"Everything happens for a reason."

The motto that Daniel lives by. And tonight we were both amazed at the working of God, and now, no matter what happens, we are so thankful for the break-up. I know that sounds crazy, and it certainly was not fun to do. But we trusted in the Lord, and He showed us just how...good the break-up was. One thing was that we both have the tendancy to let things fly because we just can't break up with someone. It was like a test for both of us to see if we would listen to God and go through with it. I started it, but God required him to finish it. It was amazing. And then, come to find out as I inquired whether Daniel thought it may someday work out, and he didn't know, and said he'd send me an e-mail about why he didn't think it would: turns out that we had both been keeping "complaints" to ourselves. There were things about him and me that we didn't think we could spend our lives ignoring. So he wrote this e-mail about all these things about me that he had come to the conclusion that he couldn't live with (which sounds like a mean thing to do, sort of, but he didn't write the e-mail like that). And, wow, it was like, all my questions were answered. So I called him and I basically said, "Whether this works out or not, I know I need to work on these things, because if I don't marry you, I'm gonna marry someone a lot like you. Because, I know I might kind of like a guy who has a tender heart and a personality like mine, the guys I really respect, and admire and follow are guys like you." And went on to explain why, no matter what happened between us in the future, we needed to work through these things because they are things we both need to work on, and we both need to work on talking about things like this, because no relationship will last if we don't know how to work through things like that. So we talked on the phone for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours last night/this morning talking about everything in the e-mail and all that fun stuff. It was awesome. You know, the one amazing thing about the way things went, is that we did manage to become great friends and that's something we'll both hold onto. And then this morning I read Psalm 34. Wow! I am just...God has just blown me away these past couple of days. You know when you do something for Him, whether it's share the gospel with a friend or stranger or break up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, and you really want to see the good come out of it? Yeah, I've gotten to experience that, and the blessings that have flowed are just...neverending. It's a humbling reminder that God does bless us for obedience, and He does have a purpose for allowing us to go through pain. I've seen it. Anyway, this was the Psalm:

I will bless the LORD at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;

The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

I sought the LORD, and He heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried out,

and the LORD heard him,

And saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD

encamps all around those

who fear Him,

And delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD

is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts

in Him!

Oh, fear the LORD, you His

saints!

There is no want to those who

fear Him.

The young lions lack

and suffer hunger;

But those who seek the LORD

shall not lack any good thing.

Come, you children, listen to

me;

I will teach you the fear of the

LORD.

Who is the man who desires

life,

And loves many days,

that he may see good?

Keep your tongue from evil,

And your lips from speaking

deceit.

Depart from evil and do good;

Seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are on the

righteous,

And His ears are open to their

cry.

The face of the LORD is against

those who do evil,

To cut off the remembrance of

them from the earth.

The righteous cry out,

and the LORD hears,

And delivers them out of all their troubles.

The LORD is near to those who

have a broken heart,

And saves such as have a

contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the

righteous,

But the LORD delivers him

out of them all.

He guards all his bones;

Not one of them is broken.

Evil shall slay the wicked,

And those who hate the

righteous shall be

condemned.

The LORD redeems the soul of

His servants,

And none of those who trust in

Him shall be condemned.

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God." (Psalm 42:11 &43:5)