My New Home

The reason for this post is because I was talking to one amazing lady today and she wanted to see where I lived now so I said I would post some pictures. For those of you that don't read my blog and are somewhat confused right now, that's ok. I am now living in Tauranga New Zealand which is on the North Island. I am doing the Awaken Internship at the House Of Prayer. You can read my later posts to find out what that's about.
So here are photos of where I live now....

Top: My bedroom

Right: The view from my bedroom.

This is the front of the house

This is the back of the house....

This is the orchard

This is the garden, raised beds....

This is Nana & Pop's house that has been under construction the past few months.

This is Nana & Pop. They are poms. Pop likes to pick on me but don't worry it's mutual. :)

This is Brooke, she is 20. She is doing the internship with me.

This is Andrew. He's the Dad....

This is Angela the mum and Josiah their son.... Josiah is off to Canada soon for a year...

Unofficial members of the family include Nugget who is a miniature horse but she thinks she's a Clydesdale with a big attitude...
As well as 3 other horses...
and 3 chickens and 1 rooster...

This is Brynn. He belongs to Nana & Pop. Most of the time we think he's dead or on his last legs. He's pretty deaf too...

So there you have it, my life in a nutshell or at least where I live you know! Enjoy! If you have questions let me know:

courtodd@tds.net

Blessings....

Kia Kaha

KIA KAHA CHRISTCHURCH

A year ago today the Christchurch earthquake hit at 12:51pm. This earthquake was a real damaging one. It shook and shook. People just going about their day which was disturbed. I remember what I was doing that exact day, I'll probably never forget it. I was cooking at YWAM Oxford, preparing lunch, I remember I had it in the oven and I was about to set everything out when my pots and pans started to rattle. It felt like a wave had gone through the floor. I had to grab onto the counter because it was such a big quake. I remember running outside along with everyone else. Nothing was damaged on the base but then we saw Christchurch. Devastating. I remember we sent people into the city that night to bring back survivors. We had mostly Israelis come out to the base to stay. I took them into the airport the next morning. It was chaotic and the city will never be how it used to be. 

At 12:51pm New Zealand time which is 5:51pm Central time we are having a moment of silence for the lives lost in the earthquake. If you would like to pray and join in you are most welcome.....

Kia Kaha means be strong...

Leap year

"The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made." - Psalm 145:9

It's valentines day here in NZ. So today it's just another day. I was thinking about the peace that the Lord gives to us all in the situations that we need it. I heard a pastor once say:
"The amount of peace you have in a situation measures the amount of trust you have in the lord."
It left me chewing for a while. I've come to the conclusion that yes this is true. When you fully give it to the Lord to deal with or take care of he will deliver his peace. I guess for me the future is a big thing, asking questions like What do I have a passion for? or What am I doing with my life?! All these silly questions that I ask myself because I'm in a panic that I'm not "moving" anywhere but staying put for a bit. I am currently in Tauranga which is on the North Island of NZ. Some of you know but I am applying to do the Awaken Internship at the Tauranga House Of Prayer. It's a 3 month internship based around sitting and listening to God. 4 hours a day in the prayer room Monday - Friday with lecture in the afternoon. I'm in the application process right now but there's a good chance of getting in. THOP is not YWAM but they are like distant relatives. It's a movement based on the marriage of missions & prayer. I'm stoked to see what God is going to do in my life at this time. It starts in April and finishes in July. I had a feeling when the Lord brought me up here for a "vacation" that I would be staying longer. He has rocked me since I've been up here already, so we shall see what happens when I have to sit and be in his presence 40 hours a week. I'm pretty excited.

This valentines day I'm reminded of how my relationship with the Lord has just deepened so much over the past year. 2011 was a real hard year with a lot of growing and painful lessons. That the Lord used to reveal so much in my life that I didn't know was there. A constant love dance with the Lord is how I would describe my deepening and growth in the Lord. As well as his sense of humor which is never-ending with me. Sometimes I feel I can hear him laughing and saying, "stop trying to figure it out!" He's a pretty cool character with a lot to offer in love and grace! I really think Valentines day is a stupid holiday, everyday should really be v-day. Loving and caring for the people around you! right? They aren't really big on it over here like we are in the states.
I am enjoying how deep the Lord is and how unknown most of the depth is. It's like the ocean, it's huge and deep and some or most parts have been untouched. All the uncharted territory there is for us to discover! How sweet is that! We have the lord to take us there too! One of my sayings is to "Dive into the Unknown". I'm pretty black and white when it comes to a lot of things, either you're all in or not in at all. So I guess when it comes to doing new things like take the house of prayer, I'm all in. I am a little nervous because it is uncharted territory and I don't know what to expect. But I'm going in without expectation, just waiting for God.

"The best things take the most time" 

This quote has been rattling my brain the past few days. I keep hearing it in various places. I keep relating it back to relationships for me, in friendship, romantically, family and so on.
The best thins take time, because they are being refined and made into something soo good that you need to be patient and wait. It may take a few years or a few months depending on the type of relationship. My relationship with the Lord has grown so much over the past few years since being in New Zealand. I though I was living the dream in America. Living downtown a great city, working two jobs, owning my own business, a great truck and so on. Anyways "chasing the american dream" was not what God had in mind for me. Which is great because those few years of doing that really felt empty. I thought it was what I wanted and what would be fulfilling but I was totally wrong! He opened my eyes to see that life can be really short so do what you are passionate about and desire before it's too late....

Isaiah 49

Isaiah 49

1-7:

"Listen to me, you islands; hear this you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me ; from my birth he has made mention of my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, 'You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.' But I said, 'I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God.' And now the Lord says he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength he says: 'It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.' This is what the Lord says the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: 'Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because the Lord who is faithful the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

 This verse has been my comfort the past few days. I've reread it a lot through out the days. My bible automatically opens to the page. Along with other pages. Anyways, I've always loved this passage because of how it says I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing, it reminds me that you can be a servant of the Lord but it has to be his strength through you! Along with listening to a song where the lyrics are "Control yourself, take only what you need from it" I guess I've come to the conclusion that whatever happens happens. I know if I try to interfere with the Lord's plans he'll call my bluff. Practicing self control and sitting and waiting are pretty hard things to learn. This place of sitting and being is a hard place to be in. I caught myself the other day when I was like: "Right, so what should I do now?" So I started looking all these things up that I could do as in working or studying, rather than go to the beach for a day is what I mean. Anyways I stopped and felt the Lord say, I have you in this place of being not doing. I started laughing because when I try to take control, I get real stressed and worried. I'd rather not live like that, worried about everything around me or at home.... Stay flexible as my grandpa says, along with why not...I may not know where I'm headed or what the next few months hold but that's ok. Living intentionally with the people around me along with the people I meet is my style. I love meeting people from everywhere! It's fun!  so why not?