Saying Goodbye. This week I said goodbye to 11 wonderful people. Throughout our year together, living abroad in a strange new environment, we depended on each other for support, sarcasm, and sanity. No matter where you are in the world, there's nothing like a group of crazy Americans when they get together. The love and friendship I witnessed throughout this group was beautiful to see. These 11 people have so many gifts to give to the world, each with their own unique personality and God given talents to inspire the world around them. It was a pleasure to witness relationships form and bond throughout the year, and though because of the way of our happenings throughout the year, I didn't get to spend as much time with each of them as much as I would have liked, but I feel privileged to have gotten to know each and every one of them as much as I did and bear witness to the fruit they are bearing in the lives around them.

Goodbyes are never easy though it seems like I've had my fair share of them over the past several years. Things change, people go their own ways, life moves forward sometimes slowly and sometimes in the blink of an eye. This year has been a mix of those moments and I think the rest of my volunteer friends both TfG and YAGM would agree that sometimes we wish more of those slower moments were spent together.

As I approach the end of my year, still two months away but none the less, it is a bitter sweet time to be thinking about next steps. Some volunteers in other countries have already said goodbye to their placements and perhaps one or two have even flown home already. It just doesn't seem real that this is the time we are in already. I don't want to go too in depth with goodbyes now because I still have time left at my placement and here in the UK, but I pause because this week was the first of many goodbyes I will encounter in the next 63 days.....yes I just counted that out and holy wow that's a bit hard to swallow that 63 is all the time I have left of my time here.

All I can say is its been a roller coaster of a year. Not necessarily in events that happened but more so the learning experiences and emotions I went through this year. It will definitely be interesting to try and condense this whole year into some form that I can share with all of you. I hope that you have been enjoying my blogs. I apologize for the increased gaps between them but instead of trying to post frequently about day to day things I thought it would be more valuable to write specifically about significant thoughts and feelings I was having at particular points in my year. I felt my blog would more real that way.

 I've never been the greatest at sharing things with other people so I take this blog as a step in the right direction of communicating more with people about anything really that takes place in my life. I thank you all so so very much for reading and keeping up with me through this blog this year. It has been a real testament to me on just how many people support and love me and how wonderful you all truly are as people to take time out of your lives to read a long blog post to see how I am doing. If your anything like me you tend to take one look at long paragraphs and run the other direction lol. So thank you all for your unimaginably important roll in supporting me this year.

My many blessings towards you all. I hope your summer has kicked off well and the heat isn't weighing you down too much. It is supposed to get in the 80's next week here in the UK. So I do get some of the summer heat after all. Good practice for coming home lol. God bless all of you :).

Hello all! I am well into my ninth month in the UK. Time is starting to fly by now. I can't believe tomorrow is June! As my time comes closer and closer to ending, I feel that I get more and more busy running around and taking it all in. It is a good busy though and I've found I feel a sense of comfort and content during this time in my journey. It is a nice place to be in, where I know home and reconnecting with loved ones is nearing but I am still able to be here in a different country continually having new and miraculous experiences. Over the last month or so I have continued to have new and unexpected adventures here in the UK. Pictures below..

Had a ladies day out at the church learning how to make flower arrangements.

My traditional table centerpiece arrangement :). Not bad for my first try.

My host sister hosted a Murder Mystery Dinner at our house. It was the first one I'd ever been to and it was fantastic fun!!

Finished another bulletin board for one of my weekly groups.

I learned how to sew bunting at our Friday night youth club!

The new royal princess was born last month. I thought it would be fun to go that Saturday to see if I could catch a glimpse.

Four hours later I got to catch a pic of all three! (apologies for the parking sign in the way...but what can you do). 

Found this outside the church in the bushes one day when I was picking up litter...

The ever growing wall collage in my room of memories from this year.

Went to a quiz night at a local primary school one night last week. Despite my American disadvantage I was able to help quite a bit and even with the question..What US State comes last in the alphabet...Wyoming!

Friends David and Marianne dressed as Heisenberg from Breaking Bad and Bat Girl, why?.....

Because we got to go to London Comic Con! It was my first time and I was so excited to get to go while in London! San Diego here I come next year!!

I also got to go on holiday this past week to Barcelona, Spain for some sunshine and relaxation! We visited La Rambla, Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Park Guell, and various other places including the Mediterranean coastline :).

I went with these three lovely ladies Anastasia, Catie, and Elie, all fellow UK YAGM.

Hiya! Happy May everyone. I'm afraid I wrote this blog post in April and didn't realize I hadn't published it. So sorry! So it is in the context of the 24th of April....

I write this blog particularly excited because the next round of YAGM 2015-2016 volunteers have just been chosen this past weekend. I am just so happy for the amazing journeys these 79 volunteers are about to embark on in a short few months! I find myself being so stoked for them, as I was myself, on the weekend of my DIP. I have seen pictures and have read a few blogs from the volunteers who have just been chosen and have seen their thoughts and feelings about what they are about to get themselves into. It has just been a blessing to hear and see just how many people are willing to give a year of their life to God and whatever he has in store for them. It's so comforting when I hear their words, that there are so many people out there that think and feel like I do. It gives me hope and makes me realize I am forever a part of an amazing community that is ever growing with people who have been changed and are making changes in our world for God. It is definitely an instant love relationship with anyone who says they've been, are, or will be a YAGM. I already love the new 79 YAGM and I haven't even met them yet!

