Buffalo shines in ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’

Today I watched the Extreme Home Makeover that took place on the Westside of my home town, Buffalo New York. This woman's story has literally put me into almost non-stop tears the entire two hours. Dolores Powell seriously is an inspiration to us all. The determination this woman has is unbelievable. It is amazing to see someone who has so little touch so many lives. Her house was literally condemned yet she took the time to help her nieghborhood and see others succeed. This lady's life is evidence that you don't need to have the perfect situation to impact people and ignite change around us. CHANGE requires GIVING of ourselves, giving OUR LIVES.


“For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” – Matthew 16:25

Read article here: Buffalo shines in ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’

Part 1

Part 2


I am so proud of my city and its people who are a part of this. Buffalo truly is a City of Good Neighbors. <3

A thought on prayer...

A close friend of mine emailed me this to me the other day and I thought that anyone could use to hear a little word on prayer, this is quoted from a book she found in her room...

"God has willingly chosen to act through us and through our asking. God wants to enlist us in his plans, inviting us to participate through prayer. Of course he is powerful enough not to have to call on our puny muscle and stuttering prayers, and he already knows what we tell him. But for our sakes and for the sake of others, he becomes the Great Delegator. He allows us to participate with him in what is and what is to come.
In so many ways God seems to prefer to work through the slow, the steady, the human, rather than through fiat and thunderclap. In prayer we take hold of his willingness to listen and move; we exercise our right as children to influence a loving parent. When I stop to consider the opportunity he gives us, it marshals forth a palpable thirst to ask. Think of it! WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! The world does not face an impersonal fate; God is on the move, and he's enlisting us in his kingdom's advance." -Timothy Jones

The FBI/Police certificate came!!

What should have only taken 8-10 weeks...took 13 weeks, but I GOT MY FBI/POLICE CERTIFICATE in the mail!! Now I can file for my visa. According to NZ immigration should take only 14 business days if all goes well. Then once I get the Visa back, I can book my flight. So I am one step closer!! Thanks for prayers and support in this process!

Day 3: Claim Your Campus

Day 3: the "breakout sessions"
--aka when I had the privilege of leading 2 sessions about Claim Your Campus prayer movement & exciting students and youth pastors/leaders to join the movement!

[There were four speakers for the sessions and CYC was given the opportunity to get to be one of the speakers]Lauren spoke during session 1 for a few minutes about the power of prayer, and man she brought the passion and excitement for prayer; reminding us how amazing it is to talk to our loving Father and the change that happens in our hearts and those around us when we do!



Here is the video that we showed them: "FROZEN" ::We encouraged students to not be frozen in discouragement but to BE THE CHANGE in their schools by asking GOD to make some changes.

Stefan, Lauren and I at our table where we got to talk to students about CYC. Stefan and I met for the first time once we got there and we madce an excellent team- he is a great guy with a heart for God and students!
One of our t-shirts... the rallying cry of CYC
some pretty cool kids rocking Houghton's free t's

LoveMercy Day 2: Claim Your Campus

QUESTION: Why was I in Baltimore at this conference?


ANSWER! Representing Claim Your Campus (CYC) prayer movement. Its pretty simple, CYC's goal is to have students praying everyday on every campus in America by 2013. Pretty big goal, so we are going hard-core on this...talking to as many students, pastor and youth leaders as possible to get the word out and join the movement!! Schools are no longer safe places, in fact they are the opposite, so we are challenging students to be a part of changing that through prayer. Think of the change that could come if there was intentional prayer for schools everyday? WHOA. Amazing. And we have seen it at work already.

[Talking to students, what we did most of the day]





If you are a student its really simple to join:

1. Get some friends to pray with
2. Go to the ClaimYourCampus.com and register your school
3. Get the word out! Facebook, twitter, you got connections, use 'em!

This a video made by students from a school in Michigan who are answering the question: "What will you pray for?"

Temp work and manual labor...

Lots of people have been asking me how I fill my time these days and actually it is quite a praise! I have been working for an awesome local T-shirt company called Celebrate Buffalo [.com] <---That's an intentional, shameless plug, visit the website, buy a shirt ;-) I've been getting good hours and it came at a perfect time to pay my bills & even buy a few presents, so it is cool to see God providing for my needs in tangible ways! So here is a toast to temp work, manual labor, and a pay check-- I thank God for them!

LoveMercy Baltimore: Dec 28 Day One

LOVE MERCY: The tagline is "boldy go"... well I almost didn't make it! That short week (Dec 28-31) sure started with a bang! Actually, it didn't-- and that's where the problem began. When my alarm didn't go off at 5 am--(long story short: old phone=turns off randomly= my alarm no workie= I wake up at 8:45 and had to quick figure something out= booking a last minute flight (which was a PRAISE JESUS, HALLELUJAH moment when I found a flight) to Baltimore, MD for just $150. PTL. And Southwest. I love you both (but certainly not in equal proportions).BUT, thank you Buffalo weather, the flight was delayed due to a classic snow storm... BUT I made it safe and sound 11 hours late and just in time for bed at Day One of the conference. Good thing I didn't have to speak at the session for Claim Your Campus until Day 3!! More to come on LoveMercy Baltimore <3 ...

Waiting...

I'm still here.

In the states.

Waiting.

For paperwork. From the US govt.I'm sad to miss Ignite Camp '10 in New Zealand but I resigned to know that God knows whats up, so I will trust that. And wait. In anticipation. And get ready. And say goodbye.

The blessed dawn of Christmas day

I know a family that reads the Christmas story out of the Bible every year on Christmas and I want to adopt that tradition. Here is a link to Luke's version of Jesus' birth, hope you get a chance to read it as we celebrate Christ's birth.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202:1-20&version=NIV I really do hope that this Christmas is a time to celebrate Jesus, and the amazing faithfulness and sacrifice of God to empty himself and become human, like us. When you think about...how awesome is the incarnation (God becoming human as Christ)?? It explodes my mind. Jesus is Immanuel, which means "God with us". I really do hope that you know the God that is with us and you feel his presence, not just on Christmas, but everyday. Merry Christmas :-)

One of my favorite Christmas songs- The Blessed Dawn Of Christmas Day- Harry Connick Jr.

The blessed dawn of Christmas day
As honestly as children pray
The warmth that melts the eve away
The holiness of alpenglow

I rose to join the glorious morn
Whose calm and splendor would adorn
The virgin mother's infant born
The blessed dawn of Christmas day

I pray one day my heart will see
The light of God's eternity
And know that Jesus died for me
Now close, my eyes
So I may rise
At blessed dawn of Christmas day

Christmas Update

Amidst all the craziness of Christmas preparation and anticipation of a new year, I want to this chance to look over this past year and celebrate God’s faithfulness with you (as you have been a part of it!!) Thank your prayers, it is the fuel of this mission and journey!

Update: GOAL REACHED! 100% Funded!!

• Want to be in NZ for Ignite Camp (Jan 8-11)
• BUT its gonna take a MIRACLE to get my visa before camp, waiting on FBI certificate to file for my Visa
• Have not bought plane tickets yet

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS:

• My FBI certificate to come in so I can send in my VISA application
• That my Visa would be approved and sent back QUICKLY!! (the website says it takes 14 days)
• Packing and saying goodbye well
• For the ministry in NZ & for God to prepare us all for my arrival

PRAISE GOD:

• His faithfulness in providing all the prayer and financial support
• In NZ I have a place to stay & car to drive for January
• For a superb support network (you)

Let’s be sure we are praying for one another. My prayer for you is that this Christmas would not full of empty traditions but that the true and overwhelming significance of Jesus, the promised Savior’s, birth would penetrate your heart and leave you changed forever.

I can not thank you enough for being alongside me in this journey. This year has been full of experiences that challenged, grew and blessed me. I am so excited for the next part… in New Zealand!

Lots of love this Christmas,

-Steph

Quote of the Day

Giving people a second chance is about loving them enough to want to see them restored—and the quickest way to derail that is by talking about them in a way that ensures people around them focus on the issue rather than the potential.

–Brian Proffit, People of the Second Chance
http://www.equippingministryblog.com/?p=120

Quote of the day

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."
-CS Lewis
(thanks to Rachel)

100% The final countdown is OVER!!!

Praise the LORD!
I am fully funded!
This is the email I received yesterday:
"Hey Stephenie,
I am pleased to write you today to grant your financial clearance. Congratulations!

I know you have worked hard and it is encouraging to see how God has blessed. I pray God will use you in great ways as you serve in New Zealand and I also pray He will do awesome things in your own life. Once again, congratulations! ..."

THANK YOU TO EVERY ONE OF MY SUPPORTERS!!! Please do pray for my VISA to get done (correctly) and quickly processed so I can be there beginning of January! Thank you to EVERYONE who has been alongside me for this leg of the journey. Stick with me as I am gearing up to head over to NZ soon!!

FInal Countdown...5...

Again, to get the full effect, listen to this song while you read :-)


5 more people to pledge $20 a month for my 2 yr term to be fully funded. To make a faith promise commitment click "FAITH" below my photo here: http://www.wesleyan.org/gp/mdirectory2/WM29-006

The Final Countdown...7...

Must listen to this song to get the full effect


7 more people to pledge $20 a month for my 2 yr term to be fully funded. To make a faith promise commitment click "FAITH" below my photo here: http://www.wesleyan.org/gp/mdirectory2/WM29-006

The Final Countdown...8...

To get the full effect, listen to this as you read: The Final Countdown by Europe

...8...and counting down
8 more people to pledge $20 a month for my 2 yr term to be fully funded. To make a faith promise commitment click "FAITH" below my photo here: http://www.wesleyan.org/gp/mdirectory2/WM29-0061


Just got another support partner that bumps me up to 94%, PRAISE GOD!

