What the Derriere?

This makes me laugh every time I see it, here's why: A kiwi is a fruit, a flightless bird, and a nationality (New Zealand) and the sign doesn't differentiate which kiwi the dog will eat. Ergo, be on guard all of the above.

Traveling across New Zealand, I came across the cleanest country ever. It's the first airport I've flown into and not had a slap of pollution hit me on the way out. Hostel's were another exciting adventure, especially when two of four toilets get cut from the equation and of the two showers, one's connected to the media room. Haha! An extreme favorite by far is how I can speak the same language as the locals and still have no idea what they're saying. 

One morning my friend started chatting about going to buy something necessary like a toothbrush. I mean, I packed everything in my bag, so I basically ignore this conversation. I ignore it until she says, "Yea, I'm going to have to go the dairy and buy one." Uh....... follow my inner dialog, "Dairy = cow. A farm? Toothbrush?" So I get over my confusion. "A what?" "A dairy, like 7/11," she says. "A convenience store?! Hold up, how do you know about 7/11?" (I hadn't seen one in New Zealand, my guess was she saw it in a movie) "Oh, I saw one in India."

Yes, we did just cross three continents to conclude that a dairy is in fact what I like to call a convenience store. The best part about this? None of the other Kiwi's know what 7/11 is.
 

to write

This entire year in Bethel, has been a constant season of putting stakes in the ground. (Did I almost say steak instead of stake? Yes.) I've gotten some pretty sweet downloads from God on his abundance; literally experiencing the reality that there is no lack in his kingdom. I can't outspend him! I can also have good things, not just cheap things! The other revelation is on his goodness; that no matter what, God always has a good result. Given any risk, given any trial, his result is always good.

K, I need to pause and lay out what a revelation is. To me, in my experience, a revelation is literally experiencing God's reality of a certain thing. Revelation on his goodness. Revelation on his abundance. Wow.

Onward: My entire time here has been spent continuing to pursue my dreams. Coming back into a school environment after spending a year doing my dream (to travel the world!), I wasn't looking forward to jumping back in to a part-time job. Moving here, I applied for jobs, specifically at one place I felt God highlighting. Nothing happened. Then I moved into a "meh" period where I knew God would provide and I didn't want to look. Result: stressful. Did God provide? Every month. In a different way every time. But it was hard.

I would hear whispers in the mornings of Him asking me to write for Him, especially during worship. My response? "Uh, ok." I'd scribble something down and then, "What do I do next?" Finally one morning during our revival group, I had enough. My friend walked past, asking how I was, and I told her, "I need a job." She prayed for me, I remember specifically her saying, "God, give her the right connections." I knew she was on to something, but I didn't know what. Fast forward near 11pm. My thoughts align with God's, and the epiphany moment; "God. You're telling me to write. As a job."

He started telling me a story when I was in Nepal, during one of our down times. I was bored, asked Him for a story, and He delivered! I expanded on it in South Africa, and hadn't touched it since. Talking with my pastor the following morning, I'm now setting aside time to write my book. It's a process, but every month, God is beyond faithful. Bills are paid, rent too. I haven't been perfect with my money, but He's teaching me a lot through it. One month, someone anonymously paid my rent for me. Conclusion? God is good, and He's got an abundance for me!