When God Wraps You in His Arms

Its been a really, really bad week...one of those where you breathe a sigh of relief and send up a prayer of thanks that its over.  One thing after another has happened - exhausting days, being forced to give one of patients (who I have to find myself) to another student, issues at work (not me personally but dealing with issues others are having), a disagreement with a teacher (who also happens to be my advisor), arguments with people close to me, and even making a member from another gym location mad at me with a simple request.  Yeah, its been that kind of week.  One day I cried all the way home from class.

God amazed me this week, though.  He wrapped His arms around me and never let go.  He showered me with simple graces that let me know He's with me.  On Wednesday (the worst day of the week) I got this devotional in my email: http://devotions.proverbs31.org/2012/02/im-beyond-hurt.html?utm_source=encftdevo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=encftdevo - I cried when I read it, because it was as if God sent it just for me.  My favorite songs would come on the radio just when I needed them, like the morning I felt so down on myself and Franchesca Battestelli's song "Beautiful, Beautiful" came on.  If you've never heard it, it starts with, "I don't know how it is you looked at me, and saw the person that I could be..."

God's love amazes me.  I am so insignificant, yet the God who created the universe loves me enough to reach out and comfort me during a bad week.  He loves me enough to send me a devotional filled with Scriptures telling me that He's with me, like Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."  (That entire list of verses is now printed and placed on the front of my college binder.)  He's always with me, but He wrapped His arms extra-tight around me this week, and I'm so glad He did.