If at 8 years-old you had sat me down and told me where I'd be today and what I would have to do en route to this day, well, I probably still would have cried. I wouldn't have believed, for one, that I would have made it through middle school or high school alive, or moved 2,000 miles away from my family on my own, or that I would let God into my heart, much less that He was real, or that I'd be working where I'm working or that I'd be getting married right before I turned 29.
Heh.
I often think back on my OYC. I absolutely love everything I struggled through and everything I fought for. I may not have loved it while I was going through it - BUT Shrek said it best...something about onions...having layers. And that 366+ days (because it was a leap year), God stripped away everything, everything I gave to Him to strip away He took and replaced it with His vision, His love, His heart, and His strength. I learned so much during that time in my life and regret not one single day.
And it's not just because I'm getting married in 4 months and 26 days - though I'm learning it is okay to celebrate that blessing. What I realize and hope that others realize is that the OYC was never about being single. It wasn't ever intended to solely make me a better person for my future husband.
It was about giving up a co-dependency and learning to lean on God for all things. All things. Being obedient to God was the best decision I ever made and the best decision I can make all the days of my life.
I had no vision when I was 8, and even if I had, had vision, I never would have foreseen this. All of this was a surprise. And though it was difficult, I'm glad and thankful to God that He's led me where He has.
