Kevin Scott Banks

A very successful music artist once gave me a great piece of advice: “Remember, the fun is in the climb.” He was referring to the paradox that takes place when we strive towards our dreams in life. Often we set out to achieve something and get so focused on the end result that we fail to enjoy the process. I’ve been determined not to let that happen in my life.

7 months ago, I set off to pursue my long-time dream of traveling around New Zealand and looking for adventure. Now that I’ve been back home for a week, I’ve had some time to reflect back on the journey. I’m proud to say that I have enjoyed the climb! In fact, I had the time of my life. It was everything I could have ever hoped for and so much more.

I’ve often wondered what makes successful people keep going after they’ve achieved a major success. I think I’ve figured it out. Because now that I’ve fulfilled my New Zealand dream, I’m faced with a daunting question:

Now what?

Since the fun is in the climb, and the climb is complete, what am I going to do now? As I was praying about this a few days ago, I believe the Lord revealed my answer:

“You’re going to need a MUCH bigger dream for the future.”

Wow. Just wow. I can’t wait to see how this new dream will take shape, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Think about the biggest dream you have in your life. Can you define it? Are you pursuing it?

I stared at Mount Taranaki for as long as I could. Rising up through the clouds, this massive mountain was the last visible part of New Zealand as my plane flew away yesterday.

The journey is complete. God in his graciousness granted me the ultimate desire of my heart: 6 months of traveling around New Zealand, looking for adventure.

I thought I’d list out the highlights of my trip, and list a few of the things I’ve learned along the way. These are in no way comprehensive, but simply a summary of this incredible trip.

The Highlights

• Moments of Solitude – I prayed before I left that God would bless me with times of solitude. Chances to sit alone on a hillside, overlooking the beautiful work of His hands, and just be.
• Skydiving – I threw myself out of a plane from 12,000 feet in the air. Need I say more? It was intense, it was stupid, it was awesome! I won’t be doing that again.
• Climbing Mountains – there’s something about being at the top of a mountain and looking down at the view below. Feeling like I’m on top of the world. My favorite spot in all of New Zealand was the top of The Remarkables in Queenstown:

• Bro Time – I was tremendously blessed with great friends all over New Zealand, especially in Tauranga. I will always cherish those friendships, all the fun times and growing together. However, one friendship stands out above the rest. When I met Jono in Tauranga, we were an answer to each other’s prayers. We’d both been praying for a close friend, someone to challenge us and ask the tough questions.
• Adventurous Activities – This is what drew me to New Zealand in the first place. I made a list before I left, and then I obliterated that list! Hiking, camping, kayaking, skydiving, surfing, sailing, mountain biking, jet boating, glacier climbing, yacht racing, motor biking and way more. Wow! I resolve to carry on my pursuit of adventurous activities no matter where I am in the world.

What I’ve learned

• It’s a Big World Out There – In many ways, I’ve had my bubble burst during this trip. It was my first time leaving the United States and living in a foreign country. Though New Zealand is very much a “Western Culture,” it’s still different than the one I grew up in. I could write another whole blog about my observations of the cultural differences and some of the stretching experiences I’ve had. I’ve also had some challenging conversations with various people that have opened my eyes to more of the world beyond my world.
• The Lord Always Provides – From the moment I decided to go to New Zealand until the moment I left, God has been my provider. Though I have struggled greatly at times, I have never been in want. He’s provided all of my needs, and many times he gave me so, so much more than I could have asked for or imagined. I am humbled and overwhelmed by his provision for me.
• I Crave Adventure – I have a confession to make: I am addicted to adventure! In reflecting on this journey, I’m starting to see how God uses the excitement and uncertainty of adventure to draw me to himself. As much as I love adventures, I’ve learned that I have to get out of my comfort zone and go looking for them. Some times they’ll find me even when I’m not looking for them. But like many things in life, adventure requires taking initiative.
• Life is Meant to Be Shared – We’ve all heard this cliche before. But I’ve learned that it’s especially true for me. It’s been very difficult being away from my friends and the community back in Nashville. On top of that, I spent a lot of time traveling around New Zealand either by myself or with people I’ve only just met. I’m very thankful for the friends and companions I’ve had in New Zealand. But there is just no substitute for sharing life with people you know, and who know you.

