A Little-Big Life Update

I've sort of fallen off the whole blogging train in the last few months, and there are a few reasons for that. In short: life has gotten really busy! Which is great. Time spent writing is something that I really enjoy but I don't enjoy anything more than spending time with people and making memories. And that's exactly what I've been doing. For those that would love to know where I've been and what's been happening, keep on reading... you know you want to...

Work  So, I now have a job! #adulting I'm working for a children's charity in Kent. A charity that I had the joy of gap-yearing with last year and really couldn't picture myself leaving. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to stay, working with some awesome people and doing some great work, for a few more months.  With my contract being only short term, maternity cover for a friend, I've been putting more and more thought into where I might like to end up career-wise and how I can focus on my path to getting there come June. I'm still not much closer to knowing where to go, but I'm thinking about it. I work part-time and for the most part this has been manageable for me. I've recently changed my hours around a little to suit my fatigue better and my body is currently adjusting to that. It's panto season! Which means all staff based in the same office as me have stopped their collective worship assemblies and their clubs to focus solely on being their inner wise men and shepherds. Amongst other roles I'm playing donkey this year, which is so much fun in a care-free yet humiliating way! I have completely removed myself from my comfort zone to be a part of panto this year and that's been so rewarding - I've reminded myself that I really can do whatever I set my mind to and sometimes, like panto, those things can bring more joy and make more amazing memories than I could've ever imagined! All whilst bringing the greatest birth story ever to so many children and teachers.

Home (Mon, Tues, Wed) The first half of my week, every week, is spent living in the town of my workplace. Here I stay in the spare bedroom of some friends of mine. In October I hit the one year mark of staying with these beautiful people and it's been great - I'm so happy I get to stay a few more months and I'm so grateful for their constant hospitality, friendship, and support. In this first part of the week I share my bedroom with a pretty cute roommate, Tortellini the Tortoise. The patterns on his shell are so gorgeous and he loves teasing Rupert (the cutest dog around) into chasing him. Rupert is a miniature labradoodle who's currently learning so much in trick training - prayers and cuddles are our favourites right now! It's safe to say I'll be back to visit both the animals and the humans of this household lots once I've moved out!

Home (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun) The second half of my week is spent at my parents' home. I spend most of my time resting which can get really boring really quickly without a hobby or good Netflix series to watch.  Recently I've started getting into pyrography (burning pictures and words into wood) so that keeps me busy on days that I can't do much or make too many plans. I'm attempting to learn some Spanish in my spare time and really hoping to pick up my guitar a little more. If you're interested in my arty side of life, follow me on Instagram @amywaltersart or facebook.com/amywaltersart.

Mexico I'm off to Mexico again in April and this year I'm part of the Core Team Support Group which means I get to be a part of the wider parts of the trip - the beforehand stuff. I'm helping with the graphics and communication, with my most recent task being to write a letter and make a flyer to go out to all group leaders. In Mexico I will be heading up the Kids Team. I'm really excited to do this again, knowing that it will look different to the past couple of years because the sites we're building on dictate the way the kids club works. I'm already thinking about different games and activities we could do with the children and I'm ready to learn so much from them too. Whilst we're out there I will also be helping to run some prayer sessions/activities with a friend of mine. We have no idea how this will look but we're so excited to see God moving in everyone's lives! Dad and I have been busy fundraising for Mexico, enlisting the help of mum and Becca and a number of close friends! I can't thank you all enough. Our most recent success has been a craft fair event which we organised ourselves. With a little bit of knowledge and a whole lot of Facebook connections, the event was a huge success and raised over £800 for 2 great charities (of which one was ReBuild Mexico).

That about sums up where I am right now and what I've been up to. I'm ever-grateful for good friends (new and old) for their constant support and friendship - we have so much fun! God bless you all in this festive season, and may those of you who find this time of year tough find your hearts filled with endless joy and love, Amy xo

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

One Month On...

Where am I now?
I moved out of my first home a few weeks ago, and moved in with another family. And today I moved into a new room in this house! A constant adventure :)

I'm officially no longer the newest person to join the office because we had a lovely member of staff start working with us today.
I'm feeling totally blessed with my job, my colleagues, my temporary home, my friends, RE:FUEL worship night events, etc.
I'm extremely upset about what is happening in Calais right now so I'm constantly looking out for what I can do to help practically whilst helping to increase the awareness of the awful things that the media are not circulating.
I'm excited for a mini adventure soon to a European country with my sister early in 2017!
I'm hoping to do a bit more photography between now and Christmas - my camera hasn't been used for such a long time.
I'm thinking about my future shipping container home - I've constantly got my eye out for genius space-saving ideas and a piece of land to build upon (if you've got some land you'd like to lend me whilst I build it, I'd be ever so grateful!). 
I think that's about all for now! Loads of love,
#bethelighttonight
Amy xo 

How To Fly The Nest

Image Source: Google

'T o   F l y   T h e   N e s t' - (Of a young bird) leave its nest on becoming able to fly. 1.1 informal (Of a young person) leave their parents' home to set up home elsewhere.

