Sometimes the most beautiful moments in life are drawn from periods of great pain. Such as the eight year old daughter who embraces the soldier whom she knows as father after he has been away or the cancer patient whom with their final stretch of strength hears they are free. Our hearts are only as strong as our Maker allows them to be and sometimes all though it feels like the clouds cover the path of our prayers to our Father, He listens and in His wisdom sometimes He remains silent. These times are the most difficult because as tears stream down our face and frustration consumes us it is hard to not have immediate answers. However, I believe that when God is silent and our troubles rise against our patience, the joy of the outcome is that much greater. So as we push through one impossible day after the other, it is not that our prayers are in vain but rather our Father is working towards something far greater, something perfect for us. “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:1-5). So despite our own lack of understanding, God creates splendour from suffering. In the face of our trials, although the temptation to lose hope is great, it is far better to press on because I know with full faith that His conclusion is perfect

Since I have got home my life has been a whirlwind of catching up with old friends, applying for job after job and lots of driving! There is one thing however that has plagued me since the very moment I arrived in Canada; the cold. The first steps off the plane were met by a brisk wind that blanketed my sun saturated skin and filled my tropically accustomed lungs (Don't worry, I already hear the chorus of people saying "we don't feel sorry for you"). This new and all too easily forgotten feeling of winter was not such an easy thing to adjust to. In fact, I have now found myself stealing housecoats at Costco so that I can wear them around the freezing cold store, situating myself on the edge of the Olive Garden fireplace while I eat my dinner as to simply be comfortable and avoiding eating frozen food so I won’t have to venture to the freezer aisles of Safeway. While to others I may appear slightly insane or dramatic, to myself, I am simply trying to survive in this bitter cold.