Goodbye forever! See you at my new Website!

Well blogger friends,

A very gracious friend saw this sorry excuse for a website and decided to make me a nice fancy one for my fundraising and Young Life in the UK. Please check it out!

My new address is: elisebernius.co.uk (I know, so official right?)

New Staff Training Update- Better Late than never!

In January, I had the opportunity to spend two weeks with 300 First Year Staff Associates (about 10 International Staff like myself) for training in St. Augustine, Florida. This time was incredible for so many reasons. Firstly, it was a great time to learn about how I can be better in ministry and serving British teenagers and YL volunteers. The training included taking a theology class and an Introduction Youth Ministry, and relating this to the mission of Young Life and sharing the gospel in this ministry. The classes were so helpful and I feel like they have been instrumental in preparing me and motivating me to continue with the fundraising. I feel like even nearly a month later, I am still processing all that I have learned from the experience. Although I loved the training, my favorite part of New Staff was meeting and sharing time and experiences with the other people who are raising support for International Young Life Staff. I loved sharing stories and enjoying the support we have in each other. So many times in fundraising, it’s easy to feel alone and discouraged, but being at New Staff gave me 10 contacts who are going through the same process as me and have been great at being supportive! Overall, the experience at New Staff was great and has gotten me really motivated to continue fundraising!

Queen's Speech Chirstmas 2011

Can anyone blame me for wanting to move to a place where this cute little lady is in charge?!

This Advert is Calling Me Home

Basically, I watch a lot of BBC America. It keeps me connected with the motherland.

I might have gotten a little teary eyed while watching this commercial because I want to be in England so much.

The Lord is so good to place this desire in me! I feel so humbled to have such a strong calling!

A Prayer of Divine Support

A friend gave me some puritan prayers this week and they are fantastic. This is one of them that I have been leaning on.

Thou art the blessed God, happy in Thyself, source of happiness in Thy creatures,

my maker, benefactor, proprietor, upholder. Thou hast produced and sustained me,

supported and indulged me, saved and kept me; Thou art in every situation able to meet

my needs and miseries. May I live by Thee, live for Thee, never be satisfied with my Christian progress but as I resemble Christ; and may conformity to His principles, temper, and conduct grow hourly in my life. Let Thy unexampled love constrain me into holy obedience, and render

my duty my delight. If others deem my faith folly, my meekness infirmity, my zeal madness, my hope delusion, my actions hypocrisy, may I rejoice to suffer for Thy name. Keep me walking steadfastly towards the country of everlasting delights, that paradise-land which is my true inheritance. Support me by the strength of heaven that I may never turn back, or desire false pleasures that will disappear into nothing. As I pursue my heavenly journey by Thy grace let me be known as a man with no aim but that of a burning desire for Thee, and the good and salvation of my fellow men.

I'll Say A Little Prayer for You...

After a few weeks of Fundraising, I feel like God has already started to teach me so much. He has revealed both newfound confidence and insecurities and has released an array of emotion. Mostly though, I have learned so much about how important it is to PRAY during this season in my life. I will attest that spending time talking to God and focusing on WHY I am doing what I am doing, is vital to success in fundraising.

I'm so stinking excited about continuing forward, for however long (yikes!) God wants me to be on this adventure and of course I'm excited that every day fundraising gets me one day closer to living in Hoddesdon- my love and desire to be in England grows stronger all the time.

Please pray that these first months of raising support are filled with people around me, as many people tend to feel lonely during it. Also, pray that I keep focused on my vision, even when contacts are running short and things seem discouraging. God is so good and I feel so incredibly privileged that He has such a fantastic future ahead for me.

It's fundraising time in Tennessee

So... without further adieu I'd like to announce...

I have happily begun FUNdraising for Young Life staff in Hoddesdon, England!!

It's been about 5 days since I was released into the world and I'm excited for what the Lord is going to do with me through these next months. Please continue to pray for me! And definitely ask me about my ministry and becoming a donor or prayer partner!

Clicking this link will be fun and interesting!

It would be super helpful if you would click on this link, very quickly and easily register and vote for Hoddesdon Young Life to win some much needed £££££.

Dude, it's for the kids.

http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/805

England Update- better late than never!

As my last week in Hoddesdon, England comes to an end, I just wanted to drop a quick line to say thank you. All of you have been incredible, not only by supporting me financially with my summer internship, but by continually praying and encouraging along the way. The past few months have been life changing and exciting, and it could not have happened without your support!

The Lord has been so faithful through these three few months working with Young Life. It is has been incredibly affirming to see a glimpse of what life would look like as a missionary in the UK. The work is so fulfilling and encouraging, but the harvest is plenty and the workers are few! The YL in Hoddesdon is growing so fast that the small staff of 2 can barely keep up! While this is a blessing to see so many young lives changed, it has certainly been a struggle to watch this summer.

This is why it is such an encouragement that last week Young Life in Hoddesdon offered me a 3+ plus permanent position as a staff associate! I can't tell you how incredibly blessed I feel by this, God is so good! As I look back on all the years of preparing and and ahead to the next season of fundraising, I can't help but be in awe of what God does all over the world.

As I return to the states next week, I ask that you continually be in prayer for the fundraising process. While my official budget is still in the works, the support for 3 years in Europe will take about a year to fundraise. I'm excited, yet anxious for the first part of my ministry. Pray for the process!

So again, thank you for the prayers and support, they are incredibly appreciated!

Grace and peace.

Work Crew!

This week, I've been at young life camp as one of the Work Crew Bosses. The week has been INCREDIBLE and has gone so smoothly. The Work Crew has been phenomenal and we have seen God do big things in the lives of the Wyldlife and Young Life kids.

