Lee U Update

I love how even though I am going to college to do school work, I learn so much more outside the classroom. At my last Gateway class Dr. Hayes mentioned this, but it was until later that i came to realize how much I had learned. After a conversation with a friend I started to examine the past week of my life. As I examined this past week I realized how much I had learned.

Let’s start at the beginning. Saturday (9.10.16) at 10 am I got back from a retreat with Life 423 and loved every minute of it, but I was exhausted. So, I sat down and watched Gilmore Girls, cause I had nothing else to do. After a few episodes, lunch, and a few facetime calls with friends it was mid evening, still light outside, and I had nothing to do. I had been sitting in my dorm all day long and I wanted to get out, but I had no where to go and no one to go anywhere with.

With nothing to I look through my different social media sites and it seemed that everyone else was having fun and enjoying life with friends. So, I got super depressed and upset, thankfully my roommate is awesome and we watched movies for the majority of the night. Before I went to bed I went to set an alarm and realized I, for the second time, didn’t have anyone to go to church with. With not having a car and not liking to invite myself along with others, North Cleveland was my only option. Sitting in a giant church all by myself, again, was honestly the last thing I wanted to do, but I knew spending time in God’s presence, worshiping Him, and hearing His word was more important than me feeling sorry for myself. So the next morning I went.

That morning on the way to church I talked to God and was like, I don’t want to go to church this morning, but I am going because it is important to you, so please help this to be important to me too. And please let there be someone I know. I got there right before service started and looked around for anyone I might possibly know. As I looked to my left I see a girl who is in my gateway class and that I had met at youth camp many years before, so knowing her a little I asked to sit with her and her roommate. Before worship had ended another friend from Gateway had joined us. With it being 9/11, in between the music and the message Dr. Williams asked us to kneel at our pew and pray for 11 minutes for our nation, our government, our towns, our churches, our family and friends, and our selves. I prayed for everything he had mentioned and got to myself, honestly I started to bawl. I was emotionally worn out! I just wanted a group of friends that I could talk to, laugh with, and do life with! I have never seen God answer prayer so fast! After church we went out to eat and I was invited! My first thought was, Wait what? Me? You just invited me? Um okay, yeah! Wow!

We had a great time at lunch, then at baskin robbins and that night we met up to sit together at U-Church! After u-church we hung out and played what are the odds, I hadn’t laughed that hard in forever! I hadn’t had that much fun in forever! God had brought me friends! Since then I have continued to get to know and grow closer to these amazing friends!

Looking back on what happened, here is what I realized. From the time I stepped on campus up until Sunday morning I was worrying and freaking out about the fact that I didn’t have a friend group! I was so blessed to have an amazing suite and I love our night time chats and prayer times, but everyone has there own place, and I felt like didn’t. It wasn’t until I placed my focus on God instead of my circumstances and decided to be content and let him do the work, that I saw a change.

Today God brought this verse to my heart:

Philippians 4:4 & 6-7

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

This verse has been so real in my life right now! It is honestly a daily struggle to remember to be content in where God has me and to let him work on my behalf! 

If you are ever in a position where you’re overwhelmed and stressed out, just remember to talk to Him, let Him know what’s going on, and trust that he has everything under control!

A song that has been such a comfort right now has been It Is Well by Bethel!

Just a Thought From The King’s Daughter