I'm not alone anymore!

Last night, as I was lounging in the living room reading, one of my roommates returned from a month in Europe! So finally, after 3 weeks or so, I have a roommate. I found out that there is only one other girl moving in, and she should be here any day. So far I think that things will go really well--Jes seems to be very friendly, really sweet, and I think we'll get along just fine...which will be a welcome change after last semester! :)

So I mentioned yesterday that I wanted to post some Elisabeth Elliot quotes...and I will. :) I wish I could post them all, but no one wants to read all of them. So here are a few, my favorites--and the ones that spoke to my heart so clearly.

"Taken in a spirit of trust, even loneliness contributes to the maturing of character, even the endurance of separation and silence and that hardest thing of all, uncertainty, can build in us a steady hope."

Loneliness is difficult--but it is something we all face at one time or another. God is teaching me each day that I need to find my fulfillment in Him, because no man can complete me fully...only God can. And if I learn to rest in Him, then I will be able to more fully love the man I will marry someday.

"Suppose He should ask me to wait five years? It stuns me to think of it. Yet--could I imagine that the mercy of God which has stretched to me from everlasting to everlasting could be exhausted in five years?"

That quote especially spoke to me because I've already been waiting almost 6 years...and often the thought that I might be waiting another 6 makes my heart despair...but this quote has caused me to think a great deal about this, for whomever God has for me will be worth the wait, no matter how long it takes. I just have to be patient, learn to be "content whatever the circumstances" as Paul tells us...because really, what is another 5 years? It's not like those years will be a waste by any means...so I need to remember that it is okay to be single, it is okay to be uncertain about the future, because God knows and is in control.

Last night I spent a great deal of time listening to the profound lyrics of my favorite band, Caedmon's Call...and one song in particular stood out to me as embodying my struggles. Here are some of the lyrics to "Table For Two", from their "Forty Acres" album.

Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes...
We made speculations on the whos and the whens of our futures,
and how everyone's lonely but still we just couldn't complain.
And how we just hate being alone,
Could I have missed my only chance?
And now I'm just wasting my time looking around.

But you know I know better, I'm not going to worry about nothing.
'Cause if the birds and the flowers survive then I'll make it okay.
Given a chance and a rock see which one breaks a window
and see which one keeps me up all night and into the day...

This day's been crazy but everything's happened on schedule,
from the rain and the cold to the drink that I spilled on my shirt.
But you knew this day long before I fell dead in the garden.
You knew this day long before you made me out of dirt.

And you know the plans you have for me,
and you can't plan the end and not plan the means,
so I suppose I just need some peace
just to get me to sleep.

Caedmon's Call seriously has the most amazingly profound and REAL lyrics...they deal with problems that we ALL face, and I love them. They are coming to San Diego in July for a free concert, and I am praying that I'll be able to make it down there to see them again! They came to APU my freshman year, and it was incredible.

Sorry for the long posts lately! I just have been learning so much, and blogging about it helps me to continually process that which I have learned. I pray that God might use these quotes to speak to you as well...

Have a great weekend!