So it's been about a month since I'v been back at the YWAM base in Brisbane, Australia, and a lot has happened already. To be honest it hasn't been easy being back. I've been struck with a lot of different situations and emotions. Adjusting to new/old surroundings, people, and schedules has taken me longer, this time around, to get used to. It may be a bit of homesickness I got infected with as well ;) If you know me, you'd know that I'm quite the quiet person, not exactly an open book, so it takes me awhile to open up to people. Being at home is easy. It's everyone who knows you already, family and friends, people you grew up with. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone. Being in an environment like YWAM, you are living in community, so we have close to 150 staff and students living and working on campus right now. There is constantly people around and things happening. Which is awesome, but for an introvert it can get exhausting at times, not the people themselves, but the constant stimulation. My brother gave me a book called 'Quiet' by Susan Cain last Christmas, that perfectly describes the introverted persons brain and why we act the way we do. The subtitle is "The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking". If you are, or want to understand an introverted mind, I highly recommend that book. But in the front cover my brother wrote, "To the quietest person I know, Much love Ben"! Haha so why did I decided to live and work in this environment? Well because God asked me to.
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Opening this cafe was one of the most scary, and difficult things I have ever done. But I firmly believe the Lord has given me, and others, vision for this cafe. It has opened up opportunities for other ministries to flow from it, and expand our reach to the community around us. We want to be influencers, and a people set apart by The Love. My prayer for the cafe has always been for it to be a place of peace and rest for people to come to. I think God chose me to be a leader in the cafe because he knows my gentle and quiet spirit. He has given me an abundance of grace, and a love for His people. I know this because it could only have come from Him. He placed it in me for a purpose. Psalm 139 paints that beautiful picture of God forming every part of us. Verse 15 says "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth". He knew exactly what He was doing when He made us. We are His masterpiece! So as I adjust to my new routine and settle back into my life here, I will take heart and know that God has placed me here, just because I am me.
In other news, my boyfriend Mikhail has just released his debut EP as 'Black Indie' called 'Walking on Flames'!! It's available on itunes or anywhere else you buy your digital music. Mik has been touring and working really hard with a Canadian reggae band called 'Tasman Jude' for about 2 months now. He is filling in for their guitarist and also playing some of his own stuff. They have been touring all around New South Wales and South Australia! I'm so proud of all the hard work he has been putting into pursuing music. It's a part of him, it's in his bones. But the genuine love he has for people is what makes my heart skip a beat. We are so excited to finally be able to see each other next week!! In the past 6 months we have had only a few short days together when I came back to Brisbane, before he had to leave again. It has been really hard, but our love has been made stronger because of it. As well as my communication and his patience! haha