9 and counting down...

Just got a support partner that bumps me up to 93%, PRAISE GOD! And the countdown continues... only need 9 more people to pledge $20 a month for my 2 yr term to be fully funded, praise God! to make a faith promise commitment click "FAITH" below my photo here: http://www.wesleyan.org/gp/mdirectory2/WM29-0061

9...

92% ...only need 10 more people...

Update: my support levels are up to 92%... meaning that I only need 10 more people to pledge $20 a month for my 2 yr term to be fully funded. Please pray for or consider if you may be one of those 10! Thanks!

Here is the beginning of a countdown.....
10... soon to be 9?

Quote of the day

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Dream. Explore. Discover.

-Mark Twain

More Fall Photos

How the past few months have been. Making sure to be spending all my free time with family and friends...absorbing as much of them as I can while I am still home :-)

Gathering of Global Partners Missionaries to the South Pacific while we are all in the states. Love them all!! The Georges (L) will be back in Australia, Me, Jess is the newest appointed missionary to NZ (!!), and the Bowlins will be back in NZ soon.Welcomed a new baby into Thomas part of my family (my sis holding our "nephew")

Houghton buddies welcoming Baby Brush into the world!!
Reunion at Houghton Homecoming 2009. We all lived together at some point in college Pumpkins, pumpkins!

We go to Blackman Farm in Cambria every year to pick pumpins/apples and get grape juice. Michelle and Me picking pumpkins. Its such a corny pic, we had to!
Aw Ashley, love herrrHanging out at the Underground, the youth facilities for our youth at Eastern Hills. I am a substitute small group leader until I leave for NZ
Part of my beautiful family. My bro Nate, Ryan, Me, Mommabear, and my sister Nicole.

Fall in Photo Form

Some photos from happening from the last month, support raising and everything in between


Speaking almost every Sunday, yeah!
Trying to Bike, rollerblade and run as much as I can before it starts to snow!
Reading A LOT lately: CrazyLove by Francis Chan, In A Pit with a Lion on Snowy Day by Mark Batterson, Survival Kit to Overseas Living, Great Divorce by CS Lewis and Prayer by Richard Foster and EXILES by Michael Frost--> now if I coould only finish ONE!
Saw my college bud Shiloh and visited a church in the area :-)
Got to see author ALAN HIRSCH in TO, this man is speaking ancient truth in a relevant way. Recommend his stuff highly. Shaping of things to Come and Forgotten Ways.


Fall in NY=my favorite
Welcoming one of my bestie buds home after being in Korea for year
Carving pumpkins with my siblings and buddies

Results of Fundraisers!

Some of my support team- I used to work with Joyce, she is the sweetest thing!


Many have been asking me how the dinner went... 10 new prayer partners, 5 new financial faith promise partners and over $800 in donations from spaghetti dinner. I am SOOO CLOSE NOW!!!

Bake Sale- Huge Success

Andy, Christina(one of the teens who helped A LOT) & Me on Sunday

Andy, the youth pastor has been the pioneer with the partnership between the EHWC youth group and me. They have thrown 2 fundraisers that have been helpful!! I am thankful beyond words and excited to see the partnership between the youth of Eastern Hill in Buffalo, NY and Shore Grace in Auckland, NZ!!

Lori is a wonderful friend who helped make the bake sale happen-who would have thought that it would bring in over $500 during the two Sunday services??!! Praise GOD! People were very generous to bake and donate! I can not thank everyone enough.

Representing NZ @EHWC Missions Festival

It was just Missions Festival at Eastern Hills in Buffalo, NY. I LOVE being a part of inspiring/challenging people to think/care about missions/how God is at work locally and globally. I love getting to meet and see all kinds of missionaries, especially other Global Partners missionaries because being a part of GP is like a world-wide family network.

On Friday I spoke at the Women's "Essence" with other missionaries.
Saturday was "Taste of Nations"- food from all over the world- my favorite! YUM! The service speaker was Gary,an engineer and missionary, doing an amazing work through engineering globally!
Sunday- I got to speak at both the Middle School Ministry services and carry a flag in the main service

It was so cool to connect with people at my church I haven't seen in a while, cast my vision for ministry in NZ and build more of my support team of pray-ers and givers. All in all it was busy and full of amazing people, stories about how God is moving all over the world and encouragement from my home church as they are fully supporting me and the efforts in New Zealand. Thanks so much to Pastor Kim, the missions committee and everyone at Eastern Hills- especially those who stepped out in faith to support missions/missionaries in prayer and finances!

Cell phone for NZ :-)

I have some awesome supporters who were missionaries in NZ for years and returned to US. They are an awesome source of knowledge and support AND they gave me their old NZ mobile! (And it is a nice one). That is one less expense I will have! This just one of the many ways my support team loves me. Thank you.

Getting the package made my day!! *Note the different plug end ;-)

Quote of the day: "Come to the edge..."

“Come to the edge,” He said. They said, “We can’t, we’re afraid.”
Come to the edge,” He said. “We can’t, we will fall.”
“Come to the edge,” He said. So they came, and He pushed them.
They flew.

~Guillame Apollinaire

Immersed in his new faith, Lockport student is born again : Religion : The Buffalo News

This is my friend Brian's story- so awesome to see his transformation!!

Immersed in his new faith, Lockport student is born again : Religion : The Buffalo News

Shared via AddThis

American Samoa hit by Tsunami

New Zealand: Exciting Days at SURGE

Here is some of the other work being done in NZ by fellow missionaries Drew and Amy Donovan

These are exciting days at SURGE, the student ministry at East City Wesleyan Church in Auckland! In the last month two new students accepted Christ and more than 12 students made commitments to live an epic life for Christ. After three years, we are seeing new faces at SURGE almost weekly. The best part is seeing God transform the lives of more than 45 teens. Not only are they learning more about God, but they are showing their faith in real and practical ways to people around them.

Seventeen students accepted the SURGE 4WORD Bible reading challenge. The challenge is to read the Bible in a year. Along with their reading, students are journaling and studying for quizzes offered every two weeks. Also, the student leadership (pictured here) went to the next level with a leadership retreat geared toward training and planning for the next six months at SURGE. It was a great event focused on taking these leaders to the next level of commitment.

"Where is your necklace from?" asks the 3 yr old

Out of no where my niece points at my necklace and asks me, where is that from? Answer: the necklace is a Maori carving.(Maoirs are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand), comparable to Native Americans. Obviously, I don't launch into the speech, I just say New Zealand. Now Bella just asks fun, every time I see her, she looks for it on my neck and asks: where is your necklace from? She knows the answer and sometimes she will answer it herself. Of course I think it is the cutest thing in the world, so I thought I'd share it with you on video. This is typically how the conversation usually goes. What a cutie pie.

Lion-Chasing Women

I met Julie (R) a few years ago at Never the Same youth camp and it is so cool to see where God has lead her! Its encouraging to me to see other women serving in pastoral roles and rocking the world for Jesus. Rock on Illa and Julie!

The book I'm reading, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day has a reocurring theme of facing our fears to chase after the dreams that God has given us... Julie is a young, single woman who is chasing those lions! Read below for an excerpt:

Julie shared: "In February I sensed God calling me to leave my job as a youth pastor in Michigan. I started dreaming about what was next, how God had wired me, and what avenues I was not pursuing because I was scared. During this time God brought to the forefront my passion for church planting, which was something I believed to be far off in the future. He also affirmed my desire to reach young adults, as this is the age group that is not connecting with the church. Only five percent of people from 18-33 are believers. This sobering stat is the lowest in history.

In my evaluation at The Church Planters Assessment Center I was challenged to accept God was calling me to church plant and I better stop being scared and do what God was calling me to do. With advice like that what other option did I have!

Rev. Harris adds, "The picture is of two church planting ladies who tackled the mission of church planting as single ladies while both were in their mid-twenties!"

Read the full article here: http://www.wesleyan.org/doc/news_article?id=466&src=news

Quote of the day

"Attempt something so great for God that it is doomed to failure if God is not in it"
-Randy Pope

Sunday, busy Sunday

On the road Saturday

This vid is coming from the road on Saturday on my way from Cleveland, Ohio back to Buffalo. I had a vision chat on Friday with some friends of my moms. They were such great hosts, I'm so glad I got to spend time with them in their home.



Crazy schedule... and I'm loving it! Bring it on.

God Of Justice

may this speak to your heart and spur you on.




God of Justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served

Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

To act justly everyday
Loving mercy in everyway
Walking humbly before You God

You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give


Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord

Indianapolis District All-Nighter!

I got invited to speak at a district All-Nighter in Indianapolis. It is a cool opportunity to share what I am doing in NZ and asking young people to join my support team. I think that students connecting to other students overseas through prayer is so awesome- they understand the struggles of living out their faith in middle school and high school better than anyone else.


It's also a cool chance to highlight the youth pastors and youth sponsors that are working with students. I don't know if students understand how much their leaders care about their lives, and the sacrifices they make to invest in them. Hopefully, the students appreciate the people who work with them just a little more, knowing that students in NZ don't always have that, and they can be a part of praying for that to happen in NZ.

The band, Atlantic, that performed at the all-nighter in Indianapolis. I'm excited they are coming to my home church youth group in NY in a week. Woot-woot.

Some of the students, the one on the far left is actually a sister to one of my students from the SLD Road Trip earlier this summer. Such a small world. Love it.

