Sri Lanka

You have all had the chance to meet our other two housemates on the blog, Sarah-Anne and Mel.  I thought this would be the perfect chance to introduce you to Van, our housemate from Sri Lanka.  

We came home from church Sunday night and Van had cooked us an amazing Sri Lankan dinner.  I had never ate Sri Lankan before, but I think I'll be making a habit of it.  Wow.  So delicious.  

Menu:

sri lankan roast beef

egg plant curry

pappadam

cucumber salad

rice

Just an update on what has been happening with Dane & I.  Dane started classes yesterday (that's Tuesday for us, Monday for you in the states).  I had the opportunity to attend chapel with him yesterday, and just loved it.  I'm excited that chapel is a huge part of the Hillsong Leadership College experience.  I also attended a lecture on church and ministry.  During the time there we explored what it means to be the body of Christ, what makes church "church" and the Hillsong Mission Statement.

Yesterday I dropped a resume off at a local daycare/preschool and spoke with the director.  They run an all day daycare facility, an after school program, and in April, are opening a new organic preschool.  They are needing someone with a degree to teach in the new preschool and are going to discuss how they could make this work with my part-time visa.  I am going to put my resume in at other places just in case that falls through.

For those of you committing to pray for us.  Here are a few requests we have.  We are still needing a washing machine, although we have completed three loads of laundry with our hands and the sweat of our brow.  A humbling character builder if you ask me...wink wink.  

We are also praying diligently for bikes to help us with the journey from home to campus and future jobs.

Please keep the job search in your prayers.  I am asking for wisdom and guidance about the preschool job as well as other job opportunities.

And please keep our hearts in your prayers.  God has been doing some really big things in our lives and it is so exciting.  Sometimes it is so much we can't even digest it all, but it is so amazing to experience the overflow of His goodness and blessing.

Love you all!  - the kids down under

DIY Recycled Bunting

Moving to Australia meant that only the necessities were coming with us, which meant, not a lot of cute stuff got to make the trip.  I knew, in order to make our house feel like our home, I would have to create on basically a $0 budget.  So throughout our time here, I hope to share DIY’s that are basically free but can make your space have that little extra. 

Today I created recycled bunting to hang in our bedroom above our bed.  Here are the items you will need.

Cereal box, Old Magazines or Ads, Scissors, Scotch Tape, String, a Ruler, and a pin.

 

First, cut out a pattern from the cereal box for your flags.  Mine measures 14 cm by 21 cm. 

Then find magazine pages that you love.  I used a information book that the Hillsong church publishes each season.  It had a perfect mix of colors, the paper was a little thicker, and it was free!  Trace your flag pattern on the pages.

Then cut the flags out of the pages.

Now, take scotch tape, and simply tape them onto the string.

Now you have a fun piece to hang up in your bedroom, living room or outside.  You could also paint letters over the magazine pages to make them say something fun.

I hope you enjoy creating something new for your space!  xoxo Christy

Something I'm Looking Forward To

Coming to Hillsong Church in March is the Colour Conference.  Started by Bobbie Houston, Colour conference will have attendees from all over the world.  Teachers this year include BETH MOOORE (I’m just a wee bit excited about this) and Priscilla Shirer (whom I have ALWAYS wanted to hear speak).  So if you want to visit Sydney, and you are a woman, this is the time! 

Ok so I can’t wait to blog to you all after this conference because the Holy Spirit has already been stirring in me, and I know God has something in store for especially me at this event!  The conference is quite pricey for Dane and I right now ($169), so if you would like to sponsor my attendance in any way, I would appreciate it so much.  If you would like to be one of my sponsors, please send me an email or facebook message. 

Thank you all for the support and prayers you have sent our way.  It is such a comfort knowing you are all praying for us and it is a joy to have you journeying with us through the blog, facebook and twitter posts.  Much luv.  Christy

(photos courtesy of hillsong colour brochure)

The first of many: Australia Day

Dane & I celebrated Australia day January 26 with some of our new friends.  Here's a glimpse into our celebration.

donuts

every shop that sells donuts sells colorful donuts like these.  you can't help but want to indulge!

Come to Australia, and have a donut with us!

Reassurance.

After taking a leap of faith, sometimes, that's what you need.  This past weekend at frontline conference Dane and I were reminded over and over and over by God, this is where I want you to be.  

Frontline is the group of young adults ages 25-35 who attend Hillsong Church.  Throughout the year we will do life together, dinner, Bible studies, worship, laugh, learn, cry, pray.  Dane and I were so thankful that God brought us here a week before school started because it gave us the opportunity to attend Frontline's biggest conference of the year, Renaissance.  

The speaker, Judah Smith, just brought the Word, time and time again.  I would love to share all of my notes with you, but it is simply too much, and my mind was just blown out of the water with how God was moving and working.  If you want to know more, Message me!

So I'm going to share a few pictures from the conference.  

These are some of our new friends.  Jacob from Cali, David from OKC, and Sarah-Anne (housemate and friend).

At the conference, they had the cutest vignettes set up all over.  Of course I was obsessed with these, and took lots of pictures.  Maybe they will inspire you a bit.

All of us conference pals hanging out.  David, Dane, Alex & Jess (they belong together), Sarah-Anne, Jacob, and John.

Dane and David are like best buds.  Its so great!

Nobody is surprised by this are they?

Mevan with his professional pool skills.

The biggest jar of nutella ever.

Check out that meringue!

So there are these amazing cookies here called Tim Tams.  Gloria Jeans has taken these delectable cookies and put them in iced coffee drinks.  Jacob and I enjoyed these drinks greately.  Jacob has such a sweet tooth, and this is him being FULLY American.

Our buddy Alex got a long board to get back and forth to school.

JUDAH SMITH...IN THE HOUSE!

Love you all!  xoxo the kids down under

Make Note.

In case you don't follow us on twitter, facebook, or skype....make note.  we have a fridge.

A God given fridge.  somebody from the church donated it to college housing, and we happened to be next on the list.  Thank you Lord for our free fridge.

So thank you for your fridge prayers.  Four new prayer requests for you all.  #1 Washing Machine.  #2 Internet Connection at home.  #3 Job.  #4  Bikes.

We love you all!
xoxo the kids down under.

a darling exploration

Dane and I spent Tuesday exploring the city of Sydney.  The city is really quite huge so we stuck to an area known as Darling Harbor.  We learned quite quickly that this is the wealthy part of the city with shops like Versace.  I considered going in just to touch the clothes, but the two people working there were basically guarding the door and glared at me.  Probably my odor from the hot Sydney sun.  Check out the pictures and enjoy the adventure with us!

 sydney town hall

outside china town 

our lunch.  AUTHENTIC Japanese 

Our roommate Melissa.  From Australia. 

Soon-Lee and Melissa.   

 Dane and I outside the rain wall.

 A kiddo's paradise!

 we love you Kansas!  Apparently Australia does too!

 Darling Harbor

 Dear Schwarm family, this picture is for you!

 Cotton Candy = Fairy Floss

 The delicious hazelnut danish ice cream.

 Dear Papa Wutke and Papa Beb.  This pic is for you.

 Ceiling in the pricey mall

For those of you who have committed to praying for us.  We are still in need of a fridge.  I cannot WAIT to put a message up on facebook that says "WE HAVE A FRIDGE."  Also starting the process of looking for bikes.  Dane and I have a 30 minute walk to campus and a bike would be nice.  We are in the process of polishing our resumes, so please keep that in your prayers as well.  We love you all!