There's no place like home...

You know that feeling when you’re home. That feeling that when you are home, it’s secure, you know the people around you love you so much, that no matter what happens you know you’re going to have an amazing time! Well you know normally you only have that feeling when you’re home. Which is understandable because there is really no other feeling like it right? Well one of the families on base invited everyone on base over for dinner. It was real warm out so we all sat outside. I cooked everything before I went and brought it all with me and the boys. I was really tired and with everything running in my mind for preparing things for these next 4 days and for the welcome which is on Sunday. So when I arrived, I put the food on the table then two moms took over. I tell you what! I felt right at home!!!! My mom does that and so does my grandma, they just take initiative to get the job done. Right when that happened I had that sensation feeling come over me, just that wow this really is home! Driving to the airport today was that feeling again. I had the same feeling when my mom was driving me to the airport to leave for New Zealand. Oh man! It’s amazing, how I’m really 10,000 miles away from home but really I’m not. I know who I am in Christ and he is my home. It’s taken a year, one year from today I left home. I am astonished at how fast time flies!!!! God is really rocking my world in so many different ways! I do believe this trip to Australia is going to be relaxing and just time for me to bask in his presence. Although I will miss base immensely and the people there are missing me but it’s only 3 days really. Silly visa rules! Then again I think it’s God’s sense of humor kicking in saying HA, I am going to make you relax on a forced vacation! He is just so funny sometimes! I love it, it keeps me on my toes! “Cast your anxiety on him so that you can use it as worship towards him!” This is what someone told me once…. It’s so true, when you’re worried or anxious for something, give it to God and he will show you how to use it for his glory!

Jump the Drink

Obedient: submissive to the restraint or command of authority : willing to obey


So a lot has happened since I last updated. I found out that my visa for New Zealand is going to expire on October 2nd this year, not a big deal since I applied for a 2 year missionary visa. Except that they didn't have everything for my visa so they were not able to process it. Well with a little panic attack yesterday when I found all this out, after calling the immigration office twice yesterday and going in this morning, I can now say that I am off to Australia for 4 days. In other words a "Visa Run" just so I can come back to New Zealand for 3 months. I tell you what, I'm a pretty organized person so when this came up, well it has definitely shown me how God provides and who he has in place to help me. I had 4 people working on this yesterday in the office because they were all concerned. I just feel so blessed to have people that will drop everything they are doing to help little ol' me! I also love that no matter where I go I know people so I will be staying with a family who came to speak on my school last year about backpacking. They are super excited to have me stay in downtown Sydney. I think God is just saying that the only way I'll actually take time off is if I'm in a different country. hehe... 
So this has also taught or will teach me more about obedience. That no matter what I will obey the Lord, through everything I will praise his name. Good or not so good(learning) times. When I was in the immigration office this morning, I was just praying that if I was meant to leave for a few days that there would be a clear sign or if I was meant to stay that there would be a clear sign. So after talking to a lady who shot me down, then standing looking at the wall of applications and the one application I needed they did not have, having a retired pathologist man from the UK help me by handing me every application on the wall, I would say alright that's a clear enough sign for me. So I leave Wednesday and I return Saturday, just in time for the welcome bbq which I have to cook for on Sunday for the new school that is coming in this week. What a week and what a week to look forward to. Meal planning, jumping the drink, cooking for 60 people on Sunday. No big deal, God's got it all under control even if I don't. It makes me laugh and rejoice at the same time. "For I know the plans I have for you,'declares the Lord,' plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" - Jeremiah 29:11

The Way We Are

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."  

- Ephesians 6:11

Everyday we have to remember to put on the armor of God. I mean how else would you want to be protected? Right? I love how all the armor pieces are used in different ways, just like how every member of the body of Christ has a different purpose. We all have to work together, when I was home before doing my DTS I just though that there were only christians in the church. I never thought there would be people traveling aka missionaries. I guess I never understood what a missionary was or what they did. They spread love for those that encounter them. They go to all these nations to speak truth, spread love, show joy in everything. That just blows my mind every time. Although I'm here, pretty stationary in the kitchen, I am still able to be apart of it because I can pour into the students and staff here before they go on outreach, before they go to all these nations. Just like people in the church, or I'll speak for myself, the amazing family of Martintown Community Church have supported me for 8-9 years now. They poured into me and I didn't realize it at the time but I was being prepared for this time now and more to come. How good is God! He knows what he's doing even when we haven't a clue! 

