The last night of being 18...

Birthday blogs are oh so much fun - in fact birthdays are just fun and I don't really understand people that don't like to celebrate them. The excuse is always 'oh I don't like to make a big deal of myself...' which always makes those of us who enjoy birthdays feel bad, but seriously...birthdays are fun and should be celebrated!
But I also love birthdays because it's a chance to just look back on the year and see how far you've come, and what you have to be thankful for, and what you want the next year to look like!
This year has been a funny one for me - leaving Thailand, 'readjusting' to life in Scotland and moving to university. It's been a year of transition, which is exciting in some ways - but it can also be tough. No matter how many books, articles or blogs you read about change - it's always hard. My dearest mother, who tends to come up in these blogs a lot, sent me a quote once in an email and it has always stuck with me. 
'The steps of a believer are steeped in constant change. Fingers are painfully peeled away from the security of sameness one at a time. Again and again. Great wisdom lies in freeing fellow sojourners cherished though they are. With hands freshly loosed we find liberty to embrace the One who will never change, and courage to release to Him those who ever will.' 
Change and letting go are difficult. So often I have been tempted to pretend like they're not, because truthfully - like most of us - I have gone through a lot of changes in my life and it seems like it should get easier as time goes on. It doesn't, but I'm learning to embrace the change and I know that God has worked so incredibly in my life and through the changes that He has brought about. This quote (I think) is mostly talking about people - but I think the same can be said for places and times in our lives. This year has seen many changes, and with that I was so terrified that I would change. Honestly - God changed me when I was in Thailand and I kind of thought that was it. That He had brought me to a place that I needed to be - and I needed to stay there. It has taken me pretty much all year to realise that in no way was He done. He has promised to continue the good work that He started in me, and He will do that in all aspects of my life and regardless of where I am. After times of growth it so easy to try and cling on to where we are, instead of letting go and trusting that God will continue to carry us and He will shape us to be more like Christ. Trying so hard to stay where we are is like stunting our growth. 
It has been an interesting year,full of goodbyes and new beginnings, and looking back I don't really know where the time has gone. But I have been so blessed and God has been so good and is continuing to teach me more about Him and His great love. 
So, here's to being 18...and bring on the last teenage year! (sob sob...next year's blog might not be so upbeat, 20 is officially old!) ;)

The picture closest to my birthday last year (apparently I didn't actually take any on the day!) A very sweet girl who is still incredibly close to my heart!