I will not be moved

As I sat at church this morning listening to a song that the choir sang I was not only reminded of where I was a year ago with my life, but touched by the grace I have been shown through this past year. I will admit, it wasn't an easy year, but it was one that I will always remember because I believe that it has turned my life around. The song they sang this morning was, "I will not be moved" by Natalie Grant. The words are as followed:

"I have been the way-ward child

I have acted out

I have questioned sovereignty

and have my share of doubts

and though sometimes my prayers feel like, they're bouncing off the sky

the hand I hold won't let me go and this is the reason why...

I will stumble, I fall down, but I will not moved

I will make mistakes I will face heart-ache but i will not be moved

on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand...

I will not be moved.

Bitterness has plagued my heart, many times before

my life has been life broken glass, and I have kept the score

of all my shattered dreams and though it seems

that I was far too gone

my brokenness helped me to see, It's grace I'm standing on

Chorus:

I will stumble, I will fall down, but I will not be moved

I will make mistakes I will face heart-ache but I will not be moved

on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand

I will not be moved.

And the chaos in my life

Has been a badge I have worn I know I have been torn

I will not be moved

Nooooo

I will not be moved

I will not be moved

Nooooo

I will make mistakes, I will face heart-ache but I will not be moved

on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand

I will not be moved

Nooooo

I will not be moved!!!

I feel like this song was written for me almost. I know that others may feel that same way. I just reflect over the past year and realize that I WILL NOT BE MOVED! I stayed in Greenville last summer, it was the best summer I have ever had, for more reasons then I can explain, but also one that showed me a side of me I never knew was there. It was a summer and year of fun, laughter, joy, friends, parties, sadness, death, disappointment, loss, rebirth, excitement, and love! I lost friends, I gained others, I lost my grandmother, but know that she's no longer suffering and I WILL see her again. I didn't get an internship, I didn't get to graduate, I was a person that I hated to be around, a person that made mistakes, a someone who faced many heart-aches and someone who definitely questioned God's sovereignty, but through it all I had God on my side and He never gave up on me. I decided during Christmas break this person was NOT me and that I needed a change in my life and that is what I did! I came back a whole new person. made sure that God was the center of life and that meant cutting others out, which wasn't easy. I now realize that I am better off without certain people, without certain things, and better off with God! I got an internship, I will graduate in December, I am moving back to Charlotte, and I have almost made it through a year without my grandmother. It's amazing to see what God has done in my life. Christ is the solid rock that I am standing on and all other things around me will be sinking sand and I cannot afford to go to those places ever again-moving in a few months will put a whole new weight on my shoulders that I'm not sure that I am ready for. It will bring about great joy, excitement, sadness, pain, and heart-ache. It will make me question things I have never questioned before, or make me start over like I did 4 years ago. But this time I know that I WILL NOT BE MOVED and that I can get through with Christ and by surrounding myself with the ones who love me and will lift me up despite my downfalls. Will you be moved? What ground are you standing on?

encourage one another!

As I'm sitting here at work I realized that I had not updated in a month or so. I guess not much has changed and not much is going on since the last post. I'm happy to say that the year is over and I did well in my classes, better then I thought-one more Dean's List to end my college career! I'm still awaiting a reply on internships and I continue to put my trust in God through this entire experience. I know that his plan for me is greater then any plan I might have made myself. I went to graduation because I had friends graduate and I think it's important to encourage them and be there for them on that day of celebration. It was emotional sitting in a stadium full of cheering families and friends and watching as my fellow pirates walked out on to the field cheering and shouting and jumping for joy. I so badly wanted to be apart of that great experience myself, but it was not my turn yet. I know my turn will be amazing. As I sat in the HOT, scorching sun that burned us all I thought to myself, how blessed I am to not be wearing that hot gown and that hot cap and realized that my family would not have been able to sit through 4 hours if not more in that heat...4 years later and they would miss my graduating-so all in all I think it's better that I wait for December, maybe there will be snow instead and we'll be inside :) I then attended ECU's college of nursing graduation that night and it was exciting to see a new chapter unfold in the lives of many of my friends. Many of my friends are now in search for a job. As we all know those are hard to come by these days. A few have them and a lot more don't. My good friend and neighbor just graduated with her B.S.N. and is now searching for a job herself...she has applied to many hospitals and has been rejected from them all. She just recently got an interview-I have been sending quotes of encouragement each day to her until she gets a job...I think in all actuality it may be brightening my outlook on an internship more then her job perspective. I did it to make her feel calmer, when it's helping me see a more positive side! Through all of this experience with me and my friends it has really taught me how much we have to put our faith in Christ. He will never leave us nor forsake us. It's been great and amazing to see what God has done this past semester in my life and the lives of my friends. I think it's important that we take the time out of our day to encourage the ones around us, and hey, you might be surprised at what that encouragement does for you!