Jumping Into The Unknown

The school year of 2018-2019 was a difficult one. I struggled a lot with the unknown of the future. I should start off explaining that I am a planner. I love to plan out my days, weeks, and months in advance. I love to pencil it into my planner and know exactly what I'm going into. So, during my junior year of college, it only seems natural that I started to wonder what my life would look like after this college experience was over. But this was a huge decision. One that would easily change my life, my mindset, and my goals.

For the majority of the year I struggled with not knowing. Not knowing where I would live, what school I would teach at, what my life would look like in just a short year. I remember praying each day for God to show me a clear answer to my questions. I mean, wouldn't it have been awesome to wake up to a flashing neon sign with all of the answers you are looking for on it? Reflecting back on last year, however, I am reminded that God was using this time to draw me closer to Him. He drew me to His word as I searched for answers, and to prayer as I talked with Him each day about my hopes for the future of my life.

In this time of searching and growth, I was brought to a verse that spoke so much to my flustered feelings. "So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who causes growth" 1 Corinthians 3:7. Immediately when I read this verse, I was reminded that the Lord is in control and always has been. This verse reminded me that we are the seeds God created to grow and to share His love with those around us. Similar to how seeds cannot sprout without sunshine, water, and care, we cannot grow without the light God shines on us, His eternal water, and His everlasting love. It did not matter what plans I was trying to form for my future or the ways I had daydreamed it to look like. The Lord has always known the plans He has had for my life. And when I was reminded of this and began trusting in the fact that His plans are far greater than mine, life was so different! I was not worried or anxious about my future. Those feelings were lifted off of my shoulders and I felt peaceful. It was the kind of peace that I have only ever experienced when spending time deep in the Lord's presence.

Soon after, I heard about an opportunity for an internship in the Dominican Republic. The Lord was and is so good and so faithful in His promises for my future. This summer was life changing for me, and I very clearly saw the ways God had been preparing me for this experience in the past. It was clear that He had had this in the plans for my life, and He was using this experience to answer the mountains of prayers in which I had previously asked about the future.

So here's a reminder to you that God is so so so good! He is faithful when He makes promises and He always sticks to His word. The Lord's plans are far greater than anything I could ever imagine for my life, and I know this because of what He is doing and has already done. I pray He continues to work through me and in me, as I follow the undeniable calling He has placed on my heart to serve Him and His people.

I'm ready to jump into this experience and follow God into the unknowns of life!