Now, unfortunately I don't have anything crazy to write about at the moment. Soon I shall write about my summer, lessons learned, anticipations for the next year.. etc.. But at the moment, I just want to be thankful for tonight. It wasn't anything crazy, but much of the youth group went over to Sara's to celebrate her 18th birthday. We had some pizza, volleyed a little, and played some board games. But it was a lot of fun. It's always amazing when you can just feel joy among friends. When we can barely contain our laughter and excitement over the latest joke. When people can be supported, loved, and poked fun at all at the same time. And although it has been a little weird to still hang out with people from the youth group, though they are in high school, and I am not, it has still been awesome to be with them. And I love that God has blessed me with such awesome people. Honestly, it's not any of their doing; it's all Him. I mean, there is probably no way each of us would be friends the way we are. It makes it all the more incredible and meaningful that way though. I will miss being as involved in the youth group, but I will be more thankful for what it has meant for me. I can't imagine my life without each one of those people.
So even though this summer has not even nearly gone as planned, God continues to teach me and mold me into a better servant for him. It's incredibly painful to be broken and taught lessons of humbleness. It's frustrating to be stripped of pride. But when all of it is removed, when I have no more of myself to lean on anymore, it is then when I experience God more. It's a lot more meaningful to experience God's incredible, self-less, uninhibited, unconditional love when you no longer see yourself as quite so 'loveable.' I have done nothing to deserve his love. But he overwhelms me with it.
So tonight I am thankful, for all of the abundance of my life that I don't deserve.
