Back in Brisbane.

On Thursday we landed in Brisbane, Australia.  We were a bit tired and jet-lagged, but we were home.  We were a bit shocked by the heat and humidity here, but I'm not complaining:)  As of today, all our outreach teams have arrived back safely.

We had a great time finishing the outreach in Cusco.  One of the churches we helped and partnered with gave us a farewell lunch party and said thanks.  The last couple days we prayed and worshiped over the city and did a bit more kids ministry.

Overall, we were so grateful for our time in Cusco and on the Inca Trail.  I know so much more was done in the spiritual realm in and through us, even more than what we experienced and saw.  When we landed in Peru the first time, God said, "Things are not as though they appear."  God taught me so much about His reality.  We are faced with the choice of perspective daily.  We can choose to see the world around us as reality or we can choose to see God's reality.  On days where I was tempted to be down or discouraged, God reminded of Psalm 32:10 "The Lord's unfailing love surrounds those who trust Him."  When I feel attacked or discouraged about something, I can choose to take the perspective of the world I see, or I can choose to believe that God's unfailing love is surrounding me, even if I don't feel it.  So often we base our perspective on our emotions, but God wants our stability to be deeper than our emotions, He wants us to be unshakable in Him.  Choose to believe what God says about you.  What is He saying about you right now?  What is His perspective?  Take a moment to ask Him, He wants to tell you, He's trying to tell you, all you must do is listen.  God speaks loud enough to those who are listening.

Thank you so much for all your support and prayers, we appreciate you so much!

Merry Christmas!

Feliz Navidad and Happy New year!  We celebrated Peru with the other YWAM missionaries here yesterday (Caters, for those of you who know them).  Thank you so much for all your support and prayers, you are such a blessing in my life.  The mission here wouldn't be possible without all of you.  We went to a Christmas Eve service at a local Peruvian church and enjoyed the traditional fruit cake and hot chocolate here.  On the night of Christmas Eve, we were able to hand out around 25 blankets, 200 sandwiches and 200 juice boxes to homeless people in Cusco.  We were able to make contact and see people we've talked to previously and they were overjoyed to get blankets and food on Christmas.

We had some great conversations with people about Jesus on the Inka Trail to Machu Picchu.  We spent 4 days with people, hiking and talking.  Some people were so open and curious about our faith and relationship with Jesus, they seemed so interested in what we were doing and what it looked like to have relationship with God.  After coming back, we managed to be involved in 4 chocolatadas.  A chocolatada is when people go out to a poor village and give them hot chocolate, bread and clothes for Christmas.  We also get the chance to tell them about God and talk with them more if they would like.

We have one more week here in Cusco before returning back to Brisbane.  We've really enjoyed our time here and God has continued to move on our behalf and on behalf of the city.  Please continue to pray for us to finish strong and end our time here well as we continue to seek God's face and everything He has for us here.

Peru!

We have officially been in Peru for 2 weeks.  We are sitting at 11,500 feet elevation; the first couple days we got here I couldn't stand up without panting, I felt so out of shape it was crazy!  The elevation change has been a bit better recently as our bodies have adjusted, but going up 2 flights of stairs still feels like a heavy workout:)  Cusco is beautiful, full of so much history. This city is where the Inca Empire existed during the 13th century-1532.  Mountains surround the city on every side.  The people are so warm, hospitable and welcoming.  Being here feels like taking a step back in time.

The first week we took some time to adjust to the new time zone, climate and elevation.  We have been involved in various kids and church ministries since being here.  Last week we focused on the Holy Spirit and allowed Him to guide and direct us for the week.  We spent time in worship, prayer and evangelism.  Cusco struggles with religiosity.  People have a difficult time understanding God wants a personal relationship with them and this is more important than any amount of money they could ever have.  Cusco is a city in need of prayer, God needs to do the breaking ground work in order for people's hearts to be ready to receive Him and His love.  It's God's kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4).  Please pray with us that the people of Cusco would see God's kindness.  "I have loved you with an everlasting love and drawn you in with loving-kindness" Jeremiah 31:3.

Yesterday we had a great cultural experience.  We were able to get tickets to the finals of a Peruvian soccer game.  The stands were packed with over 40,000 people attending.  The tension was so high in the arena it was crazy.  The Cusco team lost 0-1, but it was well worth the experience!

God is doing great things here in Peru, please continue to pray our team approaches this time with a heart of brokenness before God as we continue to love, serve and pray.

Pass it on Tour.

We arrived home late Saturday night after spending the past two weeks visiting two country bush towns (Oakey and Dalby) on the Pass it on Tour.  The mission is to: Pass on the wisdom of God to the next generation.  The tour is a act of intercession and running.  Our teams physically run from town to town as an act of claiming the authority and land back as God's that we have given to Satan over the years.  We do different activities throughout the week we spend in each town including after school activities, prayer walks, lecture nights, free BBQs and island dancers.  Our goal is to promote family and encourage the youth in the various country towns.

