At first, I was haunted by the memory of the day you broke up with me. When I think about that phone call, my stomach jerks and spins into tight knots, sometimes making me sick to my stomach for a few minutes. But now when I go back to that night, my heart doesn't hurt but feels lighter and full.

I'd rather not get into the soppy details because I'm confident that you can put together what happened. It's the most stereotypical break-up story and I'll respect him enough to not put it out there; however, I will say that my heart broke. It felt like it shattered into a billion pieces as soon as he said the words. But a year and a half later, I'm happy and proud to say that I've never felt more confident in myself. The weight on my shoulders is gone. My mind is clear. My eyes are dry and optimistic. My heart is full.

You breaking up with me brought a clarity to my mind that I never knew I needed. It brought composure and it brought light. It gave me opportunities to fix relationships to the people most important to me and it allowed me to cherish and love on everything around me. I saw beauty in the trees. I saw purity in the rain. I saw the calm in the storm. I saw the smooth edges of the rocks.

But most importantly, I saw the steadiness and patience of the Lord. I felt His precious hand resting on my shoulder, urging me towards His open, outstretched arms with a smile on His face, saying, "Come home." That's the very first time I ever felt the presence of the Lord move around and inside and I give all thanks to your decision to break my heart.

Once it was broken, it was the perfect opportunity for the Lord to walk into my life and mold me in His image, to chip away my insecurities, and to bend my view of the world around me to fit His vision.

God's beauty came into light when He allowed my heart to be broken down and rebuilt. At first, I was naive to think that your approval and love was what made me feel whole; I was completely wrong. The only One who can satisfy the human heart is the One who created it.

"He makes all things beautiful in His time" - Ecclesiastes 3:11