His Plan.

Psalm 116:7

"Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you."

Oh, the Lord has been so good to me.

Already I am a quarter of the way done with my first semester of my Sophomore year here at Hope. It's crazy how fast time seems to go here. Lately I've been so caught up in all the things that life seems to throw at you in college: homework, tests, quizzes, the endless amount of activities and clubs that all want your attention. Quite frankly, it has picked me up off my solid tracks and driven me a bit mad.

As usual though, God has a way of taking my face in my hands and staring me straight in the eyes during these times. He forces me to pause while He whispers quietly, "Be still and know that I am God. For crying out loud Em, slow down and be with Me."

So this weekend I did just that, and in reflecting over all that God has given me lately, and all that He has shown me even just in the past couple weeks, my soul feels at rest knowing just how good He really is to me.

Last weekend, God reunited me with my friend Steph, my friend I met in Uganda who I know has been given to me as a gift from God, my partner in ministry. There are truly no words to describe the overwhelming joy my heart feels when I'm around her. Sometimes my heart feels too small for the love & fellowship we share, and it simply feels like it will burst at any moment. We both really needed to see each other this weekend, as we both needed reminders of different things. I needed reminding that I need to just be, just relax and trust that God will lead me the right way and in His timing. I needed to take things day by day, and not make any plans, but simply enjoy the blessings He is showering upon me. I needed reminding that I need to just live. How many times will God have to show me this simple lesson before I truly understand it? Oh I crave to live like that again, simple & daily in His Presence. When she's around, it's easier. I'm working on it.

There have been many things that have been confusing me lately, and instead of confronting all of these with God, I have put them off until I have time to do that. I was finally so confused and desperate that I had to take this weekend "off" to just sit and be with God and let Him speak, and that's exactly what He did. It's amazing the Peace that has settled in my heart, just from listening to the simple truths that God had been speaking to me all along, I just had not trusted in Him, myself, or His messengers.

This year, God has shown me that He wants to teach me how to be with Him, living daily in His Presence, enjoying His blessings. But more than that, He wants to teach me how to better love others, by teaching me how to better love Him. He wants to show me more of who He is, and how His Heart works, so that someday I can love others in the same way. He wants me to experience true love, true Godly Love, and He wants me to give that same Love in return. He wants to teach me how to Love, and how to be loved. He has called me to community and fellowship, because He knows that is where I experience my greatest blessings. I am honored and humbled by this call, though eagerly I accept it. He has placed some incredible people in my life to teach me all of these things, and for them I am more than blessed. This is why God has given me Steph, specifically for this purpose. Just her presence teaches me love more than she knows, and just her presence allows me to understand where God's Spirit is moving me in that moment. She teaches me how to Love and understand God and others better, just by being with me. I love her so much for that, and praise God daily for His Provision of her in my life.

[Today, Daddy, I have fallen in love with You all over again. Thank-you.]