Reflections
Last Wednesday, March 15th I celebrated my 22nd birthday. My birthday has become a time of reflection for me over the past few years and this year I spent some time reflecting on my birthday celebrations in recent years. As I thought about these special days, two memories really stood out to me.
The first memory is from three years ago when I was away at school during my freshman year of college. My mom (who was 8 hours away at the time) called my host mom and helped her plan a surprise visit to campus with cupcakes for me and my friends. The frosting on the cupcakes hadn't turned out right and my host mom was embarrassed, but I was so overjoyed by her thoughtfulness that I didn't even notice. And the second memory is from last year when I celebrated my birthday in Spain. My friends pretended like they were too busy to celebrate because they were studying for exams but they surprised me the next day when they "kidnapped" me, took me on a bus, blindfolded me, and walked me to a surprise party at a local restaurant.
I realized that these two memories stuck with me because of the people that God placed in my life to help me celebrate. My freshman year of college was very challenging at times but God surrounded me with a strong sense of community and a group of friends who loved me and made me feel valued. And the same thing happened again in Spain. Even though I was in Sevilla for only one semester, God provided me with the community and the sense of belonging that I needed; I had an amazing group of friends, an awesome church family, and an incredible host mom who made me feel like I was her own daughter.
As I look forward at the next year of my life, I can't wait to see how God will continue to provide the people and the community that I need. He created us to be in community with Himself and with one another and this feeling of fellowship or "being in community" with others is something that I have really come to cherish over the last few years. As I continue to prepare and raise support and eventually move halfway across the world to Spain, I know that there will be moments when I feel alone and isolated. But I find comfort in knowing that God and the Holy Spirit are always with me. My favorite psalm, Psalm 139, reminds us of God's constant presence when it says "7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."
As I embark on this next year of my life, I am excited to see how God will continue to provide people to come alongside me and join me in community. And in the moments when I feel lost and alone, I will find solace in knowing that God, who is the Great Comforter and Sustainer, is always right by my side.
The first memory is from three years ago when I was away at school during my freshman year of college. My mom (who was 8 hours away at the time) called my host mom and helped her plan a surprise visit to campus with cupcakes for me and my friends. The frosting on the cupcakes hadn't turned out right and my host mom was embarrassed, but I was so overjoyed by her thoughtfulness that I didn't even notice. And the second memory is from last year when I celebrated my birthday in Spain. My friends pretended like they were too busy to celebrate because they were studying for exams but they surprised me the next day when they "kidnapped" me, took me on a bus, blindfolded me, and walked me to a surprise party at a local restaurant.
I realized that these two memories stuck with me because of the people that God placed in my life to help me celebrate. My freshman year of college was very challenging at times but God surrounded me with a strong sense of community and a group of friends who loved me and made me feel valued. And the same thing happened again in Spain. Even though I was in Sevilla for only one semester, God provided me with the community and the sense of belonging that I needed; I had an amazing group of friends, an awesome church family, and an incredible host mom who made me feel like I was her own daughter.
As I look forward at the next year of my life, I can't wait to see how God will continue to provide the people and the community that I need. He created us to be in community with Himself and with one another and this feeling of fellowship or "being in community" with others is something that I have really come to cherish over the last few years. As I continue to prepare and raise support and eventually move halfway across the world to Spain, I know that there will be moments when I feel alone and isolated. But I find comfort in knowing that God and the Holy Spirit are always with me. My favorite psalm, Psalm 139, reminds us of God's constant presence when it says "7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."
As I embark on this next year of my life, I am excited to see how God will continue to provide people to come alongside me and join me in community. And in the moments when I feel lost and alone, I will find solace in knowing that God, who is the Great Comforter and Sustainer, is always right by my side.
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