2010.

the past 2 weeks have been a bit overwhelming. moving back to australia, going to the beach every-other day, encountering God everyday…yeah, life is tough. :)  every doubt that has ever spoken to my mind about australia has been completely silenced. there is an indescribable peace about me right now. this is where God has taken me–why not soak in every moment?

powerhouse (18-25 yr olds)  retreat was even more life changing than the last one. last time i was fresh off the plane, totally clueless, had minimal friends–actually only knew a handful of people on the entire continent, and was just along for the ride and a good time. that retreat blew me away…but this retreat had something else up it’s sleeve.  this year i went to retreat as a leader. (tribe genius! holla at ya girl!)  i know  the ropes, i know a lot of people and with that i also don’t know a lot of people, i have responsibilities, i have to bring the momentum instead of riding it. yeah, this retreat was gust of fresh air, new annointing, revived vision.

and p.s. –tribe genius totally kicked butt in tribal wars and completely dominated retreat. we are nerdy and awesome.

college is going to be better than ever and totally different to last year. switching from dance to pastoral leadership was a difficult decision for me, but God has been resonating things within me and giving me wisdom and peace for each decision. (thanks, God!)  i just completed my 1st week of intensives and i couldn’t be more excited to start a 2nd year of college. and i’m still dancing–yeah, you can’t take that desire away.

2010. weird.

but throughout the past 2 weeks and especially at ph retreat and tonight at elevate (hillsong creative team service), God has been stirring my heart. He has been reviving the passions within me…the things that broke my heart, the things that motivated me, the things that made me want to even get up and breathe in the morning (sorry, that almost sounds suicidal-ish, no worries, people, i’m just passionate!).  my dreams. my vision. my purpose. my calling.

tonight, joel a’bell preached a phenomenal word at our elevate service. i mean seriously just totally life-impacting and spot on for my life right now. after he preached, we just had a total Holy Spirit moment and God began to speak about this year, this now-moment. “I will raise up my Bride. My people will step forward. A subtle wind across the earth will reveal an awakening. It will be a non-advertised sweeping away of darkness, the world may not be aware; but My people, oh My people, they will know. They will hear My voice. They will be ready.” 

exciting times we live in…i believe 2010 will be a year of an awakening. dormant dreams will be stirred. a new hope will arise. already, i have heard stories of motivation from my friends–fuses being lit to ignite a greater vision and purpose. my dreams have all come back to me with a fresh revelation and passion. everything that i’ve wanted to do and see in past years is still there.  God does give you the desires of your heart, right?

2010. awakening. dreams. prayer–lots of prayer.

i’m elated!

The holiday.

6 weeks in the USA. time went by so fast…before i knew it i had come, conquered, and left.

6 weeks of sweet reunions, sweetbay (holla!), and holiday cheer.

i know a picture is worth a 1000 words, but i totally left the US without getting anyone else’s pictures of my time there (umm Brittney, Pop, and Jeff).  so i guess it is plan b and the thousand words scenario.

the trip home from la to arkansas seemed to last for a-g-e-s. who would have thought that a 12 hour plane ride would be better than a 4 hour ride. seeing my hometown from the airplane just brought the emotions. i kept thinking  “hold it in, Lydia. keep it in, you are almost there.” finally when we landed i just kept saying “oh God, ooohhh God, i’m home! i’m home! i’m home! thank you, Lord!”  but it was all over once i saw my family waiting for me in the terminal. the moment i saw them, i just ran. i ran, knocking down everyone in my path…including women and small children. if my arm didn’t take you out, then my overly-stuffed backpack would definitely give you a concussion. i did manage a few “excuse me! excuse me! excuse me, i’m home–move!”

tears tears tears and dr. pepper. each of my nieces and nephew were holding balloons and my sis managed to snap some joyous reunion pics (i’ll take those anytime, B!)  for the next 2 weeks, my 2 year old niece would ask me, “Aunt Lala, why were you crying at the airport when we had the balloons?”  –happy tears are a new reality for a 2 year old. :)

my house was decorated with christmas cheer…smelled of cinnamon and lights sparkled everywhere. i just cried as a walked through my home…kinda in disbelief that i was back. have i mentioned how much i love my family? its a bit ridiculous…even though we get in stupid, meaningless arguments about nap times, discipline styles, the american economy/politics,  and my personal favorite–everyone’s opinions on Lydia’s unknown future husband…we are one tight knit family. it’s like its okay for us to get frustrated with each other but the moment an outsider comments negatively on the family, there will be a throwdown as to which i feel so sorry for the pain that will be inflicted upon that individual. you have been warned.

