This was the year that God answered all my prayers. At the beginning of the year I made a list of prayers that I wanted God to answer throughout the year. Here is the list:
1. Help me get closer to my friends, let my friendships be deeper instead of surface level.
2. Put me in situations that are hard, but that will ultimately understand God better.
3. To break me down so that I learn to rely on God.
As I sit back and think about this year, I am starting to recognize that God has continuously answered these prayers, in small ways and big ways. As I look back at this year that has been one of the most changing, yet best years of my life, I see God's hand guiding me, leading me.
Last year on this day, I never thought my life would be what it is now. I thought I would have just finished my 3rd semester at my dream school, had another semester with my amazing Clearwater family, and spent another semester serving in the community around Clearwater. Obviously, this did not happen.
When I got back to CCC in January this year, I was nervous about a lot of things, friendships, relationships, my classes, my faith. It was a lot, but God immediately answered prayers and showed me that I could trust him. Little did I know that only a couple of months later, I would get injured, being in a wheelchair, on crutches, moved from my unit, and just broken in general, God literally taught my how to lean on Him. I thought that was hard, but God was just preparing me.
I finished the school year with amazing friends, an amazing school, and a faith I had never had before.
As I headed into the summer, I was pumped. I was so excited to spend time with my friends from home. But, already I was counting down the days before I could go back to CCC.
THEN JUNE 5TH. EVERY THING CHANGED.
Every plan I had, every hope for the next school year, every thing fell with the news that Clearwater was closing. I was in a place of being so numb, I couldn't cry, I couldn't scream, I couldn't feel anything, I was numb. Then, as reality starting setting, I started reflecting on my (short) life at CCC, and I realized that God had been preparing all of us. There were many tear filled phone calls, Skype sessions, text conversations, and face-to-face conversations that came following this day. We all knew that our college life as we had known it was over. Things were about to change,
As I prepared to go to Southeastern University, there were many times that I asked God why. I pleaded with him, I begged, I cried to him to bring CCC back, but I knew God had another plan.
This past semester at SEU was one I had never expected. I never imagined that I would make so many friends, have so much fun, and grow so much. I immediately found friends, a church, a bible study, and a college group. I got my first roommate ever, who became my best friend, and I got a faith I had never known before. I was in a place where I had to rely on God.
As I look back at this year I see every thing I have gotten, instead of every thing I have lost. I got to learn under 17 different professors, made over 400 new friends, got to live in two different cities, went to two schools, went to three churches, and got a new understanding of God. I know I will always look at this year as the year that my life changed in the most unexpected way, but I know God closed CCC because he was leading us all in His direction, His work was completed there. I got friendships that are deeper than I could have imagined, I got a better understanding of who God is. and I learned how to rely on God and trust him with my life.
Last year at this time, I could never have imagined or dreamed that I would have such an amazing, complete year. And for that, to God I am grateful.
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