here as I am, longing for heaven

I’m tired. I’m burnt out. I’m struggling to find an ounce of motivation to get through the last few weeks of the semester. However, I decided to interrupt my hours upon hours of homework to meditate on my semester and to write down some of the thoughts that have been circling around in my head lately. 

Here we are, on a temporary earth, longing for an eternal heaven. There is something so sweet about this reminder. I have found joy and peace in my life through growth in my relationship with Christ and the way he has continued to work in my heart. But if we’re honest with ourselves, how many times do we stop and thank him for his work in our lives? Life is busy, and as college students, we can feel like a constant ball of stress. 

I want to encourage you guys today to take a minute to think through ways the Lord has worked in your life. Recently, I have had the realization that what I prayed for for the last two years is right in front of me. I have been surrounded by friends who are constantly pushing me in my pursuit of Jesus. I am pursuing a career in which I can reside in the joy of helping people who cannot advocate for themselves. I have a family back home who is always rooting for me from a distance. My eighteen year old self prayed for all of this. I prayed for this while crying in my mom’s arms, unsure of how I was going to go on while dealing with the heaviness of a dark depression. I didn’t think there was any way that God could redeem a life that was held captive by mental health and mistakes. But here I am, a testament to how beautiful a relationship with the Lord is, and how much good he wants for you. Here he is, with open arms. Are you going to accept his pursuit and live in his peace?

In a space of answered prayer, I still long for heaven. I long to experience an eternity with the Lord, because I realize that this is not my home. I’ve been so incredibly blessed in this life, but there is so much more coming. There is so much peace in understanding that and living in the Lord’s freedom. God has so much for your life, no matter how far you feel from Him now. Child of the King, Sunday is coming!