diving in!

I am now resting comfortably on the other side of my first three days of internship training, and I don't even think I can tell you how exciting this week has been for me. I don't even think I realized how big this was to me. I began the whole crazy grad school process in the spring of 2004, and it was then the idea of counseling on a college campus was first planted in my mind. Now, THREE years later, a completely different me is actually seeing the realization of this idea. God has brought about some tremendous changes in me in the last three years, and maybe these changes are noticeable to only me and a few people close to me. But what stands out most to me is God's faithfulness - even and especially in the midst of my doubting, his wisdom in bringing me through the valleys rather than across smooth plains, his goodness, his provision, his patience. I am thankful for these moments in my faith journey where the truth that Scripture promises becomes a tangible entity I can see in my own life circumstances, and not mere words to comfort me through life's ups and downs. Not that Scripture is ever "mere words".

2 Thessalonians 1:11 says "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God would count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith." I read this verse right before beginning classes in the MFT program, and felt it jump out to me in a way that I felt this verse was for me personally. Things didn't turn out the way that I expected; I certainly did not feel that my good purposes or acts prompted by faith were fulfilled. But today I was reminded that answers to prayer don't come overnight or instantaneously. Promises are not fulfilled in one big action or in the way that is anticipated or planned. And goodness, I'm only three days in and literally hundreds of hours away from a degree; it's not like I'm done or have arrived at my destination. And, I am likely in for some pretty tough challenges and may have to change course again. But there is something in these words for me, they keep surfacing and resurfacing, and the more I meditate on these, the more truth I see. I'm overcome with gratitude that God has called me his own. And now I'm just rambling, but you just don't understand how great the water has felt and how exciting it was to be able to dive in to this adventure.