As I sit here at my desk with my pile of Kleenexes, cough drops, and everything I could possibly find on a college campus labeled Vitamin C, I just can’t even begin to describe my life at this current moment in time. Seriously, within the last 72 hours my life has literally been spinning 365 degrees and not stopping. I could point out all the negative aspects. I could pout. I could complain. I could even say that I am so sick that I feel like a zombie walking around, that I just really just want to go on a vacation, or the fact that I have a million things going on all at once. Although it is all somewhat true, I just can’t… I can’t find it in me to be negative, stressed, or even just apathetic. This state, whatever it may be, is truly a blessing. For once throughout this entire semester, I am not studying for the next day’s exam, practicing a class presentation, or you know, doing that last minute editing for a paper (no I don’t procrastinate. Stop assuming J). I have NOTHING, nada, zilch. I finally have the time to just sit, think, and fathom what has been going on in this crazy life of mine. As I begin to process, I want to share some important things with you first. I want to start by saying; God is good all the time! He has shown me through literally every aspect (both good and bad) of my life that He is present and that He is working in ways I can’t even imagine. He has shown me that even though I try to control the future and am constantly planning; he wants me to be still. He wants me to be with Him. He wants me to let everything go and trust that He is in control. (Psalm 46:10).
I think it is just so easy to hop on board with the rest of the Western society and be so focused on controlling/planning the future. We loose sight of God and trusting in Him. Instead, we have this constant need to satisfy our want for more, or at least, we have that need to know what is going to happen next. It’s that sense of always pushing forward until we have gone to far, to a point where we have overworked ourselves or not met our own satisfaction. I do this so often. I have always been a future seeker. Planning, organizing, strategizing, until I got a good picture of how everything was going to be. But it wasn’t until recently that I realized how important it is to live in the presence. We so easily try to control what is going to happen next. We forget God. We forget that He is at work. I know it may be hard to process because of pain and suffering, but He is. His power is behind comprehension, and He is so good to us. Jer. 29:11, Matt. 6:34, and Isaiah 55:8-11. I am trying to focus on these verses and the fact that God is in control.
I am living proof to say to you that He is control. Although I do not always know exactly what and how, but the one thing I do know, is that He always is. He is always in control, and He is always working. I can’t emphasize that enough. One aspect that God is working through me is for my passion for nursing and my passion for mission work. I have wanted to be involved in medical missions since the time I decided my life to becoming a nurse as a little girl. My church would put on a mission week every year where missionaries all over the world came and spoke. One year, as a third grader, I stood up on stage and told the congregation that I wanted to be a missionary and a nurse like one that had spoke. And still to this day I feel that calling on my heart and I dream of one day doing just that. God has heard the prayers of my heart and the prayers of others! It is my pleasure to announce that I am going to be living out my dream as a missionary. Graciously, I was chosen along with 15 other students to be a part of a semester abroad program with my nursing school here at Indiana Wesleyan University. Yes, that is right. Semester Abroad!! I will be living in Zambia, Africa in the fall for three months (Aug-Oct). There I will be learning and working in clinics, orphanages, and remote villages in Zambia. I can’t wait.
But it wasn’t until today when it all truly sunk in. I wanted to tell my professor about my acceptance. She has been such a great mentor and role model throughout my time here at the university. The minute I told her about my good news, she jumped up and down and screamed. I was totally not expecting that. Literally, full out scream of excitement. But then after a brief moment she looked me in the eyes with a few tears running down her check and said… I had been praying that God would work through you and that God would meet the desires of your heart. Wow, I was speechless. This whole time God was in control. I had no idea she was praying for me. I had no idea that she even cared. As I conclude, I want to leave you with one last thought. If your world is running non-stop and you don’t feel like you can catch a break like I have, just remember that God is in control. Don’t just always be looking for what is coming next, but live in the present. Trust in Him. It is hard, but like I said earlier, it’s totally worth it!
Thanks for letting me share with you the great things God has done in my life.
Until next time, Adiós y hasta luego!
Abrazos y besos(hugs and kisses),
Lauren
Lauren
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