1 Year, 6 Months

By July 19, 2018September 27th, 2018Adventure

It seems the only footage I captured this month was at Caves Beach, but I’m okay with that.  Zahli introduced me to this amazing landscape, and Andy, Zahli and I had it pretty much to ourselves.  Not only were the pathways and lookouts stunning, but the horizon was also lined with barges (someday perhaps I’ll post a blog about how nautical things have a big spiritual meaning for me) and a motorboat was jetting around close to shore.  Oh, we also “happened” to be walking the right direction when we saw the moon pop up over the horizon for a few moments before it disappeared behind thick clouds.  A seriously breathtaking outing!

1. ‘Tis the season of change – every 6-12 months at Hillsong College there are tearful farewells and fresh hellos (they should warn us about this adventure being an emotional rollercoaster on the application, ha)!  This month included hugs and prayers with my sweet and joyful (I’m gonna miss your laughs!) housemate McKenna, along with a prolonged hug off (we said goodbye so many times and then kept running into each other at Conference) for my friend Carlos – who is about to go rock the world in Brazil!  Others are coming and going but not quite so far.  “House 29” as us 8 girls affectionately call it, is going through some changes.  I’m so excited for some new girls coming in – especially my TV classmate Jess (here’s to an endless sleepover party)!
(Below: Mckenna and I at Avalon beach)

2. Producing Y&F Conference – I had an incredible opportunity this month to be the TV Producer for the Young & Free Conference!  I’m blessed that some of my oversights see abilities and skills in me, and believe in me enough to put me in positions where I can put them into practice!  It was hectic at times, but mostly rewarding, and heaps of fun!

(Below: the Y&F TV team!)

3. Intellectual God – Conferences are always interesting.  I think almost every conference I go to I struggle with the whole “expectation” thing.  I want to put a benchmark of what I want from God so that I’m actually actively listening out for it – I think this is key – but as a youth I was confused when what I “expected” God to do or say didn’t happen – at least not the way I expected it to.  Hillsong Conference this year was no exception.  To be honest, I didn’t get very far on mentally or spiritually “preparing.”  With a family reunion, a wedding, finishing up a college semester, trying to figure out taxes and Conference all simultaneously on the horizon, I think I let this area slide.  But, as per usual, when I was paying attention, I could see God at work.
    I’m a cryer, so it’s very common – especially during a worship service – for me to become emotional.  Sometimes my heart is simply overtaken with how GOOD He is, and I lose composure.  I love those times.  That didn’t happen at all this conference.  I mean, granted, I was serving quite frequently, but the moments I did sit in for worship were with dry eyes.  But I found God flipping my perspective and dropping some interesting things in my heart.  He drew me to my intellect, my mind, my thoughts.
    Instead of goosebumps and bubbling emotions, he was unravelling a new perspective in me.  “What do you THINK of this, Karen?  What do you see?  If you were running a conference like this, how would you do it?  How would you feed the body?  How would you tend the sheep?  How would you make it relevant for all and still truthful, fun, and full of faith?  If you were designing an opener, what would you do for it?”
    Woah.  Um.  Okay!  This was certainly different, but I found I was a whole lot more present and aware (as opposed to the cloudy, dreamy filter I see things through when I’m more “emotional”).  You know how some worship leaders and pastors do SO many conferences and services?!  How do they not just check out and walk through what they do like a ghost?  I’m not entirely sure, but this conference I saw God drawing me to my thinking and intellect, and with it new dreams, desires, ideas were developed, and I experience Hillsong Conference 2018 with an alertness an awareness of the room I was in.
(Below: view of the Conference arena from stage during rehearsals)

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