It's been two months since I last blogged.

These months have been full of sweet blessings in Jesus, fruitful and honest conversation with wonderful friends, late nights of difficult study, sweet times of worship with the saints, long phone calls with my parents, and tough decisions.

The common factor is grace. Sweet, abundant grace that I do not deserve and didn't even know to ask for before God gave it. Grace that is freely given, that will never run dry. Grace in peace and grace in confusion, grace in frustration and grace in sweet moments of joy. Grace on groggy, "why-am-I-up-so-early" mornings and grace on the mornings the sunrise gently lulls me from restful slumber. Grace to see my sin and grace to survey the wondrous cross. Grace to know the One who knows far better than I.

I've been thanking God recently for my church. When I started college, I was confident that Sovereign Grace would provide me with sound, biblical teaching, fruitful fellowship and meaningful worship, but I wouldn't have known to pray for a church as wonderful as SGC truly is. I've found cross-centered, biblical teaching that challenges me week after week, a population of saved sinners who love their Savior, and a college ministry which is full of students who encourage me to live a life of worship. My pastor says it often, and I simply have to agree...it's the "best church in the world." :)

So that's it. Only because of my great Father's abundant grace, I'm waiting, I'm serving, I'm working, I'm living. I'm learning, I'm growing. I'm finding joy in the mundane, grace in the daily activities and purpose in the seemingly insignificant tasks. I'm learning to trust that he has a perfect path for me and that he has prepared good things for me. And that he knows better than I.

Isn't it just good to be a Christian?

I tossed and turned into the wee hours last night.  Just a few thoughts kept circulating through my mind, and all of the possibilities and permutations branching off of them, round and round and round.  And I just couldn't shake it. 

"Another year," I kept thinking.  "Another year closer to my adult life.  Where will I live?  Will I be able to provide for myself?  What will I do if I have an emergency?  How will I pay my bills?  Yes, I'm grateful  for God's blessing up until now, but that will only take me so far.  What if I don't get into the grad program I want to get into?  Am I preparing in the right ways?  Am I doing the right things to get ready for grad school?  Can I really compete...?"

So I got up and turned on my lamp and started to journal.  It was just me and the Lord and the tip-tip-tipping of my Macbook in the early morning.  I told the Lord of my hope for success, of my fear of failure, of my uncertainty in my ability.  In His everlasting grace, He reminded me that He is "not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He shoould change His mind" (Num 23:19) and that His plans for me are good ones, to prosper me and give me a hope and a future, (Jer 29:11) and that Jesus' sacrifice is the bedrock of my hope.  My ability has nothing to do with my hope. 

The Lord's comforting voice was so clear to me in those hours.  He  gave me such  confidence that He knows what is best for me and that He will never forsake me, one of His own.  He gave me certainty in His perfect, flawless plan.  Confidence that He is faithfully revealing it and confidence that He will guide me always.  Confidence that He will not abandon me.  Ultimately, confidence in my Savior's atoning sacrifice.  I have no reason to worry or fret.

It's just good to be a Christian.