Just So Sovereign

A Sunset. It’s amazing how that one thing- something that happens every day- can bring back so many memories. Memories of friendships, sour candy, and a park unfortunate enough to hold two candy filled teenagers.

Memories of tears, music, dancing, bouncing on trampolines and trying on prom dresses.

All in that one sunset.

Change is kind of like an ocean. It goes up and down in waves.

Sometimes it’s cam, smooth and peaceful. Other times, it’s stormy. The wind blows and the sand gets in your eyes. You get to the point where you just want to go hide in the regularity of your old life.

That’s been me. I’ll be good until I get on Facebook, listen to the radio or get a text from one of my honorary sisters. Then I might need a moment.

Change is hard.

As I watched the sun set on Beautiful Lake last night with the youth group JD (my 13 year old brother.) and I have been going to and as those memories washed over me, I found myself at peace.

I found myself at peace with being in Oklahoma and with whatever may happen in the future—even if it doesn’t go my way.

The thing I’ve gotten to realize through all of this that through everything, God will continue to be sovereign.

He’s not going to look at my life and say “well I brought her to Oklahoma, now I can ditch her!” He’s not going to do that! He’s going to keep loving and redeeming me. He’s still got a plan for me and my future.

It might be hard to believe, and there are going to be days that I know I’m going to stand here and ask him, “Why Lord?”

He’s been God through all the storms of life. He’s been shaping and molding me into the person he wants me to be.

Even in those unclear, chaotic moments, he’s still God.

No matter where I go, and no matter where I end up in life, the same God who spends time painting each perfect sunset is caring for me.

As I was drafting this, I found myself praising God for that. Praising him for his Sovereignty and for just everything that he’s done in the past couple months.

Yes. It has been hard.

I actually have a list of ‘differences’ between Washington and Oklahoma that I’ll probably publish sometime soon.

Yes. Everything is so different.

But even thought everything is different—literally, the shape of butter is different—the really important thing is that it’s the same God.

The God who paints the sunset, who created the coffee bean, who is shaping the hearts and souls of people, and who made me, is King over both my comings and my goings.

Yes. I believe that.

I believe, and am thankful that through the pain of leaving everything that God is sovereign.

Guys, I can’t say this enough, God is so, so sovereign. He’s so King, so creator, so loving… and lots of other words that I can’t seem to put enough weight behind.

Yes. All that from one sunset.

“The LORD’s voice makes the lightning flash. The LORD’s voice shakes the desert… The LORD’s voice shakes the oaks and strips the leaves off the trees. In his Temple everyone says, “Glory to God!” The LORD controls the flood. The lord will be King forever. The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”

                                                            --Psalms 29:7-11

~Rachel Joy