Aussie Sorts of Things.

This was an ad for Cadburys chocolate. Thats English and Aussie stuff.

Brooke knows this girl I guess, and she got skillz for days. 

This is a Australian Christmas song, and it is just a great great video.

EP Goes to Rotorua.

Just a little lookout we stopped at on our drive to Rotorua from Wellington. So beautiful.

In His Time

Last week we did our first mini tour of New Zealand. We left Auckland on a Tuesday or Wednesday and went all the way up to the northern part of New Zealand to a town called Kerikeri. It was beautiful. I couldnt believe my eyes the whole way up. Ill hopefully post some of the pictures from that trip soon. 

We spent a couple days there and did a youth program one night that was amazing. Im really beginning to love the youth here in New Zealand. So energetic and passionate for God, so its pretty awesome to be a part of and be able to lead them in praise. 

Thursday we drove all the way down past Auckland to a place called Whakatane. If I havent explained this already, all the "Wh"es in New Zealand are pronounced with an "F".... If you're not used to Maori language then it sounds like a whole lot of swearing for sure. 

Anyways we did a youth group in Whakatane and then headed over Tauranga. We did a couple churches there on Sunday and then spent a few hours Monday driving back to Auckland, which is kinda like our home base for between minitours while on our tour here in New Zealand. 

We met some awesome people the last weekend. All our billets were amazing. While in Kerikeri, Priscilla and I, Brooke and Zayne decided to throw together a tiny little song for Youtube (mainly this blog) and Alex (the bus driver) was gracious enough to record it. 

:)

Maori Hymn

Of all the preparations for our tour to New Zealand, we cleaned the house (my job is to vacuum the stairs and the whole main floor... finally something I know how to do!) fixed some things up around outside, and little chores like that, but mainly we went through all the songs in our repertoire to polish them up in case they got a little rusty.

We realized we definitely needed another Maori song, because Maori's are the native people of New Zealand, and we didnt have any new ones since the last time EP went there. So Brooke brought us a new one to learn. After a couple hours of arranging it (and many bathroom breaks) we brought it into Sandras office to see what she thought, and thats what this video is.

This is EP in all its fashion and makeup glory so be prepared.

EP Guys Item: Through the Fire

Last weekend in Sydney, Glow was amazing!! This is just a video of the mens item that us EP guys did. We got a friend Nathan to sing with us, and I have to say Ive never sang with so many amazingly talented MALE singers at one time. lol Definitely a humbling experience. When I listen to this recording I usually skip my little solo part. :)

 It was the first time us guys have done a song just by ourselves, and we loved it! At least I think we all did... I did!  Were gonna try to find a way to make this a trio and take it on tour since Nathan doesnt go on the road with us.

Hope you like it even though the sound qualities not the greatest... :\

What a week!! Its all been a blur getting ready for the New Zealand tour and finishing up Glow, but now Im here in Auckland New Zealand, and its surreal for sure. God has definitely been taking care of me this week. When I needed a break, He hooked it up for me to go to Avondale for a while to see some friends and just relax. When I needed money, friends randomly decided to bless me! But today He used the team to bless me for sure. We were all given 30 kilograms to pack. I guess out of 8 people we were allowed to check a total of 240 kgs (about 525 pounds maybe?...rough estimate). So everyone was supposed to weigh their bags and if they had two they were to make sure they added up to no more than 30 kgs. I have a giant bag, so I packed 30kgs no problem in one bag. The first problem though was that we only bought one way tickets to NZL for now, and they wouldnt let me check my bags unless they had proof that I was coming back to Australia. So we had to buy my return ticket on the spot. While that was going on, everyone else was checking their bags right away and they were sent off down the conveyor belt to the plane. When it finally came down to the last bag (mine) they told us we were overweight already. All the other bags were gone already so we could go through them to make them lighter. We asked if there was a way we could pay for an extra bag, but the fee was 25$ per extra kg! My bag was 27 kgs. We dont have that kind of money in a faith based ministry (regardless of the ideas people get about us being a real rich and famous band) so we emptied my bag out right on the floor there and the whole group rallied around me and grabbed my clothes, chargers, toiletries and undies and stuffed them in their carryons. Now here I am, in New Zealand, with just my carry-on. I have a bible, and devotional book, laptop, ipod, chargers, Brookes shoes, my shoes, one of priscillas boots, a vikings sweatshirt and a sweater from H&M. All of my other clothes are in girls purses or guys duffel bags at their billets, so Ill have to get them tomorrow. :) No matter what obstacle has come up this week, God has been faithful to take care of me. Its pretty awesome. I promise to put pictures up and videos soon!! :) Maybe even tomorrow. But no promises.

