In His Hands

In His Hands

May 15, 2020

My Ouachita acceptance box!

This is the blog post I had been waiting to write, because so much of my story has led up to this moment. As I look back on every moment that brought me here, I can see I was always in God's hands. Every time I was worried about being on the right track, God knew what He was doing.

I am so happy to announce that I will be attending Ouachita Baptist University in the fall, God willing. Yesterday, I received my admissions box, which contained my acceptance letter and paperwork for the embassy, as well as some awesome goodies. I knew I was accepted into Ouachita Baptist University before this box arrived, but when I held the box, I felt great peace with this decision and felt how much the OBU family cares for me. I couldn't believe that this box had travelled an ocean to reach me.

The joy you see reflected on my face is not just because I received a beautiful box filled with gifts, but because I saw God's confirmation for His plans in my life. For a long time, I felt like making decisions for my future was daunting, and I made them carefully, as if I were treading on thin ice. Now, I feel like I am on track and I can run confidently.

As soon as the doorman put the box in my hands, I felt ecstatic. It felt like Christmas, not just because I got a present, but because I was able to see Jesus in that gift. I could see Jesus because He guided a representative to come to my school a year ago, and He allowed my mom and I to take her to the airport. He led me to apply, and gave me the grace to win several scholarships. He gave me the resilience to keep having faith that I could study in the United States despite the fact that it seemed impossible. He equipped me with courage and wisdom to write sponsorship letters, and He moved people's hearts to donate.

Through it all, He had my life in His hands.

God worked through so many people to make this dream a reality, because He put this dream in my heart. There is a common African proverb which states that "it takes a village to raise a child." In my case, this is absolutely true. It took a village to raise me, and I will still need a village as I keep growing and learning. Throughout my life, there have been so many people who have impacted my life in so many ways. If you are reading this, you are probably one of them.

I could not be where I am without you. Without your love, your prayers, your advice, and even your financial help, I would not be who I am today. I am beyond grateful for your impact in my life. I am incredibly humbled by your endless love which reflects God's grace and mercy, which has taught me to give out all I have for others to see Christ through me.

I cannot wait to go to Ouachita Baptist University and meet so many more people who will change and impact my life. I am ready to pour into them and transform their lives again. I am excited to see where God takes me, because I am certain that I am in His will. There is a new freshness in knowing that I don't exactly know what is coming, and I am stepping into the unexpected. Now, the my life bursts with opportunity. I can see that the world is in a period of transition and change, just like I am; I am ready to take on the new challenges that arise.

My prayer for this season is that I can remain patient and humble in waiting for God to keep working. I pray that He will protect and provide for everyone we care about. May we be assured that He is in control of everything, even as the world seems uncertain and volatile. May He bless you beyond what you can imagine and pour incredible gifts on your life as a reward for your generosity.

I encourage you to trust that you are in His hands and He is guiding your story. He has so much in store for you. I encourage you to keep loving people because you are showing God's love in this world and changing it in the way that it needs right now. You never know how much impact you are making on someone.

Yours truly,

Isa