so i definitely realized that arkansas and australia are like night and day. haha oh, the south…you will always be in my heart…and my accent.

long, late-night conversations with my siblings (for some of which 8:30 is as late as it gets), scrabble wars, and gingerbread houses–i’m pretty sweet at making frosting icicles. :)  home was so great.

alright, here is the deal–God answers prayers. i prayed that it would be wicked, freezing cold while i was home. umm…can i just say that the weather people said this has been one of the coldest arkansas winters–take that you global warming junkies! its flippin snowed!!! can you say white christmas?? honestly, it was such a beautiful gesture that God gave me snow. He knows the pure joy that comes with the snow and how special it would make my time at home. really, God is into the little things that make you smile and display His love and power. He is able to do the “impossible.” haha maybe this year aussie will see some snow…yeah.

weird thing was seeing my friends and how their lives have developed since i left…many getting engaged or married, graduating, and having a life-plan. all of which are totally uncertain and blury in my mind at the moment. its like all of those ideas are non-existent to me…yeah so anyway… but really it is cool to see growth in many of my friends. it is noticeable when you aren’t around them for a while, hopefully growth is also evident in myself.  i miss my home church and the people within it, yet at the same time im in  love with the church i’m in right now and the people within it as well. definite win on my behalf.

new years was brought in with family and snow and a massive lake house. happy new year?! it was all pretty awesome to me! i’ve figured out that i just enjoy being with people…doesn’t really matter what we are doing,  just as long as we are hanging out and havin some time together. we could be having wicked dance parties fit for pre-schoolers…literally, swapping i-tunes music, playing card games, or making a massive mattress slide down the stairs; really i’m just a quality time kind of girl. therefore, being housed up for 5 days with 16 people (aka immediate family) doesn’t make me cringe.

there are so many other fun things that happened while i was away on holiday–(it is kinda funny when you go on holiday to your hometown)–from girls’ nights, to gingerbread houses, and singing “that’s not my name” with my 6 year old niece, holiday was pretty awesome this year.

but it went by just as fast as it came. getting back on that plane to sunshine was a hard step, a definite emotional struggle–”am i seriously doing this? what are you thinking? lydia, you are out of your mind! crap, this is hard.” and i don’t regret a single moment of it. the journey back was tough but the moment i stepped into sydney sunshine, i was overjoyed to be back. this is where i am for this season. i still have so much more to learn and so much more to discover. i reckon this year will be 10x more amazing than the last. high expectations :)

so all my love to my family and friends back in the south! yalls support is crazy ridiculous and i love you even more for it!

(pictures will soon follow) :)

let the adventure continue…

a little november recap

Remember when I said, “If I can just make it through October…”–haha, yeah right. November proved to be the craziest month of this whole year. 

Assessments–done. Classes–nearly finished. Rehearsals–never ending.

Every spare moment of time was given to dance and all the rehearsals needed to pull off this month’s events. We had one assessment, a massive showcase, the Hillsong Performing Arts Academy annual concert, chapel, and graduation. SO crazy, but SO worth it. I’m talking about running 8 hour rehearsals…the greatest high there is. But just doing rehearsals would be too easy..

…and we all know Lydia never really finds the ‘easy’ way of doing things. Oh no–this was all done while being injured. I thought that the pain in my achilles would just go away after a few days. That was definitely not the case. With all the rehearsing, I couldn’t get a day to recover from my ‘tendonitis’ flare up. I couldn’t go up on my toes without intense pain and stairs became my worst enemy. With each class and rehearsal, I could feel the tendons in my ankles grinding and could see the swelling.

