sure you'll notice, we were somewhat in the nosebleed section, but I honestly think it only added to the experience. I went with a few friends from Switzerland and worshiped God surrounded by people from all over the world, one of the perks offered by a big city. God is doing some really amazing things in the hearts of his people here in Sydney. I feel blessed to be a part of it and to have met so many wonderful people through Hillsong. I tried multiple times to upload a video I strung together from my favorite songs of the night, but it seams Blogspot has a few kinks to work out. I posted it on facebook instead if you care to watch.  Life here is getting really exciting! Lots of fun things planned for the weekend. Tell you about them all soon!

My New Life in Sydney

       I've been here in Sydney for about a week and a half now and right now I feel very confident and comfortable in my new life here. I have no negative comment to make! So far at least, I absolutely love it here. I feel so blessed to have landed such a spectacular family to spend the year with. I get along great with the parents (Steve & Caroline) and I love the kids! They are such great little people and I can't think of any other children who would be more a joy to spend my time with. Their tantrums are extremely few and they are very well mannered and light-hearted. We have so much fun together and have already had a lot of good laughs (once when I laughed so hard I was in tears).
        Abby has become my shadow and she climbs all over me and drags me around like a puppy most of the time. She told me a few days ago that I was like a "big fat rope," because I was so easy to climb on. She only gets fussy when I won't let her eat in the playroom or when she is very tired and then mom and dad are the ones to handle her so she's almost too easy for me really. Guy takes a little more work. I have to get on his level and talk to him about Pokemon or some other television show or maybe help him ride his bike, and generally just make him laugh, but all of this I can do and make time for (yes...even the Poke-talk.) He gets a little more upset about having to miss his TV programs than Abby though and while I feel confident that Abby will always forgive me and love me, I do worry a bit about pushing Guy too far and leaving him bitter towards me which I don't want at all. I know that there's always a balance and I'll just have to continue to aim for it.
        I've only been to the city once and that was to go to Hillsong which amazingly I loved even more than Hillsong in London. The atmosphere was just more comfortable and accepting somehow. Everyone sat right next to people they didn't know and that is so rare even though it's how church should be. I can't wait to meet more people and really get involved this year. There is more than one Hillsong campus here in Sydney and I didn't go to the main one. I plan to someday, but for the most part I'll go to the city campus because it is closer and easier to get to. I took the bus this time, but I'm much more confident with driving now, so soon I'll just drive there and save a lot of time and hassle with public transportation.
        Today I ventured out by myself and drove around, away from the city, but still... I am pretty used to driving on the other side of the road already and I'm beginning to learn the main roads and to orient myself with where we live in comparison to the rest of the city which feels great. I have full use of the car all day as Caroline takes the bus to work and she is happy for me to drive anywhere I like (which is wonderful.) My schedule isn't grueling at all with the kids. I basically just faciliate their schedule and make sure they do what needs to be done. Since they're away at school most of the day, I have lots of time to do whatever I need or want to do during the week, and then of course, I have weekends off.
        I can tell already that I will probably choose to spend most of my weekend time with the family even though I don't need to because they go fun places and I genuinely enjoy spending time with them. This past weekend we went out to dinner to a nice Italian restaurant in the city, to the Granny Smith Apple Festival, and to the beach. It was a lovely weekend and I had a lot of fun! The beach especially was very beautiful and a place I never would have found without the knowledge of a local. We had fish and chips and then walked out on a little island and sat on the rocks and played in the water and it was a perfect day (made even better by Hillsong that night).

         So basically what I'm saying is....I LOVE IT HERE!! =D

Hillsong United

       Tonight at church the Hillsong United band was with us from Australia and it was so incredible! The whole night was super high energy and I am definitely on a spiritual high at the moment. :) I was singing all the way home on the tube and up the streets! God is so amazing and it is unbelievably encouraging to see people from all over the world in one place singing praises to God! I wish I could add a video to my blog and I would include part of a song I recorded! I bet I can and I just don't know how. It is so apparent that every member of the band has such a huge heart for the Lord and for everyone in the audience. I have never met most of the people in the packed theater, but tonight they all truly felt like family. I won't be here too much longer, but I want to be a part of this movement in any way I can. There are so many wonderful opportunities here in London to spread the love of Jesus all over the world. There are people from every nation living here side by side and I feel like for the first time I am really feeling the vastness of the body of Christ. My eyes are open to the world and its need for Jesus and I'm ready to be used in bringing Him to them.

Say what they want, I am yours.





Photos: 1) Welcome screen 2) Head Pastor of Hillsong London 3) Lead singer of Hillsong United 4) Hillsong United Band 

Hillsong London

        Last night after our day trip to Oxford I went to the 6:00 service of Hillsong Church. I absolutely loved it and it was exactly what I needed. I had been feeling a little lonely here already and I really needed to find some community. I was also just feeling a little down about the city as a whole and I was in desperate need of finding other believers here in London. I love it here, but spiritually it's a pretty dark place.
        I went alone and I still felt a little bit on the fringe when I was there. There were probably a couple thousand people there and it was a full theater. I just kind of watched people interact and was feeling a little shy, but even just knowing that they were there in the city was encouraging. After the service there was a party at a place across the street where they had live music and dancing and I went there and really had a lot of fun! I met a ton of people including some really nice girls and even a girl from Indiana! lol. I got several of their numbers and will hopefully be keeping in contact with them during my time here. I'm really glad that I went and am planning to get involved in a connect group (basically a bible study) close to where I live. I feel refreshed and renewed and ready to do His work. =D I don't know how people live in this city without a church! I would never want to be without one.
       1st Day of work tomorrow! Wish me luck!