Welcome to the Philippines!

I have officially cried and said goodbye twice on this trip. I’m sure there will be 4 more of those experiences as I go. I miss Linds already!

I arrived in Manila, Philippines last night. The flight over was interesting to say the least. I sat next to a guy who found joy in picking his nose, looking at it and then wiping it on the tv screen in front of him. Couldn’t tell what was making me more nauseous, him or the motion sickness. Last night was a little tense. Not only did I sweat my weight in water but I was by myself downstairs and a mouse ran between my feet and towards my bedroom. WELCOME TO THE PHILIPPINES! I decided not to look up photos of the freaky Aussie spiders until I was out of the country and for some dumb reason decided to do it last night. I was sitting at the computer, in the dark, by myself looking at pictures of the ridiculously nasty "huntsman spider" and a huge black thing ran between my feet. I think my heart has never come closer to stopping in my life! Luckily I saw a tail on it or else I probably would have screamed my head off! I HATE spiders! Especially ones that are the size of dogs! Other than that...the Philippines has been awesome so far! It’s always a step of faith getting off a plane on a leg of this trip. Always praying that the person who I’ve never met or seen will remember to show up, know when to show up and if/when they do, hopefully they’ll know what I look like because I don’t know what they look like. This has been an adventure of a life time. And I’ve never once been stressed or worried. Seriously the grace of God. Ever since the moment in LAX when I felt God’s authority and confidence, I’ve never questioned His ability to take care of me on this trip and He hasn’t let me down yet. I got off the plane and passed many people with signs that had peoples names on it but none that had mine. I should have panicked but I didn’t. I stood around for a second and then an airline worker smiled at me and told me to keep walking. I thought I was getting kicked out of the airport but as soon as I walked out of the airport there were more people with more signs and still…none with my name on them. I should have panicked but I didn’t. Stood around for a couple more minutes and another worker said, “walk over there..” and pointed to what looked like a parking structure. Thinking that I didn’t want to make any workers mad and cause a problem, I’d just do what they said. Worse comes to worse, I could stand in the parking structure and try and figure out how to get a hold of someone. Again, little did I know…I was being directed to where I needed to be. (Thank God I just went with the flow!) I walked across the street to the parking structure (walking across the street in Manila is a death wish in itself, let alone with luggage!) and as soon as I walked in, I noticed it was a big ramp and at the bottom was a HUGE area with many people with signs with names on them and FINALLY, one had mine. It was such a cool experience to not have been stressed in the situation, even though I feel like many would have. (I feel like IIII normally would have.) I felt like a fish just relaxing and flowing in the current of God’s guidance. I didn’t stress out or fight any urges to freak out and wait at the airport, I went with what I felt peace about and it lead me to exactly where I was supposed to be. Could you imagine if I stayed where I saw the first group of people with signs? I’d probably still be there!

A group of people from Cottonwood Church is meeting up with me in the Philippines tomorrow morning. I had a whole day in Manila today that I needed a place to stay while I waited to meet up with the team. One of the ladies on the team from Cottonwood, Becky, has family that lives in Manila and they graciously offered to pick me up from the airport and give me a place to stay until the team arrived. I was picked up by Becky’s brother from the airport. On his way home he stopped by the WWII memorial for all the USA and Philippine soldiers who gave their lives in the war. It was amazing. Just like the one in the USA (so I've seen in pictures). Ironically I’ve never seen the one in the US but now I have seen the one in the Philippines  It’s humbling to see how many soldiers gave their lives in that war. The memorial was beautiful. Then we went back to his house and I relaxed and ate dinner with his family. Later that night he took me to his sister’s house where I would be staying. Praise the Lord…they had air conditioning in my room! Beautiful house, beautiful family! Such generous people! I stayed with Becky’s sister, her husband and her 2 daughters. One of the family members actually lived in Long Beach, Ca for many years and we got to talk for awhile.

