New experiences have always been appealing to me. New places, new people, it’s all the same. I have always felt that adventures are the best way to learn, especially when it means you are immersed in a completely different culture. I have been blessed enough to be able to travel frequently, which has helped me grow tremendously, both intellectually and spiritually.
As of right now, I am in a classroom more commonly known as the country of New Zealand. This is the furthest away from home I have ever been, and I really had no concept of New Zealand culture before arriving here. But even if I had done my research, I know I would not have learned some of the things I have during my time here. When you research a country you can learn facts and gain a concept of what to expect upon arrival, but you can’t research what ways God is going to present himself.
Nothing could have prepared me for the overflowing amount of kindness I have encountered from individuals here, the immense beauty of everything around me, or the amount of self-growth I would experience in just a short amount of time. All of which are what I call God Smiles.
I have seen God in the face of a perfectly sweet German girl that quickly became a friend I will forever cherish. I have seen God in the faces of strangers smiling at me on the street. I have seen God at the memorial for those who tragically lost their lives in an act of violence. I have seen God in the bluest of waters and the highest of mountains. I have seen His glory in every part of this country that He so carefully crafted.
& the best part of it all is it helps me realize that I don’t need to go half way across the world to see His smiles. Because He is in the face of my neighbors at home or in the sunset falling over an Indiana cornfield. He is everywhere, always. Molding us all to be more like Him. What a comforting and uplifting idea to be encouraged by.
Maybe I need travels to remind me of the simple concept that God is everywhere, or maybe I just really thrive in the midst of adventure, but I am so blessed to be able to travel and show people all of the good He is doing. More specifically, I am so humbled that He chose me to go to Africa to serve a community in need directly after experiencing the beauty found in New Zealand.
