Dumyat, hiking, and new life.

This morning I hiked up Dumyat at sunrise with some of the best people I know. Dumyat is one of the Ochil Hills and I'd wanted to go for a wander up it for ages now and was kind of just waiting for spring to roll around so we wouldn't freeze to death while doing so. While we froze a little bit, we definitely didn't die. We had some amazing worship, thanks to two of the guys who happily agreed to bring their guitars, and the fellowship was just amazing. It was definitely one of the best things to do before leaving Stirling as it symbolises massively to me how much I've changed in the past four years. 

In first year we had an amazing view from our kitchen of the Ochils and I'd frequently sit on our windowsill (which was a reasonable size) in the morning, sometimes with my Bible, and just stare at God's creation. I was crazy; all I wanted in life was to party and drink, and now I have no idea how I got to that point.

Upon arriving home today I realised that very little in my worldly life would live up to the great joy I had felt while worshipping on Dumyat. At one point I was standing, bracing the harsh, cold winds, with my hands in my armpits to try and get some feeling back into them, jumping up and down saying, "I'm so happy! Actually, no, I'm joyful!" No amount of alcohol or partying ever made me feel like that. 

I am truly a new creation in Christ. 

I am the luckiest girl in the world and I am loved by the greatest God. 

When I was eighteen you would never have caught me going for a walk before 9:00 am, never mind a hike at sunrise. I got out of bed at 2:25 am after failing miserably to fall asleep because I was so excited, and did a round of texts and a few wake up calls. It was brilliant and exciting. The first time I suggested going at sunrise to my friend, Silje, I wasn't even entirely serious because I didn't think anyone else would be up for it; praise Jesus that they were. To find six people who were perfectly willing to join me on this crazy adventure (and it truly was an adventure) makes my heart so happy. 

I have found something amazing in Stirling and I'm sad that it has to come to an end, but God has big plans for me. Here's hoping they'll be back in this beautiful city, but we'll just have to wait and see.