i'm so incredibly thankful i had the opportunity to go home this past weekend...ben and i didn't do anything extremely exciting and the trip was planned in order to accomplish some wedding "to-do's", but as i sit and reflect on my time, i'm thankful.

it's always wonderful to see my family and to hang out with friends that know me so well, but i know God took me home this specific weekend just so i could hear His message sunday at church and speak to a woman i deeply respect afterward.

i don't think it's any surprise that since moving to lexington, i've been having a hard time. the job transition has been difficult, i miss my family, making friends has not come as easily as i thought it would...overall, my life has felt completely out of control. this has resulted in a desire to cling to anything tangible and seemingly comfortable (ben, home) and neglect things that are normally very important (returning phone calls to friends, spending time with the Lord, etc.). my priorities has been a tad out of whack along with my emotions and perception of reality, but the last few weeks, i feel like i've been seeing the light. for the first time in a very long time last week, when i spent alone time with the Lord, i actually wanted to be doing it. desperately. i cried reading His Word because i actually desired it.

as far as sunday's sermon goes, my pastor taught out of acts 27 chronicling paul's shipwreck on malta. he talked a lot about the storms of life and why we go through them...and how sometimes we just can't understand God's purpose in sending us through them, but how they're never just unnecessary. there have been moments over these last 7 months when i felt as if God had completely left me alone...i didn't like it and i was angry about it. but sunday gave me fresh perspective-- i know He has a purpose. i may not get it, but it's not unnecessary.

after the service, i was given this verse by aforementioned woman and it reminded me of my recent desperate desire to read His Word:

"Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart. " -Jeremiah 24:7

i like it. a lot.