Being an idealist, there's something I've learned about planning: It RARELY goes the way you've imagined. Whether it's plans that you have with your friends, something that you'd wish would happen, or hopes for your future. There will be disappointments along the road because this is real life and it's not always all sunshine and roses. We all go through losses, we all go through sadness, but what's truly important is how you react to adversity.

Let me tell you that some disappointments are greater than others, but you always have to remember that God's plans for you are so much greater than anything you may be dealing with. Temporary heartbreak may save you a lifetime of misery. The thing is that, you never know what is in store for your future, that's life. That's what makes it exciting and full of so much emotion. Maybe you can't go to the concert you've been anticipating for almost a year, but maybe that's a sign that God is saving you from something that might've happened if you would've went. Maybe you got a stress fracture and can't play sports for a few months, maybe that's God's way of preventing a bigger storm from hitting you. He gives us warnings in our everyday lives but the question is, do you pick up on them?

Everyone has a story, it's what shapes them into the person they are today. Your background and your upbringing are important, but they don't describe who you truly are. Only YOU have the power to let something define you. If you went through a rocky spot in your teenage years, there's good news. You have time to mend it. You don't know what you want to do with your life and you're almost done with college, there's good news. You will eventually figure it out. God has something great planned for you if you listen to him. His plan will be greater than any you design for yourself. So if you're a lot like me and prefer to have everything planned out ahead of time, well then sometimes you just need to remind yourself to let it all go and live carefree. Life is too short to be upset by the little bumps in the road or the things that maybe didn't go your way. All of these little rocky patches will most likely be insignificant one day and the overall picture of your life will be beautiful and meaningful. Remember, God will never give you anything you can't handle. You ARE strong enough to live this life, so go forth and conquer it!

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.