Here.

"There's no place I'd rather be than here in Your love." 

I sang this all summer with 21 other interns and I can finally say that it's true. I was looking through my Kenya pictures and realized that so many times in life, I've wanted to be in someone else's shoes. I've wished I had their joy or their situation. But by doing so, I completely disregarded my own circumstances. By wishing to be somewhere else, I said to God that my plans and desires for my life were superior to His. And, that my friends, is simply not the case - for anyone.

You see, God hand crafted me (and you too!) And, in doing so, He hand crafted my circumstances. He chose which paths I would walk down and where He would send me. He chose Journey for me. He chose 7 years of school for me instead of 4. He chose and crafted my community. If my God hand picked the people I do life with and the places I do life in, WHY would I ever wish to step into the life He's chosen for someone else?! So many times in life I've wanted what others have, only to miss what GOD has for me. While we sit and desire to be where someone else is, others sit and desire to be where we are. When we fail to see that where God has us, right now, in this moment, is holy and perfect, we fail to see who He really is. We completely miss His sovereignty and His love for us.

This summer we had to pick a word. At first my word was 'waiting'. But, it then changed to 'walk'. We walked ALL over Kenya and one day He spoke to me so clearly. My friend Johannes told me to walk along this skinny ridge alongside a dried up river. If I had fallen, well, I probably wouldn't be writing this. And, I told Johannes that he was crazy for asking me to walk right there. But, my dear friend stopped and said to me, "Yes, but Abi, if you walk on this side of the ridge, your feet will sink in the dirt and you will be stuck." Do you see it? Do you get it? My "A HA!" moment. God has us right where we are FOR A REASON! And that place is the best place for you to be, simply because He placed you there. It might be scary. It might not be where you think you should be. But it's where He wants you and THAT is a beautiful thing.

He chose Kenya for me FOR A REASON!
He chose Anderson for me FOR A REASON!
He chose NewSpring for me FOR A REASON!
He chose singleness for me FOR A REASON!
He chose my family for me FOR A REASON!
He chose my community for me FOR A REASON!

I could go on and on. But I think you get the point. So, now, with confidence I can sing, "There's no place I'd rather be than HERE in Your love!"

HERE is now. In this moment. In this town. In this community. In the midst of His steadfast love. And there's NO place I'd rather be.