Still growing

"still growing", that's what the painting above my desk says. How true that is! Let me share a bit of what God has been growing me in these last 6 weeks. 

SAYING GOODBYE

Yeah, it doesn't get any easier to say goodbye to my friends and family each year. I said goodbye to this little fellow and the rest of my family at the end of July. I understand so many of Paul's prayers to the churches these days. In his prayers, he often thanks God for the believers and yearns in his heart to be with them. That's so my heart. I yearn so much to be near my dear ones. 

Noah- almost a year old

VISION & NETWORKING
I have this saying that I often speak out and try to live by "I don't want to keep doing things the same old way, just because we have always done them that way. I want to be constantly evaluating and seeking to be relevant." So, when an opportunity arose to make some new backpacker contacts, I started networking. I traveled to Kaikoura for the day to meet with local pastors and church leaders. We planned, dreamed, got to know each other and talked of backpacker vision. It was a great opportunity for me to grow in a new area of my life. I'm trying to be more visionary and think more strategically, both areas that are kind of new to me. It's exciting to dream, and it's important to take that dream to God and start to flesh it out. What does it look like practically to send an outreach team to Kaikoura? Well, I'm finding out :)

Kaikoura, a beautiful place to network :)

HOPE and CHANGES
A few months ago, the city opened up the very central square of Christchurch. It's been closed off since the deadly earthquake in February of 2011. This was my first time seeing it since the earthquake! As I walked around, I was flooded with happy memories of the city. I remember going inside the Cathedral a few weeks before Christmas. I saw it beautifully candle-lit as a choir sang hymns. I remember running around the square barefoot as we met travelers, prayed for people and talked about Jesus. The stones has been heated by the sun all day, so I could run around without shoes and feel the warm stones on my feet! I remember drinking spiced coffees at the end of the night from the Starbucks in the square and eating freshly made gyros from Dimitris for dinner. I remember giving out tracks and doing Holy Spirit treasure hunts that led us to pray for people.

Anglican Cathedral in the square

Murals/ stories after the earthquake

Now there are different stories. The picture above shows a lone of murals/ stories of people effected by the earthquakes. They speak of the tragedy, the hurt, the devastation. They also speak of thankfulness and a change in priorities. There is change. There is HOPE. I'm growing in my understanding of what real hope is. I choose to trust in my Father, even in the midst of my circumstances.


STAFF TRAINING
We are fully in the midst of staff training. We are three weeks in and we have about 6 days until the first students start arriving, praise God! We have had some great teaching during the last few weeks. We have had topics on abiding in Jesus vs striving, leadership principles, worship & devotion, facilitating prayer, conflict resolution, communication, and culture of honor. I even got to do some teaching sessions: time management & boundaries, how to lead a small group & one-on-ones. I'm definitely growing in the area of teaching. It's not in my nature to want to be in the front of a class teaching. And yet, Father is stretching me and helping me. This week is a practical week. That means we are setting up bunks, making beds and welcome cards and getting ready for the students.

Staff retreat... the students arrive soon!

 Thank you for your prayers and love.

Much love,
Nicki