How vast beyond all measure

James 1:2-8:

"2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

God told me early on this school year that He'd put multiple obstacles in my path this year not to put me down or as a rebuke, but develop my faith and character, and to make me more and more like Him.

And oh how He's broken me - but how much more has He demonstrated the richness of His grace. By putting difficult people in my life to make me realize the self-righteousness and depravity of my heart; by causing me to be poured out in many ways to make me realize I needed His rest and strength for sustenance and not my own conjured energy; by allowing different challenges I normally overcome with persuasion or perseverance, but that were only removed when I prayed; by putting me through dry spiritual seasons but surrounding me with influential people who pushed me with their testimonies and walks with God and harsh words spoken in love.

Psalm 43:5

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."

Can't wait to go home; yet I can't bear thinking about the fact that I'll be leaving Penn in one semester. It's been an amazing 3 and a half years.