...Another Door Opens

      These past eight weeks have been incredible, crushing, and confusing all at once. A mere eight weeks ago, I moved my entire life to a new city. I didn't know a single person here at my college. Almost all of my friends are still stuck inside the walls of my high school at home, and here I am eagerly trying to figure out my place in the grown up world. It was terrifying (and sometimes it still is). I still walk around clueless with my brave face as I try and sneak glances at the signs to find my way around campus. I still have days that I am overwhelmed and missing my friends back home. However, there are also days I get lost in uncontrollable laughter as I look around and see the friends I have made. Lately, I have been accidentally calling my dorm room "home," and it still feels a little funny at times. But, it really has started to feel like home to me.

These past eight weeks have been incredible, crushing, and confusing all at once.

        Rewind a few months and you would have found me frustrated that God basically made my college decision for me. I came to terms with His plan for me, but I was still was hanging on to a small ounce of hope that I would be called somewhere else. However, I wasn't. I now I look around and I could not be happier to be at this university. I am trusting God that He has plans more incredible that I can even imagine. He has already showed His complete faithfulness since I have come to college. He has blessed me with a group of girls who have come together to pursue God with unshakable faith. He has blessed me with a church that reminds me of my old congregation. He has shown me such an abundant amount of love and grace in my daily life and I cannot praise Him enough for that.

He has already showed His complete faithfulness since I have come to college.

     
     While this all sounds like rainbows and butterflies, I am not here to put on a facade. I did struggle the first couple of weeks I was here at college. I put God on the back-burner and ignored His presence at a time when I should have been clinging to Him the most. I went to church, but I did not listen closely. I tried to separate God from the decisions I was making. I thought I had it all figured out. Newsflash - I most definitely did not. I started seeking affirmation and approval from the wrong places and the wrong people. Luckily, it was just a few weeks and a bump in the road. I have now realized that God is my source of strength and my guidance.

        I thought I had it all figured out. 

      One of the hardest things I still have to wrap my mind around every day is the utter need for Jesus in the lives of those around me. I have always been surrounded with people who love Jesus and love to share His goodness with others. However, the majority of people I meet here do not believe that Christ is their Savior. It hurts my heart to see these people engulfed by the desires of the flesh and of this world. I always thought my mission field to spread God's Word was thousands of miles away in a foreign country, and maybe he is still calling me there. However, sometimes our mission field is right in front of our eyes. That is most definitely the most valuable lesson I have learned so far in college - plant seeds in the simplest of places.

Plant seeds in the simplest of places.