Saturday 6 January 2018

A Year Later...

Roughly a year ago, I was delighting in the wonderful time I had just experienced in Budapest on Erasmus. So I decided it was time to re-visit the blog. Since then it's been a year of re-adjustment and challenges and honestly, it's not been that easy. However, I was reminded yesterday that God doesn't promise a life of uninterrupted pleasures, but that we experience Battles and Blessings throughout life, often right alongside each other (Bible in One Year, Day 4). I realise now that the incredible experiences I had were a gracious gift, for which I am so grateful.


In this new year, my first trip starts tomorrow in the form of a visit to Aarhus, Denmark, as I begin a string of auditions to find where my future may lie. There are so many things to consider and explore that it can, at times, be quite overwhelming, but it's so incredibly exciting at the same time. I don't really know where I'll be next year, but I plan to enjoy the process of finding out rather than allowing it to take me over. There's far more to life than stress. I might even stay in London, who knows?
In preparation for this particular audition I've been reading Kristian Steenstrup's book "Blow your mind", which explores Arnold Jacobs' and Kristian's approach to playing a brass instrument. I've found it enlightening to read about the physiology of trumpet playing alongside how we think about our practice and what takes our focus. Highly recommend it to any keen brass players, it's not too long and I found it a very accessible read (any jargon is well-explained). By the way, it's almost half price if you order from here: https://www.speedyhen.com/Product/Kristian-Steenstrup/Blow-Your-Mind/21185209

Danish Kroner
I'd better go and finish packing, but here's a little insight into how I coped on the "come-down" from an incredibly special period of my life;

Through the toughest patches of last year, I found comfort and hope in my Saviour, Jesus Christ. "He is my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 18:2) Nothing else comes close to the satisfaction he provides and particularly when I look back, I know how he has used my trials to bring me closer to him. My prayer is that others would acknowledge his awesome power and turn to him. Not only in the hard times, but in committing their life to him. He changed my life, he could change yours too.

S x

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