From the ends of the earth to you

Hello there,

I wanted to let you in on what I have been upto recently, and what I have been thinking about. You could say that things are becoming clearer and I'm experiencing a little more clarity about who I am, and what I have come here to do.

My friend and I Steve left to goto Kaikoura a few weeks back, on Labour weekend. This was the last weekend of October. I did not know it, but we enjoyed rather splendid conditions there, even though they were very windy. You could see the clouds moving fast over the Heavens.

Oh right, and I came down ill so that's why the update is a few weeks later. I am on the search for a job... If anyone has leads in Christchurch, contact me! I had a good interview at Countdown (a supermarket here) a few weeks ago, for a service deli position, which I have not heard back from. Fingers crossed.

Without further ado, my travels. Oh yeah, I also went on the Rapaki track last week, it was a good tramp (about 1:30.00 there and back) I threw in a few of those photos just for you who are missing new zealand (especially the sheep)

 This is the South Bay, Kaikoura. Pristine blue seas, and blue skies. When I saw the outcrop of rocks and the calm seas, I had to get a shot. It took a while just to get to this particular place, but it was worth it!

 These are the Kaikouras in all their illustrious beauty. As I said, the clouds are moving out of the way, we had to put on our windbreakers to weather the wind. These fields are also paddocks for the oxen to graze. This is known as the Peninsula walkway, it takes roughly 1:20 to get to the seal colony, and I swear the walk back goes faster!

 There are paths in the wilderness. and Houses. I love the green fields, so green!

 This is taken from just atop the seal colony, where if it is the right season, you can see seals bathing on the rocks, we were able to see a few while here (but you also have to be careful that you do not aggravate them, they are dangerous!)

 On the rocks in the foreground, is where the seals play. They normally just bathe, they do not get upto much, unless it is eyeing up the tourists who are taking photos

 This is a shot taken on the way back, on the peninsula walkway are a few bays, this is the southern most one.

I also managed to go on a walk up the port hills and see over the city somewhat. Look what I found when we got upto the top! sheep!

 Of course, in New Zealand you do not need to go far to find sheep. This wasn't even out in the canterbury plains, this was the outback of Christchurch. Must be owned by farmers.

 This is the rapaki track, with sumner and new brighton in the background! the clouds are clearing and you can now see them alot better, it also got a bit warmer. What a treat to get to the top of the walk and to find that the sun comes out and the overcast skies clear up. I had to whip out my camera and get that shot!

 I liked this shot, because you get the rolling hills, with the green and the sun coming out. these fields haven't been grazing flocks of sheep, they still have their beauty about them.

 There is something about the rushes, and rocks, that make me glad, and remind me, that I am in New Zealand. Don't get that anywhere else! it's classic Canterbury for you. Marlborough has the vineyards (I know canterbury does too!) the bay of plenty has nice fresh grass, but you only get the flowing grass here in the south island.

I have recently started reading a book that I keep coming back to, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ by Madame Guyon. She wrote the little book in France in the 17th century, and it has been the source of great joy and maturity to many saints to the present, groups such as the moravians, and the wesleys, even Watchman Nee have been greatly impacted by this simple book.

It's stabilized me, reminding me that I am here for just one purpose and that purpose is to Love God. The more that I keep coming back to this, the more I am convicted, challenged and stimulated, and it's the same with this book.

I want to give my life to God, to consecrate my life and all that it is, to Him. It's for this reason that I have been thinking about applying to do an internship with the House of Prayer in Jerusalem. Because I have come to realize that this people group has impacted my heart, it even led me to write a book, challenging me in my first time to goto Jerusalem, and the journey that I have been on since then. If there's anything that I am certain about, it's that love for God leads to loving Jesus brethren, and that we have a call, a mandate to lay down our lives for the sake of Jesus fame in the world.

The more that I try to escape the call to goto the ends of the earth and goto the Jews, It leads me to forsake the notion that God has called me, and that He has appointed me, and that I do all things for His name's sake. Surely I cannot turn my back on something that is so clear.

Just like the weather in canterbury, there are clouds coming, but I see through the clouds to the sun shining.

That seems like a pertinant statement to make after the journey that I've been on, and which I want to endeavour to communicate with all my might. This is all about coming back to what matters most, which is to love God and to keep short accounts with Him. I cannot go on doing what I plan to do, I must refrain from indulging in selfish pleasures, knowing that they are the one thing that keep me from my prayer to God. Because His love is better than life, I shall glorify God with my praise.

I know that there are people out there that are endeavouring to come to God and give them their all. A part of this is coming to God in weakness, because it's only in weakness that God will come in strength, and His grace is perfected. Let me stare fully in the face of Christ and embrace the pleasures that He gives, because that's what I will do with my life. And I hope to do that forever and ever in His presence when He comes back for me, or I die to go and be with Him.

In saying this, I mean to suggest that the purpose for which He took me through Hospital, has been to die, and to purge me from everything that is not of God. He even spoke to me.

I cannot take the credit for this except that to go through the experience of loosing confidence in myself and in giving me the opportunity to be broken I find that my resolve to push into God is strengthened. These are just some of the things that have taken place for me.

I have much appreciated the conversations and correspondence I have shared with you over my time leading up to going to hospital and only ask that you keep me in your heart as I consider things pertaining to my future. I am certain that God will also be with me in this endeavour. And most of all, think of God's people, the Jews, who are doing their own thing, may they come to know more fully that peace that comes from abandoning themselves to God, and understanding the passion that exists in Jesus heart for them, which is life.