This morning I woke up and walked out of my room still ½ asleep and Becky’s sister was standing their waiting and said, “BREAKFAST TIME! Come and get it!” It made me laugh. They are so hospitable and friendly. Most people know, especially my mom…I’m a slow riser in the morning. Just because my eyes are open doesn’t mean I’m awake. Not today! The second I walked out of my room I was being fed. I think I ate 2 times my body weight in food. SOOOOOOOOOOOO AMAZING!!! I’m positive that if I lived here I’d be fat very quickly. From fruits that I’ve never tried (or heard of), to halo halo (the best dessert EVER!), coconut juice, sugar cane juice, pepper lunch, puto cakes (not that kind of puto….rice cakes!), ice scramble and more. And then there were meals in between haha. I’m not kidding, before I could finish eating one thing, someone would put something else in front of me. I have a strict rule not to deny food given to me on trips like these. Not only do I want to try it all but I don’t want to disrespect anyone, especially when they were paying for it. However, I actually had to say no thank you twice because I was literally afraid that I would barf if another grain of rice went in my mouth. Such delicious food and it’s only day one!

Tomorrow this wonderful family will take me back to the airport to meet up with the Cottonwood team that is on their way to Manila as I’m typing. Then the whole team will take off on another plane to Ozamis, Philippines where we will be working with Mike Keye’s ministry. I can’t wait, it’s going to be amazing! This part of the leg of my trip I’m pretty positive that I won’t be near a computer so, keep myself and the Cottonwood team in your prayers as we claim the Philippines for Him! When the team returns to Manila by plane, I will be picked up by Kids International Ministry and will work with them for awhile :) Hope all is well at home! Off to Ozamis! Wahoo!

Standing next to only a few of the walls covered with names of soldiers who gave their lives in WWII

Cross memorial

Eating one of my 23482304 meals...pepper lunch. AAAAAMAZING!

I begggg your pardon?! What are they trying to say?!

Happy Birthday to the bestest mommy in the whole wide world!!! Love you!!

Bye Australia, Hello Philippines

Today is so bitter sweet. I’m so excited to be moving on to my next leg of the race but I’m also so sad to be leaving my new friends. I met Lindsay in America on Halloween last year. It was her first Halloween ever (not celebrated very well in AU) and she was so excited. Even now, when I talk to her family they say, “the highlight of her trip to America was your Halloween party.” I LOVE this girl. She should have been born in America, she is American at heart for sure. (I think she knows more about my country than I do!) Her, her sister and the rest of her family have treated me like royalty and I am so blessed that God mixed up my original plans so that I can get to know this amazing group of people better. Two weeks before my trip my prior arrangements fell through and Linds took me in and made my trip amazing. We have become so close and I can’t thank Him enough for messing up my plans bc it ended up being amazing and a God send. It’s so important in life to recognize that sometimes when doors close, it doesn’t always mean a bad thing. Sometimes crap just happens but sometimes God is closing a door so that you’ll walk through the correct one. In one of Katy Perry’s songs she says, “Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed
so you could open one that leads you to the perfect road.” God is always watching and always knows what’s best for His kids. Not only for protection purposes but also to bless His kids and make them happy! God loves when we’re happy, He’s a fun God. People think He’s too serious but really they’re not seeing the true Him. He’s fun, adventurous, has a sense of humor and really delights in His kids being happy and living to their potential. That’s why He shuts doors for us. Even when we don’t like it at the time, it leads us to the door that will end up making us the happiest. Gotta love Him ☺ Already on this trip several doors have shut pretty quick and I’m realizing not to be upset or stressed, but to roll with it because HE is planning this trip, not I. And so far the doors that have closed have definitely proven to be on purpose.

