God is good

"God is good....... all the time. 

and all the time..... God is good."

This is a quote I remember my dad reciting almost every Sunday morning in church. It's so simple, yet so true. God is always good to us- all the time! Not sometimes, not just on Fridays, or on birthdays, but ALL THE TIME. He never fails us. He's always there- past, present, and future. He's always planning ahead and he always knows best. Sometimes I think I lose grip of that fact. I forget that God's got it all under control. I probably should punish myself like in middle school and write it down five times a day, "God has it under control, God has it under control, God has it under control...." 

You know how I was super worried about college and where I'd end up next year? Well, to my surprise, God has it all under control. I just found out my next year of college is also going to be paid for! Basically, I can go to any school I wanted to for 2 full semesters- even Gardner-Webb! That makes me so happy that my options are a little more open :) I still need to worry about Junior and Senior year of college though. I've been thinking and praying, and I just need to look at my options at this point. If I stay at GWU, I'd just get more attached than I already am so I'm realizing that it might not be such a good idea to stay. My next option is to go to UNC at Greensboro (close to home). I was able to get a tour there yesterday and I loved the campus and I could see myself fitting in there. Another option is to take classes at GTCC and save money to live in an apartment for my junior and senior year. That way I'd save the free year for my junior year at UNCG- if that all makes sense. There are so many options now I just don't know where God wants to put me. Although it's very stressful for me to figure out a plan for the next few years, I can only leave it in God's hands. The devil is doing whatever he can to stop me from both living my dreams and from doing what God's called me to do. But what the devil doesn't realize is that God has an even bigger plan for my life than I could ever imagine, but those plans will only follow through if I trust Him. "God is good- all the time."

-Christa Danielle

Burdens

I've been at college for what? Seven months now? I cannot tell you how much I love it. God is doing so much in my life, it's unbelievable. Especially this semester, things have really begun to prosper. God has just laid so many exciting opportunities in my lap. Although my schedule has become ridiculously busy, I am doing things I truly love. As a freshman, I am french club president! and we have so many exciting things planned this semester.. also I start my new job at the YMCA tomorrow and I can't describe how excited I am! Every Tuesday and Thursday I'm volunteering at Boiling Springs Elementary School to tutor two little 4th graders, Hayden and Dawson, in math. They are so sweet and silly and I adore working with them. I also am being paid to tutor in french! This is something that blows my mind, I would have volunteered for such and honor, but I'm getting paid extra cash for it! I'm so happy because it's not just helping them, it's helping me brush up on my french I might have forgotten.

Things like this give me such a satisfying confirmation from God that this, this is what I am supposed to do with my life. I am meant to teach. Without a doubt in my mind, the Lord has called me to be a teacher, and I couldn't be happier! Just the tutoring and working at the Y with kids brings me so much joy because I know it's leading up to what I'm really meant to do. I cannot wait for what the Lord has in store.

Although I can't contain how happy I am about the wonderful things going on in my life, a ridiculous and heavy burden has fallen on me. My dad has informed me that we can't afford for me to go to Gardner-Webb anymore. Just as everything was going so wonderfully in my life, God just slips it right out from under me. I ask myself why? and the only comfort I can rely on is the fact that there is a reason for everything. God obviously has bigger plans in store. He calls the shots, and even though I don't want to at all, I have to obey. I must follow His guidance, and His plan. I've made great friends here at GWU, and this place has become like my home.

I know God has great things in store, and all I can do is trust. This verse gives me comfort:
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. " Psalm 68:19

-Christa Danielle