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Moving Forward

'It isn't what we say or think that defines us, but what we do'- Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

I have found my self as of late, while sat among my new friends, taking in the reality of where I am and how I got to be here. I want someone to pinch my arm. To ensure I am not in a dream, but rather reality.

Because in reality, this is not where I would have seen myself 10 years ago.  Let's be honest, even 5 years ago,  I would have found it hard to believe you, if you told me I would be where I am.

Dreams and plans have a funny way of not always coming to pass in the way in which we expect them too.
Each trial,broken friendship, disappointment and failure has this odd role in changing our direction in life. 

In the moment those things can seem to be the most unbelievably inconvenient
and devastating loss. It hits us from behind and causes us to loose our footing and question who we are and where God is leading us.

I never thought I would be able to say this. But here it goes.
I am so grateful for all the disappointments, broken friendships, seasons of uncertainty and the like.

Because if those things didn't happen, if just a single one of them played out differently, I would not be where I am. I would be not be experiencing the most amazing challenges and opportunities, meeting incredible people from all over the world. I would not be gaining wisdom and life experiences where I am pushed so far out of my comfort zone to gain maturity and be able to move forward in life.

It would have been easy to sit in the disappointments, to hold onto and live out the unkind words spoken to me, as though they were truth. For a time, I did. And it brought nothing good, I can assure you, it resulted in nothing but a life stuck in a rut of not moving forward.
Thank God for His grace and His mercies that are new every day. They are what has lead me to this place.

I am overwhelmed by the love and kindness I have been met with. I could not imagine my life without these people and their kindness, friendship, wisdom and love.


Us girls and the guys at Winter Wonderland 






An autumn afternoon walk 



Christmas is on it's way!

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