*If you want an interactive experience, please feel free to listen to Oh God by Citizens and Saints on repeat while reading this blog post.
Sunday mornings have easily become some of my favorite moments while I am at college.
Everything seems to slow down for me.
Sometimes I wake up early.
Sometimes I sleep in a bit.
The main point is that I am rarely ever in a rush on Sunday mornings.
This specific morning I woke up somewhat early. I got ready at a normal pace because I knew I didn't need to book it through the negative degree weather across campus to a class. It was quiet. I am not going to lie, quiet moments are quite rare in my dorm hall. I am always confused but also equally as grateful for these quiet moments.
The dining hall isn't packed on Sunday mornings. There is no hustle and bustle. The most noticeable noises during these mornings aren't the loud conversations of the students, it's the loud crashes and clangs in the kitchen.
These mornings are my perfect opportunities to have some chill time with God.
As I continued my journey through John this morning, I played my go to "praising Jesus" playlist on Spotify.
And a very important song to me came on.
It was Oh God by Citizens and Saints.
This song, straight up, THREW me into a flashback.
A flashback to a few months ago at the start of the semester.
It was a rough time for me.
I had never felt more alone in my life.
Aaron was amazing, and would always hang out with me when I knew it was getting too hard. My parents were amazing and listened to me, talked to me, and prayed for me when it was getting too hard. My high school leaders read my texts late at night when the enemy was hitting me the hardest. My friends back home still listened to my dumb jokes and read my stupid memes, even though it was through texts. My new group got me out of my dorm and out of my headspace.
But, I still felt SO alone.
BUT
God
oh God
During these really REALLY hard times. God was ALWAYS there. God was near me.
The song, Oh God, was on repeat for me literally 24/7.
I needed a constant reminder that God was with me.
That I wasn't alone.
It helped me survive the day.
It helped to remind me to lean into Him.
NOW
Flash forward!
I feel the exact opposite of alone.
My small group and friends have become my family.
They listen and laugh to my dumb jokes, and I listen and laugh to their dumb jokes! :D
As I listen to this song, now, I couldn't be more grateful for how God has helped me through this really rough time. I couldn't be more grateful for a ministry and peers that pushes me to better myself and closer to God. I couldn't be more grateful for my friends and family that God has put in my life. I couldn't be more grateful.
Oh God
You never leave my side
Your love
will stand firm through all my life
