Blessings this weekend

I was so blessed this weekend to spend time with precious friends from Clemson. It was great to spend quality time with Meredyth, my roomate and best friend from college, and also Elizabeth who I swam with. They have both been such an encouragment to me, I am excited to see and hear all the Lord does in their lives in the next few years! I was also able to spend time some sweet time on the phone with Madeline and have dinner Saturday night with Meredith Reock. I am so thankful to have each of these beautiful sisters in my life!!! Each one is so different and the Lord uses them in different ways to draw me to Himself.

Divine Power

His DIVINE POWER has granted to us ALL THINGS that pertain to LIFE and GODLINESS, through the knowledge of HIM who CALLED US to His own GLORY and EXCELLENCE, by which he has granted to us His PRECIOUS and VERY GREAT PROMISES, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

For this very reason, make EVERY EFFORT to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with LOVE. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more DILIGENT to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-11

Christ the Solid Rock

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name

When darkness veils his lovely face

I rest on his unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil

On Christ the solid rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand

All other ground is sinking sand

His oath, his covenant, his blood

Supports me in the whelming flood

When all around my soul gives way

He then is all my HOPE and STAY

When he shall come with trumpet sound

Oh may I then in him be found

Dressed in his rightousness alone

Faultless to stand before the throne!!!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! I can't believe that I am less than 5 months away from being finished in the classroom! In some ways it seems that the past year has flown by while at the same time SO MUCH has happened since graduating from Clemson last May! I am amazed at all the Lord has done, how He has poured out abundant grace into my life through each season. Why does this suprise me? Has He not always been faithful to His bride?

This current season is so unique in many ways. While school at times can be overwhelming, I know that the Lord has called me to this place for this season. He has called me to exploit my singleness for Him. I am learning more each day about how singleness is God's GIFT to me for this season!!! It is amazing to reflect back on the process through which the Lord lead me to PA school, even though at times this was not my desire. The Lord has been SO FAITHFUL to me since moving back to Charleston and since being here He has continued to grow a passion within me for medicine. I have to be reminded often of WHY I am studying so hard in this season; ultimately that I might be the hands of Christ and that I might be able to PROCLAIM HIM amongst a people who are hurting, both physically and spiritually. During spring break this past week the Lord really used a shadowing experience to grow my passion for women's health. People who know me well can testify that the Lord has been growing this desire in my life for some time now but the past few months He has really been opening my eyes and growing my heart to be able to minister specifically to women. I was able to shadow this past Thursday at an OBGYN office in Summerville with one of my PA faculty members and it was incredible. I was in awe at how many women truly opened up to share about their lives, several of which shared deep, intimate struggles of either their past or the present. And all this with what you and I would consider a stranger! I was reminded Thrusday that each person DESIRES the love and concern of another, we WANT to share our lives with people we can trust, we want to be KNOWN! Ultimately, the LORD fulfills all these desires in our life! I am thankful to be entering a field where there is a unique relationship between the caregiver and the patient, I pray that I would be able to love on women in this way some day and that the Lord would open up many opportunities to proclaim His greatness.

This week has also been a great week of growth and reflection concerning my relationship with Joshua, he has been in India for almost 2 months now. This has been the first break since entering PA school that we have been apart. Its hard to believe that the Lord brought us together almost a year ago. It is still a miracle to me that the Lord would bless me with such an incredible man. While the Lord has brought many wonderful people into my life in Charleston, I have still be struggling somewhat with loneliness. I long for deep, intimate relationships with others, and I find myself often missing the physical presence of some of my dearest friends. But I am learning so much right now about embracing those the Lord has brought into my life for this season! I am so thankful that I am still able to enjoy fellowship with Joshua half a world away. We are so thankful for modern technology! We are both growing so much right now, with the Lord but also with one another as we seek to learn one another's hearts. I won't lie, long distance is challenging and difficult, but the Lord has poured out so much grace and joy these last 2 months. He is teaching us to communicate in ways we never imagined and we are still learning!! I have to remind myself daily that this is a PROCESS, just as with our relationship with the Lord! I feel like so many things I am learning with and through Joshua tie directly back to my relationship with the Lord. O for grace to trust Him more!

So I'm starting a new week of school tomorrow and am looking forward to all the Lord has in store for this next season leading up to my last semester this summer. I have no idea what He has in store but I am TRUSTING that His plans are good. No circumstance has been brought into my life apart from His sovereign love. While I am rejoicing over how the Lord has moved this past season, but I am eager for more, I want to see the Lord work in my life in ways I have never imagined. I want to see His name high and lifted up in Charleston, among my classmates, in my family, in India, in Clemson. I want to meet with the Father INITMATELY each morning before I start my day, I want to come expectantly to hear from Him as I read His word, I want to seek Him on my knees in brokenness over sin and pleading for the souls of lost friends and family. I want to see the Lord pour out His grace into my relationship with Joshua, that we might grow to display the Gospel more fully in our lives, that His way might be known on earth, His saving power among all nations. I want the Lord to teach me to LOVE Joshua and others in ways I have not, I want Him to teach me to be CONTENT in my circumstances, GIVING THANKS ALWAYS for this is God's will for me in Christ Jesus! I want to see the Lord open doors for the Gospel to go forth in power, that WHENEVER I open my mouth, words might be given to me that I might fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel. I want to see the Lord bring FRUIT from the lives of brothers and sisters around the world. O HOW I AM IN NEED OF HIS GRACE!! Only the Lord can produce these good things, apart from Him I have no good within me! I pray that this would be a season of ABIDING in the vine, and as a result I am trusting God to bear FRUIT that will last.

Nevertheless, I am continually with you; youhold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:23-26