Through this journey, I’ve been changed forever. This incredible country, all my memories and all the friendships will always have a very special place in my heart. I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who offered a couch to sleep on, or a warm bed, a hot drink or a hot meal. Thank you for your hospitality and friendship. Thanks for sending me to the secret spots that Lonely Planet doesn’t know about. Thanks for making this the trip of a lifetime!

I also want to say thank you to you, my readers, who have travelled on this journey with me. Maybe you weren’t physically there, but it’s been a lot of fun being able to share my experiences with you through this blog. I promise that I will never stop pursuing and learning from life’s adventures. I hope you’ll walk with me into the next great adventure!

Question: What, if anything, have you learned or taken away from journeying with me through New Zealand?

Analogies are wonderful, because they help me make sense of what’s going on in my life. For the past few weeks, I’ve been living out the adventure trip of a lifetime. Earthquake relief, train trips through the Southern Alps, glacier hikes, mountain biking, hitchhiking, tramping, and jet boat rides…it has been awesome! But while I’ve had some of the most fun doing some of the craziest things in my entire life, I’ve noticed something: I’m lonely.

No matter where I go, which activities I do, or which hostel I stay at, I see the same thing. I see people traveling together. Couples on their honeymoon, or their anniversary. Groups of 2 or 3 young friends traveling together. Retired couples enjoying their retirement together. Boyfriends and girlfriends. Or the worst case scenario: huge tour groups! And then there’s me, all by myself. Now, lest you mistake this as an attempt to earn sympathy, let me remind you: I’m having the time of my life and I’m loving it!

But at the same time, I am sad. I’m sad because I have no one to share my experiences with.

Flying down the mountain bike path and stopping to catch a view of the lake…

Watching the sunset at the harbour in Greymouth…

Taking a scenic boat tour of the majestic Milford Sound…

So many thoughts bouncing around my brain. So much to express, and yet no one is there to listen.

This is nothing new. It’s the age-old dilemma of traveling alone. To be fair, I have met quite a few other people along the way who are traveling alone just like me. That’s been a major blessing, as I’ve had the delight of sharing some of my experiences with them. But all things considered, I’ve struggled to travel without a companion.

To make sense of what I was feeling, I’ve come up with an analogy. It’s like I’ve been eating a donut that’s full to the brim with Adventure, but sprinkled on the top with Loneliness. With every bite I’ve taken, I’ve tasted the awesomeness of adventure, but I simply cannot ignore the loneliness. I believe that life was meant to be lived together. I find there is considerably less joy in experiencing alone even the best of what life has to offer.

So I have made a decision: I will never eat a donut sprinkled with loneliness again. That is to say, I don’t intend to travel by myself anymore. But I fully intend to keep traveling in the future. And that means one of you, my friends, will be coming with me!

Question: when it comes to traveling, are you a lone ranger, or do you prefer to have a companion or two?

It’s 10:45pm on Tuesday and I’m getting ready for bed. Today a massive earthquake struck the city of Christchurch, NZ causing widespread damage and claiming at least 65 lives so far. It’s the second major earthquake that’s happened in the city in the last 5 months. The last one was in September, which was just one month before I left for New Zealand. Now, in just one week, I’m scheduled to fly to Christchurch to begin what is shaping up to be the adventure trip of my life so far, and that was before the earthquake. Suffice it to say, between hearing the news of the devastation and watching videos on the news, it’s been a sobering afternoon and evening.

I have a confession to make: my first thought upon hearing about the earthquake was a selfish one. The first thing that came to my mind was how inconvenient this is for my travel plans. Can you forgive me for that? It’s not often that I take the initiative to actually plan out my travel, but this is one instance where I’ve done a little bit of leg work and booked some bus tickets, accommodation and fun activities for my trip to the South Island. At this point, my trip is up in the air; there’s no guarantee that things will go as I’ve planned.

