Marine Reach on TVNZ!! Take a look:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_skin/2044020
I was super excited!
Oh and just a quick note of outreach news, In 8 weeks time, i'll be leading a team with Emily and 5 students to Samoa! The other 10 students and Lauren and Dahvede will be going to the Solomon Islands! We will be in the South Pacific for 4 weeks, then we are going on a Public Relations tour which will be mainly based down on the South Island for 3 weeks! Today has been an exciting day for all!
Home sweet home!
The Pacific Link, Tauranga, New Zealand = Home!
I'm very glad to be back on board the ship, I didn't sail from Auckland to Tauranga but it was lovely to welcome everyone who was on board. Looking a little worn from its 5 exhausting but incredible months of outreach to the islands, ministering to around 6000 people!! And its so good to be reunited with those friends who have been out in the south pacific all this time too! Good times!
Yoghurt coated raisins!
Yea! The lovely, Pacific Link, gets in today!! And we get to move all our junk on tommorow, i'm so excited!! I guess that that's the major thing thats being going round in my head these past few days. Mangere, Auckland has been a challenge, but we got through it, and tonight will be our last night here!
Seeing as its just gone half past 7 in the morning, todays breakfast consited of yummy peach and pineapple yoghurt with tastey muesli, that had yoghurt coated raisins in! strange but quite delicious!
Seeing as its just gone half past 7 in the morning, todays breakfast consited of yummy peach and pineapple yoghurt with tastey muesli, that had yoghurt coated raisins in! strange but quite delicious!
Weekends!
Yey, it's the weekend! Although weekends are not the traditional weekends anymore, I've realised that this really is a full time thing/job/role whatever you want to call it! After a very busy week, I was so shattered this morning even though I was able to get up fairly late! I'm for sure feeling the couple of late nights in the week and the intense week of teaching, from now on I dont care if i'm a sad old thing and I go to bed early! It was a great week though, lots of things to chew over and one of the girls, Caroline got baptised in the sea, which was pretty awesome.
But today was my day off...a day where I'm to escape DTS land! So I met up with an old friend Deb, I did have coffee with her when I was in Auckland in April but the last time I saw her was in England probably about 4 or 5 years ago. So she took me on a little adventure in Auckland to a nice look out and then to a nice little beach. The weather being the four seasons in one day that it is here we got successfully soaked by the freak rain storm!
Now I'm just relaxing listening to some Brooke Fraser and then early to bed I think, ready for another week of DTS madness!
But today was my day off...a day where I'm to escape DTS land! So I met up with an old friend Deb, I did have coffee with her when I was in Auckland in April but the last time I saw her was in England probably about 4 or 5 years ago. So she took me on a little adventure in Auckland to a nice look out and then to a nice little beach. The weather being the four seasons in one day that it is here we got successfully soaked by the freak rain storm!
Now I'm just relaxing listening to some Brooke Fraser and then early to bed I think, ready for another week of DTS madness!
There's a first time for everything...
So we have our first small groups this Thursday, which is super exciting! After much prayer and consideration we've got them all sorted. I have three lovelies; Heather from the Philipines, Mercy from America and Kristin from Sweden! I'm looking forward to walking this part of thier journey with them and to see what God has in store for them these next 5 months!
And...on another first note, yesterday was my first time playing in a worship band! oh yes...I played guitar quietly in the background and with several air guitar chords, but I played all the same, quiet enjoyed it actually, but not so much the hurting finger tips!
And...on another first note, yesterday was my first time playing in a worship band! oh yes...I played guitar quietly in the background and with several air guitar chords, but I played all the same, quiet enjoyed it actually, but not so much the hurting finger tips!
Girls Night
Gosh...time flies so quickly! It's almost the end of the week again! Been running lots of errands and stuff again this week, I think I've been to the mall nearly eveyday so far! Trying to resist the temptations of Pak'N Save, for those who have not experienced Pak'N Save, its just a supermarket but as you enter one of the first things is usually a large section of what I can only describe as a 'pick n mix' section. Oh how I love it because this isn't just a regular pick 'n mix, it has of course a huge selection of sweets/candy but also every kind of nut you can imagine, an array of dried fruits and...of course the essentials of life, muesli! Its obvious why is my downfall!
So Lauren and I were there today shopping for yummy snacks for tonight...girls night. Thursday night will normally be small group night but we haven't sorted them out yet, so the guys are going out for burgers and us girls are having a night in with some chips and real hot chocolate with marshmallows and a good movie!
So Lauren and I were there today shopping for yummy snacks for tonight...girls night. Thursday night will normally be small group night but we haven't sorted them out yet, so the guys are going out for burgers and us girls are having a night in with some chips and real hot chocolate with marshmallows and a good movie!
Velvet Elvis
This past week I've been reading Rob Bell's book Velvet Elvis:
"As a Christian, I am simply trying to orient myself around living a particular kind of way, the kind of way that Jesus taught possible. And I think that the way of Jesus is the best possible way to live.
This isnt irrational or primitive or blind faith. It is merely being honest that we are all living a 'way'
I'm convinced being generous is a better way to live.
I'm convinced forgiving people and not carrying around bitterness is a better way to live
I'm convinced having compassion is a better way to live
I'm convinced pursuing peace in every situation is a better way to live
I'm convinced being honest with people is a better way to live
This way of thinking isn't strange; it is simply acknowledging that everybody follows somebody,and I'm trying to follow Jesus."
This has been resonating with me ever since I read it. I have not finished the book yet but I feel much encouraged to question things and wrestle with ideas, that we don't have to have all the answers.
"As a Christian, I am simply trying to orient myself around living a particular kind of way, the kind of way that Jesus taught possible. And I think that the way of Jesus is the best possible way to live.
This isnt irrational or primitive or blind faith. It is merely being honest that we are all living a 'way'
I'm convinced being generous is a better way to live.
I'm convinced forgiving people and not carrying around bitterness is a better way to live
I'm convinced having compassion is a better way to live
I'm convinced pursuing peace in every situation is a better way to live
I'm convinced being honest with people is a better way to live
This way of thinking isn't strange; it is simply acknowledging that everybody follows somebody,and I'm trying to follow Jesus."
This has been resonating with me ever since I read it. I have not finished the book yet but I feel much encouraged to question things and wrestle with ideas, that we don't have to have all the answers.
