If there is one word that I can use to describe where I am in life and how I'm feeling, it would be: AMAZED.

Currently, I am in the mountains of West Virginia half-way through my first year of medical school. This is the farthest I have been from my family and Joshua, for the longest time. I am doing the very thing that I believe God has called me to do and has equipped me for. I have made amazing friends, built new relationships and with all the things that are yet to come all I can say, think, and feel is that I am simply... amazed.

One year ago, I would not have imagined that I would be where I am now. Around this time last year, I have not heard from any medical schools yet, and it was hard not to lose hope. But God (who has reminded me over and over and over again) continued to remind me to trust Him and that He will take me where he wants me to be. As hesitant as I was to step into the unknown and say "Okay God, here goes nothing" I took up a full time-job working at a physicians office. To be honest, I also started to think of back-up plans if things were not to go "as expected". So much for trusting the unknown - right? I am not saying back-up plans are bad - I actually think that it IS good to have back-up plans. But knowing the type of person that I am, I easily get carried away with my back-up plans and focus on them instead of actually putting my trusting in God to work.

Soon after a few months of working, I am on a plane to WV for a medical school interview. I am literally going into the unknown: I know nothing about West Virginia; the size of the town was about as big as my high school; I don't do mountains - I've lived by the coast my whole life. Talk about God uprooting me and putting me in the wilderness of the unknown. SCARY. CRAZY. EXCITING. All at the same time.

Little did I know, that this town will become my home. I have grown to love this place, and the people in it. I truly believe that God has placed me here, at this school, for a reason. I will even venture out to say that God has made my decision-making easy by allowing me one choice.

So now, I'm here. Learning the things that I've dreamed to learn about. To do the things I have always wished to do. Still, I look back at everything that has happened in my life - the sequence of events - and I am amazed. The way that God has carried me through it all, despite my disobedience at times. He reminds me of where He wants to take me - what His plans are. He also reminds me that I can plan as much as I want, but gently reminds me that His plans are far better than I can ever hope for or imagine. And He's right. He's so right. Where I am now is something that my "senior-in-highschool-self" would not even imagine. Where I will be in the future is something that I am extremely excited about.

With all this, I am here to say that life is a crazy whirlwind and it can pull us to all different directions. But I believe that God is speaking to you, asking you to listen to His still voice, so that He can lead you into a place far better than what you can ever dream for. His promises are true, and He continues to fulfill them for me day after day. Not because of anything good that I do or say - but it's because of Who He is: He is a good Father, and He wants the best for us.

To this day, I am grateful for where I am. I pray that every time you and I look back through all the things God has brought us through - that we will be amazed at how good and faithful He is.

-----