All good things must come to an end...
WOW! WHAT A GAP YEAR! It has been such an amazing year for me!! So many highlights from meeting amazing young Christians just like me to my baptism to working alongside Eleanor for a year to the children I saw in our youth clubs. It has been such a wonderful gap year that I won't forget!
Of course there were low moments especially during lockdown when I wasn't able to do as much as I wanted to for the church due to the restrictions but I thank God and Eleanor for still being able to provide me with so many opportunities to keep me busy.
Bulwell URC
I can't think of a better church other than Bulwell URC to do my gap year! Thank you so much to everyone for their support during my gap year- your encouragement helped me a lot. To all the children I met with on my gap year I am extremely grateful for the way they helped me on my gap year; not all of them were the angels and saints you see on TV but they were a cool bunch of people and I will miss seeing them on a weekly basis. Thank you for Eleanor and the church for taking me under your wing for a whole year and keeping me busy- you always had something for me to do and trusting me enough to lead holiday clubs, lead the talks we had on Facebook live and in front of the congregation at church and other activities in youth clubs! I will never forget my baptism at this church and all the lovely cards, gifts and kind words! To be the last person to be baptised by Colin and on the same year he retired was really special. After being with this church for years I've got very high standards at looking for a church at Liverpool. Thank you so much Bulwell URC!
Youth for Christ
My gap year team...
Being a part of this incredible organisation and team has been great for me and my growth in Christ. The amount of laughter, tears and smiles we shared as a team has been beautiful. I am really going to miss my team even though we managed to meet in person three times we made the most of our meetups and I have loved our monthly zoom sessions on growing our relationship with Christ. This organisation has revealed so much about my faith and I have learnt so many lessons that will be held dearly in my heart. Thank you Youth for Christ.
We had our final meet up and it was sad but a great way to end our time as a group. My highlight was when we went on a night out and had fish and chips takeaway. As you would do when you've just just been on a night out and on our last evening we had a tearful night of sharing our highlights over the course of the year and what we learnt on our gap year. I earned myself a certificate that will remind me of my time on my gap year and my achievements.
After my gap year.
After I finished with my gap year about a month or 2 months ago. I have been meeting up with friends and I went to London with my best friend last week for a couple days last week and it was so much fun! We went everywhere from museums to Camden market to Buckingham palace it was really cool but very tiring! The amount of steps I did for those couple days was on a different level I think I did over 60,000 steps that was recorded on my phone.
Prayers
I am starting a new chapter in my life as I am going to university at Liverpool to study criminology. I would really appreciate if you could pray for me that I would settle well in my university and do well in my studies and for God to bring the right people into my life into this new city. I just would like prayers for worries and stress to not affect me as I am very excited to go but nervous since this is quite a big step I am going into in my life. Wish me luck for everyone!
I would like for you guys to also pray for anyone starting university or a gap year this year that God will be with them and guide them well at their time at university.
I suppose this is now a goodbye from me but not really you will see me around at church or Bulwell. I want to leave you guys with two bible verses that I started my gap year with. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."- Jeremiah 29:11
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”- Joshua 1:9
Last year I never saw myself doing a gap year but this is where God placed me and I can see why. Never doubt him, trust him. He will never leave you and will always be with you.