Jeremiah Was Right

"'For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

~Jeremiah 29:11

If I had a nickel for every time I heard this verse, I could probably pay off an entire year's worth of college tuition. Known for being the "graduation verse," Jeremiah 29:11 was printed on just about every graduation card I received last spring and has made the list of senior quotes in my high school yearbook since time eternal. So after hearing and reading it about six dozen times, I wrote it off. Ignored it. Failed to wrap my head around what the prophet Jeremiah was getting at.

But now that I have a year of college under my belt, I realize that Jeremiah was right. In fact, he was so spot on that I wish I had paid more attention to this verse when it flashed across my senior radar.

I entered my first year of college with what I thought was the PERFECT plan. I created detailed sketches of the layout of my dorm room and coordinated bedding colors with my roommate. I planned on becoming an English Teaching major, finishing my coursework in 3.5 years before hopping on an airplane and completing my student teaching abroad. I imagined meeting the man of my dreams and falling hopelessly in love (cheesy, I know). I thought I had my freshman year of college all figured out... And then, reality hit.

Last fall, I found myself sitting in an introductory course for education majors, trying desperately to ignore the fact that I was miserable. I had planned on becoming a teacher for as long as I could remember. My favorite pastime as a kid was to play "school," forcing my less-than-obliging younger brother to complete pretend homework assignments for my grading pleasure. But now that I was actually studying to become a teacher, I quickly realized that it was not a good fit. I was only two months into my college journey and I was already without a major. At that moment in time, I could not help but ask God, "What happened to my perfect plan?"

My plan of study may have changed, but my roommate truly was a dream come true. I thank God every day for blessing me with such a beautiful roommate and soul sister. During that first semester of classes, our time together was filled with late night conversations, swooning over period dramas, study dates at the local coffee shop, and sharing our hopes and dreams for the future. We talked about rooming together all four years and maybe even getting an apartment as seniors. Then suddenly, plans changed. My roommate felt that God was calling her in a different direction and decided she needed to transfer to another school. We still stay in touch and I am so proud of her for pursuing God's call, but I must admit that saying goodbye to her was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Once again, I found myself asking God, "What happened to my perfect plan?"

As for the man of my dreams? I'm still waiting to find him. But as I watched countless freshmen girls walk gleefully across campus arm in arm with their boyfriends, I could not help but ask God, "What happened to my perfect plan?"

When I realized that God was not calling me to become an English teacher, it felt like my whole world had come crashing down around me. What was I going to do? What was I going to major in? But God had other plans in mind... BETTER plans, plans more perfect than I could possibly imagine. Before I decided to become an English teacher, I had always dreamed of opening my own dance studio and teaching dance for a living. I eventually gave up on this dream, however, because I thought it was impractical and that the chances of success were slim. But as I sat in that introductory ed course, God returned my attention to this seemingly impractical dream. I heard His voice, urging me on, saying: This is not what I have in mind for you, dear daughter. Follow your heart. I have given you this dream for a reason. Dance for my glory and for my Kingdom. It was as if a fire had been lit within me. I knew that this dream was no longer a dream, but a God-given purpose. God was calling me to share the gift of dance with others, using it to communicate His Word through movement and artistry.

As for my roommate situation, God had plans in mind for me there as well. A few weeks after my roommate left, a lovely new friend entered my life... Someone who just so happened to be in a similar situation as myself. Although we are different in many ways, her passion for life and loving the Lord inspires me every day and I cannot wait to begin living with her next year.

The man of my dreams may not have made his way into my life, but I now realize that being in a dating relationship this year would not have been healthy. I was still learning so many things about myself that I would not have been able to give my full attention to loving someone else.

A few weeks ago, I came across Jeremiah's words while scrolling through my Facebook feed: "'For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This time, I didn't blow them off. Instead, I breathed a sigh of gratitude. My freshman year of college may not have been "perfect" and it may not have been according to plan, but it was still a year of tremendous blessing and growth. As my plans fell apart, God's plans for me fell into place. He led me to discover my God-given purpose and helped me learn to love myself before falling in love with someone else. He blessed me with a roommate who loved and supported me throughout my first semester of college, but He also gave me the opportunity to make new friendships as well, even in the midst of grief after she left.

I know this post was incredibly long, but if you've read this far, I hope you can take away these words of encouragement: God truly does provide, dear sister... Even when it feels like our whole world is falling apart. His plans are so much greater than our own and they were designed not to harm us, but to help us grow and prosper... To help us become the strong young women He created us to be. Here's to your future and to the God who will provide you with abundant blessings!

#faith #college #control #trust #gratefulheart