Growing up

I love the comfort offered by a cup of tea, hot summer sun and simple hymns played well. Adventures, conferences, weekends away and the moment my head finally hits the pillow at the end of a long day. Rainbows and the rabbits on UEA campus, big hugs from close friends and cuddles from my pussy cat, who sits on my tummy and purrs super loud. Listening to an old CD and discovering its excellence all over again, or, listening to a new one and being excited for the first time. Fun days, community spirit, rekindling friendships with old friends and the monumental experience of leaving a university exam hall for the last time!

I love these things because they show me, a little bit, what God is like. God is community - within the trinity and within the Church. God is all about relationships - picnics, conversations at the pub, weekend away and road trips with friends. God is the creator of rabbits and rainbows – through which he reminds us of his perfect, co-existing love and justice. God must be a musical God - the rediscovery and revival of a CD I haven’t listened to in forever reminds me, just a little bit, what it is like to rediscover again His goodness. Listening on repeat, I’m reminded of what absolute foolishness it is to forget in the first place His glory, majesty and absolute sovereignty. So easily distracted from His mighty purposes, I want to be this person who sees Jesus in everything. I can barely see past the end of my nose, but despite my failings and misplaced priorities, God in his grace reveals himself to me. God has revealed himself to me throughout my university experience.

There are no words to describe how I feel about finally finishing my degree, which for a million reasons has been the best and biggest learning curve of my life so far. To put it simply, I am very happy. I was amazed to even turn up, and now, after everything, I am astounded to have completed the course. After a reluctant beginning and a few years quietly contemplating a plan B (as if this was ever my plan A!), I’ve grown surprisingly fond of pharmacy. In a few weeks I might even graduate, which will be a victory in itself – only because I now understand a little more God’s strength in my weakness, my identity in Christ alone and the joy that comes from working for His purposes (see 2 Corinthians 4, Galatians 3 and Colossians 3 respectively). It’s laughable how much I have grown up into my work, and typical that I’m only just beginning to realise the exciting truth that every moment of the last four years has been used by God to show me, and others around me, that he is entirely faithful.

I can’t pretend I’m not devastated to leave uni, but I’m determined to take hold of the life promised me by God himself (1 Tim 6.12) and to live it the best way I know.

‘Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful’
– Hebrews 10. 23

‘Praise to the Lord who doth prosper thy work and defend thee.
Surely his goodness and mercy do daily attend thee
Ponder anew, what the almighty can do
if with His love He befriend thee’
– from the hymn ‘Praise to the Lord the Almighty, the King of Creation’