Australia was mainly meant to be a vacation and sight seeing/visiting friends part of my trip. I saved up money on my own to do some cool adventures and fun stuff. But I also got the privilege to meet up with Nathan Bean’s parents and check out their organization called City Care for a coupe of days. It’s located in the valley of Brisbane and in perfect spot for this organization, exactly where there is a need. When I first met with Tim Bean (Nathan’s dad) he gave me a quick over view of where they were located so I would be aware of my surroundings and to be smart. City Care is in the middle of many strip clubs (some for men and some for women), next to a mental health organization, near many adult shops, a porn studio and many other “interesting” places. Besides being aware of why some crazy lady followed me down the street cussing me out and why a man was walking up and down the street saluting Hitler, I realized City Care is definitely exactly where they are supposed to be. God hung out with the poor, with the prostitutes, with the people who needed Him the most. The people at City Care are AMAZING! They’re actually transitioning from an old building right now and actually transitioning their focus also. They’re focusing a lot on reviving hope in people and giving them life skills needed to function in the world and to get jobs. I had the honor of hanging out with some pretty amazing people and actually meeting some of the teenagers and adults that are in the program. Gordon Kelly was teaching a 16 year old High School drop out how to do a safety check on a vehicle. Teaching him how to access the damage and repairs on a car, how to fix them and how to resale it. Gordon’s son was teaching others to repair shoes and make shoes. Then upstairs, there were several other workers that were teaching/tutoring teenagers who had dropped out of school so that they can finish their studies. At the end of all of these programs they will all have certification and be eligible to get jobs. Besides the practical needs for them to enter the work field and be successful, they’re teaching them to believe in themselves and teaching their worth. I nearly cried all day but kept it together. Walking into this, I met several kids and they had no hope, no confidence in themselves and they thought they had no future. Not bashing the bible at them but speaking words of life into these people, you could literally see them flourish before your eyes. It was an amazing thing to see the power of your words at action so quickly. At the end of the day, a kid that they had just recently met had respect and confidence for himself and his authority. Just little words of affirmation, “that looks great,” “great job,” “you can do it…you don’t need my help,” “you’re going to be great at this.” Simple words totally transformed this kid.

One of the kids who had dropped out said, “how will I be able to get that job? I’m a drop out.” Gordon told him, “just because you didn’t go to school doesn’t mean that’s the end of your story. Sometimes if walking through the door doesn’t work, you have to jump through the window.” And that’s all it took (for my tears) and for the kids confidence. From that moment on, the kids head was bent low working hard and with confidence. I was happy to be a part of this. As an American they asked me a lot of questions like, “so if I were in America, I would have to hide drinking until I was 21?” God totally opened up doors for me to plant some seeds into these kids. It’s almost like being a foreigner, you have the midas touch; everyone wants to hear what you have to say. I thank God or always giving me the right words to say because I know these kids mean the world to Him and I know I couldn’t make a difference in their lives without Him. I LOVED working with this organization and hopefully will get to come back for longer next time I visit. I will definitely miss the kids and workers that I met. Keep City Care in your prayers as they transition into their new programs and building, they’re an amazing organization and God is doing amazing things through them!

Although I’m sad to leave Australia, I’m excited to hit the ground running in the Philippines. I will be meeting up with a group from Cottonwood Church and working with Mike Keyes ministry for about a week (www.mkmi.org). And then I’ll be working with another great ministry that Bek Conley referred me to. It’s called Kids International Ministries and she stayed with them for a short time while she was on her year long world race trip. (www.kidsim.org). Not sure how much internet I will be able to access but I will try and update as much as I can with what is going on in the Philippines! Love you all and thanks for all your prayers and support! Talk to you soon! Philippines or bust!


Sorry for any typos, I'm not proof reading, I have to pack! Eeekk

The Shoe Repair/Apprentice Shop @ City Care

Teaching how to check for damage and repair cars @ City Care

My lovely friend Sophie, the receptionist @ City Care.

Mr. & Mrs. Bean at Brisbane City Church. (Ceo of City Care) Hearts of Gold!

Meet Lucy (aka GooGoo), she's my new friend. Don't worry Bruno, you're still my #1! Miss you PutPuts!

