365 Days

365 days, 1 year older, and so much left to learn! Today I turned 25 years old and it's been one amazing day. Each year seems to go by faster and faster. I blink and 365 days have passed  once again. 24 was very good to me. I was newly married, moved across the world to South Africa, made new friends, fell in love with a beautiful community that sits high on a hill, and in return feel even more in love with my beautiful Savior. While 24 was a very good year, it had it's challenges. I moved halfway across the world 6 weeks after being married, I had to say goodbye to family and friends, I began to see the deep hurt and trials in a community that I love, and sometimes no matter how hard I searched, I felt far from the Lord. In the last 365 days there have been moments of joy and moments of despair. There have been tears of laughter and tears of sadness. There have been times where I wanted to pack up and go home to the comfortable lifestyle I once knew and times where I could see us living here for many years down the road. Looking back at all of those moments I can't help but smile. I'm 25 years old and on the most incredible journey with the most wonderful husband. I remember thinking after high school, "I wonder where I'll be and what I'll be doing when I'm 25 years old!" At that time, it felt so far away. Where I am today is not where 18 year old Claudia thought she would be. Isn't that awesome? That's how remarkable of a God we serve. He knew where 25 year old Claudia would be way before it was on my radar. My friend today welcomed me to the quarter century of life. For a moment I thought to myself, "O gosh, I'm an old lady," but then I remembered how I'm in the most exciting place of my life. 365 days ago I had no idea what the next year would hold and 365 days later I am so thankful that is the case. I love how our story is written by our Father and even though life seems confusing and hard at times, He knows we will come out on the other side as long as we keep our eyes fixed on Him. So, heres to you 25 and another 365 days of life! I pray that I will love harder, laugh often, make new friends, fall even more in love with the community sitting on that hill, and grow deeper in faith and love to my beautiful Savior. 24 was good, but 25 is going to be GREAT!