24: another day, another year gone by. On my birthday every year, I often times find myself reflecting on my life up to this point. Sometimes even just reviewing the last year to see where God has brought me in this time. You can sit around with people and use the oh so common phrase, “a year ago, around this time, I was _____________” fill in the blank. But this year is different. Very different. I am in a whole new country, a whole new home, and I am with a whole new family. It’s not a bad feeling just different. It makes me think even more about how God has brought me so far.My time here in South Africa has been such a blessing. A challenging blessing, but a blessing nonetheless. I feel that God teaches us the greatest things through the toughest lessons. Practicing patience and loving people that I barely understand… just a few of the things God has been working on in my life. This has truly been a wild beautiful journey. Around this time, last year (ironic), I wrote a song called “23 & fall.” It’s a song about being 23, and all the expectations that go along with that. I should be thinking about marriage now or I should have a stable job. Instead I was thinking about dropping everything stable and normal in my life and heading to Africa.
Expectations are a stifling thing. We can let them make our decisions for us or change the way we experience life. At the age of 23, I let these expectations get the best of me. But God had other plans: He wanted me in South Africa, and He made a way. So now at the age of 24, I look back at an exciting year of my life. I couldn’t have predicted or planned. It was all God-breathed and orchestrated: the people and the places, the ministry and the fun. God has allowed me the opportunity to share His love all over Cape Town, and in turn, I have experienced His love in a whole new way. I am humbled by the ways He’s working here, and even the ways He’s working back home through the stories I tell and the pictures I post. I thank God for shattering my expectations…
I have friends that I will treasure for life. People that I never thought I would be able to have a relationship with. These wonderful people became my family for a season, and I miss them everyday (or will miss them for those that haven’t quite left yet). I am so thankful for those new relationships. They got me through the best of times and the worst. I wholeheartedly believe that the other volunteers were a big part of my ministry during this time. I learned so much about myself and about loving people just by living day to day. Dinnertime and movie nights and project planning: it all was meant for something greater. I WILL be seeing these people again. They will always have a bit of my heart.
So begins a new chapter… 24 & spring. It’s time to take on the next year and begin making more glorious memories. I look forward to the rest of my time here in Cape Town and what God has in store. From new faces to new places, I’m ready.
What a lovely birthday. Thanks to all those that made it so great! And thank you to my awesome housemates, who made me the best American breakfast any non-Americans could make! I am a lucky girl. Year 24, prepare to be conquered ☺
-Kristen