Hearing all these stories has helped me pause and do some reflecting of my own YAGM year and what it has meant for me. It is amazing to me how there are certain aspects of my faith that are so obvious to me now but weren't eight months ago. I know things about myself today, that I was clueless about at the start of this year. As I reflect, I still find it hard sometimes to put my feelings into words, as others seem to be able to do so naturally and wonderfully. But one thing I have found very helpful this year, something that has helped me connect to my feelings and really reveal to me just how powerful this year has been for me, is music. Throughout my YAGM year there have been certain songs that have guided me, awoken me, and have just provided the perfect words for the emotions I have been feeling this year. I realized instead of keeping them to myself, sharing them with you would be a good way to convey better the impact this year has had on me. Below is a list of songs that mean something to me and my YAGM year and what I have learned throughout. Please enjoy them. I hope you will find a connection with them as I have in my faith development.  

Mumford & Sons-Below My Feet

Carrie Underwood-Changed

Matt Redman-10,000 Reasons/Bless the Lord oh my Soul

Hillsong-Amazing Grace

Christina Perry-I Believe

Happy belated Easter! I hope it was a time of good fellowship and remembrance. Things have been pretty busy for me since returning for Israel, which already seems years ago. I still recall bits of my trip every time I hear the gospels. It truly has left a lasting impression on my life. I also find myself feeling a twinge to go back and do my part in the future. My host Dad says he believes without a doubt I will be back someday. I hope he is right. 

Anyway, since returning home I went back to work then was off again to my second week at Cliff College with my fellow YAGM (pictures below). After that, we got started on our Easter holiday club with the theme of Narnia. It was a really fun week. We did three days from 10 to 12pm and the kids loved it. We talked about how Aslan was like Jesus in the way he sacrificed himself for Edmond. There were crafts, games, stories, dancing, bible verses and video clips from the movie complete with a guest appearance from the Professor! I was even chosen to be made into a lion....complete with shaving cream. 

Easter was a growing time for me also. Apart from being my first Easter after visiting the Holy Land, one of the highlights for me during the week was attending my first Passover meal on Maunday Thursday. For the meal, we went through a traditional Jewish Passover and learned more about what the last supper would have actually been like and the significance of this in Jesus' ministry. I really enjoyed it and would be interested in trying to do it again next year. On Good Friday I attended a service in the afternoon rather than the evening and a second reflective service the same afternoon on shadows of the cross in the old testament. Easter Sunday I got up bright and early to attend a small sunrise service on the local green then a 10:30 family service later. I was also able to skype with family and enjoy the sunny day along with a little bit of chocolate :). 

If all this wasn't enough, two days later I welcomed my Dad and step mom Karen here to the UK for ten days of sightseeing and much needed quality time. For now, things will be winding down for a bit as I finish my last course assignment for Cliff College towards the end of April and a regular work routine until the end of May for half term. I hope all of you are doing well and looking forward to the upcoming summer holiday. I know for me, these next few months will go by fast. I've had so many blessings the last eight months and know I still have many more to come in the final four. God Bless and Happy Spring!!!!

Climbing up the hills at Cliff College with my YAGM

a beautiful setting for some time in nature

Sitting in class learning about Mission

The egg toss team up in the hills on hiking day

Getting the decorations ready for Holiday Club

Decorating the Sanctuary with "snow" and trees

Narnia lamp post. Brilliant work by Carol Burt

Transforming the church into a Narnian winter

Snowflakes

Also preparing for Spring. Afterall, when Aslan comes to Narnia everything becomes new

Tada!! Narnia

The center area where the kids wait to go through the wardrobe 

The Wardrobe!

Walking through the coats to Narnia

Spring has come to Narnia

and a little cameo from the Easter bunny...(made my mwa)

Our lion themed craft one day

Torben and I after being made into "lions." The kids really enjoyed throwing cheese curls at our faces lol

The Maunday Thursday Passover meal

getting ready to have some traditional lamb with the "father" of the house/table cutting the meat. Friends Torben and David

the "mother" of the house/table was offered a head cover. Friends Paula and Natalie 

visiting Paris for a few days with Dad and Karen

So excited to have visitors!

Hi all. As promised, here are some highlight pics from Israel....

Our view of the old city from the Hotel on the first night

Selfie in front of the Temple Mount (had to cover my head)

The Western/Wailing Wall

Praying at the Western Wall

The first station of the cross

Crown of thorns on the ceiling 

View of Jerusalem

In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Sep-la-kr) where Jesus died and was buried

Having dinner my first night with the Jerusalem/West Bank YAGM!!

Dance party in the hotel one night

Overlooking Jerusalem from the Church of Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over the city

In the Garden of Gethsemane 

Many languages, one message

Possibly the tomb of King David

Visiting the Israel museum and seeing the Dead Sea Scrolls (a bucket list item)

Also getting to see the giant model of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus

Walking in the market

The potential birth site of Jesus in Bethlehem

The Church at the Shepherds Fields in Bethlehem

Beautiful paintings of the shepherds story

Visiting one of several peace organizations in the Holy Land educating people on the will of God and to love one another

Baptism in the Jordan River

Video of me renewing my baptismal vows

Extremely cold, but I did it!

I got to ride a camel! (another big bucket list item)

experiencing the conflict

checkpoint in and out of Bethlehem

Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem at night

The Bahai Gardens in Haifa

Communion at the Sea of Galilee 

The Church on the Mount Beatitudes where Jesus taught the sermon on the mount and the Lords Prayer

Me on a boat on the Sea of Galilee

Our group photo on Mount Precipice