When I began going to Harvest Christian Fellowship in North Platte, it was the absolute best decision I could have made. The worship and message moved me so much every single week. My favorite part of the whole experience is near the end of church though. Every Sunday they do an altar call when people are allowed to come to the front and others pray for them. For some reason every week, I cry when I see this. And I don't cry because I am sad, but because I am so moved at how much love there is. I can just feel God's presence in those moments, and it comforts me to the point of tears. God is so amazing. He brings ordinary people together to do extraordinary things.
Have you ever just thought about how you got to where you are now? As I sit in my little one bedroom apartment made from a school house 35 miles from a grocery store and fast food, I truly wondered how I ended up here. I mean what other 22 year old girl would move from Lincoln, population 265,000 to Tryon, population unincorporated? Now the cheap rent was definitely a plus and big push to move here, but the decision was so easy. It was really a thoughtless decision, that I know came straight from God.
These last two years have truly helped me grow so much in my faith (and if I've grown this much in two years, I can't wait to see how much more I will grow over the rest of my life), and have caused me to really look back on each stage of my life. I've always grown up a Christian. We went to church once in a blue moon, said our prayers before eating, and talked about wrong from right. But growing up I never actively pursued God. I believed in God, but I wasn't desiring God. My junior year of high school I began going to a youth group that I loved. I didn't know anyone (my ability to go places without knowing anyone started young) and I loved that because it allowed me to be myself and almost start fresh. The students were great and the leaders were even better. Then I started college. There I made some major life changing decisions and I felt myself draw closer to God. Not to the point where I had that desiring feeling to know more, but where I started putting more faith in Him. I moved off for the east coast for four summers in a row and totally put my faith in Him to bring me back safely. I then moved to Lincoln for a year, and slipped down that slope of not really trusting Him or growing towards Him. Then God led me to Tryon, Nebraska. Small town 35 miles from anything and only 1 person my age in town. It was tough, so very tough. I was lonely at times and wondered why God would lead me away from all my friends and family, just so I could spend time by myself. It took me a while to realize it, but God didn't want me to spend time with myself, he wanted me to spend time with Him. I began going to a small church outside Tryon and it became a habit. I then began going to church in North Platte and oh did that change my life. The climate, worship, and message from that church helped bring that desire to know God more. He led me to a group of friends who helped me learn to listen what God was saying. God then led me to lead an FCA. I had never led a youth group before, and was so shy to pray out loud. But that was what He wanted, so I did it. And now God is leading me on my greatest adventure to date: Uganda. I am so amazed at how God lays out our life for us. Everything that I did has led me to this point. Every high and low. He had it all planned out from the beginning. And I'm sure I strayed from the path, but ultimately God led me to where I am supposed to be. I'm only 24 years old, but God has blessed me and taught me so much in my life. I can't wait to see what else I have to learn. I know that Uganda is just the beginning of how God is going to work through me. He is definitely just starting out on this crazy thing called my life. I will encourage you to take some time to think about the path God has placed you on. There may have been some bumps along the way, but if you really take a look at why you are someplace, I think you will find what God is trying to teach you. |