Inspired by those around me

Last week, my good friend left for Uganda and next week my husband starts classes at Harford Community College.

At first glance, these two events may seem to be completely different and in some ways they are, but at the core, I just see two individuals following God's plan. For my friend, this means a year in Uganda and for John, it's several years toward a physical therapy assistant degree.

I must say, it's inspiring for me to see and I feel blessed to know and love both of them.

In my friend's case, it's obviously a big change. She's spending a year in Uganda with Empower A Child, doing a variety of projects and spreading God's love. As I'm sure she's heard many times since making her decision, she is very brave.

At a time when most her age are preparing for their freshman year of college and all that comes with it, she is traveling to a foreign country and immersing herself in a new culture.

In the summer between ninth and 10th grade, I spent two and a half weeks in Africa. I went as part of a mission trip to the Children of Zion Village, an orphanage in Namibia.

I was only a few years younger than my friend is and it was only for two weeks, but it was hard. I missed my family, I missed my friends and I missed the comforts of our Western world.

But being near such beautiful children, who were joyful despite facing such adversity at young ages, it was life changing and I was only there for two weeks.

I commend my friend, who by the time you read this, should be settled in Uganda. Giving a year will be hard, there's no doubt about it, for both her and for her family here, but we're all comforted to know she's doing something amazing.

As I mentioned before, my husband, John, starts classes next week. I suppose it might not seem to be as drastic as my friend's and not nearly as monumental, but it's a big change for him.

Going back to school means sacrificing some of our comforts — obviously not as much as my friend is doing — as John starts working part-time to pursue his degree full-time. It means nights and weekends spent doing homework and writing papers instead of going out.

But it also means earning a degree in a field he loves and using his passion to help people. Just like my friend, John is following his path and with a quick smile and helping hand he, too, can do so while showing God's glory.

A really cool part of both of their situations is that they aren't necessarily typical. Society says that to be successful and happy, you need to graduate from high school and immediately go to college and get a high paying job.

I am by no means against any of that, especially the graduating high school part. That's a necessity. My friend in Uganda proves, however, that our dreams and plans can take us beyond what is expected and deemed important by society.

And John, well he has a well paying job in the labor industry and I'm sure many people thought he wouldn't go back to college because of all the years that have passed since he graduated from high school.

But he is and while he may be a little bit older than the average freshman in college, I'm positive John will excel.

It just goes to show that if you want to follow your dreams and you work hard enough, it's a possibility. I'm not being naïve, either. Just ask Jennilyn Gaitan, the amazing photographer who captured my wedding beautifully with her husband, Bret.

She, too, is about to embark on a journey fulfilling her goal of full-time photography.

These three people may seem completely different to anyone else, but I see people following a dream and it's a sight to behold.