A few highlights of the week from the Work Crew-

Sarah: Learned that having your quiet time in the morning in the most important thing to get you through the day, she also said that she learned how important prayer is to get you through the day.

Laura & Jake: Were incredibly bold and shared their testimonies in front of all the campers and Laura lead the Work Crew with her guitar, playing for the first time publicly!

Hannah: Said that for one of the first times she experienced a real community of believers, being brothers and sisters and working together.


This week the Work Crew dug deep into the word and I was constantly hearing them apply what we were studying to situations throughout the day. People were stretched and united.

Camp is tomorrow. Pee your Pants.

In case you are wondering, YL camp starts tomorrow here in the UK for Work Crew & Assigned Team.

I'm tickled to be the Work Crew Boss, really. I've been wanting to do it officially for years now.

Please be praying that all goes well and that most of all, we glorify God as much as our little human selves can this week.




Also, it's official. I'm in love. With Hoddesdon. There I said it.

eggplant = aubergine

I know...I know, I haven't been too hot about blogging. I promised once a week and it's been about 3 since my last update. So, basically buckle up,this one is gonna be long.

I can't believe I've been in Hoddesdon a month! Already a third of my time is gone. It's gone by really fast but still I feel like it's been longer somehow. Going back to Knoxville is going to be hard as I love living here already. Hopefully it will be temporary and I will be back here as soon as possible. What God has in store is going to be incredible.

Alright...so down to details & highlights.

A few weeks ago, we had ice cream olympics, which was as usual a cold mess of emotion & sticky. The young lifers where excited and full on energy; the leaders on the other hand, terrified of the potential of the evening. It was fantastic.

Shortly after that event, me, Rich & Elaine (fellow YL staffers) and a whole minibus filled with teens went to volunteer at a Christian conference called New WIne for about 10 days. This involved camping...in England. I was a little nervous but the weather was great!- thankfully. In the morning, all of us watched babies and toddlers, which was great fun. We then had the afternoons off to hang out (or let's be real, nap) and in the evenings we went to worship events. It was really encouraging to see a group of English teenagers interested in God and pursuing a walk with Him.

After New Wine, its been a week back in the Office to finish plans for camp in t-minus 5 days. I can't believe it's already been a year since the last camp- and what a crazo year. Last year I was backpacking Europe and stopping to be on Work Crew for a week and now, I'm Work Crew Boss and planning on moving to Europe permanently. Makes me pregnant with emotion, really.

Alrighty, managed to keep that shortish, yet informative.

In case anyone is wondering, Sam is coming in 2 weeks to see me. It's going to be love reunited at last. What she doesn't know if that I'm going to kidnap her and force her to live under my bed until the Lees notice how quickly the food is disappearing. Might be awkward when no one pays the rent until October though.

Romans 12:9-13

Don't just pretend to love others.
Really love them.
Hate what is wrong.
Hold tightly to what is good.
Love each other with genuine affection,
and take delight in honoring each other.
Never be lazy, but work hard
& serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Rejoice in our confident hope.
Be patient in trouble,
and keep on praying.
When God's people are in need,
be ready to help them.
Always be eager to practice hospitality.

First week in Hoddesdon, England.

Hello friends, family, and random blog creepers,

I have now made it officially one week in Hoddesdon. It's been a busy but great week!

For all of you who havn't heard....I got detained, yes as in held at the airport for 7 hours. Now, this was great and terrible. Great first of all because I got to cross off "get arrested" of my bucket list. Also great, because in about 6 months, it'll be a really funny story. Terrible because it was scary and I had to get interrogated.

After my warm welcome, I took a few days rest and then started full force into Young Life. My very first day on the job, we went to Thorpe Park, which is an amusement park, and it was a great time to meet some of the kids and get to know a few of them...and obviously ride some rollercoasters. That's what's up.

On friday, we had a pre-camp party for the young lifers who were going to camp, Mexican fiesta themed and everyone had to wear mustaches. I'm sure all you hipsters out there will love that part.

The weekend, I spent in Hertford with Jack and some of my wonderful Hertford friends. It was good to seem them, hang out and go to church. On monday we had campaigners (a bible study), which was good too. The kids got to make videos on how God has impacted their lives, great to get them thinking and good time to get to know them better.

Yesterday (tuesday) which is our usual club night we had a special event...MATTRESSTASTIC! Yes, it's every bit as wonderful as it sounds. Games with mattresses, including twister, blindfolded walks and a mattress toss. The kids got covered in everything from paint to baked beans; the night then finished off with a bonfire. It was an amazing night and the kids really had a blast. There are some great pictures of the event that hopefully will be put up on fb soon.

Even though it's been a very busy first week, I've had plenty of time to already fall in love with Hoddesdon. The young life here is different than anything I've seen, it's really unique and incredible. The young life kids are fantastic, energetic, and very involved. The work that God is doing here is so evident and he is clearly changing lives through it. I'm honored to be a part of it for 3 months, and hopefully permanently!

Psalm 150 v 1-6

Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
Praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Praise him with dance and banjo;

Let every living, breathing creature praise the LORD!
Hallelujah!

“It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God made man small and the universe big to say something about himself.”
— John Piper

Happy birthday America, Goodbye.

Welcome back!

Now's your big chance....

Be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it.

*Special voice guest appearance by Samantha Hering.

Testing, one, two, three...

And....I'm back!

Colosseum

Silliness in the Colosseum

Shout Out

Huge Trampoline

2nd National Italian Liberation Festival- aka, the third time we were on Italian Television

Italy sings their national anthem. That's the president back there. We literally walked into this, not even a bag check. Always look for the backdoor to things my friends.