This story starts before we even arrived in Papua New Guinea. During preparation for our Discipleship Training School (DTS) outreach, our team prayed together in New Zealand. Different people received words about prison ministry, working with criminals, and speaking in front of prisoners in Papua New Guinea. My husband Thomas envisioned a big river flowing through a prison, not fully knowing what it meant.…
Have you ever been challenged to have faith for the impossible? You know, that moment when you’re standing on the edge of cliff—and you’re facing that decision? Have you ever been clueless at what will happen if you leap? This is the story of our moment.…
Travel. We love your Instagram shots when you arrive, but it's easy to brush over what you went through to get to that perfect picture. Sometimes travelling is so crazy, tiring, or just plain boring—so by the time you've got to your destination, you've just about lost your sanity. From places like Hawaii to the Himalayas, I've experienced some insane travel as well. So with help from my team and a few of my own mishaps across 15 countries, here's eight tips on how to keep your sanity when you travel often. …
The Prayer Room was a waste of my time. As a missionary training community, we gathered there 6+ hours a week, worshiping Jesus and praying for the nations. Where I expected to have more meetings, class, or practical ministry—we spent that time pursuing God’s presence together. However, every time I prayed, it felt like it wasn’t actually doing anything.…
Don’t get me wrong—having “normal” job is great, but what if that’s not the life that God has called you to? Personally, I had my whole life planned out when God called me to the missionary life. University degree, master’s, PhD, then to be a professor and earn lots of money. Now I’m living in New Zealand, an expensive place to live, relying on the generosity of others to pay the bills. And do you know what, I wouldn’t have it any other way.…
We reached our destination around noon. The snow started to fall and was covering the whole Himalayan village. We dropped our trekking bags, ate a steaming meal and had some hot tea. We huddled up to pray and ask God what He had in store for that afternoon of ministry.…
One thing you might not always remember about yourself—is that you have a culture. The way you dress, what you like to eat, how you talk, even how you sleep is part of your culture! It’s part of the way you grew up. It formed when you hung out with your friends, or when you did science projects in class, even the songs you sing (or what language you sing them in) make up your culture. …
You've booked your flights, watched every movie ever filmed in New Zealand, and you can't wait to arrive. But what language do they speak? Okay, okay, you have done your research—they speak English and some te reo Māori. Maybe you even know "Kiwi" refers to New Zealanders and the national bird—NOT the fruit (my rant about that is here). …
Everyone seems to have their ‘thing’. You know, that one thing that connects them to God better than anything else. Well, I didn’t. This is how I thought it would always be. I watched those around me find God in Sunday afternoon walks, in painting, in baking, blah blah blah.…
You shouldn’t be a missionary. Everyone's giving you the reasons why, right? Whether you’re still in school, or your family doesn’t agree with you, or you don’t have the money to travel—it makes sense why you shouldn't do it. Or should you?…
