I moved to New Zealand three years ago this week. I knew it was coming up but then remembered the day of on accident as I was chatting with Heather who had me as a guest in her home my last nights in Germany. I still can’t quite get my seasons straight as I think of months and expectations of weather, and traveling to the northern hemisphere in the middle of the year only continues to throw that off. But here I am watching my northern hemisphere friends end their summers as I barrel ahead into spring.
I’m still praying for God to provide a long term house.
But I also had hot chocolate with a friend spontaneously yesterday.
So life still has both highs and lows. As I continue to navigate how to disciple young people well and set up supports for the holistic health of those in my care, I had a checkpoint with my counsellor reminding me a big part of that success is me modelling it well. Another conversation today had a similar recognition of wanting young people to journey with others who are lifelong learners of Jesus. With that in mind, I offer with full transparency the truth that Jesus is not a magic wand solution to wave over any crisis (see housing situation above) but rather an anchor in the storm of life (see housing situation above).
I woke up yesterday wondering how a whole week had already gone by since last Saturday, and it feels like a whiplash of events that got me to today. Even so, I see that I’ve carried on through winter taking my Vitamin D and staring ten minutes at the Happy Lamp every morning to cope with the lack of sunlight, and I cherish the interactions with friends and acquaintances at church on Sunday before I’ll call my sister and my best friend in America on Monday.
Denise and Shannon will be in warm places, and I’ll be bundled up with blankets, but I know that God is constant through every season. I do look forward to the daffodils though.
