Idag kommer mina föräldrar och hälsar på - de stannar i nästan två veckor, och det ska bli så härligt att se dem igen efter ett halv år!!
Så nu ska vi tillsammans turista loss i Sydney med omnejd, lapa sol och umgås hejvilt!!
Ni är så varmt VÄLKOMNA!!
Jag njuter otroligt av värmen. Inga uppåtdragna spända axlar här inte! Vi har nu haft underbar sommar och sol i två månader. Senaste vecka har temperaturen krupit upp till 32 under flera dagar. Det är underbart!!
Jag har haft sommarlov från skolan i snart 6 veckor. Jag känner mig som en lågstadieelev igen – hehe – medan mannen min har arbetat från morgon till kväll har jag varit en happy housewife. Life isn´t always fair.
Jag har hunnit med två tjocka engelska tårdrypande noveller (bl.a. Redeeming Love, som jag rekommenderar mycket högt), många beach dagar, många cafébesök med väninnor, många tänka-till-dagar, mycket trädgårdsarbete, slipande och målande av möbler och mycket mera. Både Jul och nyår med mycket kul har svept förbi och en veckas semester med Johan i Brisbane likaså.
Till Brisbane åkte vi med vår bil och vårt stora fina tält och vi hade underbara dagar där med Beachliv, surfing, Johans släkt, kängurur, fantastiska landskap m.m.
Jag skriver mera så småningom - that´s a deal!
Puss och kram,
/ Lotta
Ett nytt år med nya möjligheter är här!
Vi önskar alla vänner och bekanta ett av Gud välsignat, framgångsrikt och riktigt härligt Nytt år 2009!
Det bästa ligger framför!!
Kramar från oss två här nere ;D
- Johan och Lotta
“I´m dreaming of a white Christmas….”
…Eller så njuter vi för en gångs skull av värmen iställe, eh 
…
Vi har haft en annorlunda, varm och kul Jul här i Sydney. Det ändå som egentligen saknades oss var familjen!
Vi har njutit av Annas svenska pepparkakor från en lokal fruktaffär och av hemmagjord julglögg. Vi har bakat pepparkakshus och ätit riktigt finsk hemmagjord julmat. Tänk så nationalistisk man kan bli då man åker till andra sidan jorden!
Julafton firade vi till en början på tumis, Johan och jag, med ett litet men naggande gott finskt julbord och paketutdelning på terassen. Senare på kvällen åkte vi på en underbar Julgudstjänst till Hillsong, varefter vi åkte hem till våra härliga svenska vänner Elisabeth och Simon för att njuta av riktigt skandinaviskt goda julgodisar och julglögg! Det var juldag innan vi förstod att gå hem och sova
Juldagen firade vi med att åka på Juldagsgudstjänst till Hillsong, äta rester från julmiddagen och åka på Hillsong College internationella Julfest med multikulturellt julbord. Det var en underbar kväll med över 50 vänner och god och spännande julmat från närmare 30 olika länder!
Kort sagt hade vi en riktigt kul Jul! 
Hoppas också Ni haft en skön Jul därhemma “In the Winter Wonderland”!
Kram Kram
Wooow, time flies fast when you have fun. Or just quite a lot to do.
So the first semester at Hillsong College ended last week monday. We had a great graduation dinner and graduation cermony. These five months have been truely amazing, and I’m extremely joyful that we did choose to come to Sydney. It’s really impossible to understand on beforehand what an impact it will have to move to the other side of the world.
Perspective
Being some what of an explorer, I’ve enjoyed every bit of it, getting into and exploring the country as well as culture and church and college life. The best part though, has been and is, to learn from a great church. And doing so on a healthy distance from Europe and what used to be everyday life back home. I enjoyed every bit of that too, but the more perspective on something, the better. And the further away the better perspective. So already that’s a good excuse to come to Australia.
I’m planning on writing some more about the college and Hillsong. One thing is sure, if you think about investing a year in a Bible College, make sure to consider and pray about Hillsong College. And if you have questions, feel free to contact us!
During the college break I’ll be working full-time in December as a web development consultant, in January we’ll be doing some traveling. But I’m already looking very much forward to the next semester, as we’ll get into new interesting areas of serving and new subjects.
