Growing up I struggled just like any regular North American teenager with many life questions. I would think to myself, where do i belong? What will i do with my life? Where will i live? Where will i go to college? Should i go to university? Where should i work and the list goes on. I can't say that when I was young I always knew I wanted to work in a hairsalon and that it was my dream to move to Ottawa and work in the city. I really had NO idea what to do with my life. Teachers would always push me to take as many hard classes in highschool so that i could always keep my options open later on. As my graduation date approached me more and more i would get scrary thoughts of never moving out of my parents home and never feeling like i found that things that i could pursue. This thing that people would always talk about was my career goal. I could never give an answer to someone who would ask me questions like; what is you 5 year plan? Or where do you see yourself living in a year from now? These are all things that would just give me more panic attacks and remind me that I really had no idea where on this earth I should be.
After deciding to go to school for hairstyling and moving to Ottawa to work full time here, I can not be more happy with my "career choice". I have always enjoyed being artistic and working around people. I could never have a job behind closed doors because even my teachers in school would always complain to my parents about how much i talked. I have found amazing joy in uplifting people spirits and daily learning to be a listener. I have one of the very few jobs that allow you to actually physically touch people and for that people do really tell their hairdressers everything! Sometimes alot more than i am willing to hear. I have had many great opportunities to share my faith working behind the chair and it really is an amazing ministry in itself.
I love Ottawa to much, and for that i have been feeling way to comfortable lately. It has cute little coffee shops, great music, amazing church fellowship,cute bakeries and beautiful scenery and an amazing healthy atmosphere. And all this has been making me feel nervous now more than ever to go away for 1 whole year. I have finally gotten used to the city and fell in love with it. I feel like i really fit in and belong here.
I have gone on missions trips before and have felt the amazing dramatic changes in my life after returning home and for that i can't even imagine where my head will be at when i come back from this world race. I can only say that im very excited but at the same time nervous because when people have been asking me, what will you do when you get back or where will you live? I have NO idea and that scares me once again ! I know God has called me to so much more than just working my 9-5 and have always shared the calling to pursue the KIngdom in all the Nations. The thought of really having now place to call home though has really been on my mind this week and God is faithful and opened up my eyes to some great truth while i was reading this week!
" Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savoir from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. "
-Philippians 3: 20-21
After reading this my mind has totally been set at ease ! It won't matter that i will have to call a new place home every month for one year or that i will not know where God is calling my after I return from this trip. What does matter is that wherever I am not a day should go by where I am nervous or afriad that i am not where I should be. Because I am always home ! seated in heavenly places and my citizenship says heaven ! As a christian I am able to approuch His throne daily and be in a place where love is unconditional and through all my failures and faults I am always still welcome. Now that sounds like home to me !