When I would come home from dance class/practice, my housemates would immediately pull out my bag of frozen peas from the freezer and throw them on the table in front of the couch so I could assume the position. It became the house joke…Lydia and her bag of frozen peas. so original, guys. :)     

(no worries, even though I can still feel some tension in my ankles, I’m doing heaps better.)

I can say that I got through November with the grace/strength/joy of God and the encouragement of my friends. It was seriously fun, totally draining, and the complete accumulation of all the work put into this year. Mosaic, our dance/tv media showcase, was epic! I had so much fun preparing for and performing in that showcase. We had the amazing opportunity to perform for chapel and the graduation ceremony…totally a big deal. Even though I wanted to be at the beach during a couple of our rehearsals, I wouldn’t have traded that experience for anything. I can’t believe I did it–and its over?! 

Well, over for this year…next year is a whole other can of worms…a little bit of adventure and mischief.

my-heart.

How much do you value a human life?

Is it the 30 cents you give the begging kid just so he will walk away from your car?

Is it the $20 paid to sleep with a trafficked girl in a brothel?

Is it the smug look you give to the homeless man on the street corner?

Is it the apathetic attitude you have toward those less fortunate than you?

Just because you chose to not see, doesn’t make it go away.

Our world has become too custom to degrading human life. From bullying to slavery, God did not create mankind to be treated in such a way. Social justice isn’t a one time action or a bilboard for celebrity charity status. Social justice is about restoring the value of a human life. Taking back what the enemy has proclaimed over a life and replacing it with God’s unfailing love and grace.

It’s ironic how life makes you feel so insignificant. But it’s in those insignificant moments where God singles you out, puts you in a spotlight and sings over you. He sees you. I feel insignificant all the time, but then I hear it, “I see you. I love you.” And that’s all I need to carry on. God sees the moments of desperation, brokenness, and lonliness. Hallelujah that He is omnipresent–everywhere, living within me.

The world has been turned upside down by individuals, so why do we hold back? Why not give it a go? Why not change the world? It starts small. Give a wave to the people walking opposite you on the street. Smile at the eldery woman in the grocery store. Fill up your local food banks with non-perishables. Sponsor a child. Take out your neighbors garbage.

Who knows what will be the spark to ignite the flame..

Myeyes have been opened to the world I live in. I’m not naive about how the rest of the world lives. I’ve seen extreme riches and extreme poverty. God sparked a flame within me. The I-Heart movie was a cry from my heart as well. I was a bit overwhelmed watching it because God has called me to the ones that this world does not acknowledge. The ones who are losing hope. I dream big. Most of my dreams make no sense and they are quite ridiculous. But I’m going to prepare now as if they are going to happen. I’m going to make the most of each day. I’m going to make sure the people in my world know their kingdom value. I want to restore their hope in an ever faithful God. He will never fail. :)

“Don’t despise the day of small beginnings.”

check out www.i-heart.org

October in a tiny nut shell.

So I began October with the prayer of  “the joy of the Lord is my strength.” Everyday my lovely British friend, Francis, would remind me of that prayer. “Do you have the joy today, Lydia?”  With a smile and hug like hers, how is it possible to not have joy?

Assessments, rehearsals, classes–full to the brim.  Getting to the end of October was my goal, better yet, get through October with a beautiful spirit and attitude–that was the key. I figured if I could leave stress behind and go into the month strong, then I could conquer anything.

I had a couple of visitors come and join along in the October madness…

Callie and Erin!

 

They came to join in on the fun and chaos that is Encounter…

 

 

Encounter was life-defining. It was one of those moments where God came, God spoke, and God poured out an incredible joy.  Thousands of youth uniting and declaring God’s praises. It is really rather extraordinary. God met me there. While in worship one night, God gave me a vision, a tiny glimpse into my future. Let’s just say my dreams actually get to come true. That vision was so beautiful. I feel like the woman in Proverbs 31, I smile at the future.

There is no one like our God. Everyday I think I fall even more in love with the God who saved me, who took the death that I deserved, who chose me.

…Encounter was even more than I expected. After I said my goodbyes to Callie and Erin, I set off for the Gold Coast to meet up with my housemate Danita. I got to chill with the South African Seymour’s for a couple of days, which was a necessary vacay.

