Christmas Blessings

On Thursday I finished off my first semester of college.  It feels like just yesterday I left, and now I'm already back home.  This comes with mixed feelings.  I spend so much time at school wishing I could be at home, but once I get home, I spend so much time wishing I could be at school.  Even though missing these dear places is hard, I think the constant ache I feel inside is God's reminder to me of how blessed I truly am.

There's a certain comfort that comes from knowing that no matter what, I have a family that loves me back at home.  Even when I'm at school and it's been a month since I've seen my mom, dad, or brothers, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt just how much they love and miss me.  Even when they aren't with me, everything I've learned from them over the years is with me, inside of me, and in that sense, they will never leave me.  

Now that I'm home for Christmas however, I'm realizing just how much I miss my family at school.  God blessed me so much when he brought me to Northwestern.  He has surrounded me with people who love God and are a daily encouragement to me.  He has blessed me with Godly professors, a great section leader in band, an awesome prayer group, countless role models, and two beautiful sisters who light up my life each day. 

Sometimes I am literally reduced to tears when I think about how blessed I am.  God has been so faithful to me this first semester at college, and He has moved in ways I never could have imagined a mere five months ago.  Now, I'm taking a break from the fast-paced college life though and remembering how to relax again.  And when I get back, I'll be re-charged and ready to tackle yet another semester of learning more about God's will for my life.  I'm excited to see what's next!

These ladies are God's biggest blessing to me this semester.  I'm thankful for them every day.  And I love them to the moon and back :)