Friends and more

I have a friend who is going off to do a Photography and missions course soon. I'm so happy that she gets to start living her dreams. She really deserves to do well in that field, she's a great photographer and really cares about the issues she's dealing with. I met her in Burundi while she was on the outreach part of her DTS with YWAM and one of the first things that struck me was how genuine and caring she is.

I have another friend who has left the UK this week to go to work on OM Logos Hope for two years. She's always been interested in missions work and is a qualified primary school teacher. She will be flying to Trinidad and Tobago soon to join the ship, complete her training and then start working with the primary school on board.

I have three friends who have recently finished their placement year for university and will be doing their final year of studying this year and will graduate next summer.

My brother's school year got their A Level results yesterday, most of his friends will be going to university and starting to study what will eventually dictate the paths their lives will take.

Am I happy for all of them? Of course I am, but I'm also a bit jealous.

I know that if I had done well in my A levels I wouldn't have gone to Brunel University.

I know that if I hadn't gone to Brunel I wouldn't have decided that Mathematics wasn't the right thing for my life.

I know that if I hadn't made that decision I would never have gone to Burundi.

I know that if I hand't gone to Burundi I wouldn't have had the experiences I did and met the people who changed my way of thinking (hopefully forever).

I know that my life experiences have helped me become who I am today and what happened today will help me become who I will be tomorrow.

I know who I am and who I'm supposed to be, where I am and where I'm going, and most of all I know who I'm doing it for.

I'm doing it firstly for God, for the glory of His name, for the things he's done for me because there's no way I can do the same for Him but I can always work my hardest to say thank you.

Secondly I'm doing it for myself, to prove to myself that I am worth it, that I can do it and that whatever people have said against me in the past (and will continue to say in the future) it's not true, I am a daughter of the King, fearfully and wonderfully made, beloved and holy.

Thirdly I'm doing it to help the people I meet, whether they're Burundian, English, American, Chinese whatever, I want to make the world a better place one smile at a time.

Fourthly I'm doing it for my family - my biological family and my new family. To make them proud (however that comes across, it's a great feeling to be told that someone is proud of you).

That's enough for tonight.

God Bless x