My Inevitable Words

Wait. It's a phrase that we here so often. Just wait upon the Lord. Wait to see how God will use you. 

And, let me just say this: there is a difference between waiting upon the Lord and waiting to be used by God. I firmly believe that you do not have to wait to be used by God. Now is the time. 

When we give ourselves completely over to Jesus in true surrender, we come to the realization that without Him, we wouldn't even have breath in our lungs. We are His. My body is His. And, if we belong to Him, than he wants us to use us in our gifts now. 

There are 24 hours,  1440 minutes, 86400 seconds in a day. However you want to look at it, God is calling us to be used right now in this day, in our families, in our schools, in our churches and in our communities. 

I was on the phone with a friend this past week and she told me that something has just gotten a hold of her. "I don't want to just be existing." 

When there is a hunger to see new souls added unto the Kingdom, we recognize that God isn't calling us to wait to be used by Him. We may have to wait for certain conversations, for certain storms to pass, for certain doors to open, but we do not have to wait to say "Here I am. Send me." Isaiah 6.

To be sent is to to be the light of Jesus wherever we may walk. To be sent is to do the will of God wherever we may be at in this present time. To be sent is to act in obedience to His voice. I don't need to be sent to the other side of the world to fulfill the Great Commission. 

God will open doors right where you are at. God will work in your midst every single day.Trust Him, acknowledge Him and pray for a hunger to wake up this generation- a hunger that causes us all to say "I don't want to just be existing. I want to partake in His commission this very hour of this very day." He calls some of us to plant the seeds, others to water the seeds and then other individuals to tend the seeds that have grown into plants. We are all working together for the sake of the gospel.

We have all been given different gifts by God to function as the body of Christ. If you don't know what God has gifted you with, pray that God might reveal this to you. Seek Him in prayer and recognize that daughter, you don't need to wait no longer. God is here. God is inviting you to partake in the greatest mission, right where you are at in this present season of life.

"here in your arms, you steal my heart, and we dance." 

Today is the day to take up the armor of the Lord, to dance with Him, TO BE the hands and feet of Jesus, to love in a way that is different from this world, to be there for others when no one else will, to sacrifice, to give everything that we got, to be sensitive to His Holy Spirit, and to live in a way that makes others say, "I want what she has." 

In college, I have learned so much about this word called "love." And, through the relationships that God has placed in my life, I have learned more and more about His love for me. 

Love is a choice, not a feeling. Love is self sacrifice. Love is giving without expecting anything in return. Love is giving time when the clock chimes that you don't have enough time. Love is found in the little things, in the mundane, in the every day motions. Love is being there when no one else is willing. Love is patient. Love is relentless. Love is seeing past one's scars and forgiving them for the past, the future and the present. Love is pressing on when the world is screaming "no." Love is silence in the darkness; it is simply just being present through all the pain and the hurt. Love is forgetting about yourself;it's about serving a daughter or son of the King. Love is going the extra mile when you've already ran 26. Love is saying yes when it would be easier to say no. Love is waiting when the other has walked away. 

When Jesus died on a cross, He showed us the deepest form of love. He died, not knowing if we would love Him in return.  This past year, a thought had entered my mind. "It's scary to care so much for someone when it's quite possible that they don't care for you as much or at all." And, something tugged at my spirit when I felt God saying that "I know this all to well. So is my love for so many people." He died on a cross not knowing if we would love Him in return. God's love is seen so beautifully through the story of the prodigal son. Even when his son walked away, the father would wait every day, hoping that his son would return. Even through the hurt and pain, he waited. And, when his son returned, he ran towards him, clothed him in the finest robe and threw his son a party. 

Even when we walk away or make mistakes, Jesus stands at the door waiting for us. And, when we return, He doesn't scold us, but He rejoices. Because if we realize what true love is, we will realize that it is found in the life of Jesus. This love goes beyond our understanding.

As I mentioned previously, there have been so many different women that God has placed in my life over the past few years who have given me glimpses of God's love for me. 

