my penguin friends

Note to self: never go see penguins without my zoom lens.

I saw penguins in the wild. I was happy and cold and loved every bit of it.

remarkables

We went away last week. Thanks to Anzac Day (like Memorial Day), left Thursday at noon, headed south. It's autumn, the further we drove, the more obvious it became. Crisp air, changing leaves. By dusk, we were in Queenstown.

The next morning, we climbed a hill, froze at the top, the mountains screamed hallelujah, covered in red, orange and yellow. An afternoon in Arrowtown, even more vibrant, then rain. Refuge in a little cafe, reading in a corner, curled up on an old church bench. When we headed back to Queenstown, as the clouds cleared, the Remarkables now covered in snow, completely new.

Our last morning, not ready to leave, a walk through the gardens, the rest spent in a warm cafe, reading, writing, so thankful.

abel tasman

We made it. Our first overnight tramp, four days and three nights, 50+ kilometers. Not everyone likes walking, but it works for us. We mostly did it for those pretty views. Plus, it's nice to complete something that has a start and clear finish. Physically tiring (not too bad), but emotionally freeing. No space in our packs to bring along work or the list of things to do. So good to get away, to rest and refocus.

Yes, the entire walk looked like something out of a magazine. God did good with New Zealand.

sunrise

Falling in love with this city and its people.

beginnings

Remembering all the prayers for this church. Realizing the journeys that led these individuals to this moment. Reflecting over a month ago the uncertainty of when this service would happen. To find a place, to plan and organize, to meet and invite.

God is neat. I love how he intertwines stories and dreams, hopes and hearts. Connecting us to him and each other. His provision, his calling. Humbled he could use us, inviting us into his story for the world, desires us to be agents of his grace. Thankful for those who came, excited for them.

To be able to look back at how he has come before and to find comfort that he will remain throughout the unknown, celebrations, any bumps and fears. Praying he is glorified, nothing of our own strength, but testimony of his Spirit that unifies us.

God cares

Five days. We've lived in New Zealand for five days. I'm already amazed by God at work, encouraged and needing him more than ever. Beautiful people, beautiful city. We've been welcomed and loved.

We feel that what we're doing isn't any different than what all Christians should be doing. Engaging in God's kingdom here and now. It just happens to be in Christchurch. Our role would be the same in the states. To live according to hope and love. We can't rescue Christchurch - that's not why we're here. No, but "people find hope when the people of God find them" (Pastor DeNeff). That's my daily. To be an agent of grace and healing. To find opportunities to listen, to love, to care, to support. Christ wasn't the end. He was the beginning and invites us to join him. He's put His hope in his church. Pretty amazing.

So we find ourselves loving our time thus far. Opportunity to paint and clean a building that will love on the kids in its community. Meeting with the small group for the first time. Time spent dreaming. Learning and listening. Observing beautiful acts of love from those we know and are getting to know. Small steps.

"If all the world believed the truth of God's character -- that God cares -- wouldn't this world become a caring place?" (Ann Voskamp)

hello new zealand

We made it to ChCh. We feel incredibly loved by those praying for us in the States and welcomed by so many in New Zealand. Praise God we're not alone in this.

sushi machine

Last night, I learned how to make sushi. It was an incredible evening, consistently amazed by the generosity of friends in Jersey, George and Kim are amazing chefs: wonton soup, duck, salad, sushi. Nothing better than spending hours together in a kitchen. And so, eleven friends plus four kids gathered around a table to celebrate Clint and Jamie before they leave for New Zealand. I know, compared to everyone else, I should be the least sad. In less than a year, we will be joining them in Christchurch.

And I watch, a little scared, knowing another season of goodbye will come too soon for Logan and I. Trying my best to be intentional with the time we have. Excited to be with family at Christmas, enjoying our home and community in Princeton, and at the same time, excited how God is working and the anticipation of New Zealand. But that's been this year, learning to live in the waiting.

the well

Over the last year, Logan and I have been trying to discern if God might be calling us to the city of Christchurch, New Zealand to assist in planting a church there.  We are delighted to let you know that we have committed to moving to Christchurch to be a part of the Plant Team for The Well!  We made our decision after a long period of prayer and after many long hours of discussion, and we are confident that God is going to use us and The Well to do something powerful in the city of Christchurch. 

If you want to know more about the church plant, the vision behind it, and the lead pastor Clint Ussher, you can find some of that information here. We will give of ourselves and our resources to awakening people to experience and express the depth of Christ’s love. To get a sense of what's happened in the city of Christchurch in the last year or so, and part of why we feel called to plant there, check out this video:

We're sure there are many other questions to answer, so please feel free to write or call us, we'd be happy to talk.  For now, we would greatly appreciate if you could pray for:

- Clint and Jamie Ussher (and their two girls, Evee and Iris), our lead pastoral couple, who are moving to Christchurch in January.  They will be on the ground preparing the way for the church plant as well as continuing to raise support.  Please pray for their transition, for their new home, and for the work they will do in Christchurch in the coming months.

- For the city.  As you can see in the video, Christchurch is a city that is still assessing the extent of the damage before beginning to rebuild.  Pray for the rebuilding process and how The Well might fit into that process.  Christchurch is also a largely unchurched city, so we ask that you pray for God to prepare hearts and minds before we even arrive, both those who will take a leadership role in the church and those we will seek to reach.

- Fundraising.  This church plant is a significant project that is going to require significant resources.  Fundraising has been underway for some time, but there is more yet to be done.  Please pray that God would provide to resources necessary to make this church plant a success.

Again, we are immensely thankful for those who have prayed and supported us during our discernment journey. We are very excited for this opportunity to serve God in New Zealand. Logan and I share a passion for seeing lives and communities transformed by the love and grace of God, and we desire God to use our talents in Christchurch to help see that transformation realized in others.

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galatians 5:6b

If you you would like to receive updates, please subscribe to the Well newsletter here.