Incredible.

Lately I have just been overwhelmed by how incredible life is in Australia.

I feel like my time overseas has opened my eyes to the rawness of life: illness, death, disability, lack of income, inadequate resources, over crowding, lack of opportunities. These experiences have reshaped how I see my life, they influence my decisions and they have softened my heart.

In 2010, one in seven women women died from pregnancy or childbirth in Sierra Leone. The worst place in 2012 to be having a child is Afghanistan, but also countries like Somalia I am sure we don't even know how hard it is for women there. I've worked alongside women from Somalia for the past three years, and for me it's not just a far-away place anymore but a place that has a face, and a heart.

When I'm here in Australia I think and remember my sisters in my global family. I think of my friend Jackie who recently had a baby in Kenya, and I wonder what the experience was like for her. I know she does it tough. And this influences me.

Yes, life in Australia is incredible and I thank God for the incredible health care we have available to us. And I long for the simple life. Less consumption, less stuff, less waste and more precious moments, to become more mindful, and to be more thankful.

I don't know what the future holds - I don't even know what today holds - but I approach the future with joy, hope and faith. To seize the moment, to courageously pursue the simple life, to remain committed, to listen to my inner voice and not the voice of the crowd, to invest in others, to give encouragement and support, to love with all my heart. To grow.

Incredible.