There have been moments of joy and moments of pain. I have laughed and cried with them. There have been sleepless nights, yet jokes made to keep me sane.There have been tears shed on the front porch at 3 in the morning and there has been laughter spilled out across the living room floors at Midnight. There have been nights spent in the prayer room and early mornings spent in prayer and devotion.  There has been taking risks. There has been jumping off cliffs, hiking mountains and sweating through early morning runs. There have been letters of encouragement when I was stuck in the library until closing hours. There has been homemade soup when I was sick. There has been free coffee just because. There has been four hour phone calls. There has been distance, yet closeness. There have been road trips, sleeping under the stars, spontaneous adventures in Los Angeles and all over the country, 

I admire each of these women who I get to call some of my best friends. I don't know why I got so lucky when it comes to the friends that God placed in my life. I am so loved and love each of these women so much. I hope that they recognize just how beautiful, inside and out, they truly are. 

If you've ever taken the Love Languages test, you would know that there are Five Love Languages. My top two love languages are Words of Affirmation and Quality Time. It is no wonder that this is also how I express my love. Thus, I write this blog on love because I hope that we get a glimpse of what Valentine's Day is truly all about. It is day to give a shout out and go the extra mile to express how much we value and love the people that God has placed in our lives. 

Jesus is forever my first love. He was the one who brought joy into my life when there was so much sorrow. He brought back my smile and my joy. He placed a crown of flowers upon my head and danced with me in the meadow. He spoke to me when I was lonely. He gave when I didn't deserve it. He listened when I ranted. He forgave me before I forgave myself. He pursued me when I stopped pursuing Him. He gave me water when I thought I couldn't endure the time spent in the desert.

And, He blessed me with friends that are worth celebrating. No words will ever be able to express the amount of love that I have for each of these beautiful women of God. It is through their lives that I have grown and learned just that much more about God and His ultimate sacrifice and love for me. So, here's to all of love. Here's to all of the relationships in our lives. Here's to Valentine's Day. 

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers-most which are never even seen-don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving...Steep your life in God reality, God initiative, God-provisions."(Matthew 6:30,33 MSG)

This verse has continually been in my spirit through the past couple weeks. I am a broke college student, with loans over my head, and bills to be paid for in which I don't quite have the money for.  As I stared at my bank account numbers and became discouraged and frustrated, I suddenly heard a small, quiet voice.  As I began to worry about how I was going to pay for groceries for the week, I felt a strong presence in the room. It was a small voice of faith that repeated the words, "If I can clothe the lilies of the field, how much more will I provide for you? You are my daughter, my daughter...Have faith." Faith is what drives us. It is what causes us to pray for the impossible, to believe in what the world is telling us "no" and to hope for something that we can't even wrap our human minds around. 

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."(Matthew 6:33 NKJV)

Turn your attention to what God is doing right now in our midst, in what He is doing in the lives of others. Be encouraged.  May we become so hungry to see the truth lived out, to see the miraculous in our midst, to plant seeds of faith that are going to open doors that have been shut for too long, to see revival in our own lives, in our families, in our communities, in our cities, in our regions.  All it takes is a little bit of faith. Right before this verse is given in Matthew 6:30, the disciples had just asked God "How do we pray?"  And, Jesus replied unto them, "pray to your Father who is in the secret place."  We have to get into the secret place. This is where our faith is built up. It is in the secret place where we recognize that He will provide. He will bring clarity and transformation to our minds. We cannot step into deeper communion with God if we do not communicate with Him.  Communication is the key to every single relationship. Prayer is being in communication with God. This intercession is the key to God coming into our lives and doing the miraculous.  As Christians, we need to start praying and believing in the same God who was with David on the battlefield and with Daniel in the Lion's den, who was able to feed thousands with just five loaves of bread and some fish and who became manifested in the flesh in which He rose again on the third day.

Now is not the time to remain quiet. Before we are sent out, I believe that it is important for us to recognize that we got to get a hold of this idea of true, authentic faith in the Lord of Lord's and the King of King's.

I have been learning what it means to truly trust God with every fiber of my being. To spare you all the personal stuff that I am going through, I want to reveal to you that "God shouts to us in our pains." -C.S. Lewis. He creates beauty from ashes. He uses the brokenness of the world as a means to wake up both the believers and the unbelievers. 

"I'm not going to interfere until I hear my bride intercede." -David McGovern

I'm a communications major and one of the things that we continually emphasize in all of our classes is that "We are never not communicating." As Christians, we are sending a strong message to the world through both our verbal and non-verbal communication.

We are called to be set apart. 

 It's nearing the end of dead week and most of us have survived. Our sanity, now that may be an entirely different story, but at least we are still alive and breathing, even if it feels like we aren't. We are hanging onto every cup of coffee, every minute of sleep that we can find, every moment of nodding off in the library and every ounce of information that makes us come to the realization that we didn't pay attention in class as much as we thought we had.

