Hello!

I know its been ages since I've posted. I really wanted to write a lot earlier but because our internet is going away in a couple days I figured I best get on here and update everyone because who knows how long until another update is coming!

So I'm on the final stretch of my year of college. Only four and a half months till I'm done! It's quite amazing and surreal to be honest. I'm just continuing to seek out every opportunity over here. It's been great seeing the change and how God has worked himself and revealed himself to me in different ways. Saviour, provider, healer, father, comfort, best friend, teacher, redeemer, his grace, and his love.






These are just a few of the amazing people over here in Australia that I've been able to share my life with for the past half a year and year to come.

Time for work! Love you all! I mean it, every single on of you!

Work!

So after a week and a bit of being sick, I'm healed! It's awesome to have my clarity back and my head not being so cloudy. Thanks to everyone who prayed, there were a lot of you and I'm grateful as it did wonders!

So I finally got work at the Hilton! It was exciting to go back! My first shift in two month was this past Saturday. Wow, after not working for so long at the end of the shift my body was EXHAUSTED! My entire body was in pain! As I laid in bed at 3AM [Got off at 2 AM] I couldn't wait to just fall asleep and escape the pain. Okay, so it wasn't to bad but it was enough pain to make falling asleep a little difficult. I also worked today which was a little 4.5 hour shift which was nothing, we just had to do a set-up for tomorrow. I work next Saturday also! It's good.

Semester 2 is starting this Thursday! I'm really excited to get started but I know that this last 6 months of my time here in Sydney is going to go quick so I'll enjoy it as much as possible! Although I am looking forward to coming to the other side and seeing everyone. It will be amazing to be home!

To end this quick post I wanted to share a word from God. I've been reading this book by Louie Giglio titled "I am not but I know I Am." [Recommenced it, even if your aren't Christian but believe in God.] So I was talking to my dad because I was having a difficult time and he shared a word with me, "Be still and know that I am God." So I got off the phone, picked up the book, and in bold letters being read for the first time on the page I was on was Be still and know that I am God. My draw dropped and I smiled. I live for the creator of the universe, I live for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit lives in me. God is huge and in control. I believe that the sabbath, or the seventh day of rest was made for us to realize who God is in our lives and to know that God is God and He is in control with or without us. Pretty much the world is going to keep on going with or without you. I don't want to make us feel insignificant but to help us realize who is ultimately in control. I won't go into much more detail but give the book a read!

So I get to go to bed at a reasonable time! Goood night! Love you all!

6 months!

It's hard to believe that on the 18th of July I'll have lived in Sydney, Australia for 6 months. I wish I could say it's easy, but for me it wasn't. It's been hard and difficult living so far away from everyone. I really wish for just a moment I could come back and see you all and sit down with everyone and just talk about life and everything that has been going on, but I can't, not yet.

Over the past week I've been fighting the flu. The high fever, aching body, couch, sore throat, headache kinda flu. Of course it had to come right before conference. I fought it until I had to return to my bed Tuesday afternoon and sleep till Wednesday afternoon, literally. I went to the doctors and got some medicine and such. I've been praying and praying but it only seems that my body is just going to have to fight this one.

The conference, was amazing. Indescribable.
Check it out.



Everyone watch this!

Love you all.

Cory

Hmm...

I don't know why, but it seems to me June is a month of writing. I've been doing tons of writing or typing. It's crazy, I've nearly been here for 6 months, just over half a year. Half a year away from my life, the world I knew. The people, the sights, the sounds. A world which seemed so large but in hindsight looks so small. My world that will keep on growing. It's such a surreal experience to live life this way, away from everything familiar. Hm.

So I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to say in this post, I feel kinda dazed. Maybe I'm tired, maybe I'm just excited. I know one thing, God is at work. Right now, loving you, just tugging at your heart.

Anyways, I've been applying for jobs and such, scoping out the job market here in Sydney. It's a tough nut to crack at least I find. I'm usually pretty good at getting jobs, but the literal dozens upon dozens of resumes sent out, only one replied, Hilton and I don't think it is going to work out there anymore which is disappointing because it was such a good job. With no work on Mondays or Saturdays [My only days available] then there is not much I can do.

I got a word from a friend about a job at a local pub not even a minute away from where I live, literally across the street. So I went there today and handed in a resume and met a lady that works there. I haven't heard anything yet, but I've been diligently praying and hoping for this job if it be God's will. I already have my RSA [Responsible Service of Alcohol] so the only thing left is to be hired. Although working is not something I want to do while I'm here, but I guess you got to do, what you got to do.

I almost feel like I'm in a moment of moving on, where the old is left behind, and the new is just around the corner. It really is a weird feeling, I think it's a new feeling for me. Knowing God is in control but not knowing how things are going to work out within the next couple of days/weeks. It's scary, but I'm at peace for sure. It's almost kinda fun because I don't have to worry, God is in control.

Abba Father lead the way.

It's great. I'm getting involved in the church heaps. I'm helping get together the massive banners we need for JAM for the conference this year. Massive 4 x 7 meter banners that need to be sewed together, painted, and such. It's been fun.

I've noticed that when you go through trying or challenging times as a group, you gain an incredible bond with the people that you otherwise wouldn't have had. Your all going through the same thing, trying to figure out how things are going to work, and you make great friends that way. It's really awesome.

Enough chatting, now I am for sure getting tired. It's been a long, rainy day, and my nice comfy mattress on the floor is calling out to me. "Cooooomeeeeee, sleeeeeeep." So good night! Oh and keep on smiling, especially if you aren't right now! Haha.

Trip to a National Park

So over the past weekend, I got to experience one of the National Parks of New South Wales.

And this is how it started, we have leadership group of about 10 or so people after Chapel in the mornings. We would get together and go over anything that needed to be discussed for college and it gives us a chance to get to know one another quicker while practicing our leadership skills. So we wanted to do something together because our leadership groups are changing for the new semester that is coming. Celiste and Johnny, whom both live here, decided that they would take the 5 of us that could come for a BBQ in one of the national parks. I can’t remember exactly what it was called but it was amazing. Only about 20 minutes outside of Sydney was this park and it was amazing because you couldn’t see the city anywhere in sight.

After the BBQ we drove to a new location where we went for a hike. Halfway through the hike we stopped at one of the tall rocks overlooking the water and lo and behold two whales and a dolphin swam by. I only managed to get a picture of the top of the whale, but the dolphin was swimming near by jumping in and out of the water, it was amazing. Awesome. So cool to see natural wildlife. Apparently they don’t come that close to the shore either which was a blessing. We walked along the coast till we got to a wide stream that was running into the ocean. We stayed there for a bit, walked around in the water before we headed back. So here's heaps of pictures from that day!

The BBQ


A kookaburra!

The Hike