and anybody else who wants an update of life in Australia. I've been promising this for awhile to those who are impossible to schedule a Skype date with... (bad grammar, Ski-but I'm leaving it this time.)
Ready to move on-in some direction. I've got work to do. I've been thinking a lot about what life will look like after Hillsong-while I still don't really know, there are some things that have come up lately that look interesting.
So, direction...
I feel like God's been defining things (some things!) for me over the last several months-and it really kicked in when we had our goodbye dinner for you, V!. My heart has always been for healing nations-but for years, I've defined it in a mostly physical sense. (You know-be a doctor, heal people.) I've realized that healing nations happens when you build people, and building people happens in community, where you get people encouraging and speaking into each others' lives about hope, destiny, vision and purpose. In the context of that, I looked around the table at dinner that night, and realized that we have formed community around my kitchen table in the last year...people have relationships around food. And food is what I'm good at-that, and networking people. So I think I'm supposed to heal nations by building people in community around my dinner table. Sounds crazy-small, but I think maybe it's crazy-big. And it could happen anywhere in the world. In fact, I've gotten more and more of a vision for home-the States as a base lately.
I feel like too, God's been growing my revelation of His church body. Just imagine if people really understood who they are and what they're gifted for, how healthy the Church would get?! I see Europeans understanding that their history of intellect, culture, the arts, stewardship, and even longevity (the European church having seen both the greatest abuses and the greatest revivals in history) are meant to build the Church-both locally and globally. When people get who they are and what they're here for, they stop looking at themselves and start looking around at building others. I SEE the church in W. Europe giving a hand UP to the church in E. Europe-mentoring, investing and bringing health to broken people who've been occupied for centuries, and breaking strongholds that perpetuate abuses like trafficking. I firmly believe that you can rescue and prosecute till you're blue, but the real change will come when the culture changes and people start valuing each other.
Just imagine, then-if a healthy Europe brought those things-history, longevity, culture, etc-to the global church as resource? And imagine, just regionally, if other parts of the world brought their strengths? Africans, with their extraordinary faith? Asia, with its extraordinary tenacity? South America, with its extreme passion? North America with our "If you can dream it, you can do it"/"sky's the limit" ingenuity and creativity? Then the church-The Church-gets healthy and can heal a broken world. THAT'S my vision. Not entirely sure how I do it, but I'm pretty sure it starts around a dinner table. :)
Aran did his prophetic thing in class the other week...he said to me, "God knows why you're here"-and I was like, I sure wish He'd tell me! I do know-but the worship aspect of things here still frustrates and baffles me. He said, "He will-you'll be doing something inocuous and one day the pennies will just drop, all the dominoes you've lined up in life will fall, and you'll know." He also said something to the effect that the next place I go won't feel forced (which here does a lot, you know), that there'll be a place for my gifts, and that it will be HOME. I have to admit, I like the sound of that-I'm a bit over feeling transient. He asked me last week what my plans are after I leave here, and I told him a bit of the above. He said to me, "You need a base to do this from-to go out and teach, and to write, and to take teams." He reiterated the "home" theme, and said that he thinks it will be the next place I go-or the one after that. Ironically, about six weeks ago, another friend from Hillsong asked me something similar-could I see myself being based in the States and taking teams to Europe or do I feel like I need to move to Europe? Also, my friend from home said something very similar to me a while back about having a base to take teams from...so definitely something to consider.
I've also been challenged about writing a book. Aran might have mentioned it briefly, and another friend-actually two, now that I think of it-encouraged me to do so...SO, I'm trying to hear what God's saying about that, too. We'll see. And as far as what happens after this place, well. I have some recent ideas about that, as well. I've been increasingly drawn towards Bethel's worship and teaching lately. I've always wanted to visit and of course I have several good friends there in Northern Cal. I don't want to do their school-this is my time for that here-but I would love to be able to get there for some of the teaching and the culture. They embrace the supernatural lifestyle more than Hillsong does, and I have been missing that. (Sounds so weird to say it like that, but I don't know how else to put it.) I was on their website the other day, and found that they offer a TEFL course during the school year on Thursday nights. I'd considered getting my TEFL license before I came here-you know you can take that anywhere in the world to teach English-so it's not a new idea. I will still have one year left on my science teaching license when I go home next year, and VA has reciprocity with CA for teaching, so I could get a job teaching for a year in/near Redding, be part of Bethel, and take the TEFL course.
So...lots of wait and see, lots of 'God's up to something', lots of learning to trust Him...and I've also been challenged lately about finishing well, and being where I am at the moment. I'm trying to stay on top of things, and really embrace the season I'm in -after all, who knows when or if I'll get to Oz again?
That's me for now. Keep your Donna in prayer, kiddos. Is it bad to say that I'm feeling increasingly like I want the girl thing-a home and a family? . We'll see what God has in store. I'm good if I have to do this on my own-because I'm with Him, but it'd be nice to have someone to share it all with. Until then-if it happens!-I've got plenty to keep me busy. :)
Can I just say that I love having you two in my life? Even if you are MIA often (and I do understand-though I hate it! :P) , I'm thrilled to know that you're out there, somewhere. I miss you dreadfully, but I'm so glad things are working well on the African front...I'm so excited to see what God does with you guys. I pray for you regularly-let me know how I can pray with you, and keep me posted on life in general. Can't wait till I see you again-and to find out where it'll be! Much love to you both...
