i am kristy

well well.. it's been a while, a month and 8 days to be exact. oh dear what's been going on?! shaz+wends were here for a few days which was awesome to have some kiwiana here. they brought over cheese and chocolates and some good old nz music which was much appreciated!it's funny whenever you have friends visiting who haven't know this side of your life before, showing them what you do and go to, allowing them to see it all. it's a bit crazy and overwhelming, and gives you a chance to look at your own life and wonder, why do i do these things or live like this? hmm interesting

anyway the following weekend was awesome! the cleansing stream retreat... i knew this course would be a life changing one, but also i felt like i hadn't put in as much as i should of with the teaching, homework and reading and felt really bad about that. the week before the retreat we all did a corporate fast for 3 days, and i fasted tv (lost + prison break), coffee, chocolate and just ate vegs+fruit. i know some people don't really get the idea of fasting, but it's not just denying yourself food, cuz that's starving yourself, but including that with prayer and just focusing on God in that time and spending time with him. i think the hardest thing was not having coffee, as i found it really affected my work, concentration, i kept forgetting things and had bad headaches (hmm this was only for three days...!) it was interesting cuz in this time God was teaching me a few things through different situations and relationships and i realised how prideful i have been, trying to be so self-sufficient, not trusting people or not allowing myself to be vunerable. so that was a bit of an eye-opener and from there have been allowing God to really humble me and speak through my life to rely on him alone and not on my own abilities. so it was good. the retreat itself was soooo releasing! like i felt a huge weight lift off me, as cliche as that sounds, but its so true! I can't explain it, but there were so many things in my life that i had been holding on to and not realising how it had effected my relationship with christ as it was stopping me from really trusting Him, allowing him to love me and this influenced the rest of my life. so being able to pray through those issues, repent, renounce, break and release them, and allow God to heal those areas has been really good... and it's an on going process as you all know. i'm realising that i don't have to be perfect or a certain way to receive God's love. i can just be me

next up... i've been really blessed with amazing friends, old ones and new ones.. ones that are across the seas and hours away, and others whom I see everyday. i love it and it's been really good catching up with people more regularly, esp you guys from dunners whom i've been really bad in keeping in touch. but its awesome to see how strong our friendships still are after such long periods of silence :) and then the super amazing people i've met in hk, over the past year God has seriously shown me his love through his people, and i love being able to crash over places and not feel unwelcomed or like i'm overstaying. funny i have sets of clothing and toothbrushes at several places now! haha tho i do my part by taking out the rubbish at tammy+nat's place (i NEVER do this at home!!) and paying 'rent' in the form of tram rides and taxis with mandy+sam hehe - love you guys, i do!

and something rather exciting is being a 180 leader! I didn't think i would step into this role as it is quite a commitment and again, thinking i'm not good enough or able to, but God doesn't look at that. i just want to serve Him and his people and at this time, this is where he wants me to be. and so i just have to be obedient. but i do love what the ministry is about and know God is doing and will do amazing stuff through it! so i'm really looking forward for what's to come...

and coming up is my trip to vietnam!! i'm soo excited, mainly because i just want to go away for a while. the last time was in may - j+tim's bali wedding. and since then my boss was away for nearly 8 weeks, so it has been full on and crazy at work! Im taking my mum, which will be interesting... in a good way, as i haven't really spent much time with her before. so it'll be a chance to get to know her... funny saying that as it's my mum, but i'm hardly home and never see the parents. the past weekend i was home for 3 hours in total, including sleeping! crazy... i've got great parents, just haven't made the time for them, which is kinda sad.

anyway, lost is on and just did a marathon of the end of season 2 yesterday... trying to get up to date for the 3rd one! muahaaa