Finding Happily Ever After in Britain

The interview of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after they got engaged captured me, the memories flooding back of my engagement to my own English prince (using that term loosely). We too recounted our love story, clasping our hands and sharing with smiles the thrill of how we met, eager to share the details that were crystalized in our minds. In those early heady days, me moving to England felt like an adventure of grand proportions – especially because of the safety net my fiancé and I constructed of us planning to live in England some five to seven years and then heading over the Atlantic. Two decades later, however, we’re still here!

Our experiences haven’t been all spring sunshine and roses, for at times the rain has soaked us and the whipping wind has chilled us. Over the years I’ve felt the pain of being separated from family and friends, of missing birthdays and holidays and the everyday shared experiences of bike rides and shopping dates. But I have found myself here in Britain, which is why the title of my book, Finding Myself in Britain, remains so apt. I’ve found my role as a wife, as a mother, as a writer and a speaker. Losing all that was familiar pushed me to cling to God and to explore who I was (and am) in him. In losing myself, I’ve found myself.

How can we find “happily ever after” when the rains come and we’re separated from loved ones? We don’t have to move country or continent to experience pain and loss – after Eden, we all will know some kind of heartache. But a relationship with God through Jesus and the Spirit will be our foundation in times of loss and times of joy. As we embrace the place where we live, the home we make whichever town or village or country that might be, we can ask God to show us how we can pour out our energy and love to build his kingdom. Empowered by the Spirit, we can use our individual gifts, histories, and outlooks in our communities.

What can this mean in practice? For me, everyday examples include not expunging my American exuberance or friendliness in conversation while remaining sensitive to those with whom I’m speaking. Or being brave enough to introduce myself or others, seeking with a big smile to break down the barriers of names or class. For others, it could be inviting a new acquaintance over for a cuppa, talking to a new person in a group exercise class, smiling to someone in the street, or arranging a street party to celebrate the royal wedding. Being rooted in our communities means we can be the hands and feet of Jesus, right where we are.

I hope Meghan Markle’s landing in Britain won’t be too difficult, that the press will respect her and her family, and that she will find her role in the Royal Family with ease and joy. I imagine she will bring passion, energy, and verve to the work she embraces, and I wish her and Prince Harry all the best.

How about you? Whether you’re a royalist or a republican, how have you found yourself in the country in which you live? How have you found yourself in God?

Amy Boucher Pye is the author of the award-winning Finding Myself in Britain, a through-the-year look at life in the UK, from Harvest to Wimbledon. She’s also written The Living Cross, a through-the-Bible devotional on the theme of forgiveness. She runs the Woman Alive book club and enjoys speaking to church groups. Find her at amyboucherpye.com.