Having moved out almost a month ago, I've gained some fresh wisdom on leaving the nest. It's an adventurous task and one I chose to see as something really positive. I'm writing out some of my experiences in this post partly for your benefit but mostly for mine - so that I can look back and show my kids what I was up to! 
P a c k i n g: I began scribbling down a list of things I needed to pack just a few days before I left. Once I'd 'finished' the list I went to bed and woke up with 20,000 more items I'd forgotten to write down! It was a weird process deciding what I would need and realising how much stuff I use throughout the week. It was also the perfect opportunity to leave, at home, the stuff that I didn't use all that often, making my new room so much less crowded and easier to tidy! I packed my stuff into beautiful boxes which have become my storage in my new room. Eliminating the idea of 'living out of a suitcase' for a year!

T h e   M o v i n g   I n   D a y / W e e k: I met my host family on the Thursday, moved in on the Sunday, and started work on the Monday. I really had no time to panic, I had jumped in at the deep end and started to swim. All that was new was an adventure for me! Everything that got thrown at me that would usually make me panic, I chose to see as a new adventure: an opportunity to embrace something new. I chose to get excited and rejected worry; I was leaning fully on God.
This first week started very differently to my first week at my internship last year. This year I knew who I was and I went straight in as myself, not as shy as before because I know that God has chosen this place and season just for me. Last year I was constantly scared of not being 'liked' or 'accepted' that I cowered away so only a select few got to know me. I've learnt that that doesn't allow freedom to reign. So this year is a whole new ball game.
E n j o y i n g   T h e   R i d e: Two weeks were spent 'enjoying the ride': I made new friends, met loads of exciting and influential people, realised amazing connections, and embraced new activities. I tried a bit of an assembly ready for my first 'full assembly' in my third week. I got stuck in with after-school clubs and loved helping S in the office with the admin and organisation side of the charity. Totally content with the blissful journey I was on, I felt at 'home' already. 
(M e e t i n g)   K e y   P e o p l e:
You hear all of the time that a big life change shows you who your true friends are... But what if a big life change brings you key people? I'm still back in my 'hometown' every weekend seeing my good friends and making great memories. I have made use of the internet and kept in touch with so many friends. But I've also been blessed with some key people in my new town who are keeping me grounded. Big life changes don't eliminate friends, they add new ones!
A   S p a n n e r   I n   T h e   W o r k s:
Week three and four have thrown various things at me. My adrenaline levels have dropped causing the re-introduction of my high levels of fatigue and pain. I've visited the doctor about a problem that has progressed in my knee and been referred for an MRI. My amazing host family and I have come to the joint decision that it isn't right for me to stay here for now, so I will be moving out this weekend.

M o r e   A d v e n t u r e   A w a i t s:
Never a dull moment, I now have more adventures to get excited about!
* I'll be moving in with a colleague on Sunday night *
She is brilliant, has a lovely husband, a gorgeous dog, and a chilled out tortoise. I'll be staying there for a few weeks until somewhere more permanent is found for me.
* I'll be starting a course on youth mentoring *
* I'll be doing more assemblies with new people *
* We will start planning the Christmas Panto *
That's all for now!  A few ramblings about month number 1 in a new town,

Amy xo

Moonlit Adventures

Since the last time I wrote (which was my A>Z of Thanks) I've spent my days trying to be more positive. I can feel a shift happening and I can feel that the more I focus on the positive, the happier I feel and the happier I feel people are feeling when they are around me. I had gotten myself into this negative spiral of being unhappy which was I felt was making other people feel unhappy so I was more unhappy, etc. My usual tact to making myself feel happier is to lift someone else up, do something for them and see them happy - that's what fuels me! So seeing people unhappy and thinking that I was always the cause and feeling like I couldn't do anything to help was de-fuelling me to the max! Little did I know that I needed to start with me and start working through some negativities: Why does it upset me? Can I do anything to make it better? Is it worth worrying about? Being open with myself about my feelings has meant that I can feel happiness a whole lot more and I know a lot more about what will make me happy! That is something that I never want to lose.

