When Disaster Comes...

I'm going to be honest,  I was really struggling with something to write about this week. Having this blog is so awesome and it's been a source of accountability to make sure I'm sharing with all of you what the Lord teaches me. But, sometimes the creativity is lacking. And some weeks, I'm clueless as to what God wants me to share with you.. and some weeks I wonder if anyone even reads this. (Shout out to my mom and dad, I know they do!)

Regardless, the Lord very gracefully reminded me of something just a few minutes ago with a song. Which is often how I'm reminded of seasons of my life.

My first semester of college was very difficult. I had just gone through one of the darkest and most difficult periods of my life in Greenville, questioning Christ's plan for me,  and I was quickly told that I had to leave home, move to college with very few people I knew... and start a new life.  I wasn't very good with drastic change... and at the time and I was a home-body. (Both of which, have since have left my personality and character, Praise God.) The two of those descriptions don't go very well together, might I add.

So, as I was making (and loosing) friendships, trying not to "follow the crowd", ( I hate that term, by the way) and trying to still follow Christ, I felt as if everything I had known to be comfortable, familiar and happy was being taken away. Which, in hindsight, it WAS because all of the "stuff" and familiar people were crutches for me. I was being pruned in a way in which I had never experienced before. My faith was becoming my own, it literally couldn't be dependent upon what I was being taught in youth group, or what my parents were modeling for me. I had to begin deciding and taking initiative in where I was going to worship, IF I was going to worship and what groups of people I was going to affiliate myself with. I was constantly filled with fear and anxiety that semester. IT was awful.

One night in September, I was studying in the library and listening to music. I remember this song coming on, in my headphones and turning it up as loud as I could, without my eardrums bleeding. It was a reminder of the Lord's covenant to ME. I knew that He promised never to let us go. But, sometimes it takes hearing it 897 times before the gravity and weight of it sinks in.   I listened to this song (click here to listen to it) and wept... and wept. Luckily, I was in a study room by myself. (I have a pretty ugly cry.) It was such an intimate time that the Lord was speaking over me these words. He was saying to me that regardless of WHO is around you,  if you feel that all Hope is gone,  if everything is crumbling, if you are filled with anxiety,  if you feel alone, if everything is beautiful and perfect, if everything is bright, if people around you are encouraging... He will never let go. I find SUCH hope in that alone! The Lord of the Universe, Creator of the World, Sustainer of Life, Repairer of Broken Walls, Redeemer, Sovereign over all the Earth, Omnipotent in Power, Omniscient, Unconditional in love and... our Relational Lord promises to us He Will Never Let Go.

If end of school is getting overwhelming, if your family is running around tying up loose ends, if your child is taking standardized tests everyday, if you are fille with anxiety, if you're having a health scare, if someone close to you is suffering,  remind them of that Covenant. Remind them of the Promise that the Lord promises to never break and to always sustain. He will never let go, regardless of where they run, regardless of chaos around them, AND regardless of their ability\inability to recognize it. He never changes. He will never let go. Rest in that assurance, dear friends!!  I am resting, abiding and being filled as I write. He is ever faithful, and ever true. His perfect love will never let go of you. Remind your children of it over and over and over.... May there never be a time in their life in which they don't know that promise!

Oh What Love!