His Perfect Timing

I graduated from Eastern today, and I think it's just starting to sink in...these four years really did fly by. I have thoroughly enjoyed them, though. I've made some solid friendships, grown immensely in my faith, and learned some valuable life lessons. I've been given so many blessings and have blessed so many people. Tonight as I was playing guitar and singing for Jennifer, I was filled with this overwhelming sense of sadness and fear. Or something. I'm actually not quite sure what it was. Whatever it was brought me to tears. I usually know why I'm crying, but this time I really didn't know. I sort of felt this sense that everything I've experienced in these last four years was going to change as my friends and I all went our separate ways. Jennifer will stay here and continue going to school at Eastern, Lina's going to India for six weeks this summer on a mission trip, and I'm leaving at the end of August to spend a year in Ireland. Yes, I know there's a lot of awesome technology that will help keep us together, but it just won't be the same. No sleepovers with Jennifer. No more jam sessions with Lina. And that's only two of my friends. What about everyone at Cru? And my wonderful brothers and sisters in UCO? The Lord only knows what will happen, I suppose. And that scares the heck out of me.

I know that God has an awesome plan for my life. He has a truly beautiful plan for each and every one of His children. I know that He will change us, stretch us, strengthen us, weaken us, and sharpen us. He will do everything He can to make us more like Him. I guess what scares me the most about that is that it usually involves being outside of our comfort zones. And I very much dislike that. I'm used to order, timing, and neat schedules. I'm used to not doing things if I don't think I'll like them. I'm used to avoiding situations that might make me feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. If you didn't notice by my italicized words there, the key phrase in all that is "used to". I think the Lord is teaching me that life is not all about doing things I'm used to. What kind of a fulfilling, Christ-centered life will I live if I only do what I'm comfortable doing?

I'm glad the Lord revealed this all to me tonight...while it is still graduation day and my summer has yet to begin. I am looking forward to hearing a lot more from the Lord on this subject of getting out of my comfort zone. I pray that He would teach me to think more like Him every day and make the most out of this summer while I still have it in front of me. I love you all and I can't wait to see the ways that the Lord will change us and change our friendships according to His perfect timing...not mine.