where you invest your love, you invest your life.

"I feel tied to this life. Bound by decisions I never made, decided by people I have never met. Greeted with an outcome, beginning with an end, I am struggling to free myself of an upbringing I did not choose. Instead of looking at the world through the privileged eyes of a North American, I want to broaden my vision and see life through a non-Western perspective. I want to discover for myself and break free from a worldview that I don't believe. I want to be cut down, sliced up, bashed and thrown this way and that... then rebuild myself into a shape that I dictate on my own terms, incorporating new meanings into my world. Until the, I am living someone else's decisions, thoughts and beliefs. I am ready to start living on my own."

- Journal Entry, November 2009

As summer slips through my fingers and I start counting down the days until I embark on my big adventure, I am spending more and more time counting my blessings. Throughout my entire life and especially in the past few years, I have been surrounded by so many loving, supportive people who have encouraged and inspired me to follow my dreams and push the boundaries. I owe many people thank you's and words cannot possibly express my gratitude.

Thank you...

to my family who have loved and supported me in my calling and keep mr grounded during all the preparations.

to my friends who have been there for me since day one, and are the most amazing people on the planet.

to everyone who donated to my fundraising efforts -- as much as I want to list you all by name, but I realize that you may not want your names posted -- this mission would not be possible without you. Your generosity will change lives.

to Bridlewood Community Church of the Nazarene -- you have been such an integral part of my life for the past five years and I am eternally grateful for all the love, support and hospitality you have shown me. Your friendship, prayers and encouragement is a constant motivation.

to the Stittsville Rotary Club and the Stittsville Soccer League who have been so generous in offering to assist me with collecting and sending team sets of soccer jersey's overseas to the children of Ghana.

to the wonderful people at both of my jobs, Hallmark and Granite Ridge -- thank you for welcoming me onto your teams and being such incredible co-workers, friends and mentors. The opportunities you have provided me are priceless.

As the plans for my departure are finalized, I have become increasingly eager for this trip. I realize that it will be a long haul. I am already missing family and friends and I haven't even set foot outside my province. I had the amazing pleasure of saying goodbye to so many close friends and family members yesterday and I am eternally blessed for the impact that each person had on my life. It is challenging to let go but I am unbelievably excited for what God has in store for the next year.

As I board the plane for Halifax on September 8th, know that you are in my heart and on my mind.

Thank you for your love and support. It means the world to me.

........

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” - Melody Beattie