New Zealand: The Kiwi Way of Life

It's been nearly a week since I arrived in New Zealand, and I am thoroughly loving it here.  My mom and I are staying at a pastor's house while he and his wife are staying at our home in Seattle.  Yes, we did a house swap.  Because the pastor's house is the hub of the church, we are getting visitors coming in and out constantly.  It's quite fun.

On Thursday night, a team from a "Revival School" came to stay at our house while they did ministry in Wanaka.  The school lasts 3-months and focuses heavily on the gifts of the Spirit in ministry, namely prophecy and speaking in tongues.  Definitely the most pentecostal thing I've been around in a long, long time.  The group has a gift for worship and intercession.  Although my worship has been much more traditional as of late, I really appreciated the ministry of the team.  They are the kind to just pray at all hours and for long hours.  I have been encouraged by their example to seek God in fervent prayer.

We also have a pastor from southern New Zealand staying at the house overseeing some of the church's activities while the pastor is in Seattle.  He is the head leader of the denomination which the church here is a part of (probably around 20 churches in all).  He's been another great encouragement.  His ministry focuses on people who come from broken backgrounds or have been abused in some way.  We have had many long conversations about fatherlessness, theology, the church, New Zealand Christianity, and other topics.  It's been fabulous.  I could get used to having a pastor around the house.  My spirit of inquiry is being fully met. :)

In summary, I have made friends beyond what I thought possible for a week of being in a foreign country, been encouraged by worship styles I am not accustomed to, ran more miles that I thought I ever could (16mi on Saturday!), slept an unbelievable amount of hours and feel simply at home.

Wanaka, NZ

New Zealand: An Introduction

Hello from New Zealand!  I flew from Seattle to Vancouver on Sunday evening, from Vancouver to Auckland, and arrived in Queenstown on Tuesday morning.  The total travel time was 24 hours, and I probably slept for 10 of those.  Praise the Lord!

Upon arriving to Queenstown, I hopped on the "Connectabus" to Wanaka, about an hour's drive away.  Th whole drive was going through one big mountain range.  It was beautiful.  We arrived at Wanaka around 11am, a picturesque little town of 6,000 located in the middle of the mountains on a beautiful mountain lake.  Literally everywhere I look, there is a mountain.  The population of Wanaka jumps to 25,000 in the winter because Olympic skiiers and snowboarders come here to train.  There are ski passes in every direction.

My mom picked me up at the Visitor's Centre, and we spent the day walking around town.  When we got back to the house we're staying at, I noticed that my room had mountain and water views from the window.

In the evening, I attended a young adult's Bible Study through the church my mom goes to.  I met a lot of wonderful people my age.  We had a great time of fellowship.  I'm so thankful for the body of Christ around the world.

I'm off for a run now.  Wanaka is full of running trails that stretch through mountains and valleys.

"For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name."

Amos 4:13 

Wanaka, NZ



Hillsdale - Columbus - Nashville - Denver - Seattle - Spokane - Edmonds

The title says it all.  Since Tuesday, I have been in multiple states and multiple parts of my state.  I have said goodbyes, and I have said hellos.  Life never stops.  Lucky for me, life will stop on Sunday when I fly out to New Zealand to visit my mom.  I am praying for a time of rest in the Lord.  It has been a while since I have let myself slow down, and I really never let myself stop.  

"Be still and know that I am God."  

That is my prayer for the two precious weeks in New Zealand.

Spotlight: Daniel McCleary (and other fathers)

"A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows

Is God in His holy dwelling." - Psalm 68:5

In light of Father's Day, I am thankful for three things: my father, my Father, and all of my adopted "fathers".

I am thankful for my father because he knew the meaning of fatherhood by spending all of his time at home with his children.  He believed one of the greatest tragedies on our generation is the lack of fathers who desire to merely be with their children.  I have learned a lot from his example.

I am thankful for my Father because He has revealed Himself to me as a Father to the fatherless.  God has given me hope and joy in spite of tragedy.  Because of eternity, I know that I will see my dad again.

