Rejoice, for God is with you. And take comfort in His blessings.

Just got back from a fellowship retreat in Mid Wales. To be honest, I was feeling quite lonely after it all. I didn't really hit it off with many of the guys (girls are usually very nice to you), and I was subsequently missing Austin and Duke. At the same time, I was feeling like I didn't belong anywhere.. And usually when things like this happen, I begin to selfishly desire things for myself to make things better and make me feel "better". In the midst of this loneliness, however, I remembered there were encourage-o-grams written for people at the end of retreat, and I hadn't read mine yet. I picked it out of my pocket and read them, and that was very touching. I definitely felt God's love through them, because I didn't feel as "present" and "acknowledged" as the comments suggested. Anyway, the thing that did it for me was one specific line Sophie, the worship coordinator here, wrote. It reads: "It's been really cool getting to know you this weekend. I pray you'll find God's purposes for you in Manchester over the coming months - He has brought you here. - Sophie" Wow. What the heck. That line just served as a resounding reminder that God is always there and always guiding me. Being away from Duke has taught me that God is the rock and foundation who never fails and never leaves us. And despite how unfamiliar we may be in our surroundings, it's the pursuit of Him that always gives us comfort and strength.