This Just In:

Im alive!! Im just really bad at blogging. So heres a quick update (at the request of my lovely sister Katie and others...)

We finished our tour to Western Australia and Adelaide. It was amazing! Ill upload some pictures and a slide show or something later on. Halfway through our time in Perth our director called and said she got us a couple weeks in Adelaide for the trip back, which was incredible and a blessing.

Now that were back in Sydney, weve been preparing for a big womens conference called Glow that EP/Priscilla has kinda run the last 2 years, and its gonna be awesome. Im actually walking out the door right now to go practice some of the music and get some programming things done, because the conference starts 3 days from now!! Its gonna be amazing, and Ill definitely upload some videos from that.

Miss you all, and I promise to try and do better at this... even if its just little paragraphs like this. But pictures and videos stress me out, so I never get around to it. But if you want... Ill keep doing little paragraph updates. Let me know.

Peace homies...

Last post pre-America visit.

I feel weird saying that I am about to visit America. But thats what Im about to do. And I cant wait. Im so excited I cant help laughing, singing, or shouting constantly.

We just finished a week and half tour in Woodenbong, Toowoomba, and Brisbane (Woodenbong is the name of town... totes). It was an awesome week. I got to stay with a young aboriginal guy whos name I thought was Molly all week, only to find out eventually that his name was Marlie. He and his wife were young parents of a beautiful boy, Azariah and newlyweds... but the same age as me! They were so cool and amazing to open their house to us. One of the most relaxing weeks Ive had all year. It was awesome hanging out with him and getting to know his aborigine culture a little better.

The week was full of ups and downs, but like Ive been learning this year, no matter what kind of downs Satan throws at us, when we are in Gods will spreading the gospel, the ups win every time. Brooke had to go to the hospital from back problems. He sprained it (or something like that) in the towns volleyball competition. It was mainly my fault we lost in the championship game (14-16) but I like to think it was partly my fault we were close... consolation has been very cheap.

The next day Priscilla twisted her ankle. It turns out singers dont have to be in the best physical shape in the world (I know because Im a tub of lard trapped in a skinny body) but having a bad ankle seriously affects your performance. But God won through and people were blessed!

Sunday was the biggest setback. On our way to Brisbane for our final concert our bus broke down. But amazingly enough Paul Smith (our billet from Toowoomba easterfest weekend) was able to pick us up, hitch up the trailer, drive us the hour and a half to our concert, sit through it, drive us back and let us ALL stay at his house until we were able to get the bus fixed Monday. I tried to stay up with Petar Maletin all the way back to Sydney, but had to take a 2 hour nap from 1-3 am. He drove us from Brisbane to Sydney, a 14 hour drive that we started at 6 pm. Hes the man.

Moral of the story, history repeated itself again. Satan and all his attempts at destruction were useless against the amazing power of God.

And now I am flying home to America. Pray that I make it through customs in time to make my flight in LAX. I only have an hour and a half.

If you are coming to my sisters wedding, holla atcho boi.

Anthems, Cinderella Story, Give Me This Day

Okay, so this is a video of one of our last performances in Queensland. Please overlook my slight lyrical change in the american national anthem... lol

Ill try to post some more better videos later! :) 

Uh-Oh

An Australian complimented me on my clothing and shoes today... Im a bit worried what people will say when I return to the states for the wedding in a month.

Queensland Tour Slideshow!

So Tuesday marked the end of our 8 week tour across the state of Queensland. It was amazing! Ive never been on the road for such a long period of time in my life, but it flew by. I can't believe Ive already been here 5 months, and how much Ive learned already! Its been awesome seeing God work in the lives of the people we meet in EP, and seeing Him work in the lives of us as the members of EP. God is good! :) 

Differences between Australia and America: Pt 2

Differences:

• Australian light switches flip down instead of up to turn on, and they barely stick out of the wall.
• A cheap chicken parmagiana is 20 dollars.
• Thor is the most popular character in the Avengers.
• 14-17 hours.
• There are no big trucks.
• No one knows who Phil Wickham is.
• Steering wheels are on the wrong side of the car.
• People drive on the wrong side of the road.
• People think the left side of the road is the right side to drive on... Dont think to hard.
• Comforters are actually called "dooners" and they have cases, like pillows do in America.
• Out houses are called "long drops" haha
• People dont know what feet, inches or gallons are.

Similarities:

• People loved The Avengers.
• There are 60 seconds in a minute.
• Stick shifts, regardless that you sit to their right, still go 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, R from top to bottom, L-R
• People STILL dont like when I talk about bodily functions.
• Its funny when someones voice cracks.
• The Voice is one of the most popular television shows.
• The air here hasn't made my hair grow any thicker...
  