This picture is for my mommy and daddy! In case I don't get to talk/facebook you for awhile, Happy Birthday Mom and Happy Father's Day dad! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! You are the best parents in the whole world. And since I'm visiting a lot of it, I should know! I miss and love you guys!

Do you ever feel like God is telling you things and they basically freak you out? Rue Beason shared this blog with me (which is now my absolute FAVORITE read and I sob every time I open it) a little ago. If you’re in the mood to be ridiculously humbled and challenged, read this blog: kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com. I remember when Rue told me about it and I basically read every entry that Katie ever wrote and dehydrated myself from loss of tears. This chick is seriously amazing and I pray that my heart mirrors hers in every aspect. But the message I’ve been hearing lately is sacrifice. It’s like I wrote in the first blog of mine, I feel this anticipation inside but have no clue what it means but I know that God’s positioning me, teaching me and preparing me for whatever it is. It could be tomorrow, next week, or ten years from now that it makes sense but I just keep learning and taking one step at a time in the position that God is pointing. And it doesn’t surprise me today when I open Katie’s blog today and she’s saying exactly what I’m feeling, “Terrified and full of joy - I live there. It is possible to be afraid of what obedience might bring next and be full of thanks and overflowing joy and TRUST anyway. This giddy anticipation because we see all that He has done for us and we believe that He can only bring more good. Good, even in the ugly.”

And as all this has been stirring in me, it doesn’t come to me as a surprise that this morning when I was reading in Luke 14 (verses 25-34 in the message bible), I came across a story where Jesus was speaking to a crowd of followers about them needing to “figure the cost” of following Him. He says “in simple words, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.” Then He says, “are you listening? Are you REALLY listening?” I think God calls us to different levels of sacrifice in our lives. Sometimes it’s large sacrifice’s sometimes it’s small ones, none-the-less He’s waiting to see if you are REALLY listening or if you’re living for yourself. And the crazy thing is, even when it hurts to give things up, through our simple obedience, we’re moving closer to a better life in Christ. He has the “best case scenario” for our lives and when we chose to live and give it all to Him, no matter what the cost, we’re actually living in the best possible life we can have. If we plan out our lives and never have any God involvement we could quite possibly live a good life, good career, and have good relationships but when we give it all to Him, he gives us the GREAT life, the GREAT career, the GREAT relationships. Even in the little things He loves to expand what we thought was already good enough.

I feel like He’s looking me in the eyes sometimes and saying, “Julie, are you listening?! Are you REALLY listening? Are you willing to give it all up? All the things YOU thought were going to be good for this 3 month trip, the plans YOU had for a husband, the plans YOU thought you had for a career, the plans YOU thought would make you happy? Are you willing to give them up so I can show you what I have for you? What I KNOW is better than all that you have dreamed and planned on your own? Are you REALLY listening? Do you trust me?”

There comes a time in your life when you have to take what you’ve always known to be comfortable, everything you thought you knew and throw it in the air. The things that are supposed to fall to the ground will fall to the ground and the things that aren’t supposed to fall will be caught by God. When He catches them, He will expand them to things bigger and better than they could have ever been while they were in your hands. And the things that fell to the ground and shattered He will restore with better.

One of my favorite songs in the whole world right now is “Hallelujah” by Bethany Dillon. I listen to it every night before as I’m falling asleep. The chorus is my heart right now. Don’t know what God has for my future but I will choose to sing Hallelujah no matter what it is.

Chorus:
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
I'll choose to sing hallelujah


Copy and paste this link to listen to the song on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY5_jMdELnw