We rode go-karts, played putt-putt, games, and hung out all night with students. Did not go to sleep until 7 am, I haven't done that since my last semester in college, haha! Then we slept until like 2pm the next day. I feel like an old lady and still recouping :-)

Sarah (L) Me and Rachel (R). Rachel and her husband Chris are both youth pastors in Fishers, IN & were on the SLD Road Trip with me. They hooked me up with the all- nighter, it was soo good to see them. Thanks guys! Love ya tons!

Thanks to Fall Creek Wesleyan!

I had the opportunity to come and speak to the youth at the MIX at Fall Creek Wesleyan in Fishers, Indiana. It was soo good to connect with some of the small group leaders aka "life-coaches" that I spent a week with on the Student Leadership Development Road Trip in August.


The pastor, John Freed spoke about the passage in Hebrews 5:11-24 about growing in your faith. His wife Danielle is expecting their first child and he was talking about the hopes and dreams he has for his son. Understanding that at first his son will only drink milk, sleep and poop. But one day the baby will grow out of diapers, needing to be fed by others, become a boy...and eventually grow into a man. John is excited about the day that his boy will stop drinking just milk and move onto solid foods, because eventually he wants to sit down and eat a giant steak with his boy. If his son is 11 years old and still only drinking milk, he will be malnourished and missing out on what life has for him.

He used this to parallel our spiritual walks with God. In the beginning of our walks we are like babies, understanding the basics about God in the simplest way. The only way we are really learning about God is through others, such as pastors, teachers, friends, parents, and their spoon feeding God's truth into our minds. But there is a point where we should be growing and seeking God on our own. And even beyond that, our faith should grow beyond our own personal walks and begin to see the WORLD through God's eyes. Becoming part of bringing God's kingdom to earth. It was An amazing way to kick off the year and encourage all of us to continue to mature in our faith and take that faith to the world.
It was a special time to be there and get to connect with the leaders and with students. I appreciate so much your prayers and partnership!

Faith Promise Update- Yipee!

Thanks so much to everyone who has partnered with me. Your praying and giving is not in vain- thank you to

112 partners praying weekly!!
$20,664 faith promises made

PRAISE THE LORD for his provision and YOUR involvement in making this happen!! There is only 12,000 left to go!! Let's keep praying and believing that will all come in so I can be on the road to New Zealand by late October!! I can not thank you enough for your partnership!!

Risky Business

this is long but I hope you read it...I got it from a friend from a Student Leadership Development devotional- it is pulled from In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson (I suggest everyone read it-no joke). Thanks to Scott for putting this together.

The goal of faith is not the elimination of risk. Following after Christ will cost you something.

"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about being safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king, I tell you."

~ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

I want to believe that God is good--and not at all safe. I want to embrace that in a way that says I can trust a God that big, that unfathomable. I want to be safe with a God who isn't safe--but is good.

However in this world that we live in we have downsized God. We have made him safe. He's neutralized. He's ineffective. And he's not good. He's just ... is. But when we want to be good and want God to be safe we are limiting God--and thinking we can be more than we are. Take a look at the next three stories of individuals who realized that following after God pr chasing the lion is not necessarily always safe. Their actions speak to how great God is and how willing they were in trusting Him even when the demands were risky.

Esther 4:16
"Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I am willing to die."
Nehemiah 2: 4, 5
The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."
Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter if we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Sometimes taking a calculated risk means giving up something good so you can experience something great. Small choices and small changes become magnified over time and have major consequences.

Chasing lions means you are brave enough to pray that God would show up in large, outlandish, living colors in your life. It requires you to open your arms wide and let God be God. Not who you think he is. Not who you’re comfortable with. Not what others tell you he has to be/must be/should be. Chasing lions opens the door to experience the paradox of not safe and good. You can only find those two opposites in God.

What dreams or aspirations for your life do you have? What is some courageous choice that you need to make that may be the only thing between you and your dream becoming a reality.

The goal of faith is not the elimination of risk. Following after Christ will cost you something. However a relationship with God is the ultimate win/win relationship because you can never give up more than you get back. List out the rewards of God you see in your life.

If you could do anything without the risk of failure what would it be?
We won’t regret the mistakes we made as much as the God ordained opportunities we missed

Consider the cost
There is no such thing as risk free faith. What risks are stopping you from tackling an important task or growing in an important area in your life right now?

It is amazing how God works things together for his purposes. It amazes me sometimes. Wow.

I an loving being in Indiana. Just met with an amazing pastor at a church plant. Its so cool to meet people whe love God and their communities.

How to measure a day's success?

At night, when my head hits the pillow. How do I measure a day's success or failure? By tasks completed? Hours at work? Emails written? Bill paid? Calls made? Sometimes this is how I measure my day. In what I can produce. But my soul cries out. My productivity is not what life is about. There has to be another way. The question that she be rolling around in my head at night is: how did I love today? Did my hearts attitude reflect that of Christ? Did I treat others with respect and dignity? Am I allowing God to transform my life; the way I think, act, move, eat, use my money and my time... am I allowing God to permeate into every area of life so that my life mirrors the one who created it? Maybe that is how I should measure my day. But if I am honest with myself, I will admit it takes courage to measure life this way.

One Day...

This song is beautiful. Give it a listen. One Day by Matisyahu





sometimes I lay
under the moon
and thank God I'm breathing
then I pray
don't take me soon
cause i'm here for a reason
sometimes in my tears I drown
but I never let it get me down
so when negativity surrounds
I know some day it'll all turn around
because
all my live I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
for the people to say
that we dont wanna fight no more
they'll be no more wars
and our children will play
one day x6
it's not about
win or lose
because we all lose
when they feed on the souls of the innocent
blood drenched pavement
keep on moving though the waters stay raging
in this maze you can lose your way (your way)
it might drive you crazy but dont let it faze you no way (no way)
sometimes in my tears I drown
but I never let it get me down
so my negativity surrounds
I know some day it'll all turn around
because
all my live I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
for the people to say
that we dont wanna fight no more
they'll be no more wars
and our children will play
one day x6
one day this all will change
treat people the same
stop with the violence
down the the pain
one day we'll all be free
and proud to be
under the same sun
singing songs of freedom like
one day x2
all my live I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
for the people to say
that we don't wanna fight no more
they'll be no more wars
and our children will play
one day x6

Excerpt from Paul's letter to Ephesians

<sup>I'm preaching at a church in Rochester this weekend and the passage I am speaking from comes from the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians. He was writing to them to encourage them in their new found identity with Christ and to put away their old way of life. I love how direct he is and how he explains that we each have spiritual gifts and those gifts bring diversity and unity in the body of Christ as we individually and collectively fullfil our role in the body of Christ.

1-3</sup>In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

^4-6You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

^7-13But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. The text for this is,

He climbed the high mountain,
He captured the enemy and seized the booty,
He handed it all out in gifts to the people.
Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

^14-16No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. (Ephesians 4:1-16, The Message)

Quote of the Day

Ivan Illich was once asked: "What is the most revolutionary way to change society? Is it violent revolution or is it gradual reform?" He gave a careful answer; "Neither. If you want to change society, then you must tell an alternative story" he concluded.

-Tim Costello qtd. in Organic Church (p 123) by Neil Cole

Thanks Angola Wesleyan!!!

This week I spoke at Angola Wesleyan. Thanks to everyone for joining my team, I look forward to our relationship!! I enjoyed being a part of family Bible Study and meeting some of the congregation/I had some great conversations with people afterward. Also, three families stepped out in faith as financial supporters and seven people committed to praying, that is HUGE! Thanks so much!


Pastor and Mrs. Poore took me to lunch at a delicious hot dog place near the water, it was a beautiful storm that came up, we sat, chatted and watched the rain and lightning. It was crazy!
So ominous!

Theo's First Birthday

My brother and his family, it was their son Theo's first b-day

Playing in his new tent, oh to be one again.

,

Look at this little guy, seriously, I love my nephew!

He HOUSED that cake!

He even licked his fingers...

then he wore the plate as a hat
Rub-a-dub-dub, little dude in the tub
All cleaned up after his bath! He looks like his sister here.

Pooped after a long, fun day. He was totally smiling in his sleep.

Letter to my SLD Road Trip friends

DUDES!!! I love and miss you ALL!! Like WHOA!

The last night when we were singing together was a holy moment. There we were in a renovated Hip-Hop church in a poor city in Ohio giving our voices to God with one guitar and 25 lives/ stories. As I was singing with you guys, I just paused and looked around at your faces... and I saw your hearts. Hearts that are dedicated to seeking and loving God. And I was broken by it. Seeing young people and your desire to worship God and reach into the world in all its brokenness and pain to make a difference for Christ is overwhelming to me. There is so much hopelessness in this world. There is so much doubt and confusion surrounding your generation. Maybe even there is a sense of waiting- waiting until the right moment to fulfill your destiny or to serve God in the way he desires. But that time is now. You are not the future of the church, YOU ARE THE CHURCH. The church is the body of Christ and I saw the body at work this week. I am astounded. I felt like Moses when he approached the burning bush and God said to him; "Do not come any closer, take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." As I removed my shoes and worshipped alongside you, I felt a renewed sense of hope that brought tears to my eyes. What would the world look like if young people all over the world pursued God with everything that they have, surrendering themselves and sacrificing their lives for God?

It was such an honor and privilege to get to be a part of your lives for this past week. And I am hoping that it won't be limited to just one week! :-) I'm keeping my eyes on you guys! Each one of you is a world changer, and when you work together=amaz-za-zing. Remember what Jeff Eckart had said the first night; "The best gift you can give to someone is your intimacy with God."And as Dan taught us about the fire, laying one piece of wood close to the other to keep the fire going strong, I pray that you'll continue to build a strong foundation and keep the fire strong.