Confession aside, my thoughts and focus have moved appropriately to the people of Christchurch, and to their family and friends. Tonight I heard someone say, “Houses and property can be replaced, but lives can’t.” How true that is. I think of the widows and orphans in that city. Their lives are already difficult on a regular basis. A disaster like this takes a life that’s already turned upside down and increases the struggle even more. Power was out, phone lines were down, the streets were filled with gas. Frantic situations like this are scary for everyone, but who is there to support the ones who aren’t as capable? Please join me in praying for the well-being of everyone who’s been affected.

For me, this earthquake hits “close to home.” That is to say, I don’t really have a “home” at the moment, but this natural disaster will affect my life in the coming weeks. It serves as a very clear reminder that this world is not my home. What plans I make in life are never sure to work out the way I want them to. I may have to cancel plane flights, train rides and glacier hikes that I was really looking forward to. Insert reality check here. Personally, I’m aware of a feeling that’s lurking dangerously around the corner in my mind. It’s a feeling of unsettlement, of fear, of anxiety. You may be thinking that such a feeling would be well warranted given my current circumstances. But I don’t think that’s true at all. The truth is this: God says that he does not give us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and self control.

In this moment, during these times of uncertainty, I’m choosing to reject fear and embrace the Lord’s promise to be faithful and to keep watch over me.

Warning: this is an extremely honest blog post. Proceed with caution!

“There’s a river of love that’s here.

There’s a river of grace that’s here.

You’re invited to come and swim within.

Fresh winds are blowing.

Fresh winds are coming here.

The tide it is rising.

The Spirit is moving. He’s moving.

Death to the past, it’s gone.

Here’s to a new beginning.

For your God’s not finished with you yet.

Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

These words have absolutely pierced me today. (They’re the lyrics from a song called “The River” by Bluetree.)

I’ll be honest, I’m struggling right now. I am facing one of the biggest challenges in my entire life.

Jesus said, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Personally, I have come to a crossroads. I have a decision to make. The carpet of comfort has been pulled from underneath my feet.

I invite you to join me for the greatest adventure of my life so far!

I’m walking into the abyss. I’m off to find my life…by losing it.

You can click here to leave a comment.

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For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been studying the life of David, a character in the Old Testament of the Bible. I’m intrigued by the story of his life, and by the especially high regard God had for David. Many of us have heard the story of David and Goliath, when David valiantly defeated the giant and saved the Israelites from doom. We know that David went on to become a great king and prepare the way for the coming King of kings. We often hear about the successes in David’s life. Personally, I’ve always focused more on the fame, fortune and prosperity that David enjoyed. Somehow I’ve managed to overlook a very important part of David’s story. David endured some really, really hard times before he became king of Israel. Much can be learned from David’s difficulties.

David’s life was turned upside down on one seemingly average day. Here he was, a shepherd boy, tending his family’s flocks, when suddenly the prophet Samuel came and anointed him the next king over Israel. Soon after that, he defeated Goliath and rescued the Israelite army from the hands of the mighty Philistines. The current king, King Saul, rewarded David by appointing him over 1,000 men. It all sounds great, right? He was even invited to go and sit in the king’s palace to play his harp for the king each day. And then one day, BAM! Saul tried to kill him with a spear to the midsection. David must have thought, “Uh oh, this isn’t going to be so easy after all.” He was forced to leave his new life of fame and comfort, and even his wife, to flee for his life. This event was the catalyst for a long season of trials and hardships for David. He spent the next several years constantly running away from Saul. He was betrayed by people from each town he tried to find rest in. Even the Philistines, the Israelite’s enemies, didn’t want David on their side! If all that wasn’t enough, he came back from one battle only to find that the town where he was staying had been burned and all the women and children had been kidnapped!

