Poop Deck.

Heeeey, yoooooo. 

Alright.
So.
Yesterday.
Your today.


To the point.....
So yesterday I got my nose double pierced!!! WOOOOTTTTTTT!!!

Don't be mad mommy and daddy... I love you..... 

                       LOOOKYYYYYYYYY!!^^^^

It didn't even hurt that bad. Kind of felt like I got punched in the nose, but it was all good. I only teared up in one eye! (I didn't cry people! It's like when you get hit in the nose and you just start tearing up. K!)

So, besides that.. did you know I got front row to the Mumford and Sons concert?!!? Bahah, of course you know that. I've told everyone and their Grandmother. 

No, but really. So yesterday (your today) we all went to the YWAM ship. It was pretty freakin' cool

I WANT TO LIVE!!!

Hehhe, they even have a Poop Deck. Oh my immaturity to anything with farting and poop will never fade. Thanks Dad....... hahah

So yeah, we got a tour of the ship. Then we got handed little papers with our names on it, when we opened it up it had a part of the ship to go to. Mine said Bow. So, knowing me I went up to everyone I knew asking what on earth is a bow. Once I found out where it was I went to it and there were other people waiting along with me. Then one of the leaders came up, and he is out outreach leader. WE FOUND OUT OUR OUTREACH!!!!!!!!!!!! Trust me, I wasn't that excited when I found out. I felt like I just got slapped in the face, for just completely ignoring what God really wanted me to do. There was this once place that God kept placing on my heart to go to, but I just brushed it off.. cause I am a wimp. I felt terrible. I was just all in my "the world revolves around me" phase and just didn't listen to a word my leader said. On the bus ride home, Rachel just talked to me about it, held my hand, and I cried. I felt like a failure all over again. I always do this! So, when I got back I just kind of sat in the cafe. Tim and Andrea (who is also in my outreach group) (well not Tim) just talked to me about it. They really helped. A BUNCH. We all went on a walk and Andrea just kept talking about our outreach and how awesome it is going to be, so it got me more excited. God placed me there for a reason. So, I am not gonna keep on sulking, cause I'm the one who got myself into this position anyway. God is gonna do amazing things through us and for us while we are there. I know it. 

Oh yeah, so you probably wanna know where I am going, right?!

I am going to Cairns and PNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew God laid on my heart to do medical missions and to go to PNG. So, that is exactly what I will be doing. 

In PNG, we have the possibility to cure a village of Lyphatic Filariasis Disease (LF)If you don't know what it is, look it up, cause I am not too educated in it either. But, I know it's a huge problem there. And knowing that we could help be the cure for it in a village leaves me speechless. Isn't that crazy?!!? There will be other things my team and I will be doing also, but that is the main thing that lead me to putting this group down first. Besides the fact I was too scared to put down the other team first (I put it second) so, if God wanted me to be there. I would have been there.

Alright, well I need to scadadle everyone. I love you all!! 

God bless! 

p.s. Happy Halloween from Australia! Yeaah, yeah! And Happy birthday to my sister, Anna! I love you so, so much! You are such a precious person to me and I am so lucky I have you in my life. 

MUMFORD AND SONS!!!!!!

Here are some vids from the Mumford and Sons concert. GAAAAH! I was the happiest girl ever!

Also, sorry not sorry about my gosh awful voice. I think myself and everyone around me knew how terrible of a singer I was and yes those high pitched screams are mine as well. But, I mean come on. I had front row to freakin' Mumford and Sons!!!!

Oh, and also I think I pulled a butt muscle from jumping so much. Hahahaha.

FYI I said "Messed it up this time" instead of the other word they use. I'm such a good girl:)

I WILL WAIT, I WILL WAIT FOR YOUUUUUUUUUU.

k, Well the other two videos are being poop and won't upload. Check em out on FB I guess. 

Okay... well bye-bye!

I want more of You God.

"Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain
That I can't control
I WANT MORE OF YOU GOD."

So this week we started talking about having a clear conscience. I feel like this week will be pretty hard for me....