All the things that we have been through; homeless shelters, inner city children's VBS, food banks, fun in Canada, burning buildings, stuck at the border, habitat for humanity, friends of the night, deep discussions, mighty taco at 11pm, talking with people & inviting people to a music festival, assassinating each other, writing/singing songs, laughing together and really enjoying one another... I pray that it wouldn't just be a good week of fun and great people, but a week where God changed the course of your life, or confirmed his call on your life.

Much much love to you guys. Thanks for everything this last week. Stay in touch with each other. The world is small, you never know how our lives may intersect again!!

Back in Buffalo and posting all the pictures and videos fromthe SLD Road Trip

I'M A LICENSED MINISTER!!

As of district conference on Friday, July 24th, 2009 I am officially a LICENSED MINISTER with the Wesleyan Church. VERY exciting!! I can now officially marry, bury, baptize and lead communion. I am so stinkin' puuuuuumped! I felt a call into ministry when I was in high school but it took me four years before I actually answered the call and started working towards ordination (which is still a few years away). For the longest time I struggled with the idea of being a woman in ministry and was so unsure if God could use me as a pastor...and I was scared. But its been a process (like everything in my life) and God has brought me to a point of confidence and excitement in my call. Now I am just celebrating the road...and constantly praying that my life would exemplify what it looks like to be experiencing the love, redemption and freedom of knowing and following God.

So, thank you to everyone along the way that really encouraged me (and gently pushed). I never, ever would have dreamed this call to minister with youth would have lead to me to New Zealand either. It is like God took everything I love and am passionate about: God, young people, ministry, teaching, mentoring, travel, missions, outdoors... and mixed up to bring me to NZ. I never could have even imagined it. I am so grateful to God- thank YOU.

PS: for Sarah... small airplane, loud Italian mob voice..."HONEY, SHE'S GONNA BE A PRIEST!"

Photos from Week #2 of Camp

These are some of the photos I took for week #2- I was an intern/photographer. It took me forever to load these photos up to facebook, so I am just posting the link. I hope you click on it because it gives a great look into what this camp was all about and what the young people are learning, I am really counting on this young generation to rock the world.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2265762&id=15721256&l=ba96be10d9


Magnificent by U2 was the opening: ONLY LOVE can leave such a mark...
Below: a powerful drama that ended with:
"I can change the WORLD and I refuse to believe I am part of a lost generation"

Last night of worship

This is from the last night of camp. I love watching over the week as the students become more willing and free to sing and raise their hands in worship. I wish we were always this willing to worship God whole heartedly and it didn't take an entire week of camp to get to this place. Hopefully these students take home what they have learned and apply it, that this wouldn't been just another "spiritual high" after being around Christians/teaching all week long. But it is beautiful to see them surrender to God in worship. I pray that their LIVES would reflect this worship.

Last Sunday... whoa.

This past Sunday June 12th 2009 was the last Sunday that my pastor, Karl Eastlack, was speaking as pastor of my home church Eastern Hills Weslayan in Clarence, NY. I have been at this church since I was 5 years old. Here I found a second home, grew, and was challenged to become the person I am today. It is so weird that PK (as we affectionately call him) will no longer be there.

It is sad especially to see his kids go. I remember the day they brought their daughter Rachel home and watched her grow into a beautiful young woman. She will be missed dearly! But they are moving on to World Hope International (the humanitarian arm of the Wesleyan church) and that's very exciting, I believe very much in the work they are doing there and expect that PK will do well there. If you think of it, pray for that God would send someone amazing to take over as pastor and also for the Eastlack family as they say goodbye after 22 years serving here. Thank you!!

This is the last song...

Prayer... wow...

Today, I spoke at Fillmore Wesleyan, one of my supporting churches. At the end they had me sit in a chair and a bunch of people from the church gathering around me and laid their hands on me and just prayed. Wow. It was powerful. Hearing everyone pray over the kids in the NZ, my ministry, for me personally and for the my support team... it was crazy awesome. I am reminded again of the power of prayer. Sometimes when I pray, I don't really feel anything (to be honest), then other times I feel so close to the heart of God, like he is right in front of me and this was one of those times. All week I have gotten to pray with my students at camp and I love getting to lift up our burdens and our hearts to God and just talk to him. Listening to the students pray is wonderful, I got to hear their hearts and the ongoing conversation they have with God and its so cool to get an ear into that and to join together. Thank you again for praying for me. This week please pray that I would be a blessing at NTS camp week #2 and that the students coming in would allow God to speak into their lives and that they would truly be never the same. Thanks!

EHWC taking it with Victory!

This past week was NTS camp at Houghton College (my alma matter, ooh oooht). Our team RED which was Eastern Hills Wesleyan (EHWC) and Victory Church teamed up and worked together amazingly. Mid-week, the kids felt a little defeated when we fell from first into last... but at the end with our amazing team cheer and push-hard attitude, EHWC took the trophy with Victory (get the double meaning, its good, isnt it? ha ;-) I'm so proud of our kids because they worked and cheered their hearts out.

The new pastor Andy giving a little kissy-kiss to the Trophy won by Red Team. The Glory Days have returned!

Aw, I love these girls!! I have watched Britney (on the left of me) grow up! Literally, I didn't realize until she told me that I have been her leader for camps for like the last 5 years and she feels a call into youth ministry! Yeah girl!

MOLLIE-O, my co-leader. I love watchig this girl grow from student to leader! And gettin to work alongside her, she was such an asset to our small group time!

The students worshipping on the last night.

Richman came all the way from Zambia to visit the students at NTS bc they have raised over $50,000 for Reach 4 Life Zambia, a Bible-based program that focuses on purity and abstinence to help to see that Hiv/Aids is decreased in Sub-saharan Africa. (This is an issue cloes to my heart- I went to Zambia in '05 with World Hope).

Playing a game with my girlies... so fun! Then we got hushed by one of the camp admins, woops!

But aren't they beautiful? Seroiusly, look at those girls!

More of my girlies... some of them I have had in my camp small groups since they were in 6th grade and now they are in 11th grade. I love seeing them grow up (in the Lord)!

The whole group of EHWC youth and leaders in front of the Luckey building. It was an interesting week because there is a new youth Pastor Andy and his wife Kari. It was awesome to see the kids accept them and begin to form new relationships. There have been a lot of changes lately but they are trying to be resilient even though it is tough. I am so proud of them and so excited to see God use Andy and Kari to minister to our students.

Pastor Andy and the Pastor Tony from Victory getting ready for team competitions.

PS: I didn't realize how much I am gonna miss my kids in the states and being their small group leader. I am starting to come to the realization that if I am leaing in October for 2 years, there are a lot of "lasts" coming up... BUT I am striving towards the prize and letting go of the things that have been.

So much to say...

The last few weeks and the upcoming weeks are/have been very eventful. So much to write! But I will keep it brief and post more later. This past week was Never The Same youth camp in Houghton, NY. I went with my home church from Buffalo, Eastern Hills Wesleyan, it was an amazing time to reconnect with the same students I have had in past years. I've loved watching these kids grow up and I am so privileged to be a part of their faith journey. I love getting to lead the youth in small group discussion and helping them to process what they were learning.


The camp's theme was "The Box" and breaking out of the box that we have put ourselves and/or God into. "It's rare to feel like we can be exactly who we were created to be and most of the time it feels like we are trapped in a box. A box created by the expectations of family, friends, past choices, a reputation...the list goes on and on. It might seem crazy to think that you can actually live completely free from the box that has been built around you." (ntscamp.com)

I loved watching the kids trying to understand what their "boxes" were/realizing that they existed and how to break free. I am realizing over and over again, I want to break free from the things that bind, but I can only do it through God. I believe that the Holy Spirit of God is dwelling within me and it is the work of the Holy Spirit within me that sets me free from my afflictions/addictions. So often I try to become the person God wants me to be on my own strength, but its not meant to be this way. Again, I am giving in and letting God work within me to break out of the boxes to worship him freely.

Vision Chat with Dev and Don

Dev and Don have been wonderful support to me in this journey to NZ (pictured at the Buffalo Historic Society above). I originally met them at Renovation Church in Kenmore (a plant off of Chapel at Crosspoint in W. Amherst), and they have poured into me over the months and encouraged me on my journey. This past week they invited me to share with their small group about New Zealand. They really have a great bunch of people from all walks of life. I really enjoyed sharing my vision for New Zealand with them and getting to know them a little bit.

I am continually reminded of how God transcends barriers of age, background, economics, and ethnicity; he breaks down all those walls of distinction. It reminds me of what the apostle Paul was saying to the church in Galatia when Paul wrote something along the lines of "In Christ's family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ." (Galatians 3:28 MSG). As we come to faith in Christ, these difference are eliminated as we become brother and sisters in the faith. What a beautiful thing, I am so glad to be a part of that!

Funny ads

NZ has some of the funniest commercials I have seen, I dug up a few for you guys. Hope you enjoy them ;-)

Pineapple Lumps True Story
Uploaded by DuncansTV. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.

Rachel gifted me some Pineapple lumps and they taste like Charleston chews except pineapple, very interesting :-)



L&P is a delicious pop only in NZ- so yummy!

Soccer Field/Mission Field

As a kid I always avoided soccer because I lack all general & necessary ball-handling skills & foot-eye coordination. So, when the teens at Missionary Training Institute (MTI) last week initiated a big soccer game I thought to myself, "Oh, no... I stink and now everyone else will know it!" But I didn't want to let them down so we split into teams and the game began!

