South Africa will always have my heart

     One time I went to South Africa… in May of 2011 to be exact.  My dad believed I was far too young to travel out of Pennsylvania without him, never mind fly to Africa… on the other side of the world… so I decided I wouldn't go.  Then eventually somehow I convinced him things would be okay and I was on a plane to Johannesburg before I knew it!  It’s kind of crazy to look back and to think that I’ve been to South Africa.  I don’t think my under developed (not that it's fully developed at all yet =P ) brain actually processed the fact that I was even out of the country at all and I think I’m more excited about it now than I was then.  It was a seriously life changing experience... I met loving people... and people that I didn't know would still be my friend today.  I saw the love of Jesus in little childrens' eyes like I have never seen before.  There's just no way to truly show or tell how amazing it was.  I’m not really going to explain much of what I experienced  because I might  do that later, but for now I’ve decided to just share some pictures and take you down memory lane with me(:

p.s. I apologize for poor quality of photos, as I didn't have a great camera (Aaarrgghh! I will never leave the country again without a decent camera!) 

i tried sushi

                I'm a little late on the whole New Year's resolution thing, but I've decided to dedicate 2014 to trying new things.  Doesn't sound very original or exciting, but it has already made a big difference in my life!  So far this year I have tried sushi (which I've always been a bit afraid of), started a blog, surpassed my high score of 3 in Flappy Bird (haha) and said yes to multiple opportunities that, in the past, I would've hesitated about agreeing to.  I'm reading new (and old) books, I'm opening myself up to new ideas and knowledge about life and the world and the Bible,  I want to learn more and know more and I don't want to miss out on anything that God has in store for me.  How will I ever experience His amazing plan if I never open myself up to all of the wonderful things and people and places He has placed in this world around me?

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"  (2 Corinthians 5:17) How exciting is that?!  I feel like putting together a party in celebration of this verse because it's such an amazing thing... God has made me NEW!  The old has GONE, the new has COME!  It inspires me to stop living my life the safe way and start getting out there and experiencing all there is to offer.  Yes, this could lead to scary or intimidating situations (not life threatening or anything, I'm not ready to be that adventurous yet haha), but I feel like so many good things and beautiful moments will come out of it, as well.

So here's to living my 18th year of life with the mindset of being open to anything and everything the Lord has to offer.  I know that it won't always be easy, but it will definitely be amazing (: