Classes  = Awesomeness
During weekdays in the mornings, we have sessions in different categories: Christian Theology, Leadership, Life Application. We have multiple session speakers and this year I've heard from many amazing speakers -- I started to list my favourites, then realized the list was too long.

We also have seminar groups twice a week, which are where we discuss in smaller groups. (Check out our seminar session on character and check out my "About" page for links to all Academy Quote sessions.)

My favourite day of the week, Thursday, is where we split into our elective streams, and I'm in the Worship Elective.

Foundations for Worship
Matt Hooper, Jock James, and Mark Stevens (pictured above) are great session instructors for the worship elective and I've been so influenced by everything I've learned. Here's a few great quotes:

Preparation Breeds Confidence: "You need to prepare and make ready your life: your thinking, finances, relationships, application to life, your attitude to things, your personal and internal disciplines, your quitting points... If you’re in the word of God, you know what God says, you know what He would do about things. You’ve clean hands before God and your heart’s in expectation. " (Matt Hooper, Nov 24, 2011)

Music influences: "Listen widely, He’s a God of variety." (Matt Hooper, September 15, 2011)

"In our worship, we have a reverence, not a blase attitude. We need to understand that God is all powerful. God could change your world instantly! Especially as a part of platform ministry, there should be a sobriety, a reverence: "Wow, I’m carrying the presence of God. I’m going to live my life and go up there with a heart that is to honour You." (Jock James, October 13, 2011)

"Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Do you just look at the joy and expectancy in the room, and reflect it? Or like a thermostat, do you set the temperature — and turn it up!?" (Jock James, November 10, 2011)

"One devotional size doesn’t fit all. Never let your walk with God weaken or get lukewarm. Stay hot on fire for Him, every day. He wants you to walk deeper with him" (Mark Stevens, September 22, 2011)

"A true worshiper awakens the worshiper within another. When a true worshiper gets on the platform and leads you, they provoke you, challenge you, they arrest something in your spirit." (Mark Stevens, October 6, 2011)

There are so many great quotes, it's hard to choose. Check out my links to session quotes on my "About" page.)

Academy students!
I've been blessed with so many new friends from various places in the world. Most from England, but also Poland, Switzerland, Denmark, Holland, Germany, Sweden, Australia, and Spain.

A few of the many highlights with new friends: caving on our Academy trip away, having a special dinner and evening at Thomas & Natalie's apartment, spending meaningful chats with Liza during Freedom in Christ classes, being beaten mercilessly by Matt at many table tennis games, and practicing music with fellow muso Anna for Academy Worship time. I'm excited about the deeper friendships God is bringing me into with all my classmates!

In a New Worship Team!

Joining the worship team has been the definitive highlight of my time so far. It's been an absolutely amazing few months getting involved. Being a new joiner to the team, there's lots to learn and adapt to, but I feel so humbled and privileged to be involved, learning from the best!

One of the deciding factors for Academy enrollment here was the worship department, and I haven't been disappointed by the character, creativity, heart for God, and sheer brilliance of so many musicians I've gotten to know.It's been a journey to turn off the intimidation, but to turn on the gratefulness at being in such a greenhouse of musical talent!

The schedule has been busy, requiring hours of practice and personal sacrifice with a little bit less of a 'free time', but it's been so worth it. I've been most active in:

1. Academy worship, called Focus." I love to see how God has helped us grow as academy musicians and worshipers this term!
   
2. Friday night is the youth and young adults night — I've most often been joining the Edge band. It's loud, it's energetic, and it's got some of the talented musos ever.
   
3. Playing offsite in a chapel setting with a few ALC church musos on Sunday mornings. It's a different church setting, but great chance to get to know fellow ALC musicians in a personal setting.
   
4. Playing at the ALC Leeds church Sunday evenings. So cool to see how God's been stirring us up!
   
5. Christmas services: special set-pieces and carols. Fun joyous times — check out my xylphone blog!

I've been in a steep musical learning curve since I got here (so ready for a little holiday break), but there's a great benefit to learning new songs! And, best of all, it's inspiring me with my own songwriting - read my blog on how to let songwriting flow.

Spiritually: Finding Freedom in Christ

The personal spiritual lessons (which I don't often write about here) have been significant, and it's certainly not over yet.

• My mom's brain aneurism and surgery in September caused an immediate spiritual response in my life, where I had to simply surrender control to God. I felt powerless, but God gave me such a peace in that time. Read my blog "The Atlantic Ocean Can't Stop Family Prayer for Mom" for more on this.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

• I am becoming free from ways of thinking that aren't true, including ideas about self-promotion. In a world that strives to be in first place, I need to find my own identity not in what I do or achieve, not what others say about me, but in who God says I am. I'm learning to relax in God's grace. This means putting others first... (Check out a great talk from Charlotte Gambill gave at a RockNations conference called "After You")
  

"When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." ( Luke 14:7-11)

• Finally, I'm learning that grace means true love from God... no strings attached.