The First 3 (and a Half) Weeks

Sorry I know it's slack, I haven't posted in ages, so for those of you who've been waiting I apologise :-)

This is only a quick update as I have no idea where to start! An incredible amount has happened in my life in the last 3 and a half weeks! No-one and nothing can ever prepare you for university and the changes that come with moving out of home (except for holidays), starting tertiary education and becoming completely independent (well, almost). If we only had to do 2 of those 3, it wouldn't be such a big deal but the 3 of them combined just has so much more... impact? It s crazy, challenging, scary, exciting, sad, happy, all at the same time. Still is, to be honest. You forget how long everything takes, that its a journey because for the last however many years, you've had all your close friends and the routine of school. Then you come here and it takes forever (seems like it anyway) to make even just 1 friend and you wonder why you aren't settling in quicker and why sometimes (or a lot of the time in my case) you feel alone in a room full of people.

However, now that the hardest part is over (I hope, at least for a little while), I have adjusted to that fact that this is the way it is. It is a process that now is mostly good and positive and happy-filled, but still challenging. I am however now loving the fact that I am growing sooo much and have grown unbelievably int eh last 3 weeks, in God and in myself, in strength and courage, and that later on life (even just after uni) I will look back and be so grateful for planting my roots so deeply that I can be giant Kauri Tree I want to be.

Anyway, what I've done is heaps - I went to Lets Get Going programme which is a great way to meet people, O Week stuff (awesome!), hostel O Weekend (AmAzing), and now 3 different churches, the Ferg faith group, one Thrive life group, am now in my 3rd week of lectures and classes, 2nd week of my job (cleaning here at the hostel 2 days a week), got to know Palmy better, officially gained the status of poor uni student (broke might be more appropriate!), went to Knox Church Camp on the weekend and saw everyone again, and become quite comfortable with the 168 steps that I must climb to get up to my hostel (after going down 168 and walking 5 or 10 minutes around campus) multiple times a day. And there is still so much more to do! It's actually quite exciting! I know God has BIG plans...!

That's it for now. Feel free to email me, visit me, call me, or just post a comment on here :-) Lastly, a prayer request. Thank you to all those of you who have been praying for me (I know you have because I have felt the difference), may God bless you right back. This one is in my battle of spiritual warfare. The warfare (with myself and with Satan) stepped up a big notch since camp on the weekend where I was empowered further by the gift of Parakleos (that might not quite be right but hey) - the gift of exhortation/encouragement. Just pray, please, that I stay strong and keep fighting, with God's help. Thank you so much. Love, God bless, Jenny xox

:-O

Wow so I had this realisation yesterday as I was lying on the beach at Wai Iti with Alana (and her sibs and Rochelle): OK so firstly - I've always known it was real and I'm going but now I'm really going. Like its tangible, its so close I can touch it, I'm actually going. In a weeks time I'm moving out of home to start the next step of my life and education in a city where I can count the people I know on one hand (easily) and I guess, finally growing up?! Experiencing true financial independence anyway! Its still exciting but now there are tinges of fear and trepidation, like its going to be one big adventure... little old me and my very very big God cruising/co-inhabiting/slowly transforming with His love (if that's His plan) the city of Palmerston North for the next 3 or more years. Which really, shouldn't be too bad at all...

Secondly - of all the cities in NZ, WHY did I choose the one with no beaches! I don't even know if they have swimming pools! I'm sure they do but I've never seen one. All my life, as in ALL my life, I've lived within 5 or 10 minutes drive to the beach, tops. I even lived a year on the beachfront in England. Now I'm going to a city where when its hot (mostly in the afternoons) I can't escape to the beach and frolic and swim! Why am I doing this to myself? I guess I'll appreciate the 'Naki even more when I'm back in the summer. And all these beaauuutiful beaches. And I'll have to become more dependant on God to fill the beach sized hole inside me :-) Which can only be a good thing...