One year ago…

I was attending my last classes as an undergrad at Liberty University. I was preparing to speak at commencement as the Senior Class President, and present the Senior Class Gift.

And I was wrestling with the Lord about the dreaded question that every graduating Senior gets asked….

What’s next?

I can hardly believe it’s been a year.

On the one hand, it feels like another lifetime ago that I was studying for finals, doing white glove checks as an RA, attending a final meeting with our chancellor, and stressing out over my future.

(Snapshots of my final days at Liberty University)

I feel so far removed from that season of life. It amazes me how quickly a season can come and then be gone before you know it.

Seasons come. Seasons go.

With each passing season, there are new challenges to meet, new joys to experience, new people to meet.

If you had asked me a year ago if I thought I would be living in the nation’s capital, working at a job that I enjoy, living with stellar roommates, attending one of the healthiest churches in America, and experiencing some of the most exciting things of my life I would have said not in a million years.

When I walk around DC, I can hardly believe that I get the privilege of living here. The city has completely stolen my heart.

I so wish I could go back and tell myself a few things. Wherever you are in life, whether you’re just about to graduate college, start a new job, just got engaged, or you’re in the mundane. My prayer is that these lessons will serve as an encouragement to your soul!

Easier said than done.

But if you actually think about it, what’s the point of anxiety? All anxiety does is occupy your mind with what if’s  and cloud your vision with worry.

Last year, I was worried sick about my future. Oh how I wish I could go back and enjoy the last few weeks of my college career instead of walking around with the unneeded burden of anxiety.

“Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” – Spurgeon

As I type these words, I have the privilege of experiencing God’s faithfulness. I can look in the reviewer mirror and see God’s hand working in my life, particularly in the areas I was the most anxious about. There are currently areas of my life where I’m tempted to doubt God’s faithfulness and care of me. But when I pause and meditate on all the ways that the Lord has been faithful to me, I am reminded once again to trust Him. 

“When I cannot see the hand of God, I can always trust His heart.” – Spurgeon

This quote by Spurgeon is one of my favorites. It has been a source of encouragement to me in the times where I can’t look back and see how the Lord has redeemed a situation. God is always at work. Sometimes I can’t always see it, but I can trust His character. My God is good. My God is trustworthy. My God is faithful. My God will fulfill all of His promises.

This is one of the more challenging lessons I’ve learned over the past year. I’ll be honest, as I was approaching graduation last year, I was frustrated with the Lord.

I had unmet expectations and unfulfilled desires.

Everything was selfishly focused on me, me, me. My frustration was sinful, but the Lord in His great mercy refused to allow me to stay where I was. He taught me that His timing is far better than anything I could have planned for myself. My life is hidden in Him, and I have surrendered everything to Him. Even though He doesn’t act how I think He should sometimes, I am constantly reminded that He is God, and I am not.

Allow me to share a brief example:

When I graduated, I expected to be married and have my dream job (go ahead and shake your head), neither of those things happened. Instead, I found myself moving back home into my parents home and working as an intern over the summer. I was ashamed. Wasn’t I supposed to have it all together by now? I mean, I’m a college graduate for crying out loud!

The Lord had to spend the summer humbling me and wrecking me of my pride.

Around mid-summer, I accepted an invitation to speak at a conference in D.C. Long story short, I received a job offer in D.C. and moved up here at the end of the summer.

If I had been offered a job or moved to D.C. right after graduation, I would not have been ready at all. The Lord knew He had to spend time working on parts of my character. His timing is not mine, and I am thankful.

God will never leave or forsake you. That is a promise that I have firmly and deeply rooted my hope in. No matter where life takes me, through the ups and downs, the trials and the joys, my Beloved is always with me. Of all the things I have learned over the past year, this lesson is probably the sweetest. How good it is for the soul to press in and be reminded that our Savior is our ultimate hope and our sure foundation. 

He is with you always.

I hope these four lessons have been an encouragement to you. Obviously there are a lot more than four lessons I’ve learned over the past year, but these four that have been paramount in my life.