I apologize for my disappearance for the past two weeks. As I reflect over my time in Australia, I can hardly believe that I am preparing to return to the states on Wednesday. The Lord has grown me, stretched me, made me more dependent on Him, and proved Himself to be always faithful time and time again. As I reflect more, I see areas in which I lack but yearn to grow in. While I've been in Australia, I have been overwhelmed by the servants heart that has been displayed through the Impact staff and key students. They show their love and humility by quietly serving me. Many times, the service was done in such a way that I didn't even notice until a few weeks in. I've seen, as I would sit and watch them serve other believers and non-believers alike, how they display the love of Christ through their simply acts of service. How I long to serve as my Savior served; to pour water glasses out of a deep heart of love and a desire to make Christ known. I had never realized how when I served mundanely it brought glory to Christ name. It glorifies Him when I am humbling myself. When I realized this, it brought a new light to service. Serving others doesn't just take alot of my time and annoy me, it brings me JOY because I am using my service to show and share the love of Jesus Christ to others. I wish I could articulate this better because it has been such a life changing realization. I want to serve my family, friends, and roommates without even thinking about it! I want this attitude to transform the way I love and serve those around me. I want so desperately to develop a habitual attitude of service that displays the love of Christ to my family, my friends, my housemates, and eventually my husband. I've heard this a thousand times but somehow it has finally clicked in my brain: actions speak louder than words.

Continue to pray for our team as we prepare to start our travels back to the states on Wednesday. I have fallen in love with Australia; I love the people, the culture, everything! BUT I love America! Being here has grown my appreciation and love for my country, my traditions, my culture, my family, and my friends. I was called to Australia for this summer but now my place is back in Carrollton and at West Georgia. I am beyond thankful for this summer and the relationship I built, but I am eager to come back and live out what I learned on my campus. Thank you for your prayers and your love. I am excited to reunite with my family and supporters in the next few weeks. If you want to hear more about the time in Australia, I'd love to meet with you when I get home!

Today marks that I've been in Australia for 2 weeks. On one side, I can barely believe that its been 2 weeks but on the other side, it feels like I've been here for months. It has been such a blessed two weeks. Many relationships have been developed and deepened. I thank the Lord for such wonderful relationships both among my team and among Aussie students.

In the past week, we've been blessed with great opportunities. There are so many highlights and encounters to praise God for, but I'll try to highlight a few things we've done. Last Wednesday night, a couple of us joined a fun group of Cromwell kids and went to South Bank for hot chocolates and the new Batman movie. South Bank is one of my favorite places in Brisbane. Its a cute location with beautiful walkways, flowering arches, man-made waterworks, and delicious restaurants. The evening was so fun to chat and laugh with great students while building memories and relationships. On a side note, I am not a batman fan but with that being said, The Dark Knight Rises was such a great movie! In fact, I've seen it twice (but I fell asleep the second time due to exhaustion).  Thursday's highlight was dinner and bible study with my community team from Christ Community Church. Our CCP team has been broken into pre-existing community fellowship teams including families and individuals in the local church we are affiliated with. It has been such an encouraging time to break bread and open the word with fellow believers. It has confirmed to me, once again, that God's heart is for all nations, people, and tongue. Being here and being able to fellowship with Australian believers has been such a beautiful and exciting thing to participate in. Saturday evening, we had the privilege to serve and participate in a fundraising dinner for a family in the church. The Lyons family are moving to be missionaries in Austria and they hosted a "Night in Austria" event in their backyard. It was a great evening of bratwurst, sausages, goulash, kinderpunch, and the Sound of Music. Participating in that and serving them was a blessing to us. It has been so humbling to see how God has blessed us with the opportunity to be in Australia and in return we were able to bless the Lyons to go to Austria. Sunday came not a day too soon. Sunday is our day of rest and refuel. Since the church service we attend is in the evening, we were able to catch up on needed sleep before spending the afternoon spiritually, emotionally, and physically recharging. Having a slower day to relax was much needed and looked forward too. I've also been able to enjoy God's beautiful creation in Brisbane. The city on the river is just so beautiful and it is always so recharging to walk across one of the many bridges or notice the many different types of birds and flowers.

This week has been a week full of building relationships and being used in anyway needed, even if that means spending a full day stapling paper together for the staff. A major highlight of this week so far was the combined chapel meeting last night. Most colleges have a weekly chapel of their own, but about once a month, Uni Impact host a combined chapel for all the colleges to attend. Last night, the first combined chapel of the semester was held in Cromwell's lovely chapel building. The topic was "If God is Good..." The topic sounds a bit daunting, doesn't it? It was! But with the help of the holy spirit and the grace of God, Grant and Brian answered questions like "If God is good, why is there suffering?"and "If God is good why does He send people to Hell?". Afterwards, we were able to have great discussions about these issues that even the strongest Christian struggles with. For me personally, hearing the answers to these questions answered logically was so reassuring to me; it helped me appreciate the goodness of God completely anew.

There are so many neat things that have been happening but my patience for writing it all out is lacking. Besides, if I spill it now then there is less I get to share when I get home. Thank you for your love and support. Continue to pray that God will give us daily strength to fight for His glory. We are tired and do not have the strength within us. Pray that I would not be distracted by my life at home. I have been struggling to be here but also I want to be with my family and my new nephew. I've found my mind and heart distracted by things in Carrollton and while I await reunion with those I love, I want to labor hard while I'm here. Pray that I would not idolize my family and friends in the states but that I would be fully yoked to Christ and His Kingdom work. If you only had 30 seconds to pray for me, this is what I want you to pray for: That I would be 100% an ambassor for Jesus Christ in everything that I do, that I would be faithful TODAY, that I would put my head down a be faithful where He placed me right at this moment. And finally, that every choice, word, and action I do would be to further the Kingdom of God.

