note to self

Dear Sarah,

You don't have much to complain about in life at the moment.
You catch yourself smiling all of the time and that makes your grin grow wider.

Classes seem easy. You like your professors and grades are high [and hopefully going to stay that way].

You love your new friends and can't believe you doubted any potential friendships a couple months ago. Goodness gracious, they make you laugh and I know how much you love being in a room immersed in laughter.

You love the genuine fervor of your new church and being a part of a beautiful community of people who love the Lord so deeply.

You are excited to get involved in YoungLife(s) and the other day were blown away to the point of tears because you are so in awe of what Jesus is doing and inviting you to be a part of.

You are abundantly grateful for your family back home because you have realized not everyone has kind, mega supportive parents [who send you Children's books and pray for you] and sisters who argue over washing dumb dishes, but scream laughter a minute later.

You have so much visible joy and you sleep easy at night.

God is so evident in answering prayers you've been praying for at least a year right now and you can't fathom His goodness.

But it won't always be that way and I think you know that.

Sometimes it's hard to be joyful, but I want to remind you of the "good times" because in retrospect, you wouldn't recognize [or appreciate] God's faithfulness presently without the bad mixed in too.

Keep studying hard. Keep investing in new friendships and loving people through Jesus. Be a faithful member of The Well and keep trying to get to know your church family. Be steadfast in YoungLife(s) and don't be discouraged when you find your heart weary. Keep being thankful for your family and friends back home [and tell them you love them dearly, regularly]. Strive to be joyful even when you cry yourself to sleep at night.

And keep trusting in the Lord [and obeying Him] because He is great and kind and oh so faithful even when you can't pinpoint His work- that is of utmost importance and remembrance.

//and here are some good pieces of scripture to keep wrapped around your heart:

"If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown Himself."
-2 Timothy 2:13

"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."
-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

rooting for ya,
An old pal