Saying Yes to God.

So, I guess for years now I have known there was a call in my life to missions and student ministry. I have been fighting it for a few years and especially hard this past year. I feel in love with Northwest Arkansas and didn't want to leave. I had fallen in love with my life here and got "comfortable". God had other plans for me all along and on March 1st I could no longer run from them. Saying yes to this kind of calling is easy and hard at the same time. Its exciting because its a new chapter, a new of trusting God, a new way to grow closer to Him and so many other reasons. Its hard because it means saying "see you later" to close friends and moving away, moving away from them and moving farther away from my family. It means opening up to spiritual attacks that most assuredly will come or have already been occurring. But the great part of that is seeing God take that and make it into something for His benefit.

Saying yes to God can also be in the short form like a test of your faith. I have been through a couple of those lately and while it hasn't been easy I am sitting here now(Thursday, April 1st) typing this up realizing that He has drawn me closer and that the "test" wasn't the important part, it was learning the lessons He wanted me to learn. Now, this isn't to say that I have passed with flying colors. I had a difficult conversation with a great friend on Monday night in which I was being very stubborn and difficult. I do not know how he stayed on the phone with me and kept encouraging me and pushing me to see things a different way. I am glad he did and am extremely grateful to him. This whole being refined by the Refiners fire isn't easy, in fact, it kinda hurts at times. But the great thing is how much I've grown, especially in just the past few months and weeks. Yeah, its hard to know that my wonderful friends here that have been a huge help and inspiration to me will soon be only a phone call away at the quickest and a long car drive away at the longest, but that does not matter. They are still my friends and will still be here for me. I love them so much and say yes because they along with my family support me and daily let me know how proud of me they are. I can do it!

I have fallen in love with Britt Nicole and her music. It is so real and for months now each song has spoken directly to my heart. I encourage you to go to Youtube and look her up or go by her CD. It is well worth the price. I hope it is as beneficial to you as it has been for me.