On Friday (November 19), I went to school as usual except we had assembly in the morning. This assembly was for all year 12 students (like our seniors). It was a farewell assembly, but not near as formal as a high school graduation in the states. It was a celebration with lots of clapping and of course, tears. As most of you know, I’m pretty emotional. Well, this ceremony reminded me of my upcoming graduation from Baylor in May…I was sad to be reminded that I’ll be leaving a place I love, the people who mean the world to me, and a place that has become my home.
After school on Friday we hopped on a train and headed for the Gold Coast. The train ride was about an hour and five minutes and we were there at Nerang Station at the Gold Coast. We were excited to arrive and finally get away for the weekend! We checked in to the Watermark hotel, cleaned up, and then went to dinner at a restaurant called Sage. This place was AMAZING! It was fairly pricy but it was worth it. I ordered filet mignon and a glass of red wine…perfect meal, perfect evening! The next day (Saturday, November 20) we explored the Gold Coast: the beach, the shops, and the people…The people are definitely interesting and show really no sign of modesty: short shirts, short tops, short EVERYTHING! Also, this happened to be the start of Schoolies week, an event for all recent high school grads…on the Gold Coast. Luckily, we stayed Friday to Saturday and just missed the craziness the Aussies call Schoolies!
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| Filet Mignon @ Sage...It was DELICIOUS! |
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| View from our room at the Watermark! |
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| Another View! So pretty! |
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| Gold Coast Beach! Check out the reflection of the clouds! |
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| The girls on the beach! It was a bit windy and chilly! |
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| These signs were everywhere along the beach! It was for those Schoolies that would be inhabiting all of Surfer's Paradise at the Gold Coast! |
Sunday (Today) we woke up early and headed to Hillsong in Brisbane. Getting there proved to be quite the challenge. We caught the right bus and got off at the right stop, but little did we know that it’d be a 3 km walk to the church from the bus stop. Needless to say, Deanna, Jessica, and I power walked to Hillsong while the others decided to catch a ride back to the apartments. We ended up getting there at 9:30am and the service started at 9am…not to shabby for having to walk so far! We got there in time for the sermon and one praise and worship song! The process of getting there was frustrating and I was getting cranky…But God definitely has a way of putting you in your place. The sermon focused on Philippians 1: 27, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…” Wow, shot to the heart, because I definitely did not do that this morning. The message hit home and was a reminder that in ALL things, all places, and in ALL situations, to always conduct myself in such a way that brings glory to the gospel of Christ. What a simple message that is so crucial and essential to a Christian’s life and walk... So thankful for God’s scripture and a good word this morning!!
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| Finally...we made it to Hillsong! We were EXTREMELY excited to see this sign! |
The rest of the day was spent lounging around and catching up with friends and family…Tomorrow starts week 2 at Whites Hill State College! I’ll be distributing letters and presenting to students about Baylor, Music, Sports and Texas…here goes nothing!
Love sent to my friends and family...missing you all!
In Him,
Kelsey Michele
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