One Time I Was Nervous

It was my first Sunday in England. I had been there for four days. I was barely adjusting to the 8 hour time difference, the volume of curl my hair began to experience due to the humidity, and I was living in a house with 37 others, most of whose names I couldn't yet remember.

I knew Sundays would be the hard days. The days that I would miss home. And here I was, running late, on a train to "Blackheath" where I was told I would get out and walk up a hill. Those were our instructions. That was it.

We had some problems on the tube, and as such we missed our train. By the time we sat down I was already exhausted from trying to figure it all out. As I sat there making small talk with Sarah and Devri, I watched out the window closely. I said a silent prayer as I contemplated the fact that I was, indeed, living very far from home and very much on my own.

And just after passing over the river, and heading out of the city I saw this out my window:
It became the theme of my semester. It was, in a very direct way, an answer to my prayers a reminder that although on my own, I wasn't nor ever would be, alone.

In my e-mail home that night I wrote:

"Ok there is this awesome building on the way to church and it's old and out of the way. Painted on it it says, "Take Courage" Isn't that my theme for this whole semester? Courage to come out here on my own? Courage to grow up? Courage to try something new? Courage to be content with myself? Courage to make new friends, experience new culture, lead a different life?"

And every week I looked at that building, and the difference courage was making in my life. That first Sunday I had no idea how the courage I gained (and sometimes faked) would change my life. It brought me new friends. I brought me a deep love for the Catford ward, for England, for professors, for girls that became sisters. It brought me experiences I'd never dreamed of (wading into the fountain at the louvre?) It helped me love life, people, the gospel and myself. Something I didn't have the courage to do before.

But this is not just "another London post". I loved London, but I've moved on I promise. Today I love Provo, well-at least my life here. And the reason I love it more than I ever have before is because of one lesson I learned on a train in England:

Take Courage

So, everyday I do just that.

(And tomorrow I'm doing it with my hair! Wish me luck...)