I guess there is a reason they call this dead week. Your body is begging you to stop, your mind is asking you more questions than you can even process, and your heart is telling you to just drop out of school. 

You step into the library at Midnight and ask yourself, "Where have these people been all semester?" 

I texted a friend today and told her to Have a great day and stay sane! She responded that her sanity is already gone. Mine must be too. I have a speech to write, one more paper to go and eventually, four finals to study for. Instead,here I am, blogging. 

"The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life."                                                        -Jessica Hische

I stumbled upon this quote today and I believe that this is so true. I hope to write, I hope to inspire, I hope to be creative, I hope to tell stories, and I hope to speak for the unspoken.

While it is true that I sit here, a year away from walking across the stage and earning my Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies and Journalism, my procrastination is a simple reminder to me of why I'm here.

I don't want to just get lost in the academics, in the sweat and the tears, in the sleepless nights, in the grades, in the classrooms, in the unknown parts of the library that make you feel that at any moment you'll be entering the land of Narnia.

I (hope) am to write. I (hope) am to inspire. I (hope) am to be creative. I (hope) am to tell stories and I hope(am) to speak for the unspoken.

College is a season that I am passing through, but I don't want to walk across that stage, shake President Jon Wallace's hand and look back to only see myself buried in the books without realization that life is now, life is present, life is enjoying the current season that I am in.

Dead week has made me realize that, while it is difficult and at times, it feels like you are just a contestant on Survivor, there is so much joy in this current season of life. 

We are twenty-something year old's with an entire future ahead of us. And, yes, the classes and the dates with the library will continue to be on our to do list, but more important than that is the every day journey, the every day journey that allows you to see that you don't have to hope for the future, but that you can just simply be.

You are a child of God. You are an individual who is being used by God, you are bringing glory unto His name, today. The choice is yours. Every day, the choice is ours. The mindsets and attitudes that we choose to wear is all up to us.

I'm a dreamer and oftentimes, especially during dead week, I long to already be graduated and working full time in the field that I love so much. I long to know where I will be in a year from now. Will I still be in So Cal or will I be living on the other side of the United States? Will I still be as close in relationship to all of the wonderful friends that I have made in the past few years? I wonder this, but then I realize, why worry? God is writing our stories and He is inviting us to be a part of it. He is asking that we will presently partake in today's story that is a part of a much greater purpose that we can't even begin to yet understand. As college students, this chapter isn't forgotten. It is written in our book. It is necessary before the next chapter is written.

College is a time of growth. I have learned more about myself in the past few years than my entire life combined. I have formed relationships that have shaped me, challenged me and transformed me. I have sat in the library until 3 a.m. for countless nights, I have stayed up until the crack of dawn writing papers, I have shared my heart and have shared tears with friends, I have drank more coffee in the past year than I ever thought I would have drank in my lifetime, I have gone on spontaneous adventures, I have created memories, I have laughed and cried until my stomach hurt, I have danced and belted out songs at Midnight through the dormitory hallways, I have hiked mountains, I have wandered in the valley, I have looked in the mirror and smiled back, I have been hurt, I have loved, I have discovered my passion for music, for ministry, for writing, for public speaking, for interpersonal communication, I have seen beauty created from ashes, I have ran two half marathons, I have eaten In-n-out fries at 1 a.m, I have learned to somewhat cook, I have jumped off cliffs, I have chased the sunlight, I AM a college student.

So, as you are going through dead week, wishing that you were curled up in a blanket, drinking Hot Cocoa and watching another season of "Friends," just remember that even the most mundane and difficult moments of college are all a part of this every day journey of life.

Time moves quickly Thousands of faces pass on by And leave inevitable memories While the watch on my wrist chimes tick tock Time moves forward The waves beat upon the shore Dawn and Dusk become closer friends As the trees wave goodbye To summer once again Time slows down The moon's face is made known And, our breath is seen for the first time For the first time in a year Time moves quickly And, the marine layer fog speaks hello to my heart The fog whispers a unique song He knows where I've been Time moves forward My eyes are shut The salty air refreshes my spirit I've returned home

In life, I make the effort to go on coffee dates with a lot of different people. Whenever I call my mother and tell her about my week, she suddenly becomes concerned that I'm addicted to coffee. Honestly, I could give up coffee. I'm not dependent upon it like many of my peers. However, it would be difficult to give up the "soul cafe." There are few things in life that are more beautiful than deep, raw, difficult, and genuine conversation that takes place over a good cup of coffee.  As author Leonard Sweet states, "My favorite soulcafe is communion coffee, which fuels passionate brainstorms with other dreamers and schemers. Coffee talk makes the best God talk." (from The Gospel According to Starbucks). 

