Update

It's been a long year and a half. All my readers know that God has been teaching me much throughout this journey. About Himself, His Word, and mostly about patience and trust in times of waiting. I have waited for Him to move me. I have (not so patiently) begged Him to change my circumstances. To lead me somewhere. And now, I am happy to announce that He is beginning to open doors.
One of my New Year's resolutions was to make plans to go back to school this year. I applied to Chattanooga State early in the year and planned on enrolling in the one year LPN program. It seemed perfect; it was going to be my ticket out of my routine life and into the "real" world. However, after a while the excitement began to fade and turn to dread. I was nervous about starting something completely new, I realized I'd have to significantly cut back my hours at work, which made me worry about finances, and then I remembered that I don't even agree with a lot of what is taught in modern medicine. But I had to go to school. I had to find my "way out."
Then I came into contact with someone from the college I had previously attended. It reminded me of how much I missed the kinds of classes I had taken there, and I wanted another chance to take Biblically focused classes. So, almost on a whim, I contacted my adviser at BBC, told her what I was thinking, and asked her advice. Through communication with her, I realized that I had fewer credits left toward my degree than I had thought, and that it would be possible to finish my degree online while keeping all my hours at work! So, today I turned in my application for re-admittance to BBC to finish my Bachelor's in Counseling in the next year.
I'm not even sure I can describe how I feel about God leading me back here. One word that comes to mind is definitely "grateful." I can't say with certainty that I have all the answers, that I know exactly what the next step will be once my degree is completed; but I don't feel like I have to. This is where God has me now. And I know that I can trust that He'll show me what the next step is when I'm done taking this one. And I feel grateful for that.
School has not been the only area in which God has been opening doors for me lately: In June I will take a missions trip with our church youth group to Anchorage, Alaska, He's provided financially, He's brought people into my life with whom I've been able to share the gospel and what it's meant in my life.
I write this post for two reasons:
1. Because many of my readers want an update (I think).
2. As a reminder for myself. Sometimes I forget to recognize how God is working, especially during periods of waiting. Writing all of this out, seeing all that God is doing at this time in my life, is leaving me astounded.
And I can't wait to see what's next.