We just finished our Ignition Launch training which took place in Matamata, New Zealand. It was a great week and I learned what it looks like to step into freedom with my relationship with Christ. The speakers reminded us of the necessity or letting go of the sin that has been entangling us and holding us back. God wants to work in us first so that He can than work through us. They talked a lot about forgiving those who have hurt us and letting go of the bitterness and anger that we have been clinging to and also the importance of asking for forgiveness from those we have wronged. It was a challenging week and it taught me a lot. I realized as never before how much my heart is aching for a deeper relationship with my Savior. I am excited to discover what freedom truely looks like this year as I get rid of all the junk in my life and allow God to fill every part of me.
The Kiwi’s (New Zealander’s) are very friendly. They have really expressed an interest in us and always have a huge smile on their faces and a desire for conversation. It’s so fun to listen to them talk. I could sit all day and listen to their cool accents and funny slang.
It is breathtakingly beautiful here. No words can begin to describe God’s handiwork in this country. All of the colors are so vibrant and there are a million shades of blues and greens everywhere I look. I am surrounded by grassy knolls, meadows filled with flowers, wildlife, mountains, and blue skies. Every direction I turn is a little more beautiful than the last place I looked. It is incredibly peaceful. Last night after praise and worship, I stepped outside and gasped in awe at the sky. There were more stars than I have ever before seen and we were even able to see a few galaxies. A couple girls and I laid outside in our sleeping bags and simply stared at the sky. We saw a couple shooting stars as well. It was the perfect evening.
It amazes me that the Kiwi’s can look at the beauty that surrounds them and not recognize that Someone must have created it all. Although New Zealand has a rich, Christian heritage, only 7-10 percent of the population are true believers. Many people who live here are very apathetic and some are even hostile to the name of God. We were at the beach one day speaking to the locals and were told that we were “God-botherers.” One couple told us that they had experienced enough God to last a lifetime and that they are now athiests. It is very sad. We are excited to begin building relationships and bring hope and healing to a nation which is spiritually dying.