To use the analogy of a coffee shop to describe our relationship with God and the way we live out the gospel might seem ridiculous, but hear me out. When one goes to get coffee from a soul cafe, there is a meaningful experience that is taking place. There is passion within the conversation and there is an open door that makes you feel at home. In fact, at one of my favorite coffeehouses in Pasadena, the baristas greet their customers by saying, "Welcome Home." 

Starbucks, a company that started in 1971 in Seattle, Washington, has thrived significantly as one of their undertone mission statements as a corporation is "to help people." 

Isn't that our mission statement? As Christians, once we come to know Jesus, we aren't just meant to keep it all to ourselves. The Great Commission states, "Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations." The Gospel message is meant to be heard throughout all the earth. We do this through love, selflessness and a desire not only to please God, but to help other people. We are called to love one another as ourselves. We serve not out of obligation and duty, but out of true love.  "In Starbucks philosophy, when the music stops, life stops,"(12). 

The music can be a metaphor to the Spirit of God. If our churches don't talk about the power of the Holy Spirit, if our churches don't pray for the move of the Holy Spirit and our people ignore God's Spirit, how will we be able to experience the true meaning and purpose of life?

"He is Light, Living Water, the Path to God, a Shepherd seeking lost sheep. He is life itself. He told compelling stories, and He is the story...He called us to follow, to experience life like never before, to share with others in the life of faith. Passion, meaning, imagery, experience. Each of those has tremendous meaning for an evangelist; each one is part of the good news of the gospel." -Leonard Sweet

Here is the good news. To accept the gospel message doesn't mean that we have to continually live our lives according to obligation. We choose to live according to the gospel because Jesus has already chosen us. 

God became flesh and lived a life in the physical world to demonstrate passion and true meaning in our relationship with Him and with one another. He came to earth to die on a cross, the most beautiful act of love, to die for His children, not knowing if they would love Him in return. He took our wounds and our sins to the cross, simply because He was driven by love. 

"From the heart it has come, to the heart shall it go." -Beethoven

People are moved towards experiences, experiences in life that leave them passionate and moved to tell others about what they have experienced. Once we experience the sweet presence of God, we are moved. Our emotions are stirred and we desire to experience the depth of God's radical love for us and one another. The true experience of the gospel message is found through the sweet presence of God. 

When I go to a coffee shop for the first time, it is the music, the cool vibes and the friendly faces that make me feel welcomed. But, there is a feeling that I get that I can't explain or put into words that appeals to the spirit of my being. And, so I invest my time and my money into the coffee shop. I leave wanting even more. 

When visitors come to our church for the first time, I ask them how they enjoyed the service. Many times, we hear that they loved the music and the friendly people. But, it doesn't stop there. They come back and say that there is something that they feel that they can't put into words. Of course, we understand, as born again believers, that what they are feeling is the powerful presence of God.  God understands that we are emotional creatures. We feel deeply. And, so, He stirs us emotionally by His Holy Spirit. He creates deep meaning and then guides us in understanding as to what it is that we are exactly experiencing and what He has called us to surrender to Him and act upon in obedience. Our obedience isn't driven by guilt and fear, but it should be driven by love. 

When we get together for coffee, we get TOGETHER. It is a created community that "invites us to a better experience-a better experience,"(128). We gather together on Sunday's and during the week to experience the presence of God TOGETHER. To encourage one another and learn TOGETHER.  The Gospel of Jesus invites us to live in community with one another, to establish deep and meaningful relationships and to come to an understanding that we were created to be in a relationship with our Father in Heaven. 

We need to build more bridges and less walls. The church is an invitation to connecting with Jesus, the lover of our soul, and to connecting with one another as we learn about what it means to be a disciple and a friend of God.  Jesus demonstrated that even the simplest act of kindness meant a whole lot in the Kingdom of God. 

