” D I R E C T O R “
Month seven has come with new opportunities which have me incredibly excited and nervous all at once.
For quite some time now it’s been a dream of mine to learn to take on the “director” role of a video project. I remember taking a quiz in my careers class in High School about what jobs might suit me in the future at that time, and I have never forgotten that at the very top of the list after I finished was the word “Director.” During my seventh month, I have had two opportunities to explore this role. The first was short but “still counts” in my head – hehe! During a class, after we had discussed various roles on a film set, we stepped outside to shoot a short video, with everyone playing assigned roles (producer, director, DOP, actor, grip, etc…). I had eagerly shot my hand up when my trainer asked who wanted to be the director and I saw, even in that brief exercise, the challenges that can come with this role, but I’m eager to push myself further and continue to learn and grow in the future!
The second opportunity was kind of hilarious. We had a combined youth service – meaning that all age groups of youth (which are normally separated into two) met in a 600 seat theatre. We knew it was going to be a big night, being under the banner of the “Youth Alive” organization in Australia, and we were expecting kids from the community to come. I, as a first time director, wasn’t concerned, since the TV side of things (albeit CRAZY) is always pretty chill on Fridays. Rarely does anything go live on screen, and linking with other campuses or locations has only happened once or twice before (that I can remember). I expected the usual craze to be captured as best as possible for the records of Hillsong Youth and I made myself comfortable at the switchboard. Well, there I was, having a blast (truly!) directing the two camera operators (and a third still camera) when suddenly I saw that my shots were going live on screen! And just as I noticed that, the producer came beside me and said “We’re linking to the Den!” (the “Den” is another smaller venue within the same building, which was housing an overflow of students that couldn’t fit in the theatre!) Insert the astonished emoji here! Ha! So, let’s just say it was a slightly more involved night than anticipated, but that actually made it all the more fun and quite the wild ride!
Now for a more serious section under the title “Director.” During month seven, I made a pretty significant decision that may surprise (or not surprise) some. Let me start from the beginning:
It was my intention from the beginning to come to Hillsong College in Sydney, Australia for 1 year. The purpose was to study, grow and experience both Hillsong and Australia and then to return to my beloved home and native land, plugging back into Harvest Christian Fellowship Church and digging into the next season of life that God would have lined up for me. This was always assumed in the back of my brain, even though I was “so spiritual” and told people “I’ll do/go wherever God wants me to, really I will!” Ha. Well, that statement has been put to the test.
Around the second or third month of this Aussie adventure I found myself sitting at the kitchen counter, gushing to my roommate at the time (miss you, Allison!) of how I would “bring back” everything I was currently learning at Hillsong, to my home church, Harvest. I was verbally analyzing about how would I integrate back in, what would I do, and what it could look like. Suddenly she turned from her pan at the stove and said:
“But, have you even considered second year? What if God wants you to stay?”
It’s not like the question had never crossed my mind before but… I had put it on the shelf – way deep in the closet behind a bunch of other items, on the shelf. Her words caught me off guard, but rightfully so. There was more to our conversation that I won’t get into, but the things she said and the way she said it began to shift my thinking. Was I really open to any option, or had I closed it off in my very comfortable assumptions of going home to where it’s “easy” or “familiar” and doing what I was accustomed to? As all this began to unravel over the weeks and months thereafter, I came to the very solid conclusion that God really isn’t finished doing what he wants to do in me and through me in Sydney, Australia, at Hillsong College. If I was to go home in a couple of months from now, I think I’d look back at this time and think “Wow, that was awesome… It sure went by fast!” And so, I have decided to officially stay for a second year here in Aussie-land! Crazy, right?! But I am sooooooooooooo excited!!! Jesus has been such a kind and gentle “Director” in bringing me to this point. The funny part is, even though the short term future is clear, the long term view is even more blurry now than it was before! I don’t know what life will look like in a few years, but I am confident in Jesus, the work He is currently doing, and the work He promises to finish.
So, it looks like I’ll have to put up with beautiful beaches, Aussie accents and almost constant sunshine for a little longer! 😉
#SOEXCITED
#BRINKOFAUSSIEADVENTURES
#PARTTWO