He Heals the Brokenhearted

Hi Team Chill!

When I was leaving for college last week and told a sister it would be 12 weeks before I came back home, she said something that saddened yet encouraged me: "Pretend that it's 6 NYTS's!" While I was and still am sad about leaving home, I see now how I can make these remaining 11 weeks in Chicago just like NYTS—a time of immense spiritual growth.

The first few days and nights coming in were very tough. The first night I was staying in my dorm room and my parents were still in town (but not with me), and yet I was crying so much to the point where I could barely breathe. I knew that in less than 24 hours my parents would leave me in this place 1000 miles away from home in a town where I knew less than 20 people, and the thought of this scared me to my bones. I believe the only reason I was able to sleep that night was because of the continual repetition of Psalm 23 in my head and of course, His abundant grace and mercy.

It has been almost a week since that tear-filled night, and by His guidance, every day has been getting better. Psalm 147:3 (I've attached the memory verse song below 🙂) has reminded me that this broken heart caused by my homesickness can only be healed by God and God alone:

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

While my homesickness is indeed still present, I have been reminded of a lesson I learned reading Victory on the Island: A Freshman Survival Guide—severe homesickness stems from a heart of discontentment with the circumstances God has put us in. Missing home is natural, but if it causes me to become so distraught and unable to function, I know that I have an ungrateful heart, and that I am unable to acknowledge God's blessing in the midst of suffering. Knowing this, I have asked Him continually to give me strength upon strength to heal my broken heart, to make me content, and to be able to see how much my faith will grow in these first few weeks of living on my own.

Please pray for me as this first, official week of school starts (last week was orientation) so that my faith will not fail in the midst of tribulation.

God bless!
Sophia


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bfgBvNE0dlRWtSTDJKSE9NNjZsb3dxVldvUFFpQ1d6TjdZ/view?usp=sharing