Frankly,

I am overwhelmed. It has been a rough few weeks, saying goodbye to some of my closest friends, preparing for a lot of tough transitions with a lot of responsibilities on my plate. The pace of Dan's schedule is gonna make life rough in the coming months. It's gonna be a stretching experience, and honestly, I'd love to skip this part and fast forward to the part when it's all over. However, that's not what God has for us. He has so much more for us packed inside the year ahead. I've always dreamed of becoming a rugged Christian who is unafraid and undaunted by trials, seasoned with wisdom from a lifetime of stories of God's unfailing love and faithfulness. There's no way to avoid the storm without sacrificing that person I have spent my life dreaming of becoming. There's no way to skip the weathering process if it's a rugged soul I'm going for. Those stones weathered by the sea are only soft from the friction of the tumbling process.

Now is the time for faith. Now is the time to watch for my Saviour who will deliver me when deliverance is needed, and rescue me when rescuing is needed, and challenge me when challenging is needed. He is my teacher. He will walk me through this syllabus of trials to get me to the other side rugged, time-tested, and seasoned with experiences to tell of His faithfulness. It's all part of the plan.