Goodbyes

So I did pretty good saying my goodbyes and not crying until the moment I got to the curb at LAX and kissed my parents and sister goodbye. It was the moment I knew was coming, an exciting but scary one. It was the point of no return, whatever didn’t get done wasn’t getting done and I was leaving for three months. One thing that satan has been trying to do is make me afraid of being alone on this trip. I have a HUGE group of family and friends at home and I love being with people and rarely have a moment of loneliness. I don’t mind being alone but it lasts for a few minutes and then I call Jamie to talk or see what she’s doing. The panic set in about a week before I left (I think the after math of that is all over my face….7 cold sores and counting!! Uggg). I kept thinking about giant spiders and being alone for three months. And who would kill the giant spiders if I was alone?! I just got the chills all over! (Doesn’t help when my friends in Austrailia keep telling me about their spiders that shoot up from the ground and how their normal house spiders are the size of tarantulas! Google “huntsman spider”..that’s their house spider! I refuse to look until Im out of the country!) I kept my eye on the goal, knew this was a God thing and trusted Him to take care of everything. Like I said, I lost it at the airport and cried, as soon as I walked into the terminal I looked back one last time to see my dad’s truck drive off and cried even harder. This was it. Besides the fact that everyone in the airport was looking at me like I was crazy, I knew I had to pull it together. I had three months ahead of me! Then I get to the ticket booth and it seemed like everything was going wrong. I literally had to empty my carry on bag at the ticket booth and found out I needed a visa to get into Australia which I didn’t have. I instantly started sweating as the line behind me was growing impatient and as I was not clearly thinking, asked the man helping me to hold my tampons, spare underwear (incase my luggage got lost enroute to another country) and my midol. It all worked out but of course I was thinking, “5 minutes into it and it’s already hard.” But then something crazy happened. I literally felt every prayer that was ever prayed over me come to life. I felt freshness and a confidence as I walked up to the security check and I’ve never once doubted or feared since. I literally felt God’s authority rise inside of me and had a revelation of God’s power on me, a force field surrounding me. Not only physically but emotionally. Even in the moments where I literally have/had no clue where I am or how to get home, I just knew that God was going to do something. It’s almost exciting when those moments approach bc it’s fun to see what God is going to do next.

So far my trip has been absolutely amazing! I’ve been so amazingly blessed in every way possible! I’m staying with my friend Linds who is so ridiculously similar to me it’s insane. We sit and talk over tea and laugh for hours. I think it’s become a tradition that every night we get blankets, a cup of tea and sit on the coach and chat. I want to take her home in my suitcase with me, I don’t know what I’m going to do every night without her talks and laughs. I’ve also been hanging out with Christy and Ock on the weekend who have been an absolute blast! Love getting to know all of these people better.

God has been teaching me so much and BLESSING my socks off on this relaxing part of my trip. Even in the vacation part of my trip, I’m staying alert and open to what God wants me to do and He’s definitely brought opportunities my way. From meeting backslidden Christians at the zoo and encouraging them, to just making people laugh, I know that God is being spread in Australia. I love what Trina prayed over me before I left, “may every step she takes be claiming territory for you.” I pray that every step I take, every ½ smile (bc of cold sores) I give, every person I meet will feel/see something different in me. We all leave the fragrance of God wherever we go.

I keep thinking that even when I don’t ask for help or even know that I need help, God sends people to do so. From a stranger walking on a train to hand me a phone with Linds on it to tell me how to get home (how does that even happen?!!?), to a mother and daughter walking with me and waiting with me to make sure I get on the correct bus home. God has definitely answered the prayer Joey Beason prayed over me for, “friendly strangers to help wherever she goes.” Or how about me feeling the urge to go ask a question to the ticket master and missing the train I thought was mine but would have actually taken me the wrong way! The list goes on and on, God definitely has His hand on me, like a parent who has their hand on the head of their small child directing them through a large crowd, yanking them back and pushing them in the right direction. It’s an amazing thing to be so in tune with God and know you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. I love you all! MUAH!

Meeting Kaitlyn who thought I smelt delish...no really, the trainers told me so. She was rescued from Indonesia along with her sister.

Falling head over heels in love with Siam who is a movie star. She just starred in "Water for Elephants" and walked the red carpet with Reese Witherspoon.

Hiking "Gorilla Mountain" Aka: Mount Tibrogargan with Christy and Ock

My amazing friend Linds and I on the City Cat boat ride on the Brisbane River.