Day 8: Worshiping with the Western Capers

So, since we all survived the rapture, a big group of us decided that praising God was in order. In local literature, a few friends discovered that Cape Town had a Hillsong Church close to our apartments. With the help of Ish, we made it to the chapel on time. The building structure was so impressive! A coffee shop, rock climbing wall, and hundreds of people greeted us as we walked in wide-eyed at the concert-like feel. After talking with some of the welcoming greeters, we dispersed ourselves throughout the congregation. I sat next to a sweet woman named Elizabeth who gave me alittle more background about the Hillsong Churches throughout the world. Based in Australia, they expanded to Cape Town three years ago and to New York City recently. Before we knew it, the building filled with contagious energy and song. Even though we live so far away, we could contribute our trained and not-so-well-trained voices to familiar songs. The pastor even gave us a shout-out revealing our cover. (I guess we didn’t blend in as well as we had planned.)

We all agreed that the message spoke right to our hearts. Basically, the pastor stressed the importance of pressure in our everyday lives. At first, I thought, “My entire life I’ve heard stress does nothing but bad things physically and emotionally to me. What in the world is this guy saying?” It turns out that he’s right! He carefully worded that we should live for pressure not stress. When Moses brought his people out of bondage, pressure overwhelmed him as did Jesus when he sweated blood on his way to the cross. If we live under pressure that means that we aren’t living passé lives. Pressure encourages us to work harder to accomplish something meaningful. Going on this trip has brought financial, emotional, and physical pressures, but I know it has been one of the most meaningful things I have done in quite a while. (And, it has only been a week!) So, next time you struggle with the pressures of life think about how that pressure has shaped you into a better person for Christ. Food for thought…

I filled the remaining afternoon with reading, relaxing, and enjoying life. On Sunday nights, the entire program gathers for dinner at the adjacent hotel from our apartments. I expected sandwiches or something inexpensive No, sir! They wined and dined us with a three course dinner making me a stuffed teddy bear. What a great feeling! Now, its time to work off the brownie ala mode with some P90X!

Oh, and I am in Cape Town with Vince and Barbara Dooley. No big deal…

Here is a picture from the V and A Waterfront!From left: Amelia (Bama), Sarah Lawton (Auburn), Maddie (Tennessee), Me, Brooke (Mississippi State)