Laidley to Byron Bay

In Laidley we spent some time with Emma's family - her Dad, brother Otto and one of her Uncles was there too. It was really great to see them all again. One day we climbed a small mountain with her Dad and his dog Zack. It was a very enjoyable day.

As we felt time moving on and our deadline for being in Melbourne getting closer, we looked for a way to get down to Byron Bay. Otto was going to Brisbane on Friday 7th December, so he could take us with him, which was a real blessing. From there we caught a bus to Byron, really cheaply, which was amazing.

In Byron the YWAMers were in the park having a free BBQ (which they do every week, we did this too when we were there two years ago), so we wandered over with our luggage and said G'day. They were happy to see us and welcomed us warmly.

The YWAM base is currently running a DTS (Discipleship Training School) so the house is full of staff and students (!). It was really different being in a familiar place again. Just over two years ago, we stayed here for three months and helped out as 'mission builders' after our DTS. A lot has changed. Our journey is so different from the DTS world now and so it seems odd to be in the middle of it again.

How do we get to Melbourne??

This was our biggest question since we arrived. We were wanting to have our own vehicle somehow, but we were open to flying or taking the bus if God closed all the other doors. So we were on the hunt for a car, trusting that God would give us the right one and that if it's not what He really wants then we wouldn't find one and have peace to fly. After checking out the local noticeboards for cheap used cars and getting nowhere, a friend took us to a local used car yard down the road from the base. A little red car with low kms and the right price caught our attention and after a short test-drive we took it. It's not registered, so they need a day or so to get it ready for us. By God's grace, we'll be off to Melbourne on Thursday at the latest.

Em - At first I didn't enjoy being in Byron again. I was feeling out of place and a bit overwhelmed by the amount of people who suddenly filled up our personal- and living-space. But through sharing my DTS and outreach experiences with the students here God has shown me what that season was about. I had never understood it or even thought about it before, but God had special little lessons in that season just for me. Thank you, Lord.

TRUST and FAITH are the two things that God continues to encourage us with and teach us about. It's so easy to lose hope when you look at circumstances that are beyond you, but when we lift our eyes to Him and remember again the faithfulness, compassion and loving care of our Heavenly Father, our spirits are lifted and hope is rekindled.