Rosemary Bagels

What up! Welcome back!!

Hope that you are having a good day, and that all things considered, you're smiling anyway. Today I have been out to get bagels (as you can see in the title), though they weren't rosemary, with my friend Alyssa and her sister, and let me just say....I love bagels. And we came home with a dozen (shhh).

We also went shopping for bedding for my dorm room next semester, and I have to say, I'm so excited to be going back to school. I didn't think I would be, but the more I think about it, the more exciting it gets. I really do believe that God sent me to my school for a reason, instead of the other ones I applied at, and I can't wait to see what this next semester has in store for me.

Waiting to see what's in store for me is something I am not very good at. You could say I'm impatient, but you'd be wrong.

I'm actually really impatient.

I have trouble making myself content with waiting, and the waiting process, but it's something I'm learning to work on. Because, though it may not feel like I'm doing anything, God is working in me. God is building me into the person I'm supposed to be on this earth, and the longer time goes on, the more and more walls inside of me start falling. In hard times, God is building something beautiful, and that is patience.

Looking back, when I think about the times I've gone through that have been more difficult than others, it wasn't apparent then what was happening. In the moment, it always feels like pain. Like being lost. Like hurt, like tears, and like fear. And I still face those things.

But looking at God, I see that He has this handy dandy way of holding on whenever I feel like I'm losing. I stray, but He pulls me back. I fall down, and He's there to pick me. I cry, and He's still holding on.

Every fall leads to a moment of perspective. A jump back up saying, "With God, I can do this. I will do this." And every moment teaches me something, whether it's a small lesson or a big one. And in every moment, I have to praise God. I have to praise Him with everything I've got, because He blessed me with so much.

When I hit the valleys, it's extremely hard to remember patience. To remember that His timing isn't what I expect, and isn't always what I want. But I keep walking anyway.

You may not feel like walking. You may feel like curling into a ball and stopping, because moving forward feels impossible. Looking at the road ahead is terrifying. And looking at the road behind is just as painful.

But wherever you are, God is there. God is there, and He knows what you are going through. He knows every piece of your pain, but God is Healing. God is Goodness and God is Love, and when you feel empty, He is there to fill you up.

It takes pain to create something beautiful, and I promise you that you are beautiful. No one is perfect, but God made everybody perfectly imperfect. Everyone has things to work on, but you are beautifully, wonderfully, and fearfully made. Every inch of you is a masterpiece, and if you are focused on God and God's plan, I promise you are shining.

Wherever you are, I believe in you. Whatever step is coming next, I know you can face it, because I'm going to face my next step, too. Do so with an open heart, and an open mind, and let God lead you where you need to go. Because His love never fails, and He won't lead you astray.

I love you, my rosemary bagels, and you shine with the stars. Stay beautiful.