For.The.Greater.

"Remember it is because He loves us that He waits. Immediate intervention would abort the far greater thing He has in mind. Trust Him for the greater ."~Elisabeth Elliot

I am a quote-a-holic. Actually, that four word statement(that is of course assuming quote-a-holic is one word) is probably much too vague when describing me. I'm more of a hastobethegreatestquoteever-a-holic, because it's true, I refuse to besiege one's mind with quotes like, "Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game"(I mean most people that have ever read that quote don't even play sports, so it's really not even relevant to their lives, ya know?). The kind of quotes I love finding(...of course finding them by total accident, because what kind of loser spends precious time on Pinterest searching for great quotes??haha--*I'm working on it*) , it has to really spark some thought and insight on my part or I don't look twice( my theory is if it's really hard to understand, more than likely someone like Gandhi wrote it--not someone out on the field playing a a game of baseball--by the way I'm definitely just kidding, I'm sure there are plenty of great baseball/sport players out there whose minds are just as intelligent as any philosopher out there:D). Anywayyyys, my point really is that the quote above by Elisabeth Elliot has made my list of quotes & that says a lot.

On a more serious note...
This quote definitely sparked the thought and insight I enjoy challenging myself with. How does this quote apply to my life? How does it make a difference to me now that I have read it rather than if I had never stumbled upon it today? (Which just in case you were wondering, I really did JUST stumble upon it...I promise there was no Pinterest involved this time:D) After reading this quote a few times, all I could think of is how very fast time is going by. And it is. At a rate that I can't wrap my mind around and it kind of scares me. In almost exactly 4 months, I will have completed my junior year of high school and will be about to embark upon a summer of many changes. It will be the last summer before I graduate, it will be the summer my sister gets married, it will be the summer before my best friend goes off to college, no longer being able to see her practically everyday like I have been for the past 10 years. It will be a summer of traveling and serving and loving, but it's going to be a hard one. When did this happen? When did I start running out of time? When did I start growing up and start fearing the future? Because that is what's happening or at least has been until recently. I have grown up my whole life hearing "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 hope and a future", but lately I have been so blind to that. I have been fearful because it feels like time is running out and I don't know what HIS plans are yet. I don't know what I am supposed to do or where I am supposed to go. I try to figure all of this out and yet still I end up in the same moment I was when I started out...

Last night, I pulled out an old box from underneath my bed & in it held 2 letters written by my 15 year-old self. Letters about my life at the time, struggles I was dealing with & joys that I had almost forgotten about. Reading them last night, almost 3 years later, it brought me to tears. I was so overwhelmed with what I was looking at on those pieces of notebook paper, and thinking about how far I have come since then was really bittersweet. But in that same moment, I was filled with hope for the future because in between the date written on those envelopes and the date on the screen of my phone lying there on the floor last night..in between it all lay 3 years of spells of waiting and outcomes of true greatness that have brought me to today. Last night, I was reminded that waiting doesn't mean you won't ever find or figure something out, it just means that something greater will come. Last night and then reading that quote today was such a needed reminder in my life. I am excited to see what the future holds, I am trusting Him for the greater.