Dear Africa,

Dear Africa, 

It’s hard to find words to say to you. You now hold such a special piece of my heart. You hold the stories, laughs and tears of six months of my life. We’ve had lots of hard moments together where I had to learn how to dig in deep. We’ve also had countless moments of pure joyful bliss. 

You gave me a piece of myself that I never had found before. I actually didn’t even know that this kind of mindset could exist. You gave me stillness. Slowness of life. A new appreciation for the sweetness of the simplicity of things. You taught me what it means to be intentional in every single moment. 

I feel myself moving so much slower now. Physically, I notice myself moving slower in my every day tasks. But mentally, too. My mind actually has moments to stop and think and rest. My pace of life is just slower now. Africa, before we met, I was constantly in a rush, fiercely fighting to get everything out of life by packing my days full of things. I ran from one thing to the next, hardly slowing down to catch my breath. My mind was always racing, too. Maybe you remember that girl. She didn’t know how to appreciate the slow and simple moments. In fact, she hated how slow things moved when she first started getting to know you. But look at how she’s slowly and surely fallen in love with you. You knew you would win her over, didn’t you? 

I’m so thankful for how you’ve taught me to soak in the beautiful rays of sunshine and how to truly marvel at the rain and thunderstorms and spectacular star displays. You’ve grown in me a love for days that are left wide open, with absolutely nothing to do, but to spend time with Abba Father. You’ve taught me how to be fully present where my feet are and how to appreciate the people that are around me. I learned intentionality from you, because instead of being bored out of my mind, you pushed me to think about others – how I could serve them and love them well. It’s as simple as writing a note, going and sitting and listening to them, helping them wash their laundry, taking walks with them. You’ve shown me the beauty of sitting in my thoughts – good and hard – and I’ve learned to process the things I’m feeling, instead of numbing and distracting myself. You’ve allowed me to experience the joys of hand washing my laundry which I’ll admit, is sometimes tedious, but normally so refreshing. You’ve shown me the beauty in carefully cutting up vegetables for your meals. You’ve allowed me to experience quiet and stillness that I never knew to be possible. Because I’ve tasted it, I know my life will forever look different. 

You gave me stillness, and because of that, you helped me learn how to experience fullness with Abba. You gave me slowness that allowed me to slow down, breath, and fully experience life and to feel the things around me. You gave me simplicity. Life doesn’t have to be as complicated as I sometimes make it. Life is meant for loving God and loving others. It’s for soaking in the sweetness of the things God created for us to enjoy. It’s for resting in His love.

Life is to be fully breathed in. We are meant to live this life fully awakened to all it holds. Not just surviving, in shallow breaths. Before I met Abba, I didn’t know how to breath. And before I met you, Africa, I didn’t know how to breath in the fullness of life at a steady pace, not just in gasps and intervals when there was a brief moment of excitement.

My mind has never been so present where my feet are before. I’ve always been so future minded, but right now, I’m content to be right where I am. I barely even think about what the next day holds. I’ve never woken up so hopeful before, not just for the years to come, but for this very day where I get to breath in what Abba has for me – simple or extravagant. I’ve never woken up so joyful and filled like I do now. I’m praising God for this testimony. He is truly renewing my mind and thought patterns so that I can soak in all that He has for me. 

Africa, I’ll miss you. Abba, thank you for allowing Africa to be the teacher of these beautiful lessons I treasure. I’m praying we’ll meet again one day. But for now, thank you. I love you so much, Africa!