the Lord is faithful!

Hooray! I GOT MY VISA! its just so beautiful :) I'm pleased to say that the Australian government has officially deemed me acceptable enough to live in their country for up to 2 years! It all happened so quickly... well, sort of. Let me explain.

I've been meaning to call the embassy in Washington DC for a few days now, just to check on how things are going with my forms, and hoping to get an estimate on when it might be done. So.. I finally got around to giving them a call this morning! The nice lady on the phone said that my Visa had been approved, and was in fact on its way back to me right then! So I went about my day super excited and thankful to God that I didn't have to worry anymore (and actually, that I never need to worry in the first place!) Hours later... I arrived back home after finishing up some errands and what do you know? THERE IT WAS! A little fed-ex envelope with my name on it! I was actually in the middle of telling my best friend all about the anxieties I had been feeling toward the whole Visa situation when I opened it. Its safe to say that I screamed in her ear.

So there you have it! All thats left is to book a little 15-hour flight and I'll be off!

Thanks, as always, for your prayers and support!

God bless you!

full support!!

"BEWARE OF KANGAROOS". Boy oh boy, I cannot wait to get a photo standing next to one of these signs :) It seems as though that will be happening SOON, because the Lord has provided 100% of my financial support!
PRAISE GOD for His faithfulness and provision... ALWAYS! It has been incredible to experience His strength and sovereignty over the last 8 months as I've been raising support for STINT. I've been so amazed by how the Lord has brought together all these people over the last few months to partner with me in ministry to reach college students in Australia. Right now I've got 125 individuals and families on my ministry team, and several of them I had never ever met (and some that I still haven't met!)

I've been so encouraged by the body of Christ who has totally joined with me and one another to reach the lost. I've absolutely loved raising support, which hadn't expected! I've been able to feel really connected with my family's home church that I once felt disconnected with during college and high school, I've been able to talk with my family about what I'm doing and why, I've seen college students, friends and complete strangers trust God along with me as they committed to give of their finances, and I've truly heard the Lord's voice and felt confident in the direction that He's leading me during the whole process. Its awesome to think that this STINT journey is really only just beginning, and I've been looking forward to it for over a year and a half!

Thanks to all of you who have prayed for me the past few months. The Lord has provided and answered those prayers! I look forward to sending an update FROM Australia, but alas, we're still waiting on our Visas. Please continue to pray for that!

God bless you and have a Merry Christmas!

winter snow

I've had this song on repeat since I bought it 25 minutes ago.

"Winter Snow" by Chris Tomlin, featuring Audrey Assad.

Seriously, give it a listen if you can. its beautiful:

Could’ve come like a mighty storm
With all the strength of a hurricane
You could’ve come like a forrest fire
With the power of heaven in your flame

But you came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Could’ve swept in like a tidal wave
Or an ocean to ravish our hearts
You could have come through like a roaring flood
To wipe away the things we’ve scarred

But you came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

No, your voice wasn’t in a bush burning
No, your voice wasn’t in a rushing wind
It was still, it was small, it was hidden

But you came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below