Change.

As I'm sitting in my half-packed up room listening to music and trying to avoid getting out of bed, I'm thinking about all the change that will be happening for me this year. I'm really excited to get back to Bethel University and start my Junior Year, see all my friends and get back into the swing of things, but going back to Bethel means that my family is one step closer to possibly moving. For those of you who don't know, my dad was apart of the big Boise Paper layoff that happened recently in International Falls. He's currently searching for a job, which means he most likely won't won't work in Int'l Falls any longer . . . my parents will probably have to move. I'm living in the Mpls area so I'm not technically moving . . . but I still won't be able to call good ol' I Falls my home. No more International Falls winters (which may sound like a good thing to avoid but I'm truly going to miss them). No more Freeze-Your-Gizzard-Blizzard-Run. No more seeing all the ice houses on Rainy Lake once it's frozen over. No more jumping into the lake through a hole in the ice. No more "It's snowing in May!" No more driving "Hotlaps" with friends around town while catching up on all the latest gossip. No more City Beach in the summer. No more small town 4th of July parade. No more being able to watch the Canadian fireworks in the boat. No more Bass Tournament. No more "It's snowing before Halloween!" No more familiar streets. No more.

After high school I wanted SO badly to get out of this small town, but now that I know that my family won't live here much longer, part of me doesn't even want to go back to Bethel . . . part of me wants to stay here in my familiar room, in this familiar house, surrounded by a familiar neighborhood, in this familiar town filled with familiar faces. There's nothing wrong in wanting things to stay familiar . . . right?

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord. 

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

 plans to give you a hope for the future. 

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, 

and I will listen to you. 

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.

{Jeremiah 29:11-13}

I have probably heard this verse about a million times. No lie. Between church services, Sunday School lessons, confirmation classes, Bible Camp, and graduation cards, this verse has crossed my path more times than I can even count. Regardless of how many times I've heard it though, it still hasn't lost any of its truth. God has a plan. Even though I'm really good at messing up and doing things wrong, and even though things surprise us and seem really bad at the time, God still has a plan. And not only does He have a plan, but he has my best interests at heart. I heard my mom talking to a friend about this whole moving situation just the other day, and she said "You know, this just means that God is done with us here. He wants to send us somewhere else now so he can use us there." That truly is the perfect perspective to have in this whole situation. While many families in town are seeing this layoff as a reason to be angry at God and blame him for what's going on, my parents are able to turn to God and say, "Okay God, what do you have for us next?"Their attitude is probably the main reason why I haven't spent too much time thinking about all that I will miss from this town....until now that is. BUT even though there's a lot I will miss, I'm so excited to hear about all the new things God will be doing through my parents in their new town (wherever that may be). With this new job, new town, new neighborhood, new house, new church, and additional friends my parents will be making, comes NEW OPPORTUNITY to reach out and accomplish work for Christ. That's so exciting! And it's for that reason, that I'm sad to be leaving International Falls, but I'm more just excited to see what God has around the corner. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, 

and are called according to His purpose.

{Romans 8:28}