“Everything happens for a reason, that’s what my momma always said,” my mom says in the face of whatever mountain I am struggling to overcome. This sentiment is repeated throughout my family for all challenges, whether life-altering or seemingly insignificant. It wasn’t until recently that I began to buy into this idea.

Going to college changes your life. I never truly believed that until I got here. I had been in a relationship leading up to the start of the school year, but my now ex-boyfriend is in the Army, so he was gone for training in Oklahoma the first half of my first semester. Y’all, I SWORE I was going to marry him. Every time I was with him was somehow the best day of my life. But limited communication and stress attributed to AIT and college created the perfect storm for the demise of our relationship. I could barely get out of bed for a month.

But eventually things started to get better. Now, I am able to travel and adventure freely, which has set my soul on fire in unimaginable ways. Everything happens for a reason, and although I fell apart, it is helping me to reshape myself to be the best and most God-fearing version of myself possible.

One of those adventures was a trip to Nashville for three days with my best friend. I was able to spend time in my favorite city with my favorite person while exploring all the tourist attractions and AMAZING food that Nash has to offer. We truly had the time of our lives there. It sparked an adventurous curiosity I had lost awhile ago.

However, as we were walking out to our car to leave for home, we saw that my back window had been shattered. Someone had robbed our car and stolen my favorite purse that was filled with personal mementoes and a family ring, but luckily no monetary valuables. This terrifying incident could have been SO much worse, and I think it was a wake up call from God to be more cautious. Everything happens for a reason, and I think this happens to prevent a greater tragedy in the future.

Oftentimes we resent the challenges placed in front of us because we don’t understand them. But that’s the whole point of a challenge; if we knew what we were supposed to do right away, then we wouldn’t learn and grow from it! Obstacles are often viewed in a negative light because they cause us pain and sorrow, but I have learned that obstacles are some of the most rewarding things. Trust the process. You will be rewarded with greater things than ever imaginable. I would have NEVER thought that I could go to a city and just explore freely with my anxiety, but I did just that. And then some of my favorite belongings were stolen, but I still left happy and grateful.

Everything happens for a reason, we just often don’t know exactly why. It may take days, months, or even years, but God does not make mistakes concerning what happens in your life. Every little thing that happens is shaping you to be the best version of you possible.