My accent is so boring.

Tees Valley YFC Gap Yearers on Roseberry Topping

     Let me just start off with a confession: this is my second attempt at blogging. Blogs are so popular and common among people who travel or go on extreme adventures and want to forever remember their experiences. But that's just not me. So here I try again to creatively describe and immortalize my adventures in England, and maybe this time I'll actually write more than one post. Wish me luck.

     I actually cried when I left Texas. Never thought that would happen. EVER. I'll blame this extremely rare event on either Taylor Swift's song "Never Grow Up" or the fact that I had a fever and sore throat and knew the next 20 hours of travel and layovers would be horrendous, especially when feeling poorly. Needless to say, it was a rather rough trip, but I finally made it to my new home: Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom. Thank You Jesus!

     I spent the first week in bed and, after watching the entire series of Arrested Development and 6+ films, I decided to take a trip to the doctor. A day after the first "doctor" told me just to "wait it out" (sometimes there isn't much investment made by a doctor because patients don't have to pay for their visit) I got a second opinion who told me it was tonsillitis and gave me a prescription straight away. Again, thank you Jesus, I am doing soooo much better now!

     My second week consisted of training with the rest of the Tees Valley Youth for Christ team and Gap Year workers. It's been just wonderful meeting and getting to know the people I will be serving and growing with these next 9 months. I really can't wait to see what God's plans are for the whole of Teeside! 

     One of the biggest things God taught me during training was the idea that just because I have sacrificed so much to be here in Nunthorpe, have I really, truly given up everything? Risking it all may lead to discomfort, but discomfort pushes us to the Comforter, God. I pray that God will break me and mold me into full reliance on Him this next year. I've also been thinking a lot about Jeremiah 29 lately. If you haven't read it, DO IT. I think Jeremiah 29:11 is so often taken out of context because, although God does "have plans to prosper us and give us a hope and a future," those things come as a result of our obedience in finding contentment during a time of exile. If we're constantly waiting for things to get back to "normal" or putting our lives on hold we'll miss out on what God wants to do and teach us through TODAY. Embrace today wholeheartedly; don't hold out for what you think might be down the road.