I've had a couple of people pray for me telling me that I do have a purpose and God definitely brought me here for a reason. I'm not gonna stand in the shadows anymore and I am not gonna feel like a failure. I'm so tired of feeling like that. But it's so relieving to just be reminded that I am not a failure in God's eyes. That no matter what I have done in my life, all my fears and failures, He still loves me. Ah, that is so refreshing. 

Especially right now, it's what I need to hear. Missing my sister's wedding was extremely difficult for me. I felt like such a failure to my sister and I feel like I had just let her down. I still do. But when I was told all that, it was just like a little weight lifted off my shoulders. And then when I was bawling my eyes out, two girls came up to me and just comforted me and prayed for me. They are my sisters too. They don't compare to my real sisters, but it was just so comforting to just have someone there for me and love on me and tell me everything was going to be okay.

In other news...

I went to Billabong Sanctuary the other day. EEEE it was so fun!!!!!!!!!! I got to hold a snake and a croc, then touch a koala (they are mean animals!!) , kangaroo, AND A WOMBAT! Oh my heavens, wombats are the freakin' cutest and laziest animals on this planet. GAH! I just wanna take one home and cuddle with it all day. K, here are some pics!

This is my face when I got to touch a kangaroo for the first time. It's pure happiness.

BABY ROO!!!!!! 

Snakeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Croc!!!!!

Ray Charles, the Koala. He is named Ray Charles cause he is blind. 

WOMBAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am determined to have one of these as a pet. 

This is Nipper. He is a croc.

Kissed a kangaroo!

So yeah, that was like the greatest experience of my life. Until the Mumford and Sons concert rolled around. At first I wasn't too excited about it. I had already been twice and I was thinking of just giving it to someone else. But, I got talked out of that and man am I sure glad I did! I GOT FREAKING FRONT ROW TO THE MUMFORD AND SONS CONCERT! Oh my gosh.... guys that was the greatest experience of my whole life. I cannot put into words how awesome that concert was. But it was the bestest concert EVERRRRRR!!! Holy cow. I am still freaking out. And the lead singer and I totally made some serious eye contact. I'm in love. GAH! Walking out of the place I felt like I was walking on clouds. I was so happy. Hehe. AND I EVEN GOT THEIR SET LIST!!!! THEY MIGHT HAVE TOUCHED THAT!!!!! OMG OMG OMG! 

EEEE!!! LOOKY IT'S MUMFORD & SONS!!

LOOK HOW CLOSE I WAS!!!!!!!!!!!

I EVEN GOT A PICTURE WITH THEM!!!!!

AND THEIR SET LIST!!! THEY MIGHT HAVE TOUCHED THIS!!!!

I'll try and upload a video soon!! Ain't got enough time for that right now.

Okay... well I am just extremely happy right now. God is amazing. Too good. BAH! I mean come on think about it.. we aren't worthy, yet He still loves you and takes you for who you are. Such a great feeling. EPP! I don't think I have ever been so happy in my life. YAY! 

PEACE

p.s. I find out my outreach today!!! I will let you all know where I am going when I find out! 

God bless. 

Week One!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It has been one whole week since I have arrived in Townsville, Australia! It's been a crazy adventure so  far and I have made such great lasting relationship with so many people. 
So lemme tell you a few things I have learned so far

1. God is good (durrrrr)

2. I develop some massive kankles from flying. (if you don't know what that is, it's when you can't even define your ankles.) My feet just swelled up! I had them for quite some time

3.Instead of saying Z like us Murican's do they say it like Zed. EMERGERD I'M SOOO AUSTRALIAN. I say Zed now... yup I'm cool. 

4. Walking in fun! I walk everywhere! 

5. I am more addicted to coffee and tea than ever before. I feel like there might be an intervention soon. I drink coffee in the morning, we get tea time everyday, and I drink tea during lectures and stuff.

6. Someone told me that you would gain a little bit of weight here and at first I didn't believe it, but now I do. All YWAMers do is eat! I LOVE IT

7. There is no such thing as "nice hot showers" here. I only take freezing cold showers. It's not fun, but you get used to it. 