This is why I go to different coffee shoppes. I go to CONNECT. I have the sole intention of investing into relationships, into starting a bible study over coffee, into having deep conversations about the gospel and being inspired in this season of my life to learn all that I can about the foundation of our faith. Trust is the foundation to our relationship with God. We must understand the Word of God, we must understand that "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us," John 1:14.

We are all a part of the body of Christ. There are so many people out there who need life. Life is Jesus. It is a simple message. Jesus loves you. Jesus wants to be in a genuine and trusting relationship with you. The gospel message has not changed. "The true worshipers shall worship in SPIRIT and in TRUTH." John 4:24 TOGETHER. 

My soul is brewing. My soul is brewing with time. The sweet aroma, the presence of God, stirs in me a passion and a burden to love-to love others and speak truth into people's lives. To know Jesus-that we may not shy away from biblical truth and that we may experience the Spirit of God in our lives on a daily basis. Just as many of us need that cup of coffee to get through the day, we need Jesus. We come to know Him more when we drink from His cup through prayer, reading of the Word, solitude and more. 

I am a small, undeserving human being, who was saved by His grace and love. Jesus offered me a cup of coffee, a cup of life(Copa Vida) that always satisfies and leaves me in a state of wanting even more. He has brewed a cup of coffee in my soul that makes me want to share this cup with others. 

The church is in and outside the four walls. The church is found in simple acts of kindness, in community, in a mindset attitude that we are all meant to be a part of the body of Christ, in a mindset that it isn't us vs. them. People just don't know about the best cup of coffee in town yet. We have to approach the gospel in this way. Before we even know their names, let's pray for them, let's love them, yet let us not shy away from the truth and what the Word of God states. "Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

I was once asked, "How do you draw closer to God? How do you love Him?" And, the first thing that comes to my mind is this: "Draw near unto God and He will draw near to you." James 4:8

It is my choice to draw near to God. I can go through the motions, I can go to church, and I can surround myself by other people who also love Jesus, but there has to be a conscious effort to truly love Jesus. It isn't just based off of a feeling that I have...maybe, we go to church and the worship was just off the charts and we love what we feel. But, do we love what we feel and what we get more than truly just loving Jesus? To love God simply for who He is- that He is the Great I Am. Do we only love the created culture and atmosphere? Will we still love Him just as much when we are along wandering in the quiet woods? 

Despite our circumstances, will we still LOVE Him? If love is a choice, what do I mean by the idea of loving Him? We have to make choices every day that show Him that we love Him.(Using the pronoun, I, imagine that you are the one who is writing this.) I love through my worship. I love through the way that I dress to honor God and those around me. I love through my selfless acts of service. I love through handwritten letters. I love through prayer. I love through fasting. I love through reading His Word. I love through solitude. All of these things are choices that I have made to draw closer to Jesus and get to really know Him. Or, they are choices that I am striving to make. 

Even through the pain and even through the suffering, I continue making these choices because simply put, I love Him. And, He loves me.

Now, let me say that I by no means have figured out this idea of love. I never will. I am a human being and I don't have it all together. God is forever molding me to be more like Him as I learn to love Him better and love those that are around me better. There will be days where making these choices will be more difficult than others, yet this idea of choosing Jesus will be the best choice that I will ever make in my entire life.  Through loving Him, I have learned to better love those that are around me. Trust is the foundation of our relationship with God and thus, it is the foundation of our every day relationships. And, remember that in discouragement and trials, "All things work together for good to those that love God." LOVE. If you choose God, He will work everything out. But, you have to let go and trust Him. He ALWAYS has His best in mind for your life. And, by trusting Him, you are loving Him, for you are understanding that His will is greater than your own. And, surrender is a tough choice to make. But, it is the best choice to make. For, when we surrender and make this choice to love Him with all that we are, we find that "In His presence, there is fullness of joy." Psalm 16:11

And, it is the same in relationship with one another. We choose to love one another. I guarantee you that the first time you met someone, you didn't tell that individual "I love you!" after parting ways. 

Love is a choice, not a feeling.  Jesus made the choice to die on a cross for you and me, not knowing if we would love Him in return. He chooses us over and over again and beckons for us to choose Him by making every day choices that show those around you that you have decided to follow Jesus and love Him with all that you are.

This makes me think of the five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, gifts, and touch. To tell or show someone that you love him/her, you make a conscious choice to do these things. And, it is the same in our relationship with God.

