I Give You My Heart

John 16:33 says, "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace, in this world, you will have trouble but take heart! I have overcome the world." Before Christ shares this, he was teaching about the vine and the branches and then about Him leaving this place and going back to the Father. This is one of those verses that I go back to time and time again.

Last semester was one of the hardest ones I have gone through in awhile. You would think my parents getting a divorce, my dad verbally abusing me, or an awful breakup would have been worse, but I would tell you they were about the same. During those times, I remembered the peace that Christ provides for us and the truth about who we are; children of Christ - His beloved. Through all of those hard times in life, Christ took the broken pieces of my heart and held it together.

This time, there wasn't anyone else in the picture; no one that "caused" my problems - not that all of those things that happened were not partially my fault. This is where your English teacher would talk about Man vs. Self. which is really the worst. You can't really confront yourself.

College has sucked. I don't know how else to put it. The Lord spoiled me so much with such great fellowship in high school and now, with most of my best friends gone, except for a few very special people, I feel so lonely. I imagine that this is how Adam felt when he spent what would have probably been years in the garden naming animals and not having anyone like him to share a laugh with. Thankfully, I have been able to grow closer with some really awesome high schoolers that have beautiful hearts. This has been such an encouragement to me.

The Lord has been teaching me that sometimes, like Adam, we have to be patient and wait for the things He has for us. "He has made everything beautiful in it's time" Ecclesiastes 3:11. I have faith that something unexpectedly magnificent will come of this time. This will soon become a chapter in my life that I look back on and praise the Lord for what He has done just as I do with the other chapters of my life.

Lord, show me your Glory. You have my heart.

Love, Lauren