8. Thus I don't bother to shower, but I never bothered to shower even when I had nice hot showers back in the states.

9. I underpacked waaaaaay underpacked. 

10. I developed some rash here... and I can't figure out what it is. Either heat rash or from switching face washes.  

11. Australian money seems so delicate to me. I always have to place it so gently and perfectly in my wallet, unlike American money... I just stuff it in there. 

12. THE FLOWERS ARE SO PRETTY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

13. ^^ I put one in my hair like almost everydaaaay! YAY! But I have yet to see a sunflower... soooooo..... someone send me one. (I'm not joking)

14. That reminds me... someone be my pen pal! I will write back and send you like flowers or sand from the strand... or pieces of the croc I killed with my bare hands. 

15. I'm going for this whole accent change thing.. haha I'm such a loser. 

16. THANK YOU LORD... everyone here doesn't think I have a southern accent. Oh praise the heavenly Father up above. Someone even said that I have a news caster voice. I took it as a compliment. (Hopefully I won't develop manly hands)(Only my father would get that)(So none of you else read these)

17. Australia has such better clothes here. I'm defs going on a shopping spree at some point. If I have enough money. HAY! People send me money! Yeaaah send me money. I'll give you a big hug when I get back to the states

18. OH I FOUND MY CAMERA!! It was in my purse the whole time! Hahah, silly ole me

19. I love Tim. (only for his accent) (jk, he is a great person)

20.  I have come to terms that I am just gonna sweat a whole lot here. 

21. Ugh.. I need to shower. But looky here! I lost my brush! Booooooooooooooooooo. Typical me.

22. I miss my family

23. But everyone of them keeps telling me how proud they are of me and that makes me happy. Cause for once I feel proud of myself too. 

24. So, when I feel like times are getting hard and all I want to do is run into my daddy's arms... I just think. I have my Father here with me, always. And He has His arms around me the whole time, holding my hand through this whole experience. 

25.There are like two Mcdonald's around here. I haven't gone to them yet, but every time I think about it I wonder if they have sweet tea. Gosh, I miss sweet tea. I bet they don't even know what it is, so I don't think I will ever bother asking. 

26. So yeah! I love each and everyone of you! Skype me, iMessage me, stalk me on Facebook, or whatever you want. 

                     Peace out.

Oh wow... silly me. I forgot! Here are some pictures from the night hike I went on. It was the bestest

Beautiful skyline... aaaahh so breathtaking!

Mi homies y I on our hike!

It was a wee bit windy up thur.

FROGSSSS! A few of us even kissed one. My knight in shinning armor appeared. Haha just kidding. There is no such thing. 

OH! And last but not least. Today my sister, Sara, got married. I of course wasn't there. I feel terrible cause I missed it. My own sisters wedding... That just isn't right. I'm sorry Sara. Please know how much I love you so, so much. You are an amazing sister, mother, and now wife. I am so extremely proud of you and the woman you have become. I know you were the most beautifulest bride ever. I am with you there in spirit. But just know that this is what I am called to do right now. God put here for a reason. I love and miss you so extremely much and I am giving you the biggest hug right now. Can't wait to see pictures!

It's not 6 months.... It's a lifetime

Alright.... so I freakin' love it here. God has already worked on me and through me. It's crazy. God definitely hand picked each and everyone of us here and something radical is about to happen. 

We are learning to hear God's voice. It's incredible. 

I'll try and keep this all short and sweet... but I don't think I have that ability.

Okay... so the other day we were just gonna have a normal day of worship. That didn't happen. 
In like the last some odd 20 years (or more I can't remember) this was like the 3rd time something like this has ever happened. In short, it was just about shutting doors behind us and just basically letting go of our past. We broke clay pots, walked through a door, and nailed shut the door as a symbolism to that. It might be weird to you, heck it was weird to me... but that was Christ. The Holy Spirit filled that room. We all let go of something that day, and it really brought us all a lot closer. 

So the other day a whole bunch of us went on a night hike. It was SOOOOOO beautiful!! I mean it was extremely difficult to do, but in the end the view was breathtaking. And I took bunches of pictures and I can't wait to show them to you.... once I find my camera. I seem to have lost it and I have no idea where it is. Let's pray that I find it! It will come up somewhere! 