(The teens (Missionary Kids "MKs") at MTI -->)

I was a tad bit reluctant at first, content to cheer on my team, play defense/hide when the ball came my way. After a few minutes I realized I was too scared of looking stupid to even try. AND the very thing I feared most- looking like a terrible player- was coming true bc I was holding back! So I had a decision to make; to continue to let the ball pass or really engage in the game and risk messing it up. I decided to give it my all. Even if that meant looking like a fool/ messing up passes or missing goals (which I did). But I also ended up assisting & scoring some sweet goals (totally thanks to my awesome team)!!

As we played I felt a wall breaking down. I realized that I didn't need to be bend it like Beckham, but be willing to put myself out there and it was soo fun! I'm beginning to see some parallels between the soccer and the mission field. It would be so easy to go to NZ and let fear of rejection or embarrassment over take me and not really put myself out there. But I really wanna engage in the culture and people in New Zealand, even if that means exposing my weaknesses or embarrassing myself like in the soccer game. But, hey, I think by putting myself out there I will be able (with the help of God and my team) in the end to engage, break down walls, and score some goals!

(This was us, the "winning team," my first full soccer game I ever played last week- EPIC. For security reasons, I had to darken a face. )

**As a sidenote I would like to say that I was on defense for a while and I was trying to be beastly and strong and I still have part of a pentagon imprinted on my calf from a sweet block, ha!

New Zealand to host Theological Symposium

"The Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand will host "The Stream," a theological symposium featuring well-known theologians. According to New Zealand National Superintendent, Rev. Richard Waugh, the event is slated to take place on July 30-August 1, 2009, in Auckland. Symposium speakers will include Dr. Ben Witherington III, Asbury Theological Seminary; Dr. Tom Noble, Nazarene Theological College, England; and Rev. Richard Waugh, Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand." (I grabbed this from Wesleyan E-Zine)

This is so cool, I wish I could be there for this! Dr. Ben Witherington III wrote some of the books we used in class at Houghton and I really appreciated his work. "He is frequently interviewed by the Christian and secular media on biblical matters and was one of the New Testament experts consulted by Lee Strobel for his influential "The Case for Christ" book. He is recognized as one of the top evangelical scholars in the world." I am pumped for the church of New Zealand that they will get a chance to interact and dialog with him.

For more information, visit http://www.wesleyan.org/doc/assets/downloads/media/down.php?dfile=STREAM.pdf.

Cute NZ Commercial

"Kiwi Ingenuity" NZ-ers are known for this.

I love the lingo they use because its so kiwi (refer to short list). Its funny how they slipped in the joke about the Aussies (pronounced Ozzie). Histerical! There is a "friendly" ongoing rivalry between Australia and New Zealand. Very often people mistake NZ for the same place as Australia, etc. Also note that the little kid with curly hair is of Maori decent (comparable to Native Americans) and the other kid is European decent, both are prevalent in NZ.

Sitting at the feet of "Umfundisi"

This morning at MTI we had a speaker from Indiana Wesleyan University, Dr. Jim Lo- affectionately dubbed "Umfundisi" from his time in Africa. That title, "Umfundisi," means teacher but it implies not just one who teaches, but one who shares thier life. I think a thing I respect about Umfundisi is his transparency with us missionaries. He has spent 14 years in ministry overseas and has a diverse range of expiriences on the field. He has shared some of the joys of ministry overseas but he has been honest about his past mistakes, struggles and hard parts about being a missionary.

Through this has emphasized how VITAL it is to have a team of people praying. And it is important for us missionaries to convey our prayer needs transparently. I want to thank everyone that has been praying and please know that I want to be more transparent about my prayer needs and what is going on with me and ministry. I KNOW, KNOW, KNOW that I can not do this on my own- I can't do it without you and I CAN NOT do it in my own power withouth the Holy Spirit inside of me.

This week, you can just be in prayer that I would be a sponge to absorb all that I am learning from the speakers and other missionaries. I am so thankful to God for the people here and their hearts to see people come to know Jesus Christ, they are teaching me so much just through their life stories and expiriences.

The LUGE from New Zealand

his is a ride that is non-motorized vehicular units... it is like go-karts without the motors, you control your speed by pulling up or pushing down your handle bars.



This is me going down the intermediate while filming... I think it is most fun to NOT use the brakes. This would never be allowed in the states, hahha. A wonderful thing about NZ is you can't sue anyone :-) So if I got hurt... I got hurt, no worries.

Kiwi Words/Phrases I picked up

So Kiwis (New Zealanders) have some fun words/phrases that I heard while over there, this is not an exhaustive list, some I picked up along the way...

Sweet as= sweet/cool. Kiwis put "AS" after a lot of words to describe stuff, at first I was waiting for the end of the sentence, like sweet as.... what, sweet as what? Honey, sugar?? But now when I hear people saw sweet I am waiting for them to finish with as.
Kiwi : New Zealander
kiwi : an endangered flightless bird native to New Zealand
kiwifruit : kiwi
no worries : not a problem
biscuit : cookie
chips : French fries
bloke : a man (used when referring either to a stranger or to someone you really like)
chilly bin : cooler
full on : intense
she'll be right : everything will be okay, it'll work out
brilliant : excellent; great; wonderful
chunder : to vomit (learned this because of Reub's car sickness, aw)
dodgy : suspicious; a person with questionable motives
bush : forest (this one reminded of me of Zambia, Africa terminology)
cheeky : sassy, impish, insolent or impudent
Good on ya, mate! : congratulations
jandal : thongs, flip-flops, slippers
holiday : vacation
jumper : sweater
L&P : fizzy soda water, Lemon & Paeroa (L&P) (ONLY IN NZ and yummmy)
Maori : indigenous people of New Zealand
mate : buddy, pal
Mum : mom
nappy : diaper

Global Partners' MTI

"Go and make disciples of all nations..."

Here I am in Indianapolis~ I came to Missionary Training Institute on Sunday evening for preparation for the time I will be in NZ. I met a bunch of other Global Partners missionaries who are raising support and getting ready to hit the field. I am not as close as others to raising all my financial support but it is so encouraging to hear other people's stories of God's call into missions and his provisions as they prepare. So I am expecting stories I will be able to tell of how God will use people to provide for me!

So far we've discussed missionaries that have gone before us (some have even died on the field- so intense!), vision and mission (good stuff), ministering cross-culturally, safety on the field, and spiritual warfare. All really good stuff- lots to think about and digest.

I'm enjoying training, I love the people I have gotten to meet from all over the states and going all over the world; Russia, Australia, Haiti, Bosnia, Zambia, Ecuador, and Czech Repubuplic! It's funny because everyone seems to be connected to everyone in some way... a lot of us went to Wesleyan colleges and we are all visiting lots and lots of churches so we a lot of have mutual friends. Love it! Some of the people here are full-out families with babies, teens, the whole thing. So of course, I have befriended the two teens that are here and we have enjoyed a little outing and being totally goofy. I am not sure if the people in the drive thru thought we were as funny as we thought we were ;-)

California dreamin... I'm also a tourist...

I also did do some touristy things... went to Hollywood for an hour, walked down Hollywood blvd, saw the Kodak and Chinese Theatre, got some pics with some "celebs."


By the way, watch out for Mickey, he is kind of a creeper...I only took a picture with him for Rachel... this was at the point where I was trying to walk away and he was gripping my shoulder when I tried to walk away...hence the weird look on my face I saw some celebrity homes in Beverly Hills, WHICH, by the way... is kinda lame, all you see if like these giant bushes all around the house, haha. I saw people in buses on a tour trying to see these celeb's houses. I feel like there may be better things/people to admire in this world besides celebrities. Like people who use thier lives to fight for jusitice and impact change in this world... but I guess some celebrity do use their fame for that, too. So, that's good.

And of course, we went to the beach :-)

California

This past week I have been all over Los Angeles: from the Santa Monica mountains in Malibu to Compton to Beverly Hills, sharing about being a missionary to New Zealand and how the Holy Spirit is at work in the hearts of the Kiwi people. Exciting stuff! Praying that some prayer and financial supporters will come from this! I met a ton, ton, ton of new friends and we will see how God will use this time in California. My friend from college Rebbecca was gracious to let me stay with her and her family was such an ecouragement. They are very missions minded people and have sacrificed a lot to see that God's message is being spread.

Alice (Becca's mom) and I talking to the Rev at a pancake breakfast

Rebecca and I got to lead the Good News Club- a club for elementary students in Malibu that brings the message of God into the school as an option for after school program. I shared stories about being a missionary and why a person would go to another country to share about God's love and truth. One of the students was listening very intently and didn't even seem familiar with the concept of God and Jesus, so it was awesome getting to be a person to connect with her, even if it was brief.


Then I went to a few Bible studies (one in Malibu, one in Beverly Hills) and share a few minutes, when I went to church, I got to speak to the kids about being a missionary and emphasized that even though they are young, they are missionaries too... and it is important that missionaries know God- so how do we know who God is? Read our Bibles and pray! As clique as it sounds, its true and I think it is a good reminder for me as well to take serious time in God's word. :-)


This pic is from an afternoon where I climbed to the top of Becca's property and spent some quality time with God. It is amazing how the WORD of God refreshes , encourages, and guides the soul. I am so thankful that he gave us these stories and instructions.

Sing a new song

At camp, some of the students were gracious enough to sing a few songs for us when we were up late one night, it was actually pretty hilarious... people from the Fijians culture have a great sense of humor. They kept on beginning a song then just CRACKING up half way through. But this video was one of the takes where they made it through a song. THEN we all cracked up. Love it!

