The last few weeks in Australia have been a whirlwind. I've been blessed to be part of so many exciting adventures and have all sorts of fun with such wonderful people! 

Last weekend I went waterskiing with my dear friend, Jess, who is a student at the university I attend here. She has taken me on many road trips, and this was yet another fun trip that was a highlight of my semester. We went to Lake Macquarie, which is the largest saltwater lake on the southern hemisphere. The cabin we stayed in was right on the lake and there were all sorts of activities available. We got up at 6:30 to get some runs in while the water was flat. It took me a few tries, but I eventually popped up and rode around the lake for a few minutes. I tried again later in the day and got up right away! It was so exciting. Jess and her family grew up waterskiing on the lake, so they were all skiing on one ski and going in and out of the wake like it was nothing. Jess and her cousin even skied at the same time and crossed back and forth together. I was so impressed! I loved spending time on the lake. I got to go kayaking, paddle boarding, tubing, and we even played some bat-mitten. I could have stayed there the whole semester, but alas we had to return for school.

The next day I had a super fun sleepover with the girls from Hillsong in my connect group. After the service we got some sushi with a few other people from the 18-25 group and then we ventured off to have some tea, get the most delicious gelato in the world, and then return to my friend's house for a movie and lot's of laughs. In the morning we went to a friends house for breakfast with some more people from the church. It was so nice to spend time with my church community and get away from the routine for a weekend. I really enjoy spending time with the girls from Hillsong, because there is always such diversity of cultures, backgrounds, stories, and world views. I love hearing what other people have to say about life and learn more about the beautiful God I serve by listening to the way other people have encountered him throughout their lives. It has truly been a blessing to be part of Hillsong for the past few months and to be so warmly welcomed into a connect group. God has been so very good to me!

A few days later I got to have an experience of a lifetime. I went to the Sydney Opera House with a few friends to see Romeo and Juliet. Let me say that again, I went to THE Sydney Opera House to see one of the most famous plays ever written. Can you believe this is my life? I am blown away that I get to do things like this all the time! Sydney is such a vibrant city, full of diversity and charm. Before the show started we got dinner and dessert and sat right on the bay between the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. It was like living a dream! 

The show itself was fantastic. It was set in modern times and they incorporated incredible music and some pretty sweet sets. The actors were amazing, of course, and they threw in some interesting twists but still kept all the original lines. The whole time I was there I had to ask myself if it was real. My friend Anna and I kept turning to each other with huge smiles spread across our faces, trying to hold back our giddy laughter. It was by far one the most incredible nights I have had since coming here.

I finished out the week by going to Shelley Beach, which is really close to the famous Manly Beach across the way from Sydney Harbour. The beaches in Manly are unreal. The water is a fantastic color of blue and green and the vegetation is so lush and varied. I had a great time relaxing on the shore with my friends and doing a little souvenir shopping afterwards. Before we got to the beach we went to Pancakes on The Rocks, which is a fabulous breakfast restaurant in the historical section of Sydney known as The Rocks. They have the most delicious pancakes in pretty much every flavor possible. I got blueberry crepes with ice-cream on top!

Living in Sydney for the past three months has been an unforgettable adventure. I have loved every single second spent here and I can't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't chased after my dreams and come to Australia. It has transformed me in so many ways and given me such a desire to explore new places and experience different cultures. There hasn't been a single day when I've had second thoughts about coming here. Every single thing I could have had back home pales in comparison to the journey I have had here.

It may sound like I am boasting or flaunting my life to you right now, but that is not my intention. I can't help but be excited to talk about what has been going on in my life recently, because I have been abundantly blessed by my Jesus and I can't hide it! I don't understand why I have been given this opportunity to live out my dreams, but I couldn't be more grateful that God weaved this chapter into my life and gave my the most amazing parents who have supported me and made this trip possible. God has been transforming my life on the inside and out and it fills me with an everlasting joy that just won't fade away. I love the season I am in right now and it's all I can do but soak it up while it lasts.

Praise Jesus for his abundant goodness!

I have been in Australia for eighty-four days. EIGHTY FOUR!

I can't believe that time has slipped by so quickly and that my adventures here are drawing to a close. I have about four weeks left with my study abroad program and then another week and a half of travel around Australia with my parents. It's insane that a place I once was afraid of and uncomfortable in has now become my home. I feel like I belong here; like I was meant to step out of the confines of my average life and fly to a land that was waiting for me. 

I wish I didn't have to worry about school work or getting to classes so that I could spend each day exploring Australia and building upon the relationships I have developed since being here. I love the people I have met and each one of them has taught me something new about God, love, family, dreams, responsibility, and life in general. What I had hoped to gain coming here was an expanded vocabulary of God. I wanted to see him in new ways and learn to speak to and about him with a richer language. I also wanted become more responsible, independent, and aware of who I am. 

When I reflect on the last three months I can clearly see the actualization of these two goals. God is now the love of my life and I have learned to speak his language of forgiveness, acceptance, faith, trust, positivity, and tranquility. The people I have met and the places I have gone have shown me how incredibly present God is and at the same time how massive he is. He is near me every moment, yet he governs the bigger picture as it unfolds into the universe. As I have developed a true friendship with God, he has kindly been showing me who I am and the areas of my life that need work. He has revealed so many of the passions that have been lying dormant in my heart for years and given me an enthusiasm for the future that is beyond anything I have experienced in the past. At the same time, he has placed people in my life that have taught me about the fire I have and how it can be useful rather than harmful. I see now how much pain I have inflicted with my bold and rather blunt spirit. I pray that in time I will be able to quiet my fire so that it can be a fierce yet gentle force for social justice, reconciliation, and harmony in communities. 

Along the way I have been blessed to gain knowledge, relationships, and experiences that I had not been expecting. Australian culture has taught me much about the American culture I have been immersed in all of my life. I have seen the value of enjoying life in the moment and placing value on people rather than personal success or financial stability. The amount of peace and safety here has overwhelmed me and I am not looking forward to returning to a society that is steeped with so much violence and corruption. The serenity of the Outback has confirmed my appreciation for Sabbath rest and solitude. My church has renewed my enthusiasm for creativity and community. The sisters I have gained in connect group have blessed, stretched, and inspired me in ways that words could never adequately describe. The students in my program have been a constant source of encouragement, joy, growth, discovery, and praise. I love them all so dearly and they will forever find a home in my heart.

Australia has given me so much to boast about. I came here expecting to have some fun, and what I got in return was a storehouse of treasures. I would never trade my time here in a million years, nor do I have any regrets about the sacrifices I made in order to come here. God knew what he was doing when he placed this dream in my heart, and he has not come up short in delivering the adventure of a lifetime. I believe everyone should ask God to give them dreams and then have the courage to chase after them. God uses us most when we don't know what we're doing, so why not step into the unknown? I did, and it has been the greatest blessing of my life.

So go, 
do. 
Run, 
explore.

Get out of your box and let God give you dreams that are greater than anything you could have dreamt up on your own. There is treasure out there waiting for you, you just have to be brave enough to go looking for it.