But I do happen to have a some cute pics from the strand! YAY! It's so beautiful there. 

Let me give you a glimpse of where I live.....

Oh and this is for you mommy! It's beautiful here. You would love it. Go on Facebook and there are bunches more I took!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Here is a video to my family. I love and miss each and everyone of you guys so, so much! 

I have a prayer request guys! Last night, we found out where our outreaches are. There are bunches of places to go and each are doing something different. Pray that I hear God's voice and not my own on where He wants me to go. I will have to know by Monday my three options. So once I know for sure where I am going I will let you all know! 

Mmmm.... well I gotta go everyone. Much love. 

PEACE

So far!

Alright, so wow.... God! You are so amazing. This is totally where I am meant to be. It's crazy. I have created so many new relationships here so fast!! Then yesterday we started our first day of DTS and oh my heavens! When we were in worship and people were talking it just hit me that I knew that myself and everyone here are just gonna get rocked by Christ! We aren't ever gonna be the same. I cannot wait to see how God is gonna just move each and everyone of us.

Here is a little bit of what I get to look at everyday! EEEE! Isn't God just so good?! That's in my lecture room!

Okay.... so the second day I was here we had a BBQ it was lots of fun! We played games and then had yummy food! I even tried a tiny, tiny piece of kangaroo and I felt so bad. I haven't even seen one and I already ate one. I'M SORRY YOU CUTE LITTLE ROOS. PLEASE DON'T KICK ME! 

Here are some pics from the BBQ. Just wanna throw it out there that I just love my whole YWAM family. 

Anddd.... this is me in the freeze pop competition. I lost miserably. But hay! At least we all know that I am extremely photogenic! 

Kaaay.... soooo then yesterday I told you all I had orientation and it was awesome! Then after din-din and some chattin' we all decided to go to the strand (the beach) it's a freakin' 45 minute walk there and back (I got blister on my feet from the walk,so I walked back barefoot). Good exercise I guess and SUCH pretty flowers! I'll post a picture of all the different kinds of pretty flowers there are when I get a chance... I haven't taken any yet! But I got six months... it's gonna happen! 

But anywhozle.....here are some more pictures!!!!! YAY!

Here are my mates and I (Tim and Rachel!)

Then pretty ole' me at the beach... IN AUSTRALIA! It's night time (obvi) so you can't really tell. But I am in the H20!!

Okaaayyyyayayayayayay, sooooooo...... um well yeah so I get free unlimited coffee and tea all day urry day. I am one happy, happy girl. Everyone has told me I drink coffee and tea way to much and I clearly know that. I actually have a cup of tea with me right now while I am typing this! 

^^^^^^^^^

Oh! And I tried my first Australian drink here. Oh my heavens it was soooo good! It was like a fruity soda. mmmm... soooo gerrrdddddd! 

OH! So today we did exercises. We have to exercise every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. I LOVE ITTT! I'm gonna come back to the states all in shape and what not. Some of us ran to the park and then did circuit training exercises. ERMERGHERD! I FELT THE BURRRN!
 We also got our ministry placements today. I filled out that I would do everything, but clean the kitchen cause I worked in a kitchen for four years and of course I got meal clean up! Ugh! It's like being back at my old job! But... ya know. It's okay. I work with three other beautiful girls and we all work really well together! So I guess it's just God telling me this is my place to play my part in serving Him and those around me!

K, everyone start being jelly of me. This sunday I get to go to this place called Bilabong and hold a kangaroo, touch a snake, and wrestle a croc. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!! It's gonna be a blast and then Monday is the MUMFORD AND SONS CONCERTS! HOLY POOP I AM SO EXCITED! This will be the third time I have seen then! Hehehe.

Alright... well this is super duper long. I'm not sorry. I just have so much to tell you all and I hope I did. If not I'll just annoy you all with another longggg blog. Hahah, well love you all and God bless! Expect another novel in the near future and in the near future I mean like tomorrow...

