Today Stephen preached in chapel at Southeastern-the college we graduated from. First of all, I am so mad at myself because I grabbed my camera to take with me and then I set it down again and ended up forgetting it. :( I was so ready to get pictures of our day and already thinking about blogging about it. Oh well ....
We were excited to get to spend time with my brother, my brother's fiancee, Stephen's brother, and the kids from our church. I also always enjoy getting to go back and see my professors and getting to remember "the good ole days." It's amazing to me to think about all the Lord has done in my heart and life since my days at Southeastern. It was hard not to reminisce about my college days as I sat in chapel today.
I went to Southeastern in the fall of 2002. I decided to go there my junior year of high school during a youth conference with my youth group-I knew that Southeastern was the college the Lord wanted me to attend, even though I had fought that decision for a long time. Deciding to major in elementary education with a profiency in music wasn't that difficult of a decision. I knew that I would love to teach and enjoyed playing the piano & singing and so it made the most sense.
The Lord was so good to me while I was there. First of all, I learned so much more about Him and His word through my classes, chapel messages and different revivals or meetings. It was the perfect enviroment to grow in the Lord and to learn more about Him. I truly believe it was a time where the Lord was molding & shaping me into who He wanted me to be, preparing me for the ministry that He wanted to use me in. What a wonderful time!
I also met some of the best friends I've ever had at college. Since I didn't have a sister growing up, living with a dorm full of girls that I could stay up late talking to, shop with, and share clothes & jewelry with was a dream come true to me! I have so, so many great memories of crazy pranks in the dorms, shopping trips to Target, crying sessions over our love life or school schedule, and serious talks about life or whatever. I can't thank the Lord for the friends He blessed me with-many whom I keep in constant touch with ... talking to some almost daily. They are truly like sisters to me.
And of course .... I met my husband Stephen at Southeastern. I'll save all the details of our dating life for another post but, I can honestly say looking back on those years it is amazing how the Lord was already preparing us for our lives in the ministry. We grew so much as a couple spiritually and were already there for each other to encourage & edify the other. As any couple does, we had our ups & downs but the Lord used each one to grow us. I'm so thankful for the godly husband that the Lord sent me.
I guess all of these thoughts and emotions hit me today while I was sitting in chapel ... the same chairs that I occupied over 4 years ago. And I was overcome with a heart of gratitude and amazement. When I sat in those chairs while in college I had no idea what my life out of college would hold. Sure, I hope to be married to Stephen and be in the ministry and have a family but, I didn't know how wonderful it would feel to come back to Southeastern and see the kids that we influenced and loved be in the same seats we were in. I couldn't ask for more!! I am so thankful that I had just a small part in God's plan to influence their lives in finding God's perfect will for them. And not just them, but my brother too. I consider it a miracle that he is getting ready to graduate from Southeastern because until a month before he started college he was away from God and headed down a bad road.
I obviously realize that Southeastern is not where everyone in America is supposed to go ... but I do know that it is a special place to me that helped get me to where I am today. I'm so thankful for those times when you can look back on your life and just be in awe at the work that the Lord has done-I know it is only by His grace & provision that I am where I am today.
"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to his power that worketh in us" Ephesians 3:20
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