I guess often people’s stereotype of Christianity is that God is boring and irrelevant to their lives. That he is a God of ugly sweaters and pigtails. I can’t understand where this idea comes from. For me being a Christian is about adventure and relationship. When you get to know him you realise that God is more thrilling than the wildest adrenaline rush while being safer than the warmest hug. He will send you to the ends of the earth if you are willing, give you a new sense of purpose, and explode your life with meaning. Jesus is after your heart not your religion. Through him we can have forgiveness, freedom and love.

‘He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins and upon him was the punishment that brought us peace. By his wounds we are healed!’ – Isaiah 53:5

Over this two week Easter break we have done lots of day trips both with and without the kids (I know it’s hard to believe but sometimes we do need a break from their cute faces). Here are some snapshots for you…

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I am starting to understand love in a whole new way somehow by being here. It’s amazing how much you can love people when you are sacrificing so much for them. Or maybe it’s the other way round – how much you’ll sacrifice for someone when you love them. And I really have come to love the kids here. So much. I have started to love this country – with its strange mix of beauty and brokenness. And I love the girls I’m experiencing every moment with. I can’t quite explain how deep relationships go when you are in an atmosphere where there is no judging by the standards at home. With no makeup to hide behind our hearts are on display rather than our appearance. There is no trying to impress each other and these are truly some of the most beautiful girls I know. I didn’t know it was possible to have so much fun, and the more I laugh with them the more I can see God’s love.

I have seen that God meets you wherever you are. He has shown me things about himself in a language I understand and can relate to – through travel and beautiful places. He isn’t a restrictive God of rules. God is long, sleepy car journeys and late night stargazing. He is thick creamy milkshakes, frozen yoghurt with a mountain of toppings, chilled iced tea on a sticky day. He is having lunch at a small cafe on a peaceful beach and being woken up by children singing High School Musical outside your window at 6am. He is sunflowers on the side of the road and freshly picked flowers in your hair. He is light flashing through stained glass windows, laughing until your belly hurts and exposing the depths of yourself in meaningful conversations with true friends. He is cuddles with gorgeous toddlers, feeling their tiny fingers wrapped around yours and singing at the top of your lungs in the truck with the wind blowing hair in your face. He is scrambling over rocks, crossing streams and exploring mountains. He is hot showers which tingle on your skin and freezing cold showers which wake up all your senses. God is all the best feelings you can imagine rolled into one.

‘To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.’