So, what’s the weather like in Tauranga? It's not too shabby, but that's an understatement. The Bay of Plenty region is known across New Zealand for its gorgeous weather and breathtaking coastal scenes. Even the winter can have tropical-feeling days that are perfect for a stroll down Papamoa Beach or a hike up Mount Maunganui. But because I know you want to pack more than just a swimsuit, here's some specific temperature ranges in Tauranga.…
“You wouldn’t call a passion fruit just a 'passion', would you?” I've always known that green, fuzzy snack was a “kiwifruit”, not a kiwi—my brothers made sure of it. We all grew up in the USA, but our parents are originally from New Zealand. So when I moved to New Zealand as an eighteen-year-old to go to university, there were many cultural mishaps I avoided, just because I grew up between these two worlds.…
What do I do with my life? It’s a question we all ask at one point, but now more than ever, we have an overwhelming amount of options. Not only do you need to decide what city to live in, but also what country. Not only do you need to figure out what school you…
I’d seen it all. Those missionary teams, coming back sharing stories about their latest trip. Those Discipleship Training Schools (DTS), telling testimonies on stage. I was so used to long-winded explanations of why you should join “why-wham” and what God could “do in your life”, that I started tuning them out. I’d been recruited…
I've packed a few suitcases in my lifetime. I started with family vacations, moved on to weekend soccer trips, then came the high school missions trips, and now in recent years, leading missions teams myself. As a kid, my mom would look at my packing and exclaim, "Are you really bringing that? And that?" to now, when I can get by traveling internationally with a carry-on size bag (or less!). But the ability to pack light isn't for bragging rights (though it's definitely fist-bump-worthy), it's actually just plain helpful. Here's a few things we often think we need on missions trips—and why we can do withou t them.…
You got your packing list. You studied it in detail, or maybe you skimmed it. Or maybe you didn't check your email at all and you have no idea what you're supposed to bring. Whichever way, you're wondering what is actually important to take on your missions trip. Please, get your packing list out if you have one! This list has mainly hot climates and rural areas in mind, but they apply for other outreaches as well. So, here are five things to pack—that I discovered to be essential—on mission trips across the world.…
"What are you going to do after high school?" At fifteen years old, I expected people would only ask me about my life's purpose when I graduated. Nope. I had two whole years of high school to go, but teachers—and strangers—started asking me "What's next?" as if it was the same as "How's the weather?".…
“Just go over to the house sometime, they’d love to meet you!” Fresh to Tauranga, New Zealand, friends had raved about the YWAM Furnace community. My new university was right next door to where their current Discipleship Training School was running, and I wanted to meet them. I’d heard about DTS all my life and…
I was twenty-one when I graduated from university. I had a great job opportunity at a dream spot. Not to mention, I needed to start paying back my student loan, too. Inconveniently, God started reminding me of another dream, the plan I'd dismissed somewhere in the middle of my teaching degree. I wanted to do a Discipleship Training School.…
I knew it all. I grew up in the church, I knew how to pray, I knew how to read my Bible. Not only that, I knew ways to teach it. I’d learned enough tips and tricks to fill small groups for a lifetime. Did I use those tips and tricks? No, not at all. Not until that Tuesday morning.…
