Words from a German Castle....

Germany is beautiful.
Every prejudice I've ever had has gone. Strangers here are friendlier than they are in England (oops??!), everywhere is so clean and the houses are so cute. It's so so quiet here at the castle too...  I can hear myself think.... Probably because there is no A5...

Yesterday I was sick and my cold was at it's peak so I napped and sneezed and sipped tea. Today I am much better. Yay! My dad is teaching on the SBS and I have just come with him for a break.... I am currently on a weeks holiday from school and work, and resting at home is not always easy. Its nice to be away somewhere different where I can actually rest because I don't have my laptop or phone or TV ... or even friends :o ... I am getting ultimate introvert time and its awesome.
We are staying in a 1899 castle in Hurlach which is a little village in the south of Germany. It's so cute. Also it's really flat and the sky is really big!!!

When I get back home I will be carrying on with life. This will include College (school) 3 days a week, working at the cafe over the weekend and then 2 days a week at my new job (yay!). This new job is the opportunity I talked about my college providing and it's such a blessing! I am working as a Personal Coach for year 10 students (14-15 yr olds). This involves meeting with them fortnightly to see how their doing academically, mentally and emotionally, providing support where needed and then helping them come up with targets and realizations by themselves. This requires lots of questions and listening on my part! It's awesome! I am still getting the hang of it but when I am in each session with a student I feel in my element and I'm doing what I love to do. Whenever I am not coaching I go into different lessons like maths or English to help out by being a teaching assistant, supporting students as necessary and just being an extra hand. I also really enjoy that too!!

I feel like such an adult; working a 9-5 job, driving to work, having so many responsibilities. It's scary at times. I come home and am completely exhausted, lights off by 10pm. However I've never been pushed to rely on God's grace more. I'm learning that intimacy with God doesn't just happen and I need to pursue it on my part as well. Similarly, you can't just find a friend and instantly have a deep relationship with them. It requires time, trust and effort. Each day I am choosing to trust God. It's hard and it cuts my pride but that's necessary to walk in humility, right? Whenever it gets hard I remind myself how God created time, earth and the little blood vessels in my heart and mind so I should be pretty safe to rest in his timing and ways. He is the smartest.

On another note, it's less than 4 months til I head west to the land of the free!!! So close. Almost 4 months until my DTS starts. I can't wait to spend 3 months living in the mountains of Colorado. It will be such a special time, I'm sure. 

With the 2 jobs I am working at the moment, I should have nearly enough monies for my DTS by June! So much provision. I have nearly $1000 saved already (£600) :D. I will only need to fundraise for a couple more hundred and then I should be set. If you would like to give and join with me on this crazy adventure that will take place June 2014 then please don't hesitate to contact me :)

Thanks so much for reading this! I know blogs are a thing of the past but I will proudly keep mine going. Viva Blogger! 

http://www.ywamdenver.org/school/youngpeoplesdts (take a look to see what I'll be up toooo :) )

2013 -> 2014

              2013

 This has been a year of joy and struggles. It has been a year of miracles, surprises, crushed hopes and inspired dreams.

Since It's been a year and a half since my last blog post I figured I'd better write another one. So much has happened this year but I never quite knew how to put it into a blog post. However here is what has happened:

        Over this past year, I’ve been receiving eye treatment for a spot in my eye. I haven’t told many people, so don’t be surprised if you had no idea this was happening. I tried to keep it on the down low. Anyways, over the past few years I have had a cluster of blood cells in my left eye near my iris. It was totally random. It isn’t genetic. I have no idea how it got there. However it has been a struggle to live with, as people aren’t always the kindest regarding these kinds of issues! "No guys, I am not doing drugs and I don’t have a gross infection". Anyways, starting in 2012, I’ve had multiple consultations regarding this condition, resulting in 4 different eye operations done, including cutting a section out, injections and biopsies. It’s been really fun. The first procedure in February was classed as ‘cosmetic ‘since the doctor couldn’t see any real medical problems. However after the biopsy (testing of cells cut away) was done, the results came back pretty negative!  The doctor told me that the cells were abnormal and if they weren’t treated then they could have eventually multiplied and spread. I am so thankful that I had that surgery at that time and I’ve been able to have further treatment to prevent anything!

