Going back for my second semester

The white plastic bag hung onto the handle of my suitcase, waiting to be brought out to the van. My clothes bags, shoes, backpack, and Painball gun all sat in a pile in the corner. My music that was once scattered on the piano from being practised now was packed into my book bag. My cell phone lay hanging from the charger by the wall. My computer was plugged in getting fully charged for the trip back up to school.
These are just some of the things that I see as I write this entry. This break has flown by so quickly. So many things got accomplished, none of which were things that I had planned on doing. I didn't get ahead in any school work . . . and I didn't get my books ordered in time to read ahead. However, I did get a lot of opportunities to serve. I was able to invest in others lives, and I was also able to counsel a girl in my youth group about some wrong decisions that she had been making. I didn't tell her what to do, but I did tell her what God's Word said on such things, and that she should pray about it, and then make her decision. We also talked about asking Christs forgiveness when we sin. I explained to her that when we sin, we not only sin against someone, but we sin against Christ. I tryed to explain the importance of us going before Christ and asking for His free mercy and forgiveness. She admitted to me that she never asked for God's forgiveness. I was able to talk to her for about an hour on that very subject. GOD IS GOOD!!!
My parents and I will leave in about an hour to take me back up to Northland International University for my second semester at school. I'm scared, and excited all at the same time. I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends, and yet scared of who I will meet this semester as well.
As my luggage slowly gets hauled out to the van, I can feel the cold "whoosh" of the door opening and closing. It almost reminds me of a day back in August. August 31st. The day I first went off to school. It was a terrifying and yet exhilerating moment for me. A moment to spread my wings, and learn to fly on my own. However, when I finally got to Northland, a sense of insecurity and total and complete fear controlled me. I remember as I watched my mom drive away . . . tears of anger and fear rolled down my cheeks. I wanted to run after her and throw myself at the van, begging her to stop and not leave me here. Now as I look back, however, I smile with how homesick I was, and the knowledge that if she had taken me back home, I would not have grown in so many areas of my life.
I am so thankful I get to go to a good christian school like Northland. No matter how homesick/scared I get, I know that their is always going to be good godly friends to hold me up, encourage me and remind me that from the beginning of time, God had a purpose for me, and one of the purposes was to come to Northland. I may not be sure of that purpose right now, but as long as I'm inside of God's will, I am in the safest place on earth.