Kind

God is kind.

Those words jumped out to me the other day as I was scrolling through Instagram. They aren't words seen together often, but why? After all, "God is good" and "God is just" and "God is love" are heard so much as to become trite. But kind? Certainly not. And I think I get why. I mean, look at the world. Look at any one person's life - your own life. It is a far cry from perfect. And when things aren't perfect it's hard to say that the One looking over us all is "kind."

However, I still think He is. To me, those three words - God is kind - are beautiful. Because even though life is hard and the world often appears to be coming apart at the seams, I know that isn't God. Us people make the world go haywire, and God helps patch it up.

I know not everyone feels the same. Really, I get it. I so get that. But God has been kind to me. He has loved me and shown me such grace and blessed me so much. This chapter of my life - college - is the sheer proof of that. Earlier this year I wrote about not really knowing where life was heading. I didn't know which university I would end up at or who I would meet or any of that. Now I'm here at UTD and I know without a shadow of a doubt God meant for me to be here.

I haven't written about these last few months really. Well, I have - but I kept starting posts and not finishing. I think part of that has just been savoring all of the experiences. Holy cow. I love it here. I have met so many truly amazing people. I've made such wonderful friends; I really could not ask for better. I know that was all God. He put the people I needed in my life in ways that I could have never dreamed up on my own. The sort of friends who do little things totally unexpectedly to let me know they care. The sort that it seems I've known for years and years. So yes, I sure think God is kind.

But what about the times when life isn't all peachy? When things go terribly, horribly wrong? How can I say God is kind then?

Well, I still do. A perfect life is not the only way to see God's kindness (and I am certainly not saying I have a perfect life). God shows through even brighter because of the hard times. Because life isn't perfect, because sometimes life plain sucks, and because, as my friend jokingly says, the struggle is real. Because of all of that the beauty of life can be seen as the beauty that it is. After all, a gem would not be precious if the world was filled with them everywhere a person turns. No, a gem is only precious and valued because it is rare, and when you receive one it is seen as a treasured gift. Life is just the same. The dark makes the light even brighter and the hard times make the joyous moments all the more glorious.

Right now I feel like I am in one of the happiest times yet. I feel so tremendously blessed and I want to savor every single drop of it. Even the frustrating calculus assignments and the tedious studying. All of that is part of college and learning and it means that I'm here, in the moment, right where God put me.

God has shown me His kindness. He has put exactly the people I need in my life. He has given me every opportunity I need scholastically to do well and study what I love. He has taken me through trials to strengthen me and turn me into the person I am. He has given me peace.

So thank you. To God, thank you for everything you have given me, good and bad. To everyone in my life, thank you for being a part of my life and being exactly who you are. You're kind of really awesome.