Lecture phase over...

Oh my! It's been waaaay too long since I last wrote!

The lecture phase is now over and our team fly out tomorrow arvo. Time to put into practice what we've learnt. Exciting, scary, challenging, great! I think everyone in the school has itchy feet and just want to get out there now.

So, lecture content for the past 5 weeks! Quickly. There isn't time or available emotion to put into words everything I've experienced these past weeks - all I can say is GOD IS AWESOME! For how Holy He is, He is so gentle and loving. I can't wait to get to know Him more and even moreso on the outreach phase.

I am weary of going into too much detail because I know there are people from different levels in life reading this, so I will try to be as broad as I can and make sense at the same time. I can't help but share though, 'why, if you had the cure for cancer would you not share it?' If at any stage you want me to clarify or explain or share - email me (lizabef777@hotmail.com)! It's just sooo exciting!

Week 7
Teaching on the Orphan Spirit - of the world as a whole and how fatherless nations and even individuals are. God is the ultimate Father! Well at least He wants to be in each of our lives.
Boxes - which the world and everyone (including ourselves) puts us in. God wants us to be free from all those: appearance, what you 'do', intelligence and money. Which ties in with identity, which is sooo awesome when it's in Jesus because the world cannot offer solid identity - it's wavering and fallible. But oh the freedom we have in Christ - if we so choose.
Dreams - how big your dreams are, is a reflection of how big you believe God is. Wow! The image of running into God's arms and saying, 'Daddy, how about we do this and that!'
Spiritual Gifts - that the Bible talks of. I'd never seen the three types of gifts been spoken about - Motivational, Ministry and Manifestational.

Week 8
This week was a little difficult to grasp and my notes were as specific, but they were plentiful nonetheless. The lecturer spoke on leadership, identity, missions, the Trinity, working with different people groups/tribes/culture and missions. It made me think a lot of my family heritage regarding missions - the work my Nana and Pop, and Pop's parents did in the Pilbara area. The name I gave the lecturer was 'Father and Encourager of the Nations.' He was very passionate about other nations, he had a real heart to serve and has done for many years.

Week 9
This was the Missions week. Very good stuff in preparation for going out. The lecturer was very balance in what he spoke about. He made a very interesting comment, that because Jesus' Great Commission was to GO OUT, that you'd better have a calling to STAY. And some people are - but not to just be ignorant, but support those who are in missions - through, finances, encouragement, prayer or be an advocate for a particular tribe or people group. He explained that more of our money is given to the areas where there are people who have access to the Gospel (story of Jesus) than for those who have never heard or don't have the Bible even in their own language - 2% in fact goes to the 'unreached people groups in the world. It is not enough to be comfortable in ignorance, there is plenty of information on the internet - The Joshua Project is one.

Week 10
Oh my gosh, this week was awesome and hit me between the eyes. I won't say too much about it though because it's quite in depth. It was on spiritual warfare and deliverance. Oh how much we don't know and understand about the spiritual world! For all who believe and don't believe. All I can say is there is more to our lives than what is tangible and we can see.

Week 11
The last week and we have a lecturer who has the most passion I've seen in one person ever! Maybe apart from my good friend Joseph (love you man). It is infectious! She spoke about the Holy Spirit and His power in our lives - if we allow Him to flow as 'living water' in our lives.

We had to do one last book report - our choice of book. I chose one by Joy Dawson called 'Intimate friendship with God, through the Fear of the Lord.' Oh my gosh - this is such a good book and it really challenged me in a lot of areas of my life. When I did my book report, I pretty much re-wrote the book! I actually read it twice through to make sure I got everything out of it I could :)

General
So yeah, unfortunately because we're on base the entire lecture phase, there isn't too much I get up to. During the outreach phase we should be able to get online once a week and then I can post more interesting and exciting things.

Prayer Requests
Unity - we have people from all over and at different ages, understanding and life experience. And we have someone who wants to tear us apart because he doesn't like what we're doing :p
To remain humble, open and willing before God my Father.
For God to reveal more of His character and love.

So, I hope this hasn't been too boring for you. I am all too aware that this stuff can be more exciting for the person in the experience, than the hearer of it.

I'm posting my photos on facebook cause it stores better.

Love you all.
Elizabeth