 

 

Hello Gold Coast

 

The moment I got back in Sydney, I was in dance rehearsals. Our dances, all glory to God, went amazingly. They were so great. Seriously, we can’t even take any credit for the fact that we pulled them off because it was totally just God showing off. They were so much fun and so much work, but in the end it all paid off. Never underestimate a dancer…haha or God.

 

…I managed to pull a bit of an injury while rehearsing. I have tendonitis in my achilles tendons. Basically, it is super painful to go up on my toes or apply heaps of pressure to my ankles. sweet. I’m still healing and having to be careful when dancing. It totally added to the stress of the month. But God told me, He is making all things new. My joy is complete in the Lord. He is my strength and He is my song. He is strong in my weakness. When I called out to Him, He inclined His ear to answer my prayer.  I made it through! October was full on and demanding….and well, November isn’t looking to be anything less than that! Bring it.

He is my strength and my song. my strength and my song. my strength and my song.

just. dance.

Group Choreography:

My Choreography:

traffic.

This is what happens when you have been laying out all day and sitting in surfer’s paradise traffic….

 

I’M AN AUNT AGAIN…well…in 9 months.

So life got really exciting when I heard the news (thank You, Lord, for skype!!), that not only was my sister in law Christina pregnant, but my sister Brittney is also pregnant!!!!  you know what that means….

…AUNT LELA/LALA RETURNS!!!!!  (well, not to the States, but re-establishes the title of coolest/best/most awesome Aunt in the world (literally)—no offense everyone else)

My little ones mean the world to me. I swore after missing the birth of the oldest, Chloe, that I would never ever miss another birth of one of my nieces and nephews, regardless of where in the world I was.  Little did I know back in 9th grade, that I would not only be missing 1 but 2 births and BONUS—I’m on the other side of the world.  …go figure.

Chloe is one of my best friends. I remember driving as fast as I could to get home after school when Mom would be babysitting so that I could bundle up little Chloe and take her on a walk in her stroller. I used to pray Psalm 84 over Chloe, “that her soul would long and yearn to be in the courts of the Lord, that her heart would sing for joy to the living God.” We even have a song, appropriately titled “Our Song” by Taylor Swift. Chloe is a passionate little girl. When she loves something or someone, she really loves them and will go to all costs to make them feel special.  No doubt God created her that way for a specific purpose…I can’t wait to see the fulfillment of that. I don’t think I’ve come across a child that is so aware of the Spirit that surrounds her. He radiants from her. Chloe’s heart of worship will be a heart that speaks to nations.

The moment I saw Esther, I just saw this delicate quality about her, a tender heart. Esther really is like a rose–a soft, sweet exterior with a bold colour and fragrance of character and will. She is never to be underestimated. Estie is a determined little girl, when she pursues something, she is going to go after it with everything inside of her. She really does take after Queen Esther. I believe that there will come a time when God will say “Now, My love. For such a time as this, I created you.” And the thing about my Esther is that she will hold fast her belief and her love for Jesus…nothing will be able to stop her. She is going to grow into a mighty woman of God, my prayer for her is from 1 Peter, that her “adornment will always be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of the Lord.”

Jaxon is my cuddle buddy. He is the only one who understands my hair-twirling compulsions…we just can’t help it, people! As with the other babies, I couldn’t stop crying when I first saw Jax. There is a strength about that little boy. I prayed that the same heart that God loved about David would be the same heart He sees in Jaxon–a blameless, righteous man of God–a warrior who will prevail over evil with a humble, tender heart. I asked God that He would annoint Jax just as He annointed David, that “the Spirit of the Lord would come mightily upon Jaxon from that day forward.” Jaxon has a character of strength and compassion, quite a force to be reckoned with. Jax is a loyal boy, to people he loves and to his skill. God gave Jaxon a talent with a pair of sticks and a drum…those seamingly insignificant sticks may just be a glimpse into a future of worship and evangelism. He is growing into a powerful man of God, filled with the Spirit, always pursuing after God…and one day a beautiful godly girl.  :)

