[just say yes]

England was such a dream to explore, but my favorite day was the last one. Here's why:

On our last day in England, Haley and I took the train out to the countryside to the small town of Horley. Upon arrival, we settled into our Bed & Breakfast, looked at each other, shrugged and said, "What now?" The cutest older British man told us about Brighton, his words were something like this: "It is a city on the sea, a lot of young hip kids enjoy it, you gals should enjoy the town and there's even a pier to walk on."
So, there's a pier, "young and hip kids", and an ocean. That's about all we knew. We didn't have any other ideas what to do, so do we listen to this man?
Haley and I stood in the Gatwick train station staring at the departure times. She turned to me and said, "You in?" Without missing a beat I said, "Yeah, why not?"

Turns out, the day could not have been more perfect. In Brighton, we  found rows and rows of beautiful, colorful architecture, a pebbled shore lining the English Channel, a pier with a small carnival on it, and little hole-in-the-wall shops with pleasant English folk. Those were the best days of the trip, when we had no itinerary, we just went and simply explored what was around us.

Haley and I reflected on our day and wondered, what would we have done if we did not say yes? We definitely would not have seen the English Channel, or chased rainbows, or discovered back roads of English coastal homes. It made us realize all we miss out on when we pass up opportunities because we are too scared, worried, or doubtful.

I don't think God meant for life to be lived this way, in fear of the unknown. That's why he calls us to great faith. It takes great faith to say yes, to step out, to trust and just go. Whether it is buying a train ticket, making a decision, or trying something new, we are not made for fear but for life, and life to the fullest.

I am so thankful for that day in Brighton, that we trusted and just said yes to a new adventure, and I am oh so thankful for the opportunities to come that are hidden in the unknown, because I am not letting fear control those decisions. Will you?

[walk with me]

Anyone who follows me on any form of social media or ever talks to me knows that I recently took a trip. Not just any trip, but a trip I have dreamed of, saved up for, and squealed about for years. I wrote it down on my bucket list freshman year with a small thought of "there's no way this will ever happen", oh, but it did.

Over Christmas break, a few friends and I travelled to England and Ireland.  We went with a small carry-on bag, a rough plan, and excitement for the next two weeks. I came back with tired eyes, beautiful pictures, incredible memories, and an empty bank account. But it was so worth it.
The first stop was London. I still can't believe I got to experience the "International Capital of the World." It took a couple days, but I'm proud to say that I feel comfortable navigating around the tube now and I know the proper "english" way to make tea.
The sights were beautiful and surreal, but I won't bore you with the details. Instead, I want to leave you with some advice. I quickly learned this when the excursion began, and I think it is an important factor to consider in travel.

The people you travel with make the trip.

It's true. I quickly realized I could not do this trip with just anyone. The sights and scenery are great, but who you see it all with can make or break it. For our last day in London, it was pouring rain. What did Haley and I do? We explored in the rain, duh. We walked around Chelsea as if the sun were shining. Then, we sat in the Teahouse Theatre with other friends, drank tea and enjoyed conversation for the afternoon. That is one of my sweetest memories from London because the people I was with made a day memorable that could have easily been a bummer. Whether it was taking cheesy tourist pictures in telephone booths, making a scene trying to split the bill ourselves, or riding front row, top-level on a double decker bus, I became more thankful each day for the people I got to see parts of the world with.

While traveling, I realized it was the same for Jesus too. He had his 12 disciples and even further, his 3 closest friends that he traveled with. Not only traveled, but lived life with. Jesus went through his greatest, darkest, hardest, and most beautiful times of life with his best friends. They knew him, learned from him, and grew with him. If God created life to be lived alone, then Jesus would not have had those 12 disciples by his side. There's a lot we can learn from that.
The people we choose to walk through life with is so important. I look back on my trip and the past 3 years of college in awe of the relationships created. I am so thankful.
I have surrounded myself with friends who long for adventure, hence why I went to Europe in the first place. Haley called me in November and said, "Let's do this, let's go to Europe." Um what, my friends rock.
So my question to you is, who are you choosing to walk with in your life? Will they take you to the ends of the earth, laugh with you when you miss the bus (that happened in London), comfort you when you're scared, and encourage you in your dreams?
Those are the kind of people I strive to fill my life with, and those people walked with me through Europe. It's crazy the places you go, but the people you go with make it even better.