day 364: 1-YEAR!

yes, day three hundred & sixty-FOUR marks our 1-year anniversary on african soil. didn't plan that out so well, did i? flew out of the states on april 9th, 2012 & arrived late on the 10th. hard to believe a year has already flown by!! countless photos, endless blogs & 3 journals since easter '12 don't even begin to describe all the stories & lessons of God's faithfulness over the last year.

this past week, a few of us from our team decided to hike up table mountain - a new addition to the 7 wonders of the world. for nearly 3 hours we pushed up the steep trail known as platteklip gorge & the Lord used even that to speak deeply into my heart. it was such a tangible picture of what this year has been!

platteklip gorge trail marked in red

 together, we'd hike for a bit until we needed to stop & catch a breath. it was in those moments that we could turn around (no longer having to look intently at the step right in front of us) & see the entire city. each time we stopped, our perspective changed...we could see things from a bigger picture. and with that glimpse & breath of fresh air, we were able to push forward. oh how true that has been of our time here. we are not alone - we get to walk through this side of eternity with the Body of Christ! we take our steps (days) one at a time, seeking Him for our daily bread every morning. & every now and then (much like He always did in His Word), He allows us to catch a glimpse of His big picture & lay down a few stones of remembrance to look back on as a reminder of His faithfulness & truth. and THAT is exactly what gives us the strength & ability to move forward with the next day. what a sweet adventure walking with our Lord is!!

from the top of the mountain with some ladies very close to my heart

THANK YOU LORD FOR THIS PAST YEAR!! And thank you all for your love, support, encouragement & PRAYer thus far. the journey has only really just begun. will you join us in PRAYing a verse that's become one i hold so close to heart?!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off EVERY weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE the race God has set before us. We do this BY KEEPING OUR EYES ON JESUS, the champion who initiates & perfects our faith..."

-Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)