I am thankful for those who have surrounded our family to take on the "father" role in our lives.  I have so many older men that I can turn to when I need my father-figure role fulfilled.  

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

-Proverb 22:6

Three

Three more days.  The last week has been whirlwind.  Chicago, Rockwell Lake Lodge, party after party, thinking about packing (but not actually packing), being with people I love most, dinners with friends, "last" activities together, training my new replacement and saying goodbye.

I fly home to Seattle on Tuesday.  My schedule is already jam-packed with activity.  On the Sunday after coming home, I fly out to New Zealand for two weeks to visit my mom.  I haven't had a vacation like this...actually, ever.  I'm so looking forward to it.

"It's hard to walk away from the best of days, but if it has to end, I'm glad you have been my friend through the time of our lives." - Tyrone Wells, Time of Our Lives

(At the Bean in Chicago)

Vote Smart

Over Memorial Day Weekend, my family (all but Matt) convened in Columbus, OH to spend some time together.  Like any good Hillsdale grads and interested citizens, we started a conversation about politics and the forecast for the next election.  The outcome of our conversation doesn't really matter, but my brother made a simply brilliant comment that will stick with me for life.

"Stupid people vote based on words; smart people vote based on actions."

Even if we read the paper and keep up with current events, let us not forget to consider actions.  We all hope that right actions follow right words, but unfortunately that does not happen all of the time.

Be smart.  Vote based on what a politician does, not what they say.



Spotlight: Horatio Spafford

Horatio Spafford: The 19th Century Job

I first heard of Horatio Spafford as a sophomore in high school when I did an oral presentation in Music class at my public high school on famous hymns and their origins.  Most people are familiar with Spafford through the hymn It Is Well With My Soul.  Some may be familiar with the story behind the enduring lyrics. 

I was blown away by tragedy after tragedy that led to the penmanship of this hymn.

Spafford grew up living the 1860's American dream - rich, famous, lawyer, wife and 5 children, BFFs with Dwight Moody, real estate investor and the list goes on.  And then he became the modern day Job.

In 1870, Spafford's only son died of scarlet fever.

In 1871, the Chicago Fire destroyed most of his real estate investments and fortune.

In 1873, his family decided to take a vacation to England to visit Dwight L. Moody.  Due to previous committments, he sent his wife and 4 daughters ahead of him.  The boat sank and all of his daughters drowned.  His wife sent a telegram upon reaching shore: "Saved Alone."

In 1873, Spafford penned the hymn It Is Well With My Soul as he sailed to England over the Atlantic where his daughters were buried just days before.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Praise the Lord that, as Christians, our souls are well, even if we are not.

"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord." ~Job 1:21

It Is Well (With My Soul) by Horatio Spafford

Changes Ahead

A New Adventure

As I alluded to in my first post, change is on the horizon.  In the middle of June, I leave my Admissions Counselor post at Hillsdale - 6 years and many happy memories later.  Here's the quick and dirty of life for the next year.  More details will come later.

After leaving Hillsdale, I will be a global traveler for the summer - Ohio, New Zealand, Washington, Oregon, California and driving halfway across the country from the Midwest to the DC area.  Summer goals include: reconnecting with family and friends, running a marathon, working on a book, backpacking, boating and reading. 

The summer travels end in a tiny town called Royal Oak in Maryland and begin a 9-month fellowship program with 11 other young people who are there seeking the answer to some of life's most pressing questions - "Who am I?  Who is God?  What is my calling?  How can I best serve Christ in the area to which He has called me?"  The program seeks to bring in students with all types of vocational aspirations and callings, pour into them for the year through reading, writing, lectures, community and service, and send them out well-equipped to integrate faith with vocation.

So, thank you Hillsdale for forming nearly every part of me.  And more importantly, thank You God for giving me the gift of Hillsdale six years ago.



"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." ~James 1:17

Trending with J.Crew

Men's Fashion

My housemates and I get the monthly J.Crew Style Guide Magazine.  Each month when the magazine arrives, one of our favorite activities is analyzing each outfit on each page and then letting every person who enters our home analyze each outfit on each page. 

