HONESTY: Thoughts as we prepare for 818.35 miles

As we prepare to take off from our familiar home of the Midwest, I look past Jeremy’s silhouette at a stunning sunset bursting with orange, pink, and purple. Only 24 hours to go… only 24 hours of flight until we reach New Zealand.

The plane speeds up, preparing to launch into the sky and my grip on my husband’s hand tightens.

We take to the sky, and as we do- tears of joy and gratitude slip from my eyes.

I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING!!!

I’ve been dreaming of an adventure like this for a long time. To me- a honeymoon consisting of endless time in nature and living out of our backpacks while exploring a beautiful new country like New Zealand is – well – everything a girl (or this girl!) could dream of.

About 3 months in to Jeremy and I’s relationship we decided that if we do indeed get married, we would hike the Te Araroa trail for our honeymoon.

Of course saying you want to do something and actually doing it are two different things. Actually doing the things we dream of requires a whole lot more preparation and work than just “wanting to”.

Now that it’s here, I can’t seem to get my head around it. It feels unreal, like someone should pinch me and at my moment I could wake up from this incredible dream.

But as I look over at my best friend sitting next to me I realize… I’m not dreaming!

WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO NEW ZEALAND!

We have 3 flights, but our last one (pictured above) is 13 hours long! From the time we started driving to the airport, until the time we arrive at our friends’s home in Tauranga, NZ – we will have been traveling for about 36 hours.

The past week was filled by sweet moments with family & dear friends as we prepared to say goodbye for 3 months.

We also managed to move everything out of our first apartment and pack all we both own into a 10×10 stage unit. I’m pretty proud of us!

One thing we both agree on- we don’t need a lot of stuff to be happy! Most of our belongings center around the outdoors and gear we can use for our adventurous hobbies.

Two days before our departure for New Zealand we finally got around to doing a final pack for our trek. We loaded up our backpacks with everything we think we will need for the 818 miles ahead… minus food.

My backpack now weights 31.2 lbs with water and a small stash of food. Jeremy’s pack weighs only 29.0 lbs. Maybe it’s my few “guilty pleasure” items that push my pack over my 30 lbs goal, like my small hairbrush and a little waterproof journal given to me as a gift from my mom. Regardless I’m prepared to carry them up the mountain!

Reflections as we approach NZ

Mixed with the overwhelming happiness and disbelief that this is my reality expressed earlier is also awe and fear that would love to creep in.

“What if I’m too slow?”

“What if I get injured?”

“What if I simply can’t do it?”

“What if I don’t have what it takes?”

All of the “what-if’s” surround me and threaten to steal the joy of the dream that lays directly ahead. But I simply can’t let the fear keep me from enjoying this moment.

During this entire trip, Jeremy and I have set a goal to read through the entire New Testament of the Bible. This morning as we prepare to leave, would you like to take a guess what we read?

Matthew 6

“Therefore I tell you, DO NOT be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬-‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

It is so clear. Whenever I start to doubt myself, it’s because I’m putting my hope in myself to get me through. But when I fix my eyes on Jesus, I can count on him. He will always take care of me when I need it most.

And my job in the story?

DO NOT WORRY!!!

THE DEEPER MEANING

I would like to challenge you – dear reader. That whatever you are facing in your own life right now, there is this same invitation for you. REST WITHOUT WORRYING. Life would love to continue to scream at us to worry about the details of how our life will or won’t play out. But instead of spending your time worrying, you can surrender your every need to Jesus. As you seek HIM first, he will take care of all the details!

And let’s be honest… we can’t really make a difference in the outcome by worrying anyway!

Thank you for taking the time to read my honest reflections as we fly to the other side of the world!

Stay tuned… the adventure is only beginning!!!