A Fijian teen had said that they do not have instruments in their churches, so they learn from a young age to use their voices as instruments. These are some of the most beautiful instruments I have ever heard, eh?



This one just shows how hilarious these guys are...Josh, a Tongan student, was trying to sing "In the Jungle" and for some reason, it was hysterical, he went super high and his voice cracked and everyone laughed out loud cuz its pretty funny.

.

But, hey, my guys got some soul in them too! As my friends know, I think the bathroom is a GREAT place to sing (right Michelle?) and this video below is from when they were cleaning the bathrooms and singing a little song. Here is a candid potty version of "Lean on Me"..

Pictures from NZ

This is an updated link of pictures... someone pointed out that I posted a link to just one picture, sorry! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2248745&id=15721256&l=d84f5d6e7e

If you haven't already, join my group on facebook to get updates! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35124712148

God providing...

Praise Gods for his provision! In the last few weeks I have had several new financial supporters! Thanks to people at Houghton Wesleyan and Fillmore Wesleyan for joining the team!!! Praise God how he brings his people together and providing!

(Fillmore Wesleyan in Fillmore, NY- a church I attended while at Houghton College)



Also, someone from my home church in NZ Shore Grace has also become one of my biggest supporters. Thanks to my new home church!! Your support is so vital and appreciated!
Please pray this week... this weekend Shore Grace is taking up a miracle offering to see how God can use my home church to support me! Pray God would move people's hearts!

(This is the outside of the school where my home church in NZ- Shore Grace meets)

Back in the US

I'm back already! I am so sad that I had to leave NZ but I am expectant that I will be back soon (late October). It was a blessing and encouragement to actually meet face-to-face with the people in my church and my youth. I'm here in the states (right now, California) and I am continuing to raise my support and get back to NZ soon.


One of the students was hilarious and constantly made fun of me for being from the US (mostly bc of the patriotism demonstrated by our country at the debates, chanting "USA, USA, USA"). So I thought it was funny that this flag is in my friend's house. So this one is dedicated to Phil.

Rugby is a big deal...

I learned very quickly that I will have to learn to love Rugby. The NZ team is the "All Blacks." The team does something called the HAKA before each game. It is a Maori war dance meant to intimidate the opponent, and it def is kinda scary. A student was dong the haka close to my face and its scary! But so awesome! I can't wait until I can go to a game! Watch this clip of the All Blacks doing the HAKA...



This is a t-shirt I saw in a shop:

A glance into heaven...

A big reason why I came to NZ at this time was for the “Gathering” Wesleyan Methodist convention/family camp, to get more of an idea of who is a part of the Wesleyan movement here in NZ. In three words- it was amazing. I kid you not there had to be more than 7 nationalities and cultures represented. People from the Pacific Islands: Fijians & Samoans, Tongans, some Americans, Korean, Chinese, German, English, South African and Kiwis… It was amazing; literally a little eye into what heaven will be like; all these people from all over the world worshiping the Triune God. It is crazy because there is NOTHING else in the world besides our faith in Christ that would unite people from all these diverse cultures together. I love being a part of the body of Christ and I look forward to being here in NZ more permanently.

Little brothers...

The students! The reason I am here! They are wonderful. I have gotten to know some of them really well so far because of camp (this is from the last day) I had the opportunity to meet with them mid-week (twice) for “Laundromat”: a time to share about their week, challenges in their faith and real life application of what God’s word says.

The other day we were sitting around and we realized that between the five of us, we represent four diferent countries. Dom is from England, Phil is from Germany, the Yates boys are Kiwi and I am American. That is so sweet.

More pictures.

Check out my photos... I uploaded a lot but the internet is giving me some trouble... I will try to get more up soon.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=38073699&l=2480d9fdf0&id=15721256

Lack of updates... more to come I promise

Sorry about the lack of posts... its been a busy time and internet access has been limited. Here are some pics from the last few days.

Most of my time has been spent with the Yates- Pastor Mike and his wife Michelle are incredible. I have loved staying at their house with their four kids and their German home-stay Philipp. They have opened their home and heart to me and I am so grateful to them and I am looking so forward to life alongside them for the next two years. A day trip with the Yates family, Phil (German home-stay) and Dominic (one of my youth) The roads were so windy, it made us a little sick.

"Hello New Zealand!"

The lead pastor Mike Yates on the left and Yung the Korean Pastor on the right in the Shore Grace Offices outside of the Yates home

The church office

My first "Fish and chip take away" with the Yates. It reminds me of Friday Fish Fry with the fam in Buffalo.

This is a hilarious photo progression. It started with the Tongan and Fijian kids... and I thought, hey I know these guys so I jumped in the picture. Then Phil aka German jumped in too...

Rachel and my boys jump in... and then it just got out of control :-)

It was a hilarious conglomerate of people from all over the world by the end. Beautiful and crazy... much like the body of Christ ;-)

I made it! Days 1 and 2

Here are some photos so far: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2248745&id=15721256&l=d84f5d6e7e

I am here in Auckland, NZ. Seems like a dream still. yesterday, which seems like ages ago, I was greeted excitedly at the airport by my dear friend Rachel (she jumped/tripped over a guardrail to greet me very loudly :-)) and the rest of the NZ/Global Partners crew. Josh, Amber and I slept enough on the plane and arrived in good spirits, pumped to see everyone.

It was a very long day yesterday, arriving at 5:25 am NZ time (i completely skipped May 22). I got to meet all the people I have been WAITING to meet for so long, it is amazing to put actual PEOPLE to all the conversations :-) Rachel and I got to spend a lot of time together yesterday (she and I have known each other for 14 years, & grew up attending the same church in Buffalo, NY, now she is living here out of love for God and people). She took me to a famous burger place, Burger Fuel and we went to Mount Victoria to get a great view of the city. I am staying with a wonderful family and the pastor of the church I will be working, Mike and Michelle Yates. There kids are amazing and I am enjoying eating meals witht them and getting to know each other better :-))
Today I got to meet my church- Shore Grace- in action. It was unbelievable, becuase I have been praying and getting ready to meet everyone for so long, it seemed surreal. I have a photo of the school that they meet in, of a porch off the building with bright colored panels and as I approached the building and saw that balcony of bright colored panels, I almost busted out in tears- it was insane to see it in person. i enjoyed worshipoing with everyone and then getting to hang out with the youth. These are some really sharp students. I am so pumped to be a part of each other's stories for 2 years. I pray that it would come soon!!!
Keep praying! I appreciate it so much!

Newest way to get involved: Be a HOST! :-)

I would love it if you would host a "vision-chat" dessert/coffee hour in your home. It's an easy and natural way over dessert and coffee for me to share with your circle of friends/ other missions minded people how the Holy Spirit is stirring hearts in New Zealand & the vision for ministry there. It'll provide opportunity for your friends to get involved with reaching youth for God halfway around the world in NZ through joining my prayer and financial support team.

If you are interested or feel lead to provide this HUGE blessing, please email me ssgareyNZ@gmail.com to set something up.

Upcoming 2 Week Travel to New Zealand

In 7 days I head over to New Zealand for TWO WEEKS (May 21-June 4) for the “Gathering” conference with people & families from ALL 20 Wesleyan-Methodist churches of NZ, in 5 different languages, worshiping God collectively. I am asking you to please pray for me as I will experience NZ for the first time & meet everyone from Shore Grace.

When I return I would love if it you would host a “vision chat” in your home. This is a small coffee & dessert hour where I can share the story of ministry of NZ with a group of your friends . Its an easy and natural way to offer an opportunity to get involved with ministry to youth in NZ through supporting me. If you feel lead or are interested in providing this HUGE blessing, please email me: ssgareyNZ@gmail.com to schedule a day for when I return. Be one of the first to get involved with how the Holy Spirit is stirring hearts in NZ!


Thank you all for continually supporting me as I have embarked on this journey. I can not express how much I appreciate your love, support and prayers. Without you, God’s people, none of this is possible. It has been amazing to see how the body of Christ has united and supported this ministry in NZ, literally reaching around the world to
impact young people’s lives in Christ. Thank you!

Holding God’s hand
~Stephenie

Josh (pictured on left), Amber (not pictured) and
I will be traveling together May 21-June 4

Please pray alongside me for this trip:
-A clearer vision of my role at Shore Grace and church planting
-Connections with Kiwi people, especially my youth
-Understanding of the history/culture/people of the nieghborhood of Greenhithe
-Encouragement and continues financial partnerships

To donate online go to:
www.wesleyan.org/gp/give
Fund # WM29-0061

ssgareyNZ@gmail.com

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No parent should have to bury thier child

Friday, I attended the funeral of James Moore, an 11 year old sixth grader who was riding his bike to school and was accidentally struck by a truck then passed away shortly after. I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing this boy closely but he and his family are a part of my home church family. Going to his memorial was both saddening and sobering. My heart breaks for those who knew him: parents, teachers, friend, small group leader that are left behind to try to keep moving forward with out him.

It is impossible to make sense of WHY something like this would happen, to a young child who had his entire life in front of him. The only comfort I can take is in knowing that this little boy loved Jesus, followed him and is now with him in heaven. A young girl at the funeral told me a funny story about James. One day during worship in the UNDERGROUND youth facilities, he had gotten up and started dancing to the music, really dancing...he grabbed her and another friend and together they danced, arms in the air, around everyone as they sang and let loose praising God. How beautiful to think that he is dancing up in heaven right now.