PEACE

ERMERGERD

Phew... I just had a minor heart attack.... my blog wasn't workin' there for a bit cause something about me going from American to Australia does something with stuff like that? IDK! But thanks to my good pal TAMMY I got everything sorted out! So thanks Tammy, you da bestest. 

Oh but here is my first picture of Australia. Ain't it beautiful?!?!?

Okay, so day 1 of my YWAM adventure is complete. As I said I got here yesterday morning around 10amish. At first I was just so full of excitement that I didn't really feel the jet lag. But slowly, but surely it crept in. And there are many different stages of tiredness I found out

At first I was just a wee bit tired, which is understandable! I just traveled for basically two days straight. But, I was okay enough to walk to the mall with some of my mates. We ended up staying there for an extremely long time. My group ended up running into some other of our YWAM team. So it was just one big YWAM family at the mall (the mall cop even told us to move cause we were just standing there) After being at the mall which seemed like forever we finally went back. 
We had pumpkin soup for dinner (which was DE-LISH!!!!!) and somewhat tasted like pizza when you dipped bread in it haha. 
Then we just got to just do whatever and we just sat around for a bit and then I decided to take a nice, hot shower cause I hadn't showered in like two days and I just smelt awful... especially my feet. And that nice, hot shower ended up being a freakin' cold shower! Oh it was awful.. but when you smelt like I did you needed to wash yourself no matter what the shower felt like. I don't know if that was just cause everyone else had already showered before me or if we just don't have hot water. 
But anywho... once I got all cleaned up I went back to the cafe and played some intense card games with Andrea. I can't remember the name of the game, but it was fun. And she did one card trick bunches of times! It was fun! But then more people started playing the card game with us and oh my lawdy it got crazy. All our tiredness just made us weird. We were laughing at nothing and just making weird noises. Well manly it was just Andrea and I doing that cause everyone else had been there for a couple of days. But it was like we were on drugs or drunk or something. It was that bad... but we were just so tired
So finally at around like 9:30p.m. we decided to go to bed. Andrea and I were walking to our rooms, laughing the whole way. We have code to get it and we still don't remember it. I was trying to punch in the code, but failed miserably. We were just laughing so hard. Someone came and saw our state and opened the door for us. Oh gosh, we just couldn't stop laughing! But once my head hit my pillow I was out. Then I woke up at 5:30a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep, so I just got up and went to the cafe. But lots of others were in the same situation I am and were up. So we all had coffee and breakfast. And then a couple of us went back to the mall and it was closed, so we came back and are waiting till it opens again to go back! I think we have a BBQ tonight and orientation is tomorrow! Whoop, whoop! I just luvvvv it here. 

Alright...well... umm.... KBYE! 
p.s. I hope you guys like reading all my long, ungrammared speeches, LOL

G'DAY FROM DOWN UNDA!

YAYAYAYAY! I made it!!!! It was pretty crazy, lemme tell you....I am a terrible traveler and my super awkwardness doesn't help.

On my first flight I had to fly alone... I thought I had a window seat and I was sooo freakin' excited! I even texted my mommy my joy and tweeted about it and then this couple comes up to me and tells me I'm in there seat... I actually got the aisle seat. So... of course I was sad. And then we had to start buckling up and I was attempting to try and buckle myself and somehow the seatbelt slipped out of my hand and hit the lady next to me, I also had to ask her to help me turn off my phone, and her and her significant other were very touchy.....

So then I landed in LAX where I met up with some of my mates (Rachel, Andrea, Mollie, Brittney and Larry) we were all super duper excited and probably annoyed everyone around us. I also spent 14 bucks for a salad and a drink! RIPPPP OFFFFF. 
We then boarded our plane around 11:45pm on this huge, big, giant plane where I sat down in the middle next to these old aussie peeps.... which I ended up being in the wrong seat AGAIN! They had to get up for me so I could move (sorry old aussie people!) I basically somehow slept almost the whole time. I got breakfast and dinner (which I ended up squirting my dressing sauce on the lady next to me), and I attempted to watch What to Expect When You're Expecting (that's for you Anna, Sara, and Mommy) Madagascar 3, and Magic Mike (I don't suggest that) but I did watch The Lorax all the way through and I loved that movied, made me giggle and feel all happy in my moment of uncomfortableness! So after a 14 hour friggen long flight we finally landed in Bribane at 6:00a.m. on Saturday October, 20 (I didn't get to live in October 19! ): ) We then had to go through customs and get doggie searched and Rachel got help up cause she had an orange on her... OOO RULE BREAKER! She got it confiscated. 