My top two love languages are words of affirmation and quality time. Shocker. I'm a writer, so obviously, I show my love to other people through written letters, notes, etc. When someone writes me a letter or a short note with a few words on it or verbally says something to me that is affirming, I feel more loved than if someone had handed me free tickets to a concert with a $25 gift card to my favorite restaurant. Yes, of course, I feel loved in that way as well, but there is nothing that beats a handwritten letter. Call me old school, but that's alright. I love how our words can do anything. My favorite quote is from the wise C.S. Lewis, "You can make anything by writing." So true.

So, why did I write all of that? Well, just as I receive love best, I express my love that way. Every day, I journal. And, writing to God is one of my favorite times of the day-it's my way of expressing just a little piece of my heart to Him. It is a way for me personally to draw near to Him. 

And, I believe that each of us have times throughout the day where we make a conscious choice to love God.

Within our every day lives, there are so many different ways that we can express our love to one another, and ultimately, our love to God.  Jesus longs to give us gifts, He longs to spend time with us, His presence is near, He has written us many words and uses other people to speak into our lives, and He serves us in return(I think of how Jesus washed the disciples feet, which is one of my favorite stories in the Bible...it literally blows my mind whenever I read that passage.) If anyone knows how to truly express His love to people, Jesus certainly has those five languages down. It is true that what we  learn from Him, we can apply every day into our relationships. What choices will you make to best love the people that God has surrounded you with? We should love one another just as we long to be loved in return. I pray that we may get a revelation of how to best love and serve those around us without expecting anything in return. That's how Jesus loved us. He was willing to give up His life, not knowing if we would love and serve Him in return. That is crazy love. 

pine trees whistling guiding me  to that good old log cabin Tonight.

Dust collected on the window panes erase the memories  with the palm of my hand Tonight.

Wolves howling Thunder roaring The rain is invading my mind Tonight.

But, tonight

Tonight is the night I see My heart skips with the pebbles My mouth sings with the trees And, my soul finds rest

In these old woods. Don't need to be anywhere else You are always here with me.

"You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." -Proverbs 19:21

As human beings, we inevitably have a plethora of dreams, hopes and goals for our future. We look towards the great unknown and wander where our lives will end up. We look ahead and visualize the future that is to take place. We are planners. 

There are times in our lives when a situation takes place and it didn't turn out as we had hoped or dreamed. And, we sit for a moment, take a deep breath and wonder why and how we ended up where we are at right now.

Here's what I have learned in my short twenty years of life.

The Lord's purpose will always prevail.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

There is one thing that I can intend on always doing and it is simply this: fix my eyes on Jesus.

I have had dreams and I still have dreams, but the Lord has been patient with me and has showed me that He has a greater purpose in all things.

Oftentimes, I sit here and wonder why did I go through a certain storm or why did a particular situation not turn out as I had hoped...but, then I realize, the storm was necessary.

When the waves are crashing, I am overwhelmed. But, when I set my eyes on Jesus, like Peter did in the middle of his storm, I step out in faith and trust Him. Sometimes, we become overwhelmed and can't see the end and that is why we begin to sink into the relentless and unforgiving waves. But, my Father, who is forgiving and understanding, reaches out to me and shows me His glory. And, when I come out of the storm, I am closer to Jesus than before the storm began. I trust Him that much more and I can testify to those around me about the goodness of Jesus Christ.

And, I understand now. I thought I could just stay in the boat and be comfortable with life and my own perfect plan, but I know now that this is not the case whatsoever.

Here is my heart:

i had a plan. God has a better plan.

And, while I still have desires buried deep within my heart, God's plan and His dream has been etched into the deep recesses of my soul.

I begin to ask these questions instead: What can I do for You, God? Here are my hands and feet. You love me. You love me with a love that I can't comprehend. And, all I have to offer unto you is simply my heart.

In relationship with Him, I have seen that nothing else matters, but His greater purpose.

I am just a college student who dreams of the potential and the hopes of tomorrow. But, I want to slow down and say this: let's dream about today. Let's just be. I only have 86,400 seconds in a day to love, to serve and to enjoy this current season of life that I am in. And, through every moment, every question, every battle, every dry desert, I trust God.

Just be. Rest in His arms and know that God has a greater purpose for your life. He simply just wants to have a relationship with you. And, through our relationship with God, we will discover the greatest purpose in our lives: to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. 

And, that is where we have to trust God. He will take us to the places that we need to go and the people that we need to be with and the people that we need to serve and grow alongside with.