Quiet Moments

Just recently, my family got a new treadmill, so in my quiet (very long) moments while using it and listening to some of my favorite songs, I'm in deep thought and thinking about life and what God's purpose is for me. Although I haven't found out exactly what His purpose is, I'm learning more about Him and what he wants me to work on in my own spiritual life to become a better follower of Him.

The reason we got the treadmill is to start exercising reguarly and getting fit/into shape. Mainly, cause well, I'm getting older and it's coming to a point in my life where I want to look the best I can, and feel happy and energized. While thinking about that, I realized that I needed to be talking to God and reading His Word to know how I can be that way spiritually, and not only feel/look good by using the treadmill, but also be in God's will for my life.

I have to admit, one of the hardest things right now for me, and that I have been struggling with is responding to different situations with a good attitude, that's very challenging for me. There have been several things within the past month that have been difficult for me to understand why God didn't allow it to work out or put obstacles in the way of how I thought everything was supposed to happen, and it was super frustrating.

One of the biggest things was this past month, one of my best friends, from Charlotte, was supposed to come down for a week or so. We both were VERY excited and just couldn't stop talking about it and thinking about how it would be like, since we hadn't seen eachother in about 2 years. But, God had different plans. Her grandma, quite suddenly wasn't doing too well at all and she was going to have to have surgery the day before my friend was supposed to leave, and her parents didn't think it would be a good idea to leave when her grandma was supposed to have major back surgery. We got this news while Andy was in Greenville, visiting his sister, and it devastated me. I do't understand why God would allow this to happen at the same time they were supposed to be coming or why it happened at all. I remember just saying through those first few days that we found out, how unfair it was and why couldn't things just work out, but then you're reminded, that you're not the one whose Grandma is going through this surgery or even that You're the one having the surgery, so I didn't really have the right to complain about it. Yes, I was sad, but I KNOW that God has a reason for everything, and He was just trying to teach me how to be happy and content, no matter what the circumstances!

Within these past few weeks with all the disappointments and frustrations, I have felt so much closer to God and my walk with Him. He's taught me so many things and how I just need to trust COMPLETELY in Him. I can't change circumstances, but I can change how I react to them. Now that I'm 16, I'm starting to realize how my life is going to be changing drastically these next few years, and there are going to be things that I won't like, but I can't control them, and I'm not going to spend time worrying about them! I can't tell you every detail about the future and how it's going to work out, but I do know that God will be by my side, guiding me through everything!

The verse that God really stuck out to me during my devotions recently is Jeremiah 29:11.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.