 

            Since then, I’ve had other procedures in April, October and November, either doing injections to ‘freeze’ the cells so they’ll die and not multiply, or a biopsy which means the doctor can test to see if the treatment is actually having effect. Those treatments have been a big part of this year. Even if I haven’t always been ecstatic about knives, scissors and needles entering into my eye, I'm so thankful for the outcome. I now have normal looking and healthy eyes! I am 90% sure that I have finished all treatment now! Thank you NHS for looking after me. Also, a big shout out to my mum for enduring endless hospital trips and a few overnight stays in Sheffield with me! I couldn't have done it with out her :)

            Another big part of this year was driving. I started to learn in Sept 2012, and took several tests throughout the spring of this year. I finally passed in July, which I was so so happy about! Driving tests in England are not easy to pass!! However through the failures God taught me so so so much about problems in my heart that were clearly affecting my driving, like superstition and living in fear of always being wrong. This then resulted in me getting things wrong. What a surprise! It was an expensive way for me to find out those issues but at least I have now acknowledged those problems and dealt with them :) In October I was given a car and my wonderful father found a great deal on insurance. I am still in shock that I have been blessed with this, as it is truly a miracle!

 

            Over the Summer my family went to Colorado to see family and it was such a nice time since it had been 3 years since we'd seen them and Jonathan and I had definitely grown since then! We also spontaneously took a trip to the Grand Canyon which i was feeling indifferent about but it was so so beautiful I would love to go back :) Jonathan and I ended our time in the states by going to Hawaii for a week to see our friends since it had also been years since we had been there. It was lush to catch up with friends and of course we were nostalgic about how we used to live there, however I had never felt more at peace about living in England. (I'm probably the only person on the planet that would say that statement- about living in the UK over Hawaii!! :) Must be some pretty powerful peace).

            

 I am now in my final year of college and I am so ready to finish! I am studying Health and Social Care Level 3 to graduate with an Extended BTEC diploma. Over 2013 I have had 3 different placements, including an elderly residential home, a private school and a school for special needs children. At the residential home I learned a lot about how to care for dementia patients, as well as how to make many cups of tea!! I was at that placement for 2 months. At the Private school I worked with the 4-5 year olds as a teaching assistant for the teacher and I was there for 6 months- I really enjoyed that placement because the children were so sweet and easy to teach- I learned a lot there about primary education etc. My final placement was at a school for special needs children where I was for 2 months- this was my favorite placement, which was a big surprise to me! I loved working with the children and I learned so much from them, about love and kindness. It’s been a good time in college and I’ve made some amazing friends, as well as being blessed with opportunities by the college, one of those including a trip to a Buckingham Palace garden party in July of 2013. In January 2014 there is another opportunity that has opened up for me at college, however I will explain about that in another post as I am not 100% sure what is occurring there. Watch this space!  

       During 2013 I have also said goodbye to some very close and dear friends as they move on to different seasons of life. It always breaks my heart a little to say goodbye however I hold onto the fact that the love with my friends is so strong, which makes departures so hard. Friends & Family- I am so thankful for you all. Thank you for standing by me during 2013, a year of uncertainty and difficulties as well as through the joys and celebrations. All my love. <3

            2014

As I write this on January 1^st 2014, I am so excited for all this year will hold. I have 6 months of college left and then I’m outta here! On June 23^rd I am taking part in a YWAM course called a DTS (Discipleship Training School) in Denver, Colorado, where I will spend 3 months learning more about who God is, and then 2 months overseas putting into practice all I’ve learned in the ‘outreach’ phase. I will be doing the first phase of my DTS in the beautiful Rocky Mountains near Denver. I am so excited! Being a YWAM kid, I’ve seen hundreds of people go through this program and now it’s me !? :) My DTS will finish in November and from there I am open to anything to happen.  I don’t have any plans so far. What I feel called to in my life is something along the lines of counseling / youth work / social work. I have no idea what this will look like. But that general area is what I want to work towards through other training programs, possibly university (did I just say that? God’s done a massive work in my heart since I’ve been opposed to uni for a long time. I guess stranger things have happened).

            I currently have a job in a local café where I work when I don’t have college- through this I am able to save up towards my DTS. I am doing what I can to save up for this trip, and I am confident that God will supply the rest!  :)

            This has been my 2013…. And 2014.

Love you all.