An abundance of grace

    "He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it......Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”
-Genesis 28: 10-13, 16

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    All too often in my own life, I fail to recognize when God is at work. I take so much for granted and fail to recognize His handiwork. Like Jacob, if often takes that moment of, "Wow! God is here!" to get me to recognize where He was at work. To change this, last January I set out on a journey to "find God in my life." I remember asking Him to reveal Himself to me; to show me how He was at work in my life and to give me eyes to see more of Who He is. Little did I know where this journey would take me. 

     From the very beginning, I felt Him at work in my life in a new way. Many trials came my way and with them, many God moments. This past year has been the hardest, yet most amazing year of my life! God has taken me out of my comfort zone time and time again to accomplish His goal; He has challenged and grown me in so many areas. I have seen Him at work a dozen time over and have stood in awe at this King Who deems me worthy of His attention; of His love; of His grace.

     Shortly before our move last summer, I remember we had a family meeting in which my parents asked us to pray with them about whether we should move that year or this year (2016). In that moment, I felt the Lord impress it upon my that heart that- whether or not my parents moved that summer- I needed to come that year. I just knew God had something planned here for my life this summer and if I didn't move last year I would miss it. Then we moved, and those first 5 months were the hardest months of my life. I remember begging God to send me a friend and He did. He sent the sweetest gal into my life to minister to and pray with me during that season. Then, in His goodness and wisdom, He removed her from my life for the time being. I couldn't understand why He had answered my prayer just to "take back His answer" a few short months later. Hadn't I prayed for that friend?? So why then was He taking her away from me?? Once more, I begged Him for a friend. Enter Daniel Carr. Dan was "just a friend of my brother's" at first, but as I got to know him he quickly became a good friend to me. Over the summer as we hung out more things changed. Dan and I are now courting (yay!) and as of last week, the friend I thought had moved away forever, has returned to Moscow and is once more back in my life.

     I see now that God had this incredible plan laid out all along; a journey of trials and questions that led to an abundance of blessings and joy. You see, God often veils His plans for our lives only revealing them in small portions, so as to give us a glimpse of Who He is in our lives. Like Jacob, it is those little "ladders to heaven" moments that open our eyes to the beauty of that plan. Truly, God is in this place; in my life. How thankful I am for this undeserved downpour of love and grace! How amazed I am that He would deem me worthy of such blessings and kindness! 

"He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet upon a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God."

 Psalm 40:2-3

For the glory of God!