Well hello everyone, for the last time... kinda sad actually, but i geuss that we'll be able to talk in person when i get back which is probably better than this whole system anyways so not too big of a loss... I wanna start by talking about this week and how AMAZING it has been... earlier in my YWAM experience i had debated coming home early to get surgery on my knee before school started second semester, i am SOOOO glad i stayed to finish out this last week of school, it may be one of the most influential times in my experience and i think will have a big impact on how i live out the rest of my life... this week has just been great, sunny and warm every day! its glorious to lay out and swim in our favorite creek and all sorts of other things... we went swimming in a river under this huge waterfall and i got to go cliff jumping which was something i wanted to do my whole time while here in new zealand, it was awesome... probably the most nervous i have ever been cliff jumping... it was legit scary it was about from 40 ft high but the thing was the landing strip was pretty limited and the water was pretty black (due to volcanic rock formations) so you couldn't see much underneath... it was an adrenaline rush for sure, i know i know you guys are all shaking your heads going "tsk, tsk" korey, but i saw the opportunity and two random guys do it before me and i knew at that moment i had to do it myself... and i'm glad i did... it was a rush and really cool at the same time... but besides that we've gone to the beach twice, i acutally just got back from the beach where we had picnic and boogy boarded and all the stuff it was awesome... jet boating last friday by the way was soo fun, different than what i was expecting and what i told you guys it would be like but we all had a relaly good time anyways... but to get more on with this week and all that stuff, our speaker this week name is Patrick Dodson... hes an american guy, and he has just been blowing my mind... he's been talking about our futures and our dreams, goals and visions... basically what we want to do in life and how to accomplish all that and to just go for it... its been extremely encouraging and challenging at the same time... challenging the way i think about friendships and relationships (not only just with girls, but also that as well)... he's been challenging what i've just accepted over the years as me, just because thats what we've been told or shown... its been a tough week because i feel like my head is about to explode with so many new things and new ways to think about things... right now i'm pretty much in the process of figuring out who i am, who i was designed to be, and the things i love and why i love that and what i want to really go for in my life... To really know who you are is a rare thing and a thing i feel like few of us actually ever figure out... there is so much more to ourselves than we even realize... but even more than that who is God in all of this... who is God in my relationships, in shcool, my future, my ambitions, goals... what part does he play in it all... all sorts of different questions... in some ways i wish i could be 13 again an figuring this all out then but i can't, so i'm starting now and i'm just glad that i get the chance... the sad thing about most people is that they never get this chance, which is why you find so many people who are unahppy in their jobs, lifes, families, marriages and all that things... also why you see people a "midlife crisis" because they're is just something missing and God is not in the picture... man there is so much more swirling in my head and its amazing, and i'm ready to go for it, because it is something that i'm passionate about and i want i find God in all these things and seek him potentially in medicine, and see what my role would be in that and how God can be apart of that and how equally important jobs like that are compared to what we would normally consider more "religious or Christian" jobs... to me there is no such thing and God has made us all differently and inspired all of us in ways to seek him through, and show us how awesome he is through.... well i could go on and on and on but this would probably be better in person... but i would encourage you all to check out his website patrickdodson.net ... he's an amazing guy and has some great things to say... he really knows his stuff as well, he's for real... someone that would be worth flying up to Minnesota to talk some sense into our churches and schools, it would probably rock some peoples foundations which is a good thing i think.... anyways with my last blog post i want to thank you all SO SO SO MUCH for your support, wall posts, emails prayers and everything else you guys have done for me since i have been gone... i have truly been blessed by you all and this experience i would never trade for anything in the world... it truly has been life changing and i'm so thankful and grateful that i have had this opportunity.. i wanna thank all the people who talked me into it and help make the decision to come, i don't even want to think about where my life would be if i hadn't come here and just gone straight back into school... yuck... i know that it may have seemed like i was running away from everything and i geuss in some ways i probably was but i needed to run away to find who i was and figure out who God is and just start to scratch teh surface on both of those things and on so much more in life... i feel very fortunate to have friends and family back at home like all you guys... its really a blessing and something that many people do not have, so thankful for toughing through the boring blogs and the endless amounts of pictures, and extremely weird videos (some of which i haven't posted) you guys have been truly great... but this isn't the end for me or you... i think there is much much more for all of us, i encourage you all to dig deeper and find out more about yourselves and the part that God plays in everything, in every day things, in the small things, in our jobs, dreams and lives... coming back for me isn't going to be easy and as much as we all need support and prayers i'm still going to need a lot of it, and to acutally apply these things and to start living in the new way that i want to start doing, will not come easily and without its struggles.... i think we need to stand by each other and build each other and grow each other... its essential in our lives, otherwise we just get burned out and tired and want to give up... so i challenge you guys to go for it... get out and try new things, things that you have always wanted to do but were worried what others would think... just try it and see how you do... you never know you could be the next CS Lewis or Steven Spielberg... well see you all on saturday i'll be home at either 5 or 9 and i'm thinking that if i get home at 5 i may try and get up to the BU hockey game, because its a big game against hamline (yes i have been following BU hockey closely) but we'll see... if i get back at 9 i'll just be hanging around home so feel free to stop by and hang out.... otherwise hope to see you all soon... keep checking the blog i'll probably through up a few more pictures from my final time here... and maybe just maybe i may write a blog or two more... i actually may consider blogging for real... we'll see how i feel... "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
korey