365

                   

                                                

365 days ago I boarded a plane with 11 friends and left America for the first time, bound for Ireland, not knowing how much that week would shape me.

God used so many different things from that trip to grow and change me. So many lessons taught and desires shaped in the past year from that one week. 

From those lessons and trials, God taught me about perseverance and patient hope. 

.[we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us].

With those lessons, came ones about trusting in the Lord's plan for my future.

.[In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps].

Even though it hurt, I learned my happiness was ultimately in the Lord and His plans form and not in that which I thought would make me happy.

.[I will never forget this time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”].

And after having learned all of this, I have found this one thing to be true.

.[Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart].

Very little time passed in that year that I was  not thinking about Ireland and my desire to return there. 

Now, 365 days later, I find myself again in Ireland. It's quite different than I had envisioned, but I believe it is what the Lord envisioned when I prayed to return and I trust that He is again at work in the midst of this and teaching me new lessons. 

.[The LORD will fulfil his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures for ever].