Hey friends!

So, if you guys have been following me on Twitter and Instagram, you will know that I recently got that pretty little piece of mail called an acceptance letter to the University of South Carolina. For all of my college people out there, you know how huge of a deal it is to get accepted into the school you wanted to get into. It is such an amazing feeling, words cannot describe!

I have been working so hard for this for the past year now. I originally was at another college that I realized I did not feel comfortable at. At first, I didn't want to leave because that would mean "wimping out" or quitting. I didn't want to end up messing things up for me, and hurting my parents' feelings by doing so. However, for me, it was kind of like God was calling me to go back home and review my options.

At the time, I was so lost. I was lost in the world, at school... basically, I was just lost in life. I was caught up in the college lifestyle, where drinking to get drunk was the "thing" and parties were an everyday necessity. I remember sneaking drinks in between apartment rooms in order for myself and my friends at the time to not get in trouble by the security at the housing development we were in. I had the mouth of a sailor, and was just an angry, lost individual. I remember calling my sister, trying to hold it all together even though I was breaking.

That last phone call I made to my sister about a pretty big falling out with my roommate was the final straw. God was definitely saying, This is not what I planned for you. This is not where you are supposed to be. After that, I called up my dad and told him I was leaving as soon as winter break started.

Coming home permanently from my previous education caused a lot of concern from people that I knew. They believed I was simply chickening out and not sucking it up. The thing is that they don't realize that it wasn't by my own will, but God's. It also made me really start falling back in love with God and strengthening my faith. Before, I was only just living in my parent's faith, When I came back, I started going back to church and befriending more people who were God's people and who would hold me accountable if I ever slipped up. I started reading more, started taking time out of my day to spend it with God. I'm still trying to better myself as a woman of God, and I am far from perfect, but I am farther away from sin than I was before.

Putting my trust in God has led me to so many great things. At first, I was at this job where I had a horrible boss who would belittle you for every bad mistake. When I started letting Him take control, I was presented with a better job opportunity, and the Lord has blessed me so much. I now have a great, understanding boss and I actually like going into work. In regards to school, I am doing so much better than I was at my previous school. I'm at a technical school and will transfer to USC next fall. I have a 3.2 average and am still holding onto it. 

Looking back at it all, if I didn't listen to God calling me home, I would have never gotten this opportunity to go to a school that is closer to my family (and better for my major) and be closer to Him. My favorite verse that can probably best describe this post is from James, and it says,

I hope that this post will inspire you guys to listen to the call of God and listen to what he has planned for you. I know that if I wasn't as broken down as I was that night, I would have never heard God saying that where I was wasn't the place for me to be at, and I would have been still stuck in this rut of sin and debauchery. Break down your walls. Shut the world out. Just take some time to hear what the Lord has to say today, and you will be glad you did.

Yours truly,

Leighan