Daughters of Eve...

Working in Construction.... Well let me tell you, that's just pretty much a normality in my life. (I actually really like construction, but don't tell anyone.) We had the kitchen remodeled this week. We had an extractor hood put in. It was so much fun to have this huge mess in the kitchen with the stoves pulled out so you couldn't do anything on them, while trying to decide what to feed 30 people. Just a blast. *sarcasm* All in all it wasn't too bad. The guys that were in the kitchen were pretty good about it. We may or may not have had sawdust in the food, just kidding. So although it is up, it is not working yet. 

With not having students here at the moment, things are pretty quiet. Processing the snowboarders leaving still, and processing all that God taught me over that time, has been difficult and joyful at the same time. I love what he is doing here and how my heart breaks for different things. Then again finding the time to do that has been a challenge. Mainly because it's been a crazy couple of weeks, everyone has their emotions at a high. "At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain." - Hebrews 12:26-27 I love this verse, it's so fitting for what's going on not only in this country but as well on base. Things have been shook up from one school leaving to another coming in. We have to stand firm in Christ, stand up for who we are in him. Rise up the warrior spirit in us all, to fight for something worth fighting for.....

You would....

"It's not the size of the dog you fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

This is a quote from a very good movie, called Hometown Legend. When a smaller football player gets put on the front line against this massive kid, one of his teammates says this to him. I really like this saying because I think it has great meaning. Or I can speak for myself. When you fight something long and hard you think about giving up. Especially when the thing you're fighting is very challenging and you think to yourself what's the point anymore. Why am I really fighting this. That's a good question to ask because you don't want to loose sight of your goal, if you do then you're probably not fighting for the right reasons. I love it when people stand up for what they believe. When they face humiliation and really say this is what I believe or this is my opinion. It really shows a person's character and integrity. Fighting, well you have to do it in a loving way. It's hard because when you are fighting you just want the end goal, which in theory is winning. You have to fight God's way, which is a loving way. It's more of finding a solution than winning....

Ode to the All Blacks

So some things that have been happening here are: people leaving, people leaving, people arriving, did I mention people leaving? Because people are leaving.... It's so different from a staff perspective to a student perspective. I never realized how tiring it is to go through 3 months of this intense school to watch them go on outreach and have that next adventure and experience what God has next. I love it. Not gonna lie. I got to see the Turkey team leave today, which was bittersweet because the leader of the team lives in the same house as I do. We had some very good times, she is an amazing woman. I will miss her but I know I will see her again! I love how God puts people on your path that walk alongside you for a while then when their time is up they trail off to make their own path, some come back and walk beside you again but I just love how you can learn so many different things from so many different people. 

I love how I truly feel blessed to have been apart of this school in a way that no one else was really. I mean when I really sit and think about it, I get to see everyone twice or three times a day, in the lunch and dinner lines. Sometimes at morning tea when I go out and feel sociable. I just love that. I am looking forward to this backpackers school to get kicked off with a bang! I'm super stoked to see what God is going to teach me over these next couple months before I go home for a couple weeks then to Samoa. 

"At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, 'Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.' The words 'once more' indicate the removing of what can be shaken - that is, created things so that what cannot be shaken may remain." - Hebrews 12:26-27

I love how appropriate this verse is for the timing of the state of emergency New Zealand is in. Although we are only 20 min. from where the epicenter was we have only gotten maybe 50 aftershocks. Christchurch has gotten over 300 aftershocks. If you have never experienced an earthquake, Aftershocks are annoying! I mean in the middle of the night! Really?! Can't we just get it over with already is it really necessary for all the shaking. It's hard because the people living in Christchurch haven't really been able to sleep from all the shaking.  

Have you ever watched rugby? I mean the real rugby, the All Blacks (New Zealand team). My favorite part is the beginning when the do the Haka. It's a Maori dance that is supposed to warn off the enemy. I must admit that I love rugby, but I didn't start until I got here. I love it more than american football which looks like a wuss sport when compared. I almost love it more than baseball but not quite, it's just up there with the Cubs. Watching the game tonight is always a highlight, we usually get a group of us and go over to the Rosie's pile around the tv and watch, laugh, eat, fall asleep. Such a good time to get off base. 

Ugh.

