Often times we bypass the little things in our lives. The little miracles that take place each and every day because we are to busy searching for the big ones. One thing that I have learnt over the past 4 years is that ironically enough, it is those little miracles that create the biggest impact and I would like to share a part of my story with anybody who wishes to listen.

On May 12 of 2013, I got a little miracle and it came in the form of my mother.

It was Mothers Day weekend that my mom requested the whole family to attend this new church she heard about. She convinced us that it would be the best mothers day gift we could give her so of course I said yes despite my lack of enthusiasm at the thought of going. I had been attending church almost my whole life but somewhere along the way I had gotten lost in the world. I had slowly but effectively put my faith on the shelf not to be discovered again until that very day in May 2013.

So we went to church that morning and I will never forget seeing so many friendly looking young people who were of course like me on the outside but with a radiating joy that seemed to be coming from the inside. Something that at the time I didn’t really think was attainable for me. So after being greeted by some friendly faces, we walked into the auditorium and as the music was playing something began happening to me.

Rewinding the clock back a little bit, I remember in my last semester as a music major in college I had started to ask myself a few really important questions: What was the point of it all? What was my purpose? Why do I feel so broken and alone? I started to think that there had to be something more than what I currently had because I just felt so empty. It turns out that no amount of practicing pieces, dating boys or partying with friends could fill the void that I felt. But on that Sunday morning at church, I knew I had finally found what I was missing. I had been missing Jesus and I wanted him to become a part of my life forever. So just like that, a seed was planted in my heart that day and it was all because my mom had asked me to church. That small seed would continue to grow for the next several months into something so much more. Little miracles can bring big change when you allow them to.

About a month or so after that Sunday, I decided to get together for coffee with my old pastor who I had known since I was 13. She had even been my youth pastor once upon a time. It was there in Tim Hortons (I’m Canadian duh) that I completely broke down. Sandra had just asked me a simple question and yet I was brought to tears from the full and heavy weight of my sin. I repented that day and in those few minutes when I felt the most defeated and the most disgusted towards myself it was replaced with Jesus’ forgiveness and love. He took all of the shame that I felt and I remember feeling so free. Still broken and still hurting, but free none-the less. God had done something extraordinary in my heart that day through this amazing woman and it made me want to change. I had to change after that unexplainable encounter. There was just no option to stay the way that I was.

That summer I had to fight hard for my faith. I had to fight hard to stay on track and to read my Bible and pray-something that I had never been consistent in before. I had to let go of what was closest to me at the time. I know it doesn’t sound glamorous, but living your life for Jesus isn’t a walk in the park; sorry for the wake-up call if you didn’t already know (and its ok if you didn’t). Its challenging because following him calls you to a higher standard than that of the broken society in which we live and I was in an unhealthy relationship that I previously hadn’t realized was dysfunctional. Once I allowed God to change me, my relationship “pre-change” no longer suited the life that I chose to live “post-change”. It started holding me back and Satan used that as a tool to try and stop me from what God had in store for me. It was the hardest time of my life but I got through it by Gods grace and I am so forever grateful for his unfailing love and constant pursuit of me. He never once gave up on me. He will always search out the lost and the broken.

By this point, fall was in close pursuit and I had been planning on attending Carleton University in Ottawa that year as I got accepted into their program on a scholarship for music. However, God had other plans for me and that plan just didn’t sit right with me anymore. I learnt that the pastors at the church I had been attending all summer had gone to Sydney Australia for Hillsong Church’s Leadership College and come back to plant a church themselves. When I had heard about it, I thought it was so crazy because I had started to think about Hillsong College myself earlier that summer as my mom told me about their college a long time ago. Even on that Mothers day Sunday in May there was a married couple all the way from Hillsong Australia attending to guest speak. Looking back now I don’t think it was a coincidence. Its amazing how God brought me to the very place I needed to be in that season of my life. So nearing the end of summer I applied for Hillsong College and cancelled my enrollment at the University. I felt so much peace about this decision. Two days later I got a confirmation of my acceptance into their program and just like that, I was going to be in Sydney Australia for Bible College in January.

God completely changed my life that day in May and he still continues to do so every single day since then because we never arrive-its actually about the journey. We always have more to learn. He continues to provide for me and lavish his love upon me despite my imperfections and mistakes. He has blessed me in more ways than I can write in this post (because its already so long!) and I will never stop reminding myself of what God did in my life that summer because it truly was a miracle. Even though I gave some things up that summer to pursue the calling he placed on my life, It is nothing in comparison to what I have gained in return. There is always a sacrifice for the reward.

So you see? Little miracles lead to big things and they occur each and every day whether it be somebody paying for your coffee while your in line at the drive through, a friend messaging you to ask how you are, a work bonus you never expected to receive or simply another day that you get to wake up alive in this world. It is important to recognize the blessings of life regardless of how small they may seem to you at the time.

I wonder, is God calling you like he called me 4 years ago? Do you ever find yourself feeling lost, broken and empty? Maybe its time for you to pick up the phone and answer his call.

After-all, little miracles await.