Life is not always easy

It's just not. I've been talking to some friends lately about how life isn't so great right now for them. Sometimes school is boring, sometimes you're lonely, sometimes you're sad, sometimes you don't feel very good about yourself, sometimes you can't figure out what exactly you're supposed to be doing. It's hard.

God promises his people, "I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me." (Jeremiah 29)

God tells us over and over again that he loves us. I'm so blessed to live in that truth. Even when I don't understand what God's plan is I know that he loves me and will never stop loving me. This was Sar's theme song of the summer and Beef shared it with the CILTs tonight and I think you can never hear it enough times: How He Loves Us

Life is not perfect but there are always things and people to be thankful for.

I'm so excited that I talked to Livvie and Margaret today. These girls are both so special to me but I don't get to talk to them that often anymore. I'll forever remember Livvie's monkey call while on a suspension bridge sleep-out and belting out Hannah Montana from her chair in the dining hall. Margaret reminds me of CTXC early morning runs, dozens of letters over the years, and heart-to-hearts on bunk-beds.

I'm so thankful for my friends Susan and Kaitlin and Casey and Krissy up at Hope and I wish I could see them more often. I'm thankful for Erin and my new friendship bracelet from her. I'm thankful that Saba helped me hang 130 Starbucks cups in my room today. I'm thankful that I talked and laughed with April during class tonight and that I incorporated the FBC into a study genre.