"...Name them one by one," the song goes. The first week of school always has so many feels! Excitement, anxiety, fun, exhaustion, frustration, exhilaration, and so many other emotions pass through students and teachers as they learn new schedules, make new friends (and reacquaint with old ones).
Reflecting on this first week with students back, I can't help but look back at the last few years. I officially started my doctoral studies in the summer of 2019, the pandemic hit in the fall, school was closed in spring of 2020, and by slow degrees, people have emerged to live in the new normal. And I am soo thankful for the ways God continues to bless me and others with healing, growth, and renewal.
Sure, there are still struggles--and God does not promise that he will remove those struggles, but He promises to be with us in the times of struggle, to offer comfort in times of trouble (2 Corinthians 1:4), to give us peace of mind when we feel anxious (Philippians 4:6-7), to hold our hand when we are afraid (Isaiah 41:13), to calm the storms of life when we are in deep waters (Luke 8:24). In every thing, in every situation, I see ways God is showing out in my life and in the lives of others. God is so, so good!
Declaring my love for Jesus has become a daily ritual. Yesterday, I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving, letting God know how grateful I am for all the ways He has blessed me, and when I feel any of the emotions I listed earlier, my first thought is to call out to Jesus, the one who died to save me.
What love could be greater than that of God's who gave his only son to die on the cross and wipe clean the slate for me?
All I can say is, I am blessed.
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