Winds of change.

Life in New Zealand is changing quite rapidly. After unsuccessfully landing a steady job for the summer holiday in Auckland, on Tuesday night I will be moving to Christchurch, the land of opportunity, the place where fruit picking and pastures abound. I will be experiencing my first Kiwi Christmas with my married friends Lachlan and Anna and their family in Otago. No work has been secured there as of yet (the previous plan that is now a bit up in the air) so your prayers are greatly needed.

It's a strange thing to be away from family and friends over Christmas, the last few weeks have taken there toll. I couldn't put my finger on why I was so homesick, but now I think I can fully attribute that to the lack of Facebook and the instant disconnect from life in Washington. On the bright side, I got to experience a little of winter in Cadburys Chocolate publicity stunt called "Winter in the park," where participants enter into a giant climate controlled snow-globe that produces artificial snow from the ceiling. It helped ease some of my pain : )

I had been praying for 2-3 months about being able to attend one of my closest friends wedding in Guatemala, and today it didn't quite happen. Judah and Mary I wish you the best future possible and it grieves me that I won't be there.

Thank you all for the continued prayers and support. So far this Summer I have saved $3,000 NZD which is only about $750 off the halfway point. I was able to apply for a scholarship through Laidlaw this year and if you would pray that the selecting committee would be abnormally favorable with my application, that would be fantastic. I'm fully trusting God even amidst the emotional ups and downs. I was accepted into Laidlaws program on May 13th, 2009 - and God has taken care of me since that date with school and I know that even in dark times life has always worked out for me up until this very moment in time. In Christ, all of my hope rests.

I hope everyone takes a moment out to truly celebrate the incarnation, when the God that created the entire universe took on flesh. Wow, just let that marinate in for a second. I hear that so much that sometimes the gravity of Jesus being God is lost on me. God walked around on earth experiencing joy and heartbreak, just as we do today. The Logos that spoke the universe into existence became flesh... seriously blows my mind. This is what we celebrate and remember.

I have been in New Zealand just two weeks shy of 1 year and this will be my last blog entry of the year. Alot has happened in this one year and there is much to look forward to next year. Along with my being on the student council, I was asked to consider being the resident assistant (RA) for the men's dormitories on the Laidlaw campus. This potential opportunity excites me and your prayers are coveted for this as well.

Merry (May the God of the universe who took on Flesh, bless you and your family as you remember and celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus) Christmas,

 Piper


P.S.
Miss all you DCC Junior Highers/Highschoolers, I cherish the emails you send.