The Odd One Out

Many of you know that I have moved to Scotland to pursue my masters in history. I never would have guessed that I would do something quite this big, that I would leave the safety net and move halfway across the world, I never thought I would have enough faith to do something this big. And then I did it. I got onto a plane and flew to a different country, alone. But I clearly wasn't really alone--I am never alone. God promised me that he would be with me every step of the way and that I would be okay. Even then it was hard to get on a plane, fly to a foreign country, make my way to a cab, maneuver around a city, stay in a hotel and make it to my school and get settled. But can I just tell you friends, God truly was with me. Every little prayer about every little thing was answered. I in no way believe in a genie God but in every way believe in a faithful God. God was faithful, faithfully helping me tackle every little thing that I needed to do.I know we have all felt like the odd one out at some point in time and, for lack of a better word, it sucks. It is hard to come to a school and not be a freshmen but not be a returning student, you're stuck somewhere in between. It is hard to be the, seemingly, only person who believes/worships God. It is hard to be so far away from home. And miraculously I have handled this transition fairly well. Has it been perfect? Absolutely not. There was a moment last week when I had a little cry session to a very kind police officer and a very kind Scottish lady. But guess what, now that I look back on that time I realize that God was so faithful, putting kindhearted people directly in my pathway. Like my new friend, I had only known for about 3 days, who sat me down in her apartment and made me dinner. Kindness, whether expressed in a situation of faith or just as a genuine act is a beautiful language and we all need to strive to be more fluent. I barely knew these people, and even if they may not believe in God or maybe do, I know that God put them in my life at precisely the right moment, knowing I would need some coddling.It is okay to be the odd one out. It is good for us to be placed in a situation where we are challenged. It is amazing what happens when we are forced to be vulnerable. For me, I have learned a very valuable lesson, be kind to others. Share love, it does not matter if our beliefs are different, love and kindness are universal languages that everyone can relate to. That day could have been a truly awful one but it turned into something much better, because people chose to be kind.N. T. Wright has a beautiful quote that I discovered my last semester of undergrad, and I just believe it really puts things into perspective:"Love is the language they speak in God's world, and we are summoned to learn it against the day when God's world and ours will be brought together forever. It is the music they make in God's courts, and we are invited to learn it and practice it in advance. Love is not a duty,even our highest duty, it is our destiny (After You Believe, 188).This has become one of my favorite quotes. Brothers and sisters, let us please just love and be kind to one another. I cannot express how thankful I am to those who were so kind to me during a time that I desperately needed it. And I know that God heard my prayer that day and put some wonderful people directly in my path.May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.