Blessed and Surrounded

I had a surprise birthday party for my 16th birthday, last Saturday. I'll post a seprate post, telling all about it, complete with pictures and details-later though.

Point being is, I walk into the room and to see all these people I love dearly-loving me, being there for me was amazing. I felt like I was living in a dream.

You see, I wanted to some how have a birthday party to where I could have my crazy, funny, peer friends, as well as my very much loved adult friends/mentors/adopted relatives/adopted into my posse..-friends.

I just didn't know what to do.

So it was really, REALLY a blessing to see it happen.

The whole time I kept thinking, "I'm blessed, I'm blessed! I am blessed to have so many godly people surrounding me. To have all these people who love me, care about me and my character. Care enough to guide me back to the path of righteousness when I need it."

I seriously thought I was in a dream. But, I wasn't. It was real life. I'm blessed to have such a big church family. I have a lot of people I look up to, I admire, etc. I have quite a bit of mentors, that's for sure!!

Which is awesome.

Not only do am I blessed with friends, but I'm also blessed with my family! I have 2 wonderful parents who came from screwed up back grounds, and yet God saved them. And because He saved them, because He had a plan for them, I am living and breathing today, a sixteen year old red head! You see my parents had me when they were 19. And at the time, their families were telling them to abort me. But here I am, not because of THEM but because of GOD. (Them as well too, because we DO have a free choice. But, God predestined this.)

God is a good God. He saved my parents from their sin, and because of that I am growing up in a Christian home. When I think about that it blows my mind away. God did and DOES have a plan for me, and for everyone He's created. [Side note: But that doesn't mean He said His plan for us would be EASY. I thought I should add this because, I do realize I have it really easy in life. But there's great suffering in people around the world. He still, even then amongst chaos, has a plan for you. He never gives us more then we can handle, He created us so He knows EXACTLY how much He can put on your plate. And He also knows that if you think you have more then you can handle, it's for a reason. Sometimes He puts what seems like an over-sized-load on our plate so that we would STOP trusting in our idols, and START trusting in Him-fully. Sometimes in order for that to happen, in order to make us see that or "wake us up", He gives us trials. And if you say, "Well my God doesn't do that! My God is a loving God!" I suggest you go back and read the Gospels. Take specific care to read everything Jesus has to endure for us. He did NOT have it easy! That's the whole calling of Christianity-to die to our SELVES, and live again with HIM, IN HIM. Also ponder on this quote, "Mercy, detached from justice, grows unmerciful"~C. S. Lewis]

I am blessed to be surrounded by God's grace and mercy.


Sleepily (hence it's 1am), [BUT IT'S FRIDAY NIGHT! :D :D]

~Elisabeth Darcy