The Adventure is REALLY Happening!

It's countdown time!!!

IN 5 WEEKS we'll be arriving in LA! During those relaxing weeks we will have packed up house, visited Christchurch with 2 of our boys & their wives to see Oma & had VCI Retreat 15,16,17 March!!! With just a few more things thrown in along the way! Nick will be 54 in 3 wks time - maybe he's too old to travel??? And then we have our 32nd Wedding Anniversary... and we are about to begin an exciting adventure. My Dutch has taken a bit of a back seat with all the packing up - but I will be getting a crash course very soon. I'm sure Nick's Aunt and Uncle will help me no end & push me to speak & endeavour to understand! Could be dangerous!
We farewelled Josh & Amberley to Great Barrier Island this week - they are leading a Prophetic worship course for 3 months at Orama. It is so exciting to see them step into this new season. Elijah has been crawling for about 3 weeks - oooh that is Wonderful to see! He is really a great miracle and we thank God for every step. He still has a few operations up ahead - They won't be happening until next summer so, plenty of time for the miraculous to intervene. Amen...
Well, I'm back to the boxes.. coffee breaks only last so long. We have a couple of great contacts in Europe & have just said yes to a house for all of June! So cool. God is good.

Schedule for Feb/March 2010

4-15 Feb N & K in Christchurch & Westport
15-20 Hamilton - Packing Up
21 Feb Owen & Raewyn Frethy's church Auckland
26 Feb-8Mar Nick in Dunedin & Christchurch
4 - 8 March K in Christchurch
6-7 March Family Wkend in Christchurch
12 March Move out of house & handover to tenants
14 March Eastside all services
15-17 March VCI Retreat in Taupo
21 March Northend Church TeAwamutu
22 March Nick's Bday!
25-27 ? Orama to visit Josh & Amberley
28th Vision church Tokoroa with Lionel & Becks
2nd April ? Shout Conference
3rd April Nick at Missions Conf in Auckland
4th April Prayed out Eastside 10am
6th April Leave Auckland 7pm to LA...
N & K in NZ 8th July – 5 August for Inspire Conf/Elijah is 2!
28 July-3rd Aug Christchurch
Nick in NZ 15 September – 4 October for National ACTS Conf.

Family Time at Christmas

2010, Europe, Church Planting, Why Journal!!!

Karen here:
Wow - can you believe it is 2010... how many times will we have to write that before it seems real! I have suddenly become aware that we are going to Holland THIS YEAR!
Oh my - it's not really future anymore! We are now officially on countdown of 13 weeks and 4 days.... (from today that is), 11 weeks left in our house! (actually only 7 as we are away for 4...) YO!!!

We are blessed to have a family to rent our house - so that is one box fully ticked. We also have the first tickets booked and paid for! ( 6 April - 8 July) We also have a home-away-from-home to call our base when we are back from overseas... isn't that cool.

I am reminded that Proverbs says "Do not worry about tomorrow .. today's troubles are enough for themselves!" - so we will take each day & week at a time. Packing for giving away, storing for 2 years and taking with us... Doesn't that sound like fun. Any packing tips are hugely appreciated!

We trust that 2010 will be a great year for you - and we both know that "great" has many many variances & outcomes - but one thing we are sure of, is that God is GREAT and with Him we are in a very good place.

Nick's turn...
Our priorities this year when we arrive in Europe, (Amsterdam), besides finding an apartment to rent, and all that is required in settling into a new country; are:
1. Find & disciple (mentor,coach) church planting leaders. Leaders if 1000's, 100's, 50's & 10's.
2. Create a beach-head by planting the first churches.

We are still waiting to see if Karen has a Dutch passport. (I have received mine).

We always appreciate your prayer regarding this huge venture. We are prayed for and sent out from our home church, Eastside Hamilton on the 4th April.

Yesterday I changed Journals & thought about this journalling thing...
-Disappointments are able to be de-cluttered.
-Untruths are brought out into the light.
-Truths are uncovered.
-Sadness is captured & held long enough to ask the appropriate questions.
-Gladness is celebrated.
-Difficulties are able to be spoken about freely & easily.
-It gives council.
-Dreams are nurtured.
-Questions are answered.
-Revelation is recorded.
-It brings self awareness.
-it uncovers heartache, & brings healing.
-perspectives are clarified.
-messages from God are saved.

Sooo why wouldn't you begin Journalling! Believe me if I can do it, anyone can...

This year, may you know HIS Favour, Grace & fruitfulness in 2ten...& may God keep you close to His heart & His purposes - we look forward to catching up in the near future - hopefully in person - if not, email and phone are wonderful too.

Nick & Karen...

2010. Europe. Church Planting.

travel nick & Karen; plus a leadership thought...and Europe!

It has been excellent & a privilege speaking & ministering in various NZ & Aussie churches over the past year. We are having a welcome break from not having to be away & travelling as much, but still busy preparing for Christmas & the first part of next year & of course Europe. We are leaving NZ on the 6th of April 2010. It will be all go till then. There are two priorities:
1. Find & disciple, (mentor, coach), church planting leaders;
2. Create a beach-head by planting the first churches.
Also there are many things that need to be done before we leave, language learning, packing & more packing, raising finance, renting our home; BUT the most important is please pray for God connections with people to work with us, (here & in Europe). Please pray for divine intervention & interruptions; supernatural connections, events & leadings. We are so expectant for this to happen & we need to see this happen! We are believing & praying for signs, wonders & miracles. We want people to see, feel, know & hear HIM speak to them!

A highlight was to be at the ATC (www.visioncollege.co.nz) staff Christmas lunch 4th Dec...It was very inspiring & exciting...WHY? For the training centre celebrated 25 years of operating!!! Peter Dobbs was able to speak about the passion for Kingdom work. Peter began the Training centre with Phil Underwood. Phil (a previous Pastor of Eastside) was able to speak to us on the phone from Philadelphia, where he Pastors a Church. It was powerful as they spoke about simply seeing a need and doing something about it, believing God to change lives! ATC Training began with one staff member 25 years ago, & now has approx 140 staff including contractors. Thousands of lives have been influenced & impacted. What a great testimony!

In my last blog I wrote about 2 things I have needed to say to my self over the last two & a half decades, here they are:
1. If you are the leader do everyone a favour & simply lead.
2. Grow up.
HERE are the other two:
3. Leadership can be cruel. Sometime no matter what a leader does it's going to upset somebody & the leader has to bear the brunt of it. Often Karen & I will say or think, "but it's unfair". But we need to remind ourselves - "Life is unfair...I have to get over it!" Tough ay...yip leadership isn't for the fainthearted. Give yourself time, a day or two really helps, & you will get over it. Journal in the good times so that in the difficult times the habit has been established...it will help. keep doing the basics of discipleship. Remember Christ is in us, we are called to live a supernatural life. It also helps to remember Jesus said to forgive 70x7 times...that's supernatural!! As a leader learn quickly to forgive & keep your heart light!
4. I cannot let my past determine my future. For stagnation, cynicism & discouragement will reign if I as a leader let the past determine my future. It will hinder you & worse it will hinder others from flourishing around you!

Anyway that's my thoughts...Have a great Christmas & may 2010 be an enlarging one & full of God's presence! Our love...Nick & Karen.