And this is where things start to get crazier. 

Okay, so I had a flight at 4p.m. later today and all my other mates had a flight at 8:35a.m. I would have had a 10 hour lay over, in Brisbane, all by my lonesome. I definitely didn't want to that! So I tried changing that. I kept going up to people asking for help and they would direct me to going to these people, so I would have to run to all these other places with a backpack on and carrying a duffle bag (very difficult to do by the way) So finally I got to the right person and at first he told me there was nothing he could do, but I guess it was just a total God thing cause he decided to change his mind and see what he could do (and he kept telling me he never ever does this for people) so I ended up getting the same flight as all my mates AND I GOT A WINDOW SEAT!!! So by then it was like 8:05a.m. (remember that this flight is at 8:35) I then had to go and check in my bag, I didn't know what I was doing so I had to go and ask for me, then I got rushed to security  where they had to search my lap top and take my scissors cause they were too sharp. So then they let me go and to make matters worse I LOST MY PASSPORT! I was freaking out by now and was on the verge of tears. I was searching all over for it and then this lady comes up to me and had it... I left it at the baggage check! So now I am full sprint to get to my plane ( I honestly thought I was going to miss it) I had no idea where I was going, but then I found my spot and I saw the flight attendant closing the door and I was screaming at her "MA'AM, MA'AM!!!" (so by now I thought I really missed my flight) and all my YWAM mates just looked at me and just said "Elissa..." and I looked at  them and just fell... I was panting and basically crying just telling all that has just happened to me. And they all said they just they could hear my shoes squeaking and saw me booking it from around the corner. Hahaha! Crazy, right? I'm just gonna take this time and praise God for making all that happened. I still would have been in the airport if that didn't. So I got to enjoy a nice two hour flight to Townsville looking out the window, seeing all of God's beautiful creations.

Now I am just at my base hanging around all my mates, eaten' food, and blogging. I'm also attempting to try and talk to my parents, but it's like 10p.m. there. So Mommy, Daddy I'm here safe and sound!! 

Well, haha imma stop this. Internet gets cut off soon, I'm jet lagged, and I need to go and get supplies. WEEEEEEE! So, luvv you all! God bless

It's not goodbye, it's see you later

First blog, HAAAY! I honestly don't know how to use this at all, so bare with me as I tell you my stories....

Today is the day! October 18, 2012! I have been waiting for this day for months! Today I leave my life behind here in Tennessee to start a new chapter of my life. Today I head to Townsville, Australia for six months. SIX MONTHS. Holy cow.... I spent a week away from my family and on like day three I was already crying to my daddy on the phone about how I missed him so much. I feel like I am missing out on everything now... Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, my nephews birthday, and my sisters's wedding. Let's not get me started on that.... 
Sara I just want you know to know sad I am that I am missing out on your Wedding. I am your sister! And I feel like I just completely failed you. I supposed to  be there for you, especially on the most important day of your life. You are going to be THE MOST gorgeous bride ever, just sayin' (Well I guess I did get started on that... whoops!)

BUT! I digress. God has led me to this. He has never proven to me more that this is what He has planned for me. This whole experience has already taught me so much. And I am not even there yet! This experience has already brought me closer to Him. It's crazy and I know through this I am about to grow even closer to Him. 

EPP! I can't believe today is the day. Crazy, crazy, crazy crazy! 

Alright well.... ummm..... I hope people read this. I gotta go now, ya know I just gotta go fly on a plane TO AUSTRALIA, FOR SIX MONTHS! 

I'm not gonna say bye (well I just did...) I'm gonna say see you later.

So see you later everyone!