Thank you, dear friends.

I have been in Australia for one full week now! It seems like so much longer, but it has been the best week. Only one week ago, we arrived with red eyes and excited hearts. In this past week, we have conquered jet lag, learned how to order a coffee with cream and sugar, figured out how to get warm water to flow from the showers, and learned how to pronounce Indooroopilly without sounding too dumb. To finish out last week, we attended two days of staff orientation and some minor culture training. Friday evening, we joined with fellow "Impacticons" and drove to Mount Tamborine to attend Ignition, second semester retreat for students. The weekend was such a great time to build deep friendships with Uni students. 

After a full weekend of teaching, high ropes courses, and laughs, it was nice to relax on sunday afternoon before attending Christ Community Church. Worshipping with fellow believers from different countries has been such a sweet and beautiful thing to be a part of. In team time on tuesday, we talked about missions, just challenging our view of what missions is. It was such an eye opening thing for me to think about. Missions is not about GOING; its about living every moment to the glory of God, worshipping Him in every word, deed, and action. Worship is the reason we live missionally. As John Piper says, missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is the fuel of missions and we live missionally because we worship. That is so freeing to me! I am not qualified or trained, there is nothing special about Becky Clarke that makes me qualified to be on the other side of world for Jesus Christ. The only reason I am here is because I worship Him! How freeing! All I must do is simply worship Jesus Christ. Simply WORSHIP! In Acts 4:13, it says, " Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." That is the prayer of my heart, that people I meet would KNOW that I have been with Jesus!  It frees me to know that I don't have to be trained and educated, I simply have to be with Jesus! 

Thank you for your support and prayers! 

I'm Here!

We have arrived! After months of anticipation and support raising, we have finally made it to Brisbane, Australia. The flight travels could not have gone any smoother. The Lord really went before us and provided safe and easy travels through the Atlanta, Los Angeles, and finally Brisbane airports. Without a hitch, we championed the Brisbane customs and immigration before walking out of the sliding doors to find smiling faces on Uni Impact staff waiting for our arrivals. Mom and Dad, don't worry, we are in good hands! After a nourishing meal and a pick-me-up cup of instant, we arrived and moved into our home for the next 4 1/5 weeks. Home sweet home is found in a suburb of Brisbane called Indooroopilly (pronounced End-Row-Pilly). 

In order to help us stay awake and adjust, the Impact staff brought us around the city, showing up the sites. I've enjoyed taking in the culture, noticing cultural differences that are unique from America. The food here is a combinations of many cultures, but today we experienced the best fish and chips at "A Salt and Battery." 

Today, we spent the morning in training with Impact staff. After the lunch of amazing fish and chips, we split into our ministry teams and tour the UQ (University of Queensland) campus and colleges where we will be laboring. Colleges are a cross between dorms and fraternities/sorority. Students live, eat, study, and socialize in these colleges. I will be spending my time in two colleges, Cromwell and Grace. I've enjoyed the students I have met so far and cannot wait to meet and build friendships with others. 

So far, our time here has been amazing! I know that God has placed me here for a reason and I cannot wait to see how He moves and works in my life and those around my time. Continue to lift me up in prayers. Pray that I would be bold and effective as well as humble and sensitive. 

A highlight of the culture: Everyday, tea time is held at 10:30 and 3:00! Its a great time to fellowship while drinking coffee or tea and eating a scone! Also, do not be told otherwise, Vegamite spread thin over some toast is quite lovely. 

My apologies if this post seems a bit scattered. While I feel quite adjusted to the time, I still am a little tired. It may only be 6:00pm in Brisbane, but part of my body feels the 4:00am body time. 

"Becky, what are you actually doing in Australia?"

This video is from Uni Impact, the college ministry that I will be partnering with while in Australia. Our team will just be coming along side the Uni Impact staff, bringing the gospel to students in different colleges.
Watch and enjoy :)    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xGo1Pf3ffM

If you love me...

For this summer, if you happen to really want to say that you've sent letters to Australia, you can! Congrats! Its only about $1 and one week later, I'll be opening your handwritten note. :) Yes, mail is the way to my heart. All that being said, here is the address:

Becky Clarke
C/o University Impact
PO Box 4123
St Lucia South QLD 4067
AUSTRALIA

Estimate about 7 days for letters, 12 for parcels. With that being said, since I come back to the states on the 15th, don't mail me an important letter on the 10th. :) Thanks friends!

Team Prayer Requests

We're in the final leg of preparation for Australia! This Thursday, our teams travels to Campus Outreach's Summer Beach Project in Fort Walton Beach for a weekend of team building and spiritually refresh time before we head out the following Monday. Here are some prayers that you can be praying for our team through the entirety of this summer! I covet your prayers!

CCP Prayer Requests

July 16-August 15

- Servant hearted - That we will be quick to serve Aussie believers and non-believers (Mark 10:45)

- Evangelism - That God will bless us with many relationships and open doors for the gospel (Colossians 4:3)

- Passion - We would gain a deeper sense of awe and passion for Christ as we pursue intimacy with Him (Psalm 27:4)

- Others - centered - Our team would be others-centered and unified in the spirit. (Philippians 2:3-4)

- Security - That we will grow in our grasp of our position in Christ and find security in Him when facing rejection (Galatians 1:10)