Glad I am in the Potter's hand and not on the Amazing Race.

Well, it has definitely been a while since I've seen this screen on my computer. Nice to be back :) I could write about how well things are going this semester and how much God has been teaching me (because, oh, He has been teaching and stretching me a lot!) but I'll get right to the last 24 hours.

My future... well, 2 years ago if you had asked me what I was going to college for and what I wanted to do the rest of my life I would have said something that sounded like I knew the plan for sure. Silly, I know. As signing up for classes for the next semester approaches, I am having to make some decisions that would be a lot easier if I knew the plan for the rest of my life exactly. I'm learning God doesn't work that way... and I'm so thankful for that. I read in a book (Authentic Beauty) a couple of years ago that I should let God have the pen to my life... because He is in control in the end anyway and will write a better story than I can even dream of. Over the last few months, I've been keeping my hand on one end of the pen while God holds the other and says "Rebekah, don't you trust me?" over and over. Well, I've finally let go and given it to him... but that choice has to be made again every day... he is teaching me that he really will write a more beautiful story that I would ever be able to.

Today, I had to think a lot about the next 5-6 years of my life. Am I really in the right major? What should I do next summer? Do I want to go to grad school and be in school for that much longer? Am I at the right school? Do I even know what I want to be when I "grow up"? Where is God going to use me? Tonight, I spent some refreshing time in the Word and was reminded that God will answer those questions in His perfect timing and my job is to remain in him and trust him. As I read through old journals (mostly entries from this summer) I was led to Psalm 27:14, 1 John 2:24-27, and the words in Jeremiah about God being the potter and us being the clay... which kind of inspired the title of this.

Be encouraged, we (believers) are never on our own! Thank goodness we as believers are not like contestants on the Amazing Race and God is not like the host Phil. On the show, contestants are on their own to complete challenging tasks and obstacles and only see the host at "pit stops" along the race. God doesn't leave us alone and just check in on us every once and a while... he's with us every step of the way! (I do watch that show occasionally though so don't think I'm hating on it.) I am so glad we are more like clay and broken pottery and God is the potter. The potter has a purpose in mind when he picks up a piece of clay. He shapes, mends, and makes it useful. Without the work of the potter, the clay can't be anything but a chunk of clay. God molds us and gives us purpose... his hands are all over our lives when we surrender to him. I hope that encourages someone else like it encouraged me!