Josephine Olsen - Cross to Bear--A Walk of Repentance through Aotearoa New Zealand

Cross to Bear

A Walk of Repentance

through Aotearoa New Zealand

Josephine Olsen

Scripture quotations are from the Christian Community Bible Catholic pastoral edition , Claretian Publications, 2005.

Some names have been changed in the book to protect identities.

First published 2016

Digital edition 2019

Josephine Olsen 2016

ISBN: 978-0-473-34673-7 (print)

ISBN: 978-0-473-47325-9 (digital)

Published by: Marmac Media

Editing and production: Martin de Jong

Cover photo: Stuff/Timaru Herald (used with permission)

Cover design: Miranda Lees

Acknowledgements

I want to take this opportunity to thank every person who supported me on my journey through New Zealand. A special thanks to those who walked with me, gave me a place to stay, prayed for me and those who supported me financially. I would also like to thank my Parish of St Theresas for their awesome support and my husband, my children, my brother and wider family.

Introduction

T here have been many promptings to write this second book, but because of illnesses and business, it was difficult to start. Finally, here it is.

I believe the Lord desires for others to hear His voice speaking through this book in which I share my journey of walking through Aotearoa New Zealand, carrying a white cross with the word Repent written on it. This book also stresses the urgency in our times for us to turn to the Lord Jesus with all our hearts. The Lord desires our love.

The message

This book is a sequel to my first book, Gods Call to His People A Message of Repentance and a Call to Action , published in 2008. That book outlined a message I first received in 2001: that the Lord is calling his people to repent, to show mercy, to love unconditionally and to trust in Him. The message is the cry of the Eternal Fathers heart for His people, calling us to turn from the world and to come back to him through His son Jesus Christ. Christ is the bridge to bring us back into right relationship with His Father. The Father desires His children to turn to Christ with their whole heart and soul, repenting of sin and to follow him more authentically.

In 2005, I and a small team of people travelled through the North Island for a number of years, organising repentance gatherings in various towns in collaboration with the local Churches. These gatherings consisted of sharing the message and a time of reconciliation and repentance. Most of these events took place in the local Catholic Church. They were powerful events as brothers and sisters from the various Churches repented in unity for a variety of issues including abortion, hatred, injustices on the land, etc.

The missions fundamental message is, If we want to see this nation change, we as a people of God need to come before the Lord and REPENT. We are being asked to come out of the world and to turn from those things that are not pleasing to God.

The Scripture associated with this mission is 2 Chronicles 7:14: If my people who bear my name, repent and turn from their wicked ways, I will bless and restore the land.

The call to walk

In 2010, at a prayer meeting, the Lord gave me a picture of myself walking with a cross bearing the word Repent. As I was suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, I thought the Lord was joking. After much prayer and much discernment with others, however, it became clear that the Lord was not joking.

I had wonderful confirmations of this call to walk through the country carrying a cross, but still they were not enough to convince me. I asked the Lord for a special sign, due to my doubt. The sign I asked for was that I would receive a red rose from a stranger before November 2010. And that is exactly what happened: a rose was given to me from a stranger. The person who gave it to me was wondering why I wept and went into a bit of shock when I received the rose. I had to reassure her that all was fine and that I really loved the rose. It was the final sign that was needed to begin this walk of repentance.

In obedience to the call I started my training a few weeks later. Despite my ill health, I walked out of my house with my new walking shoes and said to the Lord, Well, here I go. That first day I walked five kilometres without any problems, which was amazing, because previously I could hardly walk 30 minutes without being exhausted. Sometimes my legs would become so weak I had to sit down for periods of time to let my strength return.

By January 2011, I was walking over 20 kilometres a day without any ill effect. By the time I started the walk in March I was able to walk 26 kilometres a day. God is amazing and always gives us the strength to do what he requires!

The journey

In March 2011, I began my journey with the Cross, starting in Wellington and ending in Auckland: the whole journey took 40 days. I didnt plan it this way: its just how it ended up. Then on the 22 October 2011, I began the walk of repentance down the South Island. I began at Picton and finished in Dunedin as planned. The South Island walk also took exactly 40 days, though it was supplemented by a car trip to Bluff for a final prayer and blessing.

On my journey with the cross to Auckland, travelling through town and cities, I encountered personally at least a hundred people. Thousands of drivers also witnessed this journey of the Cross of Repentance. Some of these drivers stopped to speak with me. Many of the people that the Lord led me to were lost and hurting. Each day when I stepped out to begin walking from a particular town I experienced anxiety, but once I started walking with the Cross I began to feel peace. Looking comfortable and at peace made it easier for people to approach me.

Most people that I spoke to approached me or called me over to them. The white Cross was a real draw-card: it showed the power of the Cross. Once I shared the Gospel message, many gave their life to the Lord or renewed their commitment.

The truckies all knew me as on their daily long hauls they passed me often. A truckie once stopped and spoke to me and told me that all the truckies knew I was on the road and were keeping an eye on me. He asked me what it was all about and I told him. Every day the truckies would toot their horns and wave; I felt I was really being looked after.

As far as accommodation was concerned, the Lord looked after everything. A number of people stopped and asked me to stay with them for the night. They were all Christians and I felt they would be instrumental in bringing the repentance message to their region.