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Hizdamnut (Opportunity) Story – “The Mission of a Vision”

“Beauty in a culture of brokenness arrests our attention, stirring our minds and compelling emotions to well up inside us. It draws us out of the chaos around us and into a portal of the Divine,” said Pastor John Tyson of New York City Church. I first read this quote in 2019, and it has echoed in my mind ever since—especially as flight NZ23 broke through a dense thicket of clouds, revealing the northwestern shoreline of my beloved New Zealand.

The first two weeks felt like an initiation. Jet lag was the obvious hurdle, but more than that, from the moment I arrived at my final destination, I hit the ground running. Conversations stretched late into the night. Spontaneous and planned hangouts, hikes, and adventures became the rhythm of daily life, making time slip through my fingers. As one day blurred into the next, I felt the pressure mounting inside me.

“Pressure? Why on earth?” you might ask. A fair question. But I had come to New Zealand with a mission, one I had spoken about to many back in Israel—one I had given my word to complete. “Twelve songs in twelve weeks,” I had proclaimed, convinced that somehow, someway, I would get it done. That’s why, when day seventeen came and went without a single song written, I felt my heart pound faster, my breath quicken.

We all find satisfaction in overcoming a challenge, even if we’re just beginners. That joy deepens as the difficulty increases. But sometimes, when the heat is turned up yet again, we assume we’ll conquer it as we did before—only to find this time is different. It demands new preparation. A different strategy. A season of trial and error, more trial, more error. Of muscle-building. Skill-honing. Experience-gathering. In this case, another ‘holy trio’ emerges: experience, technique, and endurance. Without a certain measure of all three, some journeys simply cannot be completed.

As we wrapped up our (climbing) session (a new skill I learned), I could have let defeat take hold. That third track remained unfinished. I had watched others complete it with ease—but not me. And yet, in moments like these, a choice stands before us. How will we respond? What atmosphere will we create? What story will our actions tell?

I chose grace. Trust. Faith. Patience. Hope.

If this is the preparation the Lord has set before me for next year’s adventures, then I want it to be a testimony—one I can share, a journey that will resonate with others in their own moments of struggle. I will finish that third track soon. And when the next challenge comes knocking—the opener song—I will face it with the same resolve. 

Ever since the Lord placed this idea in my heart—to create a musical experience for the Israelis in New Zealand—I have been both eagerly anticipating and dreading this moment. I had never undertaken anything like this before, and over the past months, many of you have heard me refer to it as my own Everest, a daunting climb into the unknown.

I chuckle to myself now, realizing how often I’ve spoken about mountain climbing in the past—unaware that God was sovereignly guiding my steps and thoughts toward rock climbing, knowing I needed the practical lesson. I can almost see Him smiling, perhaps with a knowing nod.

On January 22nd, 2023, a quiet Sunday morning, I spent time reading, reflecting, and praying before finally stepping into the task. What emerged on the page was nothing like what I had initially envisioned, but I embraced the creative flow as it unfolded. Every journey begins with a first step—rooted in history, shaped by contemplation, and lifted by an eager spirit. With an upbeat rhythm and a light step, the adventure begins. 

Click to see “Hizdamnut (Opportunity)” Lyrics