Limestone Island, CCBI, Waitangi

It has been amazing to see this week how the Lord blesses me and gives me so much love here! I love seeing the Lord guide me and equip me. In case you don’t already know I am a planner. I like to have everything planned way ahead of time and know what is going to happen next. Of course the Lord doesn’t always show us way ahead of time what is going to happen. For me the Lord likes to make me wait and learn patience. Since coming to New Zealand the thing the Lord keeps telling me is to rest in Him and allow Him to worry about tomorrow. That is really hard for me to do but I am trying to learn it. I have no idea what the Lord is going to do tomorrow but I look forward to seeing it! 6 months ago when I hoped on that plane to come here I had no idea what to expect and I still have no idea what the next 6 months will bring.

Last week we went with the home school group over to Limestone Island. We had a great time walking all over the island and learning about the history and the purpose of the island. For more about our limestone island trip and more pictures go here limestone island.

 

 

 

This week we also hosted the Calvary Chapel Bible College outreach team in Whangarei! I loved having them come up here and get to see our lovely city and help us paint! They arrived on Friday just after we finished basketball and stayed through Thursday morning. They helped us paint one of the buildings that we use for church. It was a tough job but we are so thankful to have had their help and to have their fellowship up here!

 

For me it was such a blessing to have fellowship with people around my age and that love the Lord. They are all such great people and it was awesome to have them here. Through them being here I felt more confirmation that I am where the Lord wants me to be and I am not supposed to be down in Rotorua or anywhere else in New Zealand.

Saturday after painting I traveled with them up to Waitangi and Russell. I was excited to see more of New Zealand history and to travel around the north with them.

 Maori Cultural show at Waitangi

Waitangi flagpole... I guess the flagpole used to be wood and was chopped down 3 or so times :)

Now it's steel

Giant War Waka

all of us driving the long trip to Waitangi and Russell

Ferry to Russell

Oldest working petrol station in New Zealand

Delicious fish n chips

Russell beach

 

Monday afternoon we went to the beach at Patau North. It was a beautiful day and the water was perfect! The boys jumped off the bridge (I would have but I was already dry and didn’t want to sit in the car for 30 min soaking wet). One of the times Jared jumped off he apparently hit his head and got a concussion. They told me he was really weird in the car on the way back to the house and couldn’t remember much.

Jared doing a flip off the bridge

Tuesday night they made me dinner and we played games to celebrate my birthday! I will post later about my New Zealand birthday!!

Thank you everyone who is praying for me and the work that is happening in New Zealand! It is much appreciated and I am so thankful for every one of you!