What I Learned in College: Live Fully & Grace is Abounding

First of all, I just have to say THANK YOU for all the sweet comments on yesterday's exciting post! I adore each of you and am so thankful for your encouragement. 

Today is day two of my What I Learned in College series.  This is a story that is hard for me to tell, relive, and even fully remember. Thank you for letting me share my heart.

What I Learned in College: Live Fully & Grace is Abounding

 I was a freshman in college, living in another state.  I woke up one morning at 6am to my roommate's irregular breath. Still tired and in a fog, I thought she was having a bad dream.  From my bed, I tried to wake her, but her breathing was still unlike anything I had ever heard. Then it clicked. Something was not right and my sweet roommate needed help.  After quickly running to grab my suit-mates and my RA, I called 911. My beautiful, kind, and talented roommate was suffering from a cardiac arrest in our dorm room. Our very dorm room that we'd spent the whole summer preparing for; the entire first week of school decorating.  It was the dorm room that the girls on our floor loved to come visit.  It was the cutest room I'd ever seen, and one I'd dreamt about my whole life.  Our room was now invaded with EMT's trying to save her life.  The girls and I joined hands and prayed our little hearts out. God, protect her. Keep her safe. May people see your hand in this circumstance.  And by the grace of God, He did. After three days in a coma, my roommate woke up with not a problem to be seen or a cause to be diagnosed.

I witnessed a miracle. A life spared, a life saved, and a life that still had a lot more life to be lived. What a blessing and a relief it was to know she was okay....perfectly okay! If nothing else, what caught me off guard was that I was there. It was me who was in that room with her, it was me who isn't a sound sleeper and who woke up to the tiniest gasp for air.  Why? How? Words can't explain what a humbling, terrifying, and miraculous event this was. 
This was grace at its finest.

Here I was as a freshman in college, and I learned quickly that things don't go as planned.  I learned I needed to live fully. Fully live. Life is a gift and you never know when it could be taken. I realized I needed to continually be thankful each and every day I woke up healthy.  I realized I needed to be a better friend, daughter, sister, and person all together.   I was reminded to hold dear what you love.  Cherish your family {and remember to thank my mama profusely for flying up to be with me}. Love with no bounds. Chase hard after your passion. And always listen to and trust where God wants you. Because the funny thing is, when I decided to come to Seattle for school I was nervous and hesitant, but knew this is where the Lord wanted me. I was homesick most of my freshman year and wanted to quit, trust me, I wanted to. But I stayed. And if for nothing else, I was there in this rainy little city to be used for this purpose.  For His purpose.
 This  was a day I can vaguely remember in its entirety and for that, I'm thankful. But what I do remember was a life was saved and I felt a clear calling and passion to live mine, too.

Live life, friends! Have a blessed day:)
xoxo

*Image by Victoria Carlson Photography