(Kristine took this picture while in Shakespeare& Co- i truly resonate with this sentiment, however i might change 'Paris' for a few other amazing places I've been to- today lets say I'm really missing the Amazon, so the Amazon it is!)- oh what joy! i hope i never stop feeling this way either!
This post is about some random thoughts and events that have happened in the last little while! sooo here goes! :)
Soooo I am back home now!!, I've been back for a couple weeks- pictures not posted, and little to no time, nor energy to blog- BUT i shall get to that soon, and i will also post my Bolivia pictures haha- its been a year ( a really good year at that)
I am thankful! i was reflecting during this past week at church, all the amazing people, things and places that have left an imprint in me this past year. To be honest, its not always easy to rejoice amidst brokenness and heartache. But i am choosing not live in that anymore. I choose to rejoice and as a friend said to me last week "Don't live in November, or you'll lose sight of the joys of April and then May too". and so I'm choosing to let go of November :)- Its good to be alive TODAY, i want to live today!
oh ya, i went to Europe- hahaha! what an amazing trip that was, got to spend an amazing 16 days with the best of friends, Nadia and Kristine. We have been the trio we are for about 4 years now, cant thank them enough for their incredible friendship and encouragement! Nadia and I met in high school and in second year of university she introduced me to Kristine and that day KG had a crazy conversation with us that changed our lives. She told us about her time in Mexico with Global Youth network and the rest is history!
Kristine is probably one of the most inspiring people i know, she IS perseverance and goes after her dreams- she flys! ( so incredibly honoured to have you in my life, you will do great on those law exams!!) Nadia brings the sense of humour and positivity- if at times i didn't go crazy on this trip it was because of her ridiculous jokes about 'when in Rome' haha (love you Nads! you make me smile so much, don't leave me next year too!! :()
Like i had said in my previous post this trip was a little difficult on the heart, i am grateful for the opportunity to travel and discover more of this beautiful world- but amidst my joy to wander, something in my heart was sad about travelling to Europe. At first it was an overwhelming feeling of guilt and apathy (never let that consume you!)- standing in history, in age old churches, castles and parks- God's presence overwhelmed me with compassion for the heart He had given me. One that chases and desires to burn with passion and change. But why? why all this desire to change the world, when i could easily choose to delight in the worldly pleasures i have at my door step?- Not that enjoying all this beauty is wrong, but my heart is ignited by an overwhelming feeling of hurt, brokenness, and poverty-
As i stood in Notre Dame Cathedral, i rejoiced in a different way then i ever had, overwhelmed by God's presence i cried- unable to explain to Nadia what was going on with me, i decided to keep walking around- in front of the statues of two women that had changed my life at age 14, I understood. St Therese of Lisieux and St Joan of Arc- two incredible french warriors. If you have ever been to Notre Dame, you will share in the same awe i was in because of the beauty of this church, but as i stood in such majesty, i looked at St Therese's hands as she stood there holding roses in her hands, i remembered a Word a friend had shared with me while skyping when i was in El Salvador, he said he saw me giving out roses to children on a dirt road, always trading Beauty for Ashes. Here i was in France, easily one of the most beautiful, luxurious places i had ever been to- but my heart was longing for Africa and Latin America- amidst the brokenness, poverty and injustice, i will never cease to choose them. They have chosen and stolen my heart- what a beautiful revelation of His true desire for me.
And so LOVE= FREEDOM!- i want to sail! :)
SO incredibly inspired by this: (WOOOHOO truth!)
"All I want from you is to trust Me with what little you can, and grow in loving people around you with the same love I share with you. It's not your job to change them, or to convince them. You are free to love without an agenda." — William P. Young (The Shack)
My seams have unraveled. I am undone.