Image Source: Google

On Thursday night I sat in the car as mum drove me passed the edge of the beach on our way to visit my sister. This was a spontaneous trip and one that required very little energy (my family are quite forgiving on days when I'm in a lot of pain and have just a small amount of energy, thank you guys!). As we drove passed the sea wall, I pictured what lay behind: A long strip of pebbles that turned into soft, fine sand further down the beach; the sea lapping at the shore line, rolling pebbles back and forth; the sunset reflecting off everything that it could: the sand, the pebbles, the sea, the boats. I couldn't help myself and I exclaimed to my mum 'do you know what I really wanna do one day?!' *pause* 'I want to sit on the beach with some friends as the sun goes down and wait until it's completely dark before going for a swim!' She thought I was crazy, and so did I... until last night.  Yesterday I played golf with some friends to celebrate JP's birthday. We chose the driving the range as the activity for the afternoon. 

Photo credit: MT

Following our little golfing experience we headed back to my house for fajitas and profiteroles before we were due to meet more friends at the pub at 8pm. It was here that someone exclaimed we should go to the beach after we've been to the pub. Initially I was not game, I definitely wanted sleep more than I wanted an adventure. But it was JP's birthday after all and he got the final say. The pub gathering was a lot of fun! It was poo-stories-galore! With a nurse and a nursery worker sat around the table with us, we heard of some interesting experiences. As the pub gathering drew to a close, we said our goodbyes, hid JP's car, and continued laughing as we went our separate ways. For some, they headed home. For the 6 of us, the night was just beginning. The sun had set and the moon and stars were out. A quick drive down the road, whilst singing along to All Sons and Daughters, landed us at our nearest pebbled beach. There are no words for what happened next! It hit midnight and we went swimming, in the sea! The water was warmer than expected, calmer than anticipated, and more fun that I could ever describe! The only light source, bar a couple of dim streetlamps, was the moon's solid reflection on the water. Thank goodness MS decided not to swim. She grabbed our hoodies and keys as the tide came in and moved them out of the water's path. If you've never been swimming in the sea at midnight, or when it's dark for that matter, do it! Add it to your Adventure List, or your Bucket List, or every single list you ever make. Just make sure you do it one day!

Post-swim selfie

We dried off and drove off, but we weren't going home just yet. We went up onto the hills and sat in the cars, in the quiet. Processing what had just happened and enjoying the calm euphoria that had overwhelmed us all. Amy xo

The Best University

For those of you that are searching or have searched in the past for the right uni, what is/was on your 'checklist'? You probably have a checklist of things which would make the perfect university for you. Perhaps accommodation with an en suite bathroom, or just accommodation which you can afford. Maybe the uni needs to be near a town centre. While I am searching for the right university for me, and praying about where I end up, I am also checking things off from a mental list: 1- Offer courses in the subjects that I am interested in (sort of essential) 2 - Sizeable room in accommodation for studying 3 - Have a Christian Union 4 - Job opportunities nearby 5 - Location 6 - Course content and vocational opportunities 7 - Close to home That last thing on my list can be taken two ways. The first is as it first appears: no more than a couple of hours away from my childhood home. The second is a little deeper, and perhaps even more important, it is that I am close to God. He is my home, I will be with Him in Heaven for eternity and I would love to be with Him on earth, at university, and for the rest of my earthly existence. Universities in the UK often have great Christian Unions available to their students, and nearby churches run amazing student programs but is this enough? For students who want to study Theology they can find a Christian College, such as Moorlands or Spurgeons, and settle in with other like-minded Christians. For those who wish to study music, art, maths, english, or science they have it a little more difficult. They will be in an environment everyday surrounded by young adults who want to live life and have fun, regardless of what God has planned. Young Christian's faith will be pushed to the limit at University, and without the support that nearby churches and Christian Unions offer they could lose their relationship with God by drifting far away and building a wall between Him and themselves.  I was talking to a friend about this recently and a thought came to mind about a university which offers a range of courses and subjects whilst being a Christian organisation full of Christian students. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, such institution does not exist in the UK. In the US there a number of universities/colleges which are set up primarily for Christians such as Wheaton College, US. The courses that it runs are so extensive which makes it open to almost every Christian out there searching for a university to attend which does their course subject. Would a Christian University be the answer? To some extent I think that a similar institution would go down really well in the UK. There are so many Christians today looking for a university to study at which won't harm their faith too much whilst challenging it just enough. However, there are also stories of Atheists who met Christians at university and their lives were changed for the better. Would an exclusively Christian University damage the potential to spread God's love? Perhaps so. Or maybe not if the institution was to be linked with a secular college. I can't see these ramblings reaching a conclusion for the time being. I am just mulling over some thoughts which have taken over my revision this morning. I think my new 'checklist' will be: 1 - Offer courses that I believe God is leading me to 2 - Accommodation which will enable me to mix with other Christians and non-Christians day in, day out 3 - An established Christian Union 4 - Job opportunities and charity opportunities to 'give back to God' 5 - Location - near to a supporting church with established Christian student facilities 6 - Course content and vocational opportunities - a schedule which doesn't clash with church involvement 7 - Close to home - a place where I am free to believe in God and express that to my heart's content

What are your thoughts?