Week 5 ~ New Plymouth // Unexpected

Wow. New Plymouth was my hardest week of tour so far. But looking back, also my favourite! Up until this week I hadn't had a host family that I really connected with. Like they were all great people and looked after me fine, but I kept hearing stories from team mates who had families they just super clicked with. At the end of the week they would be totally gutted to say goodbye and I'm sad to say, that just hadn't been the case with me. UNTIL NEW PLYMOUTH! I was billeted with Oli and Ari and we stayed with a wonderful lady named Jennie. She was from England and had a gorgeous home. This woman had such a big impact on me. We didn't see her a lot, but I really tried to spend as much time having conversations with her as I could. Jennie is involved in so many things to help and support other people and I just adored hearing her stories of ministry both at home and overseas. Sadly her husband passed away a few years ago but she is still living life to the full with Jesus shining through her in a way that inspired and uplifted me.

This was a big encouragement in what was an otherwise really difficult week. We received some very sad and unexpected news that Roxette's granddad had passed away. I turned up to our first New Plymouth school show on the Tuesday and our tour manager said to me that Rox wasn't going to be able to perform and I needed to figure out how to cover her in the drama. I did some quick praying and thinking and managed to cut my character out of the scene and morph her into the character Rox plays and so effectively did both parts. We had three school shows this day so I got up there and did my best. It was pretty hectic considering I'm also an MC in schools, meaning between every song or two I'm onstage talking. I was shattered by the end of the day but the team said I did well.

That evening it was confirmed that Rox would head up north for her Koro's tangi (funeral). Once we'd said bye to her, the weight really fell on me. I got pretty emotional and overwhelmed. As a drama major, I take a lot of responsibility for the dramas to be up to scratch. I was scared and nervous for our Friday youth concert and having to manage covers and re-working some pieces was daunting. BUT as I surely should have learnt by now - God always makes a way! And Jono (also drama major) was supportive and made sure I knew I didn't have to do it all by myself which was comforting.

On Wednesday night we had a show/ministry time at Northpoint Baptist Church. A really big confidence boost and exciting moment for me in the middle of all this craziness was when the youth pastor recognized me from Central Easter Camp where I'd performed in the talent quest a couple times. He said it was really cool to see me now touring with EXCEL and using my talents for God!

Thursday we managed to rehearse the youth show dramas a little bit after our two school shows and collaboration continued over the phone in the evening too.

The day of our youth show - Friday - arrived. We had two boys schools to do before packing in for the concert. It came to prayer time and I was struggling. I felt a little better afterwards though and told myself to just get over it and do the show. My conversation with God went like this:

God, I need your help. I'm overwhelmed and I don't know what I'm feeling. How do I get through tonight?
Your team are 100% behind you baby. Trust. Not just me but people too. You can't do this by yourself.
I'm worn out, Daddy.
You can do it darling. Next week at camp will bring refreshment and rest. Lean on me. I'm going to move powerfully tonight. This show won't be wasted on a few changes. I'm constant and promise to work. You're going to have amazing conversations tonight if you believe for them. Let me guide you to those. Give and receive. Bless and be blessed. Chin up, buttercup. I love you.

Let's just say, God comes through on His words!
All those amazing conversations happened. Some with interns from Hamilton who were on a crazy "faith week" and some with people from Northpoint, and a kid called Levi who was really keen to go to Excel one day. Near the end of pack down, I was feeling really happy that the show went as well as it did all things considered and I was bubbling from a comment someone made about me being a small person but having a BIG presence on stage. Even though I felt good, God was saying He still wanted to work in me and I still needed prayer. So I asked my friend Kevin to pray for me and I noticed that he prayed about leaning on God, just like in my earlier God Conversation! Then he started saying, "Woah, okay, weird..." I was like ae?! And he said God told him to sing a song over me... The words were:

"Farther along we'll know all about it
Farther along we'll understand why
Cheer up my sister live in the sunshine
We'll understand it all by and by."

As soon as he started singing I burst out crying. It was so comforting and so beautiful and a moment I truly treasure.

Saturday was a day off and our host Mum drove myself, Ari and Oli to her luxury beach house which is used for ministry and hired out for honeymoons and getaways. We had a breakfast of croissants and tea then sat by the ocean and listened to Hillsong's Oceans. God's presence was so strong and just the sense that He is with me and guiding me was so real. It was so very refreshing and much needed.

The following day was the 24th of May which happens to be my birthday! The team surprised me with a cake the night before and as per our tour team tradition they went around and everyone gave an affirmation which was lovely. The week in New Plymouth came to an end with two Sunday shows which Roxette was able to be back for (praise the Lord). We'd made it through a pretty challenging time as a team and I was so grateful to God for being our strength and holding us all together. 

I think what I learnt on this week was that unexpected changes can always pop up. Sometimes they can really throw us off or rock us. They test, challenge, and push us to our limits. And yet, it's in those times that we have to decide to really trust God and depend on the people around us.