Brad's healed ankle with our team!

Our team (Peru-I'm going to Peru in Nov. if I haven't said that yet!!) started running, we ran from Towoomba to Oakey and ran a total of 40km between 7 of us in a day.  We did a couple service projects, then headed to the next town, Dalby, to prepare for the big group coming behind us.  We were able to help out at a Relay for Life festival making homemade donuts and various other projects.

making donuts for Relay for Life

On Sunday we were asked to lead an evening service at a local church. I gave the sermon, a student shared a testimony and another sang a song.  We opened it up for prayer and so many people wanted prayer. We prayed for over 20 people probably and God did some sweet stuff!  Then we prayed for this young guy Brad, he had some pulled ligaments in his ankle and God told me to pray for healing.  We experience some healing that night and praised God for the progress we saw.  Then we saw him at school the next day without crutches walking perfectly normal:)  It was so fun to see what God had done!

Overall, it was a great time of learning, serving and growth.  We planted many seeds and helped the different churches in the community connect with each other.  Thanks for your prayers, we were in desperate need of them.

team Peru!

helping out with the local youth

work projects

there is no security in what God is doing, only in who He is.

Kristina and Meghan at the Gold Coast

Idun and Meghan at the creek

We are one month into the DTS.  Things are heating up quite a bit.  I tried to send out another newsletter today, but had some technical difficulties, so I hope to get one out ASAP.  God has been doing so much in our lives.  He has been taking all of us to deeper levels of intimacy and relationship with Him.  He has been teaching so many student's about His Father heart and what it looks like to receive His love.  It's still so hard for us to believe on a regular basis that God's love is free, unconditional, no strings attached.


God has been revealing His love, but also the reality of relationship with Him.  He wants every bit of who we are, no more, no less.  He is only satisfied when we are fully relying on Him, surrendering every desire, comfort and security to Him.

We have been having some great conversations with people on our Evangelism nights in the city.  I had the chance to speak with a Hindu man for over an hour about faith and Christianity.  In the middle of the conversation he said faith was a bad thing.  Then after praying with him, he looked at me and said, "it's so good to be around people with so much faith."  Ha!  I love how God can change people so quickly!

We are leaving tomorrow to be part of a running tour around Queensland, called the "Pass it on Tour."  Check out the website for more info. www.gopassiton.org.  Thanks so much for your prayers!

and we're off.

The DTS has officially been running for over a week now.  We spent the first few days in orientation and then we left last weekend for a retreat in the mountains.  It was a great time to get away, get to know everyone and a special time of sharing testimonies.  This week we had lectures on the "Character and Nature of God."  God has so much in store for this school, we can all feel it ready to burst at the seams.  I know I am bursting with love for all the students, they are so hungry for God, so ready to dive in and face everything and anything.

I've been able to have a few adventures of my own over the past couple weeks as well.  I rented a bike a couple weeks ago and headed to the mountains.  I ended up on top of a mountain and a bit tired to say the least, but it was well worth it.  Went rock climbing downtown Brisbane with a few friends.  I went hiking yesterday at a creek and was reminded of how beautiful the Brisbane area is.  Today a couple took us up to Mt. Nebo to view the amazing overlooks in the surrounding areas.

Please pray our students do not go home.  Satan often tries to convince them early on that it's not worth the journey.  Please pray the students would respond to God and not hold back, He's ready for them, but they need to be in a place of receiving from Him.  Love you all!

trust.

Trust is such an abstract idea.  So often it seems it would be easier if trust were more concrete, but really how often are ideas concrete?  How often does God ask us to do anything by following something concrete, like a formula.  Almost never.  I am a logical thinker, that's why I enjoy math and science.  I operate on definite, observable patterns and formulas.  When I follow a formula, I know what the result will be.

I often try to make my life with God into a formula.  I would rather have Him tell me exactly what is required and what the result will be in the end.  But the problem with living life that way is that you are able to remove God completely.  You no longer need Him to direct your steps because you believe if you are following the formula, you are following Him.  I think my greatest fear is a fear of the unknown.  I question where?  Who?  What?  When?  How?  I ask God for the next 20 steps, but He never gives them to me.  He only gives me one step...the next one...the only one I need, then He asks me to trust Him and wait with Him.

One thing I know to be concrete in this life is God and His promises.  I know He has promised His plans are to prosper me and not to harm me.  He has promised to never leave me or forsake me.  He has promised He is on my side and guiding me every step of the way.  Prov. 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

I continue to learn what it looks like for me to trust God more each day.  Going to church all my life it's really easy to spit out 100 definitions, but to tell you what it looks like played out in my life is a much more difficult task.  What does it look like for you to trust God?  Are you?