His mother was brave enough to actually read something she had written about her little boy. She told a story of sitting on his bed after the accident and just soaking up the things that belonged to her son; his artwork, toys, clothes, games, and the everyday stuff of his life strewn all over his messy room. She noticed the shirt that she had asked him to put into the laundry three times still sitting on his floor. It seemed so inconsequential now.

No one expects tragedy to strike them, no one. You never know when your time is up. I hope you make it count.

Children walking in solidarity with child soldiers

It was sobering to look into the freckled faces of the Hedriksen children and think that if they were children in N Uganda, they could be abducted from their homes and forced to kill in a pointless war. On April 25th thousands in 100 worldwide cities gathered (even in Auckland, NZ) and "ADBUCTED" ourselves to raise the banner of awareness for the thousands of children forced into child soldiers under Joseph Kony's rebel army.

The RESCUE was a peacful demonstration of people uniting to see the innocent delivered from Joseph Kony’s reign and ensure he is brought to justice. We are asking our government and international bodies to develop a strategy and support existing efforts to rescue the child soldiers. Be informed: Click here to watch a short 36 mintue movie about the Invisible Children in N Uganda


The Hendriksen's whole family, children and all, marched in solidarity with the children who are forced into being child soldiers in N Uganda. The discomfort from the the rain and cold helped the kids (and me) to understand (a tiny,tiny, tiny bit) of the pain of a child soldier. Click here for my FB album of pics

Review of this week

My review: two thumbs up.

What did I do?
-click here for my FB album of pics

• met with pastors and the W.Michigan District Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church
  
• stayed with an incredible family (Hendriksens), Taco/nacho night and games with some friends of the Hendriksens- hilarious! Discovered a new game that I love- pit
• had unexpected priviledge of hanging out with a girl ("Phoebe") that served at Shore Grace in NZ a few years ago
  
• I enjoyed meeting & tagging along with some youth from Kentwood Community Church where they serve at a local assisted living home
• Participated in Invisible Children's international demonstration called The RESCUE in Downtown GR: that's a WHOLE other story/post coming soon.
  
• experienced 3 churches (it was also cool that God sent a friend(s) to go with me which was unexpected and appreciated). Some are/potentially joining my support team
• Some invaluable connections were made this past week that I am so excited about!
  

This trip actually gave me something I didn't expect- clarity. Although I am not clear about it yet. Ha! Going to three churches in one day is a first for me and I wouldn't really recommend it as a way of life but I loved being able to see the different ways that people approach worshiping the same God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I met with some pastors who are very serious about the message of Jesus Christ and sharing the transformative story of God. Each are doing it in a way that is relevant and contextualixzed to their communities. I can't wait for this trip to NZ so I can understand better my context of Greenhithe.

3 Churches, One rainy Sunday

9:00 am Church #1- Mars Hill Bible Church- Pastor Rob Bell in Grandville, MI. I was in the area so thought I'd drop in.


11:00 am Church #2- Watermark (church plant) Grand Haven, MI. that meets in a high school. This church, Pastor Steve Deur is connected closely with my Shore Grace, my church in NZ. Pastor Mike Yates and his family (from Shore Grace) is coming to be at this church in July!



6:00 pm Church #3- Greenhouse church (3 yr old church plant)- Downtown Grand Rapids. I really enjoy this service with this group of people. It was refreshing to sit down with Pastor Jason Grate and some other team members and hear some of their story and challenges they've have encountered.

It was quite ironic and hilarious that it rained ALL weekend- terrential down pour and this song comes on the radio.

Back to Grand Rapids, MI, yay!

This week and I headed over to West Michigan. If you remember from my posts before I met this wonderful family The Hendricksens who have taken me into their hearts and home. I am going to be staying with them and linking up with some pastors and churches in the Grand Rapids area. There is one church in particular named Watermark that is partnered with my church in New Zealand, Shore Grace. I am excited to connect with them because they are already passionate about how God is moving in my area of NZ. My friend Sean will be in the area for few days as well and we are hoping to do a worship night on Sunday and have an oppurtunity for me to share about what I will be doing in NZ. So, if you think about it, pray that God would lead me this week to the people he has already called to support me.

Because I will follow you...

The other day I was reading a part of the Bible I have read many times before, heard preached in church and probably discussed it in a Bible study. But at this particular point in my life, as I am preparing to leave behind my life in NY to pursue my calling to New Zealand, it hit me a very real way. Its the part in Luke where Jesus calls Levi the tax-collector to join his team and Levi's response got me. (Luke 5:27-28) "... Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, ²⁸and Levi got up, left everything and followed him."

I am no Bible commentator but I understand that the way Jesus calls together his team of followers is amazing. Culturally, a teacher or "Rabbi" (in this case, Jesus) asks someone to be their disciple or student bc they have demonstrated their excellence. But Jesus calls these guys who were not exceptional; they had missed that mark when they were young. Thus, why they had trade jobs and weren't already following a Rabbi. But Jesus aka "Rabbi" asked them to be his disciples. That first part is important and amazing, but its the next part that is quoted onto a 3x5 card sticky-tacked to my wall: (28) "and Levi got up, left everything and followed him." WHOA. Did you catch that?

... Levi's response? The Bible just says "he got up, left everything and followed him." (28) Wow. HE LEFT EVERYTHING and followed Jesus. His career, calendar, family, home, reputation, ties to your hometown (good and bad), everything that you have built your entire life, and follow me.He left everything behind and followed Jesus. Wow. I am sure this is so much more complex than these few lines allow us to see. I am sure BOOKS could be written about the stories that fall between those two lines. But all we know is that Jesus called him and he left it all to pursue God. Incredible. I can't imagine leaving it ALL behind with no plans of return. My heart feels close to Levi's as I am preparing to leave it all behind for 2 years to follow Jesus.

I will follow you to the ends of the earth, Lord, lead me on.

Lord Lead Me On

You have to hear this song for yourself, its beautiful, click here: http://www.myspace.com/relevant. Scroll down on the right and click on I will follow you on the music player.

"I will Follow You"- Relevant Worship

Lord Oh Lord What can I say?
I can't recount every mistake I've made, oh
Every wrong path that has lead me astray
But I still remember every word you say

That you love me still in spit of my shame
Every worldly loss you count as gain
that you mark me present on that day
when salvation form this world will be complete
oh Lord please remember me

Because I will follow you
I will make my bed where you lie
I will run the race where you live
Lord lead me on, yeah

Because I will follow you
I will make my bed where you lie
Cause I will run the race where you live
Lord lead me on

I love this song. The lyrics resonate deeply within my soul. As I am planning on doing ministry in NZ, I know that I am following God where he has called me to go. It is far away from home, but I love the verse: "Because I will follow you, I will make my bed where you lie. I will run the race where you live, Lord lead me on." The lyrics really speak for themselves.

You know you're from Buffalo when... it snows in April

Yep. It's true. It snowed last night. And it is sticking to the ground. I took some pictures to show you my discontent and also the AMOUNT of snow.





This pic is taken on my back porch, there is enough snow to cover the edges of my boots.

Its all foggy bc its COLD. :-(





Ya know what though, when life gives you lemons, you do what...make lemonade! With that in mind, when it snows in April... play in it!

Upcoming trip to New Zealand May 21-June 4

I still can't believe that I'm going to New Zealand!!! May 21-June 4th. YAY!!! In May I'm going to the national convention called "The Gathering" for the Wesleyan-Methodist Church of New Zealand (WMCNZ). This will be my first time to NZ and I am so excited!!. I know God has called me to work with these people and I am so excited to get more of a feel for the people and culture of NZ. I'll meet up with some people including my friend Josh Bowlin (another NZ missionary raising support in Indiana- remember him from prev blog?).We leave LAX May 21, arrive into Auckland (after a 14 hour plane ride) on May 23 NZ time- completely skipping May 22, haha.

The Sunday after I arrive I will get to go to my church- Shore Grace and meet all the people and the congregation! I am so excited to meet the Pastor Mike Yates, his family and all my students!!!

(This is only a short trip. I am still in need of financial support to fulfill
my 2 year committment.)

Please PRAY 4:
1. Safe travels (of course) 2. For good connections with Shore Grace (and greater WMCNZ) 3. That God would use this trip to encourage my church/youth (bc they are without a youth pastor until I arrive) 4. For everyone involved in the "Gathering"

Blessed Hope- Rochester

This past weekend, I visited with a missions committee at a very unique church named Blessed Hope Community Church, it is a "Church at the Movies;" meeting at a local theater on Sunday mornings. Every Sunday they set up and tear down everything so their group of people can meet.


Lead Pastor Lin is a great person who believes strongly in the work that I'll be involved with in NZ and is a great connector :-) I look forward to the connections with this church. I also had a great time with one of my closest friends, Kristi and other young adults in the church. What a beautiful congregation.

Follow up from Tom's fall... from HIS point of view

On Wednesday january 14th 2009 at 10am a rock came hurteling down Mt Ngaruahoie straight for my head.

