Birthday Blog...22 and a long way coming

Wow, it's already been a crazy day today. However, I have fully enjoyed it so far.
I have turned 22 years old today! And in all honesty I thank God for my life. I really and honestly do. I've come such a long way, and God has been forever faithful.
As some of you may know that it's been a hard 2nd year for me, extremely hard for that matter. Yet, I feel like I have grown up. When I was 21, I didn't feel grown up at all but now I believe I am. Sometimes God will use hard and difficult circumstances to purify us. He says in His Word in Job 23:10 "When He has tried me, I shall come forth as pure Gold".  He is teaching me a lot things. I remember one of my prayers last year was "Lord be my teacher. Be my counselor"- and He has been so faithful in that.

I know I can be stubborn sometimes and stiff-knecked but at 22 I am learning to yield to His perfect Will for my life. I can't stress it enough, the only reason I am in University right now writing this blog is because of His grace. Last year, when I felt the world crashing around me I was ready to get up and quit. I just wanted to pack my bags and run.  I clearly heard the voice of the Lord say: "Wait!"  If I could tell you all that happened last year, some of you may be surprised that I am still standing.  I am still standing, with my sanity in tact because the hand of the Lord kept me.

There were many a times that I felt so lonely. That I could cry for hours in the "midnight hour" just yearning for some comfort. I felt like heaven was silent. You know when you pray but it as if the prayers are just bouncing off the walls. At the same time the pain is getting more and more intense. People who I thought would be by my side encouraging me were no longer there. I think it was because God was refining me. He still is.  I was once told that the sign of a good leader is how he or she stands in the midst of adversary.  I haven't always stood in the midst of adversary. Sometimes I just broke down and as you read before, I was ready to pack and run.  The Lord will just tell me to get up again. And again, and again and again.

I wrote this blog to not celebrate myself. I wrote it to honour the Lord and tell my readers what He has been doing in my life. I'm 22 now and I definetly believe it's the start of all that God has called me to be.

Yes, wounds are still running deep. Deeper than I actually thought. But the Word of God says in Psalm 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." I am a working progress. It's not over till God says it's over. He hasn't finished with my story yet, and he definetly hasn't finished with yours.
Brace yourself for the next chapter in your life and trust God with the pen!