Overwhelmed

The title of this post is a little misleading.

I mean overwhelmed in a good way, not the bad, stressed out kind.

On Saturday I got the opportunity to go to a Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors concert with one of my new best friends, Carly. I was so excited because the first time I had ever heard Drew and Ellie Holcomb sing was the first time I went to a Young Life camp; the first time I had ever heard about who Jesus was. That was only about three years ago.

On January 29th 2011, Ellie Holcomb sang "The Valley" in front of over 200 high schoolers, and I remember those 2-3 minutes so clearly. I was amazed by the fact that I wasn't the only one who felt like they were dying on the inside. I wasn't the only one who felt a void, a certain emptiness, that I later realized, could only be filled with God and only God.

Carly and I made the trip to the concert where we had a little trouble getting around the city and trying to find parking because of all of the construction going on (Siri doesn't know how to work well around closed roads). Our excitement was quickly starting to die down until we finally found parking. When we finally made it to the endless line, I ran into one of my Young Life leaders that I hadn't seen in months. As we were waiting to get in, I pulled out my phone to look at Instagram. I saw a picture of two of my work crew friends and their friends from their college. They were waiting in line for the concert as well (I found out they were going to the concert a couple hours before). I showed Carly the picture and pointed out two girl in the group and said "these two friends from work crew," and she freaked out and said: "Wait, they're with my friends from high school!! They're know them!!" At that point we were a little freaked out about how crazy it was that our friends are friends and how God connected all of us. But at the same time, it was the greatest feeling in the world to know how perfectly God plans our lives.

We went into the concert where I saw some other friends I know from high school. So great to run into friends I don't get to see often! Since mine and Carly's friends were already together, we didn't even have to split up to go see them. Anyway, the concert was amazing and afterwards we went on top of a parking garage with our friends and looked out at the skyline of the city. It was truly a magical night.

Carly and I spent the ride home talking to each other about the way that the Lord has shaped our lives and how excited we were about what was to come. When Carly met one of my leaders before going into the concert that night, she realized that she had met her before when she was a freshman in high school. (My leader used to lead at her high school). It blows my mind that Carly, who I just met in college, met my Young Life leader before I met my Young Life leader, and now Carly and I are friends. It gives me chills just thinking about how perfectly God places people in our lives. This might seem like a long rant about how great my night was, but I do have a point.



When I said "overwhelmed" I meant I am OVERWHELMED with God's love for me. Before going to Young Life camp and before spending time with a Young Life leader, I was dying. I was dying to find a purpose to my life, I was dying to feel noticed and wanted. When I heard about what Jesus did on the cross for me, that changed my life. The fact that He took my place- the fact that Jesus who was perfect, took my place on the cross for all the wrong I've done and will ever do- blew my mind. At that moment I knew I had something to live for. I live for the creator of the Universe because I realize that my life is not about me. It is about glorifying God, who created me to have a relationship with Him. I'm not dying anymore. I wake up with a purpose. A purpose to give my life away every day, and love others the same way that He loves me.