Graceyn really is my little bundle of joy. She giggles and giggles and laughs until you join in on the laughter and she sees you smiling.   …If sunshine was a person.  The world could use a few more laughs and smiling faces. What a gift God has bestowed on Grace Grace, that she is able to share what is within her! The love and joy she has on the inside beams into the hearts of others. One day, Graceyn’s sunshine is going to break through another’s darkness, opening their hearts to receive from the Lord.  Joy is a reflection of an inward belief. Graceyn has a great capacity to believe for others and believe in Jesus. The words that Jesus speaks over her will penetrate her heart, then resonate to others. She will truly “be blessed because she believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”  Gracie Beth’s capacity for faith will be matched with her capacity to love others. Laughter and love are the new nuclear bombs…and Graceyn is fully loaded.

Ross is my little mystery man. I have yet to get to know him like I do the others since I moved to Australia when he was only 5 1/2 months old. But I’ll tell you what I do know…Ross is going to defy the ways of the world. When everyone turns right, he is going to go left.  He is going to be like a prince of his day, nobody is going to ask why he beliefs in this, or why he acts like that–they will just follow him because there is something “noble” about his character. A courageous man, with a foundation of wisdom. Unlike some men, Ross is going to be a devoted listener–to God. “Listen, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.” Ross will stand firm on his position, staking his ground, conquering an empire with the love of God. For God speaks to Ross, “give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways.” A wise leader is uncommon these days, but God is raising up a mighty man of God to lead the lost back home.

There was a moment on the day that Joe and Megan got married that I was in the hotel room with Chloe, Jaxon, and Esther on a king size bed–I had nap duty, my mission: get all 3 kids alseep to avoid cranky wedding day syndrome. Chloe lay next to Jaxon, Jaxon next to me, and me next to Esther. After a few giggles and “tag the cousin over Aunt LaLa”, they finally went to sleep. All 3 of them, drifted away to the sound of my voice. With 2 kids snuggled right on top of me and another squeezed close, I managed to slip my way out and off the bed. I’ll never forget that moment. I stood at the foot of the bed and just cried. Then I began to pray over each one of them. Nothing will ever take my love away from these little ones. If they only knew! (haha, as God says, “can you at least see a little glimpse of my love for you, Lydia?”) <–Oh God, ever-present. I love Him.

I am so sad that I am going to miss the births of these next two miracles, but God has given me grace for this moment. I am where He wants me, and there is blessing in that. I have to hold fast to His promises at times like this, because my flesh is so weak and it screams out “that’s not fair, God!”  So I will “wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” Ps 27:14

So there you go.  There is a part of my heart, they are a part of my heart- always and forever.

Chloe, Jaxon, Esther, Graceyn

Ross

step it up, Lydia.

Here I am at the outset of October. As I look through my calendar, I realize just how chaotic this month is going to be. Honestly, if I can make it through October, I’ll feel as if I’ve conquered the world. Assessments, Encounter, Choreography, Rehearsals, Kidsfest….I’m seriously freaked out here. 31 days isn’t a lot of time. Everytime I look at my schedule, I already feel defeated. Where is this time going to come from?

It is moments like this that I am so grateful for the God that I serve.

“Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

I am learning that right now, this moment, if I even try…no, if I even think that I can do this month in my own strength, independent of God, then I might as well stop where I’m at. I just feel overwhelmed at the moment. Sometimes I just go numb because I’m too busy concentrating on my own problems.

October is a month that I can either choose to succeed or fail…miserably.

To avoid failing miserably and hating my life, I have predetermined that October is going to be one of the most life changing months I will ever have. I have decided to be strong this month. The following verses of 1 Peter 5, tell me that my enemy is roaming, stalking, planning, seeking to find me in my weakness so he can rip me to shreds. But I am not going to be defeated this month. I am going to enter into this chaos with an attitude of confidence and peace.

As Nehemiah said, the joy of the Lord is my strength. That is my hope.

Lord, give me courage to face this month. Give me heaps of creativity in my dances. May my each day glorify You. I love You with all that is within me!

s.o.l.o.

Here is my solo assessment for dance performance class. We had to perform Linda’s choreography with our own interpretation and story. This dance is so fun…and it will also give you texas-sized bruises.  can you say kneepads??