If It Had Not Been the Lord

As I sit in my apartment full of boxes, I reflect on the past year. I moved into this apartment nearly a year ago. It was my first apartment ever, a step up from the dorms I've lived in. I came to Florida excited, ready for the PhD program, ready to move forward in my life. Nothing could have prepared me for this past year.

I have fond memories in this apartment and not-so-good memories.

As I have been packing these past few days, I have been coming across things from all of last year- hospital bills, reports for classes, etc. But what I came across today might be my favorite.

I came across a folded up paper from one of the Bible studies much earlier this year.

The Bible verse quoted on the paper really hit me tonight.

"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,

when our enemies attacked us, 

then they would have swallowed us up alive,

when their anger was kindled against us;

then the flood would have  swept us away;

the torrent would have gone over us;

then over us would have gone the raging waters."

I have grown a lot this year. I think I've realized a strength inside of me I never knew was there. I have grown a lot closer to God in this journey. I've been dealt some hard blows, but I am moving forward. I can speak to the truth in these words.

Quoting again from the paper:

"We are loved by a God who will deliver us from our thunderstorms. We are loved by a God who understands how scary the lightning and the rain are in our lives can be, and we are loved by a God who wants to hold us through our fear."

Can I get an AMEN?

God has carried me through this past year and as I move to a new apartment, I know He will go with me. No matter how terrifying the future may seem, we need to set our feet and keep walking forward.