Many of the Psalms, a collection of poetry and songs, reflect David’s cries to God during these difficult times in his life. One thing that remains clear is God’s hand of favor on David’s life. God gave David more and more success, despite his struggles, and as a result, Saul became more and more fearful of David. What was David’s secret? How did he persevere through such hardships? This verse in 1 Samuel chapter 30 gives us a clue: “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” When times were tough, what did David do? He didn’t try to tough it out on his own and just make it through. He turned to the real source of strength, the only one who could save him. I love David’s humility. All of us face hardships in life, and we have the choice of how to react. I want to follow David’s example when I find myself facing difficulties.

How do you react when you find yourself in a difficult time of life, when one thing after another seems to be going wrong? The same God who strengthened David is still alive today, and he is willing to provide the same strength to anyone who asks.

Three weeks ago I was becoming desperate in my search for a place to live for the summer. Then “randomly” I met Steve Pickering while working on the South Sea Vagabond sailboat and found so much more than just a place to live. The Pickerings agreed to let me board with them for summer in their magnificent house overlooking the ocean in Otumoetai. Now I am thoroughly enjoying life on Harbour Drive!

I managed to score a room with a spectacular view of the Tauranga Harbour and the Mount. I took the picture above while standing on the balcony looking back into my room. You can see the reflection of the Harbour and the Mount, pretty sweet huh? They set me up with a desk where I can get my work done while feeling the ocean breeze and taking frequent breaks to take in the beauty. Speaking of work, I’ve gotten into a good routine of working on my website design business in the mornings and helping Captain Simon work on the South Sea Vagabond in the afternoons. She got a new mast last week and we’re hoping to have her in the water very soon!

In the mornings and evenings, I’ve been exploring the local area, looking for quiet spots to spend some time reading or praying. It’s so refreshing to wake up and go for a run along the oceanfront. The other night, I rode my bike out around the estuary and found a spot to sit on the dock and watch the sun set while I read my book. I don’t know how ever I’ve survived life without being near the ocean!

By God’s grace, I was able to buy a car last month for those trips when the bike won’t suffice. That was a crazy story. My friend Jono found the car for sale and called me up. I was sitting at home on my computer when he called, and 2 hours later I sat back down in the same spot and thought, “Now what was I doing before Jono talked me into buying that car?” I bought it from a Maori man for $640, even though someone else was there ready to pay $700 for the car. He gave it to me for $60 less because I was first in line…crazy!

Around the house, I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the Pickering Family. Steve works out on the boat with Simon and me and trades stocks at night. Anne is an incredible cook and keeps everyone in the house straight. They often have guests over and are very generous in sharing their house and their time. They have three kids: Rosie who is off at university, and Dan and Andrew are teenagers who love to sit and play video games all day. Did I mention that Anne’s cooking is phenomenal? It’s really been a blessing to sit down to a nice, home-cooked meal most nights.

Living with the Pickerings has also been a great way to learn more about New Zealand culture. This inevitably has allowed my American culture to come into greater focus as well. I’ve noticed many subtle differences between our cultures. For example, Kiwi’s have some interesting food traditions, such as eating ice cream with their pancakes!

I’ve observed some less subtle differences between our cultures as well, but that’s a topic for another blog post. One thing I will mention is the concept of moderation vs. excess. Living with the Pickerings has forced me to recognize areas of my life where I consume something without regard. It’s been my experience that Kiwis tend to pay more attention to how much they consume of any given thing, whether it’s food, water, or telephone calls. There’s definitely an emphasis placed on conserving these resources. It’s been a stretching lifestyle shift for me, but one that I welcome gladly.

When I look at how things have come together for me here on Harbour Drive, I can’t help but recognize how blessed I am. I definitely want to make the most of all these blessings this summer! Living here has inspired me to appreciate wherever I’m living, whether it’s overlooking the ocean in New Zealand or not. I’ve resolved to get out and explore and enjoy my surroundings no matter where I live in the future.

What’s your favorite part about the place where you live?