When I was in my senior year of high school, I had a plan for my life.

That plan involved two things: a nursing degree and a husband.

Looking back now, it’s almost comical to see how wrong I was. We as humans have a tendency to attempt to design how our lives are going to play out, but God has a greater plan for us than we know.

Rejection is a painful thing, and when I didn’t get into nursing school it hurt. The career I had discerned I was called to had suddenly been closed off from me, and I felt very uncertain about my future.

However, this uncertainty only brought me closer to God. We are called to be in relationship with our Father, and times of hardship often force us to rely on Him. I made the decision to remain in school, switch from pre-nursing to psychology, and re-evaluate where He was calling me.

Almost two years have passed since then, and I am amazed by the blessings that have come out of one of the most difficult seasons of my life. I am stronger in my faith, more convicted in my career choice, and exponentially happier than I was when my self-esteem depended upon an acceptance letter.

The door was closed to me then because I wasn’t ready.

I’ve grown so much these past two years, and I know that I needed that time to prepare myself for what is to come. What I thought was a “no” has turned out to be a “not yet”, and I am so excited to attend nursing school in the fall.

Trusting in and relying on the Lord is much easier said than done, but I cannot imagine where I would be right now if I hadn’t allowed Him to shape and lead me in the way He has.