  Love you all bunches, I cant think of anything else for now! Peace homies and other people.

Queensland tour update.

Hey everyone! Sorry I havent updated this in forever. This is the first chance Ive had to use internet on a laptop in over a month. Queensland happens to be abundant in heat, spiders, and frogs bigger than a softball, but its lacking in opportunistic moments to blog. -_-

Basically in the last 7 weeks we have gradually toured all the way to the furthest north eastern point of Australia, the city of Cairns, and are currently slowly touring our way back to Sydney. We started by singing at Easterfest in Tiwoomba as you already know, and since have been through Brisbane, and other small coastal cities like Mackay, Morumba, Bowen (Where a lot of the movie Australia was filmed, I have pictuers :) and Charters Towers.

The weekend at Bowen was definitely a crazy one. Not because of tons of concerts or workshops or anything like that, but because my Visa was supposed to expire on that weekend. For those of you that werent aware of my situation I came over here on a temporary travellers Visa with the expectation thata lawyer would get me a more long term one while I was here. The lawyer had really been droppin the ball and as more and more things fell through it came down to crunch time. The day before it expired he told us we could go to Brisbane, Melbourne, or Sydney (the cities with immigration offices) and get a 3 month Visa extension handed to me. Sandra was a little frustrated that he waited til the last second to tell us this... but she got me on a plane the next morning and I flew to Brisbane for the day just to extend my Visa. It was a time that really tried my faith and trust in God, but on my way there I was at complete peace about the situation. I knew that God had brought me here, and that if He wanted me to stay He would hook it up so that my extension was granted.

Its about 4 weeks later and Im still here, so you know how the rest of that story worked out. God is good :)

The week in Cairns was incredible, but exhausting. We did about 8 concerts and 14 workshops in 5 days,  and my voice was gone by the end. It was really hard. It was beautiful up there.. (lets just say im glad i went in the "winter". It was the equivalent to the same weather youre geting up in the midwest right now.

Miss you all and cant wait to see some of you at Lawrens wedding!

IG Pictures from Australia

These are my cousins. The Sunday before I left they took me out, bought me all the necessary goodies for a 15 hour plane trip (M&Ms, gummy bears and mouthwash ;) and a camera to take pictures on my adventure to Australia :)

 The distraction I dealt with while packing...

Leaving Hutchinson in the rear view mirror.

I havent lost my Passport. Just sayin...

The sun was glaring off the wing and made a giant rainbow spot on the clouds.

... I dont know what to say. Except that Australia food is hard on my insides at times.

EGW is popular at churches down here too. Whats funny is that Hillsong is the poster above that :)

Apparently they dont know that in America its only 1$

I actually am beginning to like these pants...

First tour!

This is my home away from home now.

Apparently Im still allergic to crosseyed cats.

My first experience on a train like this...

First time seeing the ocean down under!

This was just in my host's backyard...

Imperative tip for Aussie toilets.

 Thanks for the socks Alyssa.

 The Catholic school in the mountains.

 Lakeside Chalet :)

 First Skype date with the baby Liam.

 

 Just looking out the window by our dinner table in Hobart, Tasmania.

Hobart

Im pretty sure Harry Potter is in there somewhere.

 Devonport, Tasmania

 Launceston, Tasmania, welcoming in the Sabbath.

 We need these trees in America. They remind me of me after a week in the sun.

 Same school, but it was casual day. The kids were way more relaxed and interactive when they wore whatever they wanted. Interesting...

 Morrison family portrait.

 Im getting used to drinking this on tour. :)

 Lakeside Chalet... Coolest backflips Ive ever done :)

 First celebrity sighting in Australia... Lightning McQueen.

 Melbourne Australia at 6 AM

 Melbourne skyline. Same time. lol

Practicing in our studio. We have a studio in our house. Nbd.

Mama didnt make no fool up in da house.

 Probably felt like the luckiest man in the Southern Hemisphere to kick it with the Australian celebs we are.... jokes.

I refuse to walk outside now.

 

This is what my hand looked like on the ride at Easterfest

 This is how I spent my days off this week.

Im making friends all over Australia.

 For real though. I wont go oustide now.

Gold Coast, Brisbane. AKA Surfers paradise.

 Here lies Nemo. He never quite made it to Wallaby lane.

My dad needs to help them build out here. The dont use levels.

 Sandra looks better with these on.

Our drive this morning

You are now pretty much up-to date! Were on tour in Queensland! Ill try to keep the pictures up to date now :)