I guess that's what we get for not having TV to amuse ourselves.

For quite some time, J.Crew has been featuring BOLD AND BRIGHT COLORS in their magazine.  The sultry models are seen standing with bright yellow skirts and neon green tops or checkered pink and orange shorts with "Vibrant Flame" red shirts.  Sometimes, the bright pages hurt my eyes, but it has been growing on me, slowly but surely.  (I actually just bought a pair of neon yellow shorts - guilty).

I was surprised by the newest male trends in the "Men's Style Guide".  Bright colors are going viral.  Green, purple, orange and yellow pants overtake the men's section of the website.

So far, every male I have shown this picture to has given it a definite thumbs down.  They are also all from the Midwest.

Any thoughts?





Spotlight: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

For the past few days, I have been seriously thinking about the formation of this blog.  Should it have a theme?  Should it be theological?  Should it be just personal life stories?  Should it be strictly hilarious?  Should it be completely random?

Well, I'm not quite sure yet, but I do want to write weekly spotlights of people who have impacted my life and thinking.  These will be authors, theologians, family members, friends and those I admire.  My ultimate goal is to encourage depth of relationships with those we already know and suggest impactful reading material.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

For anyone who knows anything about me, it is fitting that this is the first spotlight.  I probably get more excited when talking about Bonhoeffer than any other theologian, or maybe even person.  Bonhoeffer was a Christian during World War II who spearheaded the assassination plots against Hitler and led the largest network (and one of the only) of underground churches in Germany that opposed the acts of the Nazis.  While most Christians  in Germany blindly followed Hitler from the beginning, Bonhoeffer sensed an urgency that he needed to be stopped.

What impresses me most is that Bonhoeffer was a pacifist his whole life.  For many years, he struggled with his call to put an end to Hitler's reign.  I will leave you with a quote that changed the way I view my life's call.  In his essay After Ten Years, Bonhoeffer analyzes the relationship between public responsibility and private virtue.  He writes,

Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God — the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God. Where are these responsible people?

Bonhoeffer made his final standard allegiance to God, and so he was able to follow the call that directly led to Hiler's demise.  An incredible challenge for me.

Suggested reading: 

Life Together by Bonhoeffer

Cost of Discipleship by Bonhoeffer

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy by Eric Metaxas



Becoming a Blogger

I admit it.  I've been thinking about this for a long while - going back and forth with the question, "Should I become a blogger?"  Here's what I would like not to happen with this blog, and these are the main reasons I chose not to start one for so long:

1.) I do not want this to be boring.  I hate boring things.  No one wants to read boring things.  No one wants to do boring things.  No one likes to be around boring people.  Please call me out if this gets boring.
2.) I do not want this to be a fad that fades in a few months.  If you're a blogger, for goodness sakes, be a good one.  In my mind, good blogging is equivalent to consistent blogging.  The "once a year" blogger is not a blogger.  That person just needs to vent every year, and the blog happens to be a opportune opportunity (to use a horrible repetition).
3.) I do not want this to be self-centric.  How does a person not become more self-centric when blogging about themself?  I don't think I have an answer to this...yet.

So, now that you have the run-down of what I don't want, let me end with the positives.  Why am I blogging?  Let me explain my thought process:

1.) I love to write and share stories.  I love to read good writing and listen to good stories.  Ultimately, I would like to get better at writing.  Receiving public critique excites me just as much as false praise disgusts me.
2.) My life is about to change drastically, and very few people know.  Honestly, the best way to inform people is to just write it for all to see.  As opposed to writing email updates, only those who want to know what's going on can read.  Everyone else can just pass on by.
3.) I have benefited greatly from reading good blogs.  I read theological blogs, daily life blogs, friends' blogs, book blogs and professor's blogs.  If this just encourages or challenges one person in a positive way, this endeavor will be worth it.

And the decision has been made.  I am a blogger.