George
God in my Life - by Georgina Huyyse-Smith
I was brought up as a Christian, but it wasn't until I was in my late teens that I found a personal faith of my own. I had previously accepted the faith of others, but it was when I realised myself what faith in Jesus meant that I fully accepted God into my life. Before this I had fitted God into my life (praying and going to Church, but still doing what I wanted without much thought to Christian teachings) but I knew it was me who had to adapt. Since then I've had ups and downs like anyone, but perhaps the biggest change in my life has been that I've accepted God's call to train for the ordained life as a Priest.
I've felt God calling me to this for a number of years now, and it was a call that was impossible to ignore. Trying my best to be obedient to God I was brought to St Albans 18 months ago, away from my fiancé, family and friends in Lincolnshire. It's safe to say I was a little scared. Luckily I didn't take too long to settle and I didn't have much time to worry anyway as working at the Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban kept me much too busy! I enjoy working here and I do all sorts including participation in worship, children's and youth work, visiting the elderly and sick, spending time in a homeless shelter, working at the Diocesan Youth Office, and I also seem to spend a lot of my time moving furniture around!! The highlights of my time at Saint Albans Abbey so far include being part of the Saint Albans Day festival, the Easter services, and devising, planning and leading ‘Goth Worship' for Abbey Youth. However, perhaps the worst memory I have is when I ‘fell‘ into the muddy and cold Essex sea when on a youth trip! It was actually quite funny at the time. And it was only when I got back to where we were staying in my soaking wet clothes and saw that everyone else had gone in the showers first that I stopped seeing the funny side. Needless to say I prayed hard then for God to keep me calm, and warm!!
In about 6 months time I am off to college to complete my training for the Priesthood. I looked at several colleges, and both my husband Jon and myself felt most at home in Cuddesdon, Oxford. So hopefully this is the right one for us, and is where God wants us to be. I'll be sad to leave St Albans but am also excited to continue my journey, and hopefully there won't be anymore close encounters with cold and muddy water...although I fear there may be!