More to come!
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| A heck of a stunning wife |
Is Hillsong a church that believes in prayer? How important do they thing prayer is? Do they pray for the sick? Does people get healed? Can you see God performing miracles? - Many people think it’s mostly about the music. How wrong they are.
In every weekend service there is time for prayer requests. AND - for prayer reports. It’s amazing what God does. Every week there are reports about people getting healed, marriages reconciled, people restored, financial miracles. And - most importantly, through out the week, there is a solid prayer life through out the whole city - of course in peoples personal time with God, but also in the connect groups that gather - and form a network of people ready to pray for their friends at any time of the day or night.
Last sunday Pastor Brian had wanted to gather the church to a big prayer meeting - in times when many people face financial challenges and a lot of stress and pressure due to the circumstances in the global financial markets. So two evening meetings where changed to one big prayer meeting at 6pm.
The church was packed, and the atmosphere full of expectation. The church prayed together - for all prayer requests - and in sections, for the continents and their specific situations. There was a strong sense of togetherness, and that God walks through all seasons and situations with his people. Mighty is he!
Some time ago we visited the Blue Mountains, and a couple of weeks ago the most beautiful Nelson Bay. Take a check at the photo albums below and get a taste of the nature and life of Australia!
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Go to the Blue Mountains album
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One great thing since we’ve arrived has been the parties with the married couples from college. We’ve met about once a month, and it’s been really fun to get to know other married couples at college. As some girl expressed it: “I’d want to be married just to get to go to those parties” Yepp - you bet it’d be worth it!
At saturday we had a married couples party at our place. Barbecue, salad, fellowship, and games in the pool. Quite a few turned up, and it was great fun from the beginning to the end. Especially nice was to once again get to know some new people. You’ll find more pictures below.
I wrote some thoughts in August when we had been 5 weeks at college. It gives a pretty good picture on some areas of what Hillsong College is about. And with two months more perspective, it’s just gotten even better.
It’s amazing how fast time can fly. It’s soon three weeks since we started college - and almost 2 weeks since we were isolated from cyberspace and thrown into the jungle of northern Sydney. Finally able to write some posts.
Two first weeks we had two subjects as intense courses - Introduction to pastoral leadership and Teamwork. This week the actual subjects for this semester starts off.
There are a few things that stands out already during our first weeks here at Hillsong, and the college. One of my personal concerns during times of decision what Bible College or pastoral education to attend, was not to know the actual profile of Hillsong Church never the less the college. But every day so far, I’ve found myself concluding that what I see and experience is very good.
Hillsong is a pentecostal church, but born in an postmodern age. Traditional old-time pentecostals would ask where the shouting in tongues and all the profecies are. Traditional evangelicals might find the sound a bit too loud or the worship too enthusiastic. Or as someone put it: Too relevant. But it seems nothing is left to chance, but that things are done a certain way for a reason. And, the main reason that actually determines what is reasonable is the vision statement of the church, which is mainly based on the Great Commission.
Shortly put - the church [the people that are the church] exists for the lost and for its community, not to serve itself. That’s the cause of the church, and what ever that takes, is to be lived out through the life of the people that are the church.
The emphasis is - in words of the College Vice President Mark Hopkins - in both knowing AND experiencing God. It’s not so much about performing (as many would think) as about serving. It’s not so much about your gifts as about your attitude. Character is valued more then charisma. Charisma might be a good bonus, but worthless without character.
Atmosphere is highly valued - and not without reason. Starting from when people enter the parking area, everyone will know they are valued and important - not only through words, but through how they are met. Also at College I sense an attitude of respect, warmth and care that seems very genuine.
During our first lessons in Introduction to Pastoral Leadership I was taken by the insight shared by the pastors from all the different departments. It was easy to tell that these people had really put thought into their specific age-group or area of responsibility, to understand their task not merely on a theological or typically pastoral, but also on a sociological level which looks into the situation in the community and the everyday lives of the people that are to be reached, won for Jesus, and discipled.
Observe that these are just a few points that covers some areas that stood out the very first weeks. Much more could be said about the contents of the teaching itself etc. But will be for a later post.
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