Good Grief Charlie Brown! That's pretty much all that's running through my head as the aftershocks continue. I would almost rather have another big earthquake than suffer through these horrible aftershocks. Thinking through it all, it is a blessing that it happened so early in the morning because just a few hours earlier or later there would have been more people out and about in Christchurch, which is in a state of emergency. Nothing is damaged on base which is amazing considering the damage Christchurch endured. Right now things are a bit chaotic with everyone leaving and arriving. We have the Chile team leaving tomorrow on outreach then the other teams follow. By Sunday we will only have 20 people on base. Crazy! I don't know what to think. I am super stoked for the snowboarders as they embark on this next adventure. Also I am a bit sad because I will miss them being around. It will be fun with the backpackers back though, I am already enjoying the staff here.
December 20th I will land in the country of the USA. Thinking about this yesterday I will only be in the USA for 8 weeks this year. I have spent the most time in New Zealand this year. I will only be home for 2 weeks. I am really excited to see everyone. If you would like to get together just email me and we can set up a time. I think my phone will still work with the same number but I'm not sure. When I leave home on January 4th I will fly to Samoa (Western) I will be there for 3 weeks helping with the construction team from Oxford building houses and helping with the clean up and whatever else they have us do. I am real excited to be doing construction. I love cooking but growing up around power tools, well lets just say they hold a special place in my heart. Same with chainsaws. Not gonna lie...
Thank you to all who are praying for us here! I cannot thank you enough, I encourage you to continue to pray for New Zealand. For all the families that lost their houses and that are cleaning up Christchurch. It's amazing what prayer can do... For now I am going to go and cook, live in food, throw some stuff in a pan, mix things up..... Well you get my point, I'm going to go feed 60 mouths 3 times today. SO MUCH FUN!!!

EARTHQUAKE!

The Earthquake hit last night. More like This morning at 4:30am! A 7.4-magnitude hit and we are still feeling aftershocks. At first I really didn't know what was going on, I thought I was dreaming. I literally sat up in my bed for a minute only to see my travel mug fall off my dresser, then I heard Angelina say come into the doorway. It lasted a good 8-10 min. Our house is not exactly in good foundation. It's more like it's up on stilts so it really shook! The earthquake hit about 8 miles down the road. between Rangiora and Oxford, in a little town called Cust. We all went back to sleep at about 5:30, still being shook by the aftershocks. We do have a praise though, there is a house on base and it's 150 years old, it's a two story house. We have about 20 girls living upstairs in it and they are all fine, with the house still intact. Thank God for that! The house should have really crumbled but it didn't! That was my first earthquake experience. I must say that I do not want to go through that again! So to all who read this thank you for your prayers they are very much appreciated! Love, Courtney

No Says I

Being relational is funny in the start, at least to me it is. There's always that awkward stage of what I like to call the "Boundaries" of knowing how far to take things, how close to stand, etc. This stage makes me laugh when people do it to me, because I know what they're doing so depending on the person I like to either make it more awkward for them or less awkward and more inviting. Then you move into the "High Five" stage where the only form of physical touch is the high five. When you could do the stupidest thing and give them a high five. Just to get over or rather move onto the next stage. Which is the "Side Hug" when you're not fully committed but you want to let them know you're not a creeper. It's the first sign of saying you're pretty cool so I'll give you a side hug. As long as they don't stand there just with their arm around you tightly then it's alright but if they do stand there with their arm around you tightly then run as fast as you can in the opposite direction! Then the next stage is the "1 second hug" This is where you hug for just a second. To let the person know that ok this stage is a little awkward for me so I'm just going to grab you for a second. hhmm let's think about that, it's like testing the waters to make sure that it's alright to go in for "The Big Hug/Moment!" Once you have reached this stage congratulations! This means that the person is alright with you and that they have accepted you! Hoorah!!!
So when I meet a new person, you can call me silly if you want I don't really care but I set a goal in my head and say alright in 4 days I will be hugging you. So far that has never failed me. I mean ok I'm a bit different and I hug people when I first meet them just because that's how I'm wired so I can't really change that. It's cool to see how different people relate to you and to each other. I love sitting back in the kitchen and watching how people react in different situations. It's impressive sometimes and other times you're like oh man I'm glad that wasn't me! Just kidding that's never happened. So my point is that when you live in community you need to build relationships. With everyone not just boys for me. My favorite moments are in the girls house when we just sit by the fire and talk about what we're doing, most of the time we end up laughing on the floor, it's amazing! I am looking forward to the times to come with the different people that come through here. I can't wait to see what God is going to do.