It was for me a new beginning.
The weekend before i attended a youth camp, Ignite, organised by the wesleyan methodist church of NZ. I made a commitment to some sort of ministry for my future in the christian faith. A huge step for someone young like me. Therefore i went into the week all pumped for God when 3 days later on top of "Mt Doom" on the "Devil's Staircase" as they call it, i was almost a victim to death.
"You shouldn't be alive, least sane." said the Neurologists in the Waikato hospital, days after the accident. They were starteled to see the x-rays showing a basel skull fracture extending to over 20cm long. From the top of my skull splitted right down to the bottom-through my cheekbone-and then along the bottom line only centimetres from damaging the brain. Worst: Death/Brain damage (causing me to be forever handicapped.) "Generally basel skull fractures prove fatal for human beings." they said.
A miracle.
5 minutes before the accident Phil (German homestay) and Reuben (14 year old brother) both were ahead of me on the mountain. Dad was at the base in fatigue, Hanz (Phil's dad) and Josh (9 year old brother) were about 20 metres to our left climbing a safer ridge (smart). 2 minutes before my accident i overtook phil as he took a breath. Nothing else after that i can remember. The significance is that phil was able to stop me from cracking my head twice falling back on the rocks and preventing me from sliding down the loose rocks which..would.. have killed me... and only 2 minutes difference.
A miracle.
At the time of the incident people were about 100m higher than us and too probably 100m lower. Loose rocks from the people above scattered down the mountain. (Some the size of a football.) At the very time of the incident there were some Alaskan venturers level with us about 30m to our right on their way down from staying the night on the top of the volcano. Once happened Reuben and Phil yelled for help and the Alaskans were able to come to my aid as quick as possible, only climbing along the edge not up or down. The one had done wilderness training in Alaska and came and did all he could to stop the bleeding and keep me conscious. We like to call them the "Alaskan Angels", as thats what they were. During this time another rock came straight down at us. (Devil's work). A concerned englishman passing by us at the time saw the danger and miraculously dived in front of it knocking it away. We never got to ask who he was, nor we got his contact details like evryone else. An Angel surely.
A miracle.
The rescue helicopter came within an hour and it took them a while for them to land due to the mist and the lack of visibility on the mount. In this time all i remember was agony, "like some form of hell." Head split open -you could literally see my skull- blood pouring down onto my clothes and face and into my mouth which would later be vomitted out on the top of the cold mountain, yet i still survived. The hero pilot was able to land it on the steep slope, planting one of the landing gear on the slope and the other in the air to keep balance. They flew me off to Hamilton at once where i was to stay for another 4 days 3 nights.
Truly a miracle.
If it wasn't for these sequence of events i'd be dead now. Not able to write this note on facebook. God saved me...... He's got a plan for me..... he sees a future in my decision, 3 days before my accident.
You too reading this... have a purpose for being on this planet. God has a reason for YOU and a plan for YOU in this world. Isn't that awsome?? That there's someone up there loving and caring for you and has a plan for you.
This was a new beginning for me, and there's always an open new beginning for YOU. God loves YOU and will forgive YOU!! All you need to do is give your life to Him. Its easy, and worth taking.
I'm a normal dude like every other 16 year old there is out there. Not much different at all. All I have is hope for a future with God and eternal life after this. It just shows you how much us humans forget about how easy it is to fall out of this world. With a blink of my eyes i could've been outa here. Shows how much christianity means to me and could me to YOU. Consider it people. Godbless.

This past week...Indiana and Michigan

These past two weeks have an ANSWER TO PRAYER! I have been so encouraged by all the people I have met.

Here are the highlights of the past 2 weeks, strap in!

Feb 19: Booked my flight
Feb 24: Flew into Indianapolis, picked up by Josh and Becca Bowlin who are NZ missionaries raising support to go back for 4 years. They graciously hosted me for my stay in Indiana. Since they have been in NZ they were such an encouragement to me and taught me so much about ministry and blessed me a TON!!! (Praise be to God)



Josh, Becca and their kids: Avery (1o months) and Cail (2yrs), Me


Feb 25: Met up with "Team New Zealand" All the people in the picture below are either 1. serving in NZ, 2. Have served in NZ, or 3. Are raising support to serve in NZ

(Left) Aaron, Jeff and Beth Fussner (1)
Josh and Becca Bowlin (2&3)
Me :-) (3)
Jones' (3) (Right)

Mar 1: Met w/Judy at College Church in then attended Chapelpike Church, had lunch with Pastor Steve Colter and Family, Romy (Global Partners missions director for Asia) & Bowlins


Story: The wonderful Hendriksen family sent their son Kyle from Michigan to pick me up in Indiana and bring me back to Michigan- a 3 and a half hour drive!!! Just so I could meet up with some pastors and potential supporters in Michigan. Heather said to me "my house is God's house, everything I have belongs to God," she demonstrated what it means to be a steward of God, allowing me to borrow their car, sharing their home and lives with me.
She introduced me to so many wonderful people, especially at Kentwood Community Church. Had such a good time, so thankful for that family!




And I got to see some friends! Matt and Megan (and thier new bird).






<--Mar 4: Judy was amazing and rearranged her Bible study so I could come and speak and I am so thankful to her. I spoke at a Bible Study with College Church, met some amazing people and new supporters!! Praise the Lord! :-)


Mar 5: Had lunch with Becky and Judy.

Mar 6: Returned home and saw my family and celebrate St. Patty's day a little early :-)

I am now more excited than ever to get over to New Zealand, knowing that the students at Shore Grace (the church I'll be) at the end of March will be without a youth pastor is a big incentive. The sooner I get over there, the better! Remember me in prayer: that God would continue to connect me to supporters, that the funds would come in, and that he's form me into the leader he wants me to be.

THANKS to my supporters. I appreciate you more than you know.

What I'll be doing in New Zealand: Updated

This is a follow up from "Why New Zealand" that I posted in October. A lot has happened since then and there is a clearer plan of what I'll be doing.

I'm excited to know that I will be serving as a youth pastor to about 20+ youth at Shore Grace in Greenhithe, NZ- this church is a 5 yr old contemporary, missional church plant which is very community oriented. By time I get there, the church will be planting again and I will get to work with the youth in the other location as well.

Pastor Mike Yates wrote to me and said "Stephanie we do have a need for a Youth Pastor and development in the Young Adults... There is so much scope here. The community we are in is stacked full of teens, going nowhere...with no spiritual direction and I just have a heart to see these kids reached for Christ and generation of future men and women of God coming out of this community. It is possible and we are but scratching the surface..."

<---Some of the students at Shore Grace at "Yuck Night"

Thanks to those who have been and are supporting me, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. I am so grateful and excited to see how God is and will use me here while I am hone to spread his Gospel and then in NZ when I work with the youth.

I have had contact with the leader of the youth group and everyone is very excited about my arrival... so I am hoping that it will be soon! Right now my GOAL is SEPTEMBER, God-willing. As soon as my team of 100 prayer partners and 23 churches, 40 families financially supporting me is reached, I can go. So keep praying :-) And I'll keep you posted!

Big THANKS to Central Canada District :-)

This past week I was in Canada visiting a good friend from college. Her family was amazing to host me, help me connect with Pastors, and I had a really good time, eating at Avrile Lavigne's favorite pizza shop and stopping at a chip stand to get "poutine"- a French Canadian delight of french fries, gravy, and cheese curds. Best part is the sqeak of the cheese as you chew it, yuuummmyy ;-)

While I was there I was able to connect with several Pastors from the Central Canada District. They were all such amazing people... it made me wish I was a part of their congregations :-) It was cool to share with them about how God is working in New Zealand and my future role there. We will have to wait, pray and see if there will be any partnerships. I'm so grateful for the time spent there.

"Oh Canada...."

This week I am headed up to Canada to visit a wonderful college friend of mine and visit with some pastors. Join me in prayer that travels would be safe and that churches would join my support team. Thanks so much!

Thank You Bellville Wesleyan

I had the chance to visit with a great church last Sunday in the Rushford, NY area. Thanks so much to the congregation that made me feel so welcome! I appreciate all your prayers and support :-)

Update on Tom's condition

I got an email from Mike about how his son Tom. I asked for prayer these last few days after Tom was struck in the head by a falling rock. It is a miracle that when it happened they were people who hiking near them that were able to help him until the helicopter could lift him away to the hospital. Now he is recovering in the Waikito Hospital, doing well beside the pain. So praise God amidst this terrible situation. Mike sends his thanks to all who continue to pray.

Here is an article from the Dominion with the story and picture of Tom.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/4819904a23955.html

PLEASE PRAY!!

While hiking on Tuesday, a rock fell and struck a Tom Yates, son of Pastor Mike and Michelle the lead Pastor from Shore Grace (the church I will be working with in NZ). He is stable but please join us in prayer for healing for this student, he has significant injury to his head and neck. Also remember his family and friends who were hiking with him as they deal with the shock of Tom's injury and are supporting him. Thanks for your prayers.

I don't know about you but I love quotes. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my mom constantly was quoting scripture to me growing up (sometimes, I will admit I really didn't want to hear it!). There is a quote that I wrote out a few years ago and I have moved rooms several times, between college housing, home, to my apt., then back home, this quote still manages to resurface on my wall wherever I plant myself. As with most people, there are a lot of life things happening and sometimes it clouds my vision or makes things appear dark. This quote on a tattered and folded piece of paper sticky tacked to my door has inspired me over and over again...

"Do not say that the darkness of the prison has shackled you, for your shackles are wings-wings of flight into the heart and soul of humanity. And the gate of your prison is the gate into the heart of the universe."
-George Matheson, Streams in the Desert

Everyone struggles and it is often through these struggles that we find a place to connect and learn from each other. I hope whatever hardship you may be enduring you know you are not alone... maybe this darkness is a part of our broken yet beautiful humanity.

Thanks again!

I want to make sure I say thank you so much for you support. Many people responded to an invitation to join my team over Christmas. Thanks so much for your prayers and financial support! I am so excited that you will join me to reach the people of New Zealand!!

I would also like to thank the person who anonymously dropped an envelope of money into my door on Christmas Eve... I am so humbled, thank you so much, whoever you are!!!

Please continue to pray with me as I am building my support team. Things are moving slowly but I know that God has bug things in store :-)