Life Changes and New Adventures

          I thought that I had the next couple of years of my life all figured out. I am a prime example of a chronic over-thinker, and the queen of the pro/con list. I had carefully thought out every recent decision I had made. I was settled at the school where I had been working, I had a good apartment and ward, and I had just been accepted to a 2 year long Master's of Education program, which would fulfill one of my long term goals. Yet something still felt off. Despite the fact that I thought I had a good direction in my life, I felt confused and unsettled. It felt like I was trapped inside a box. I would walk in one direction, hit the wall of the box only to turn in another direction and hit another wall.
         The problem was, I just could not figure out what it was that wasn't right. I started taking the long way driving home from work each day and praying about my concerns. It took a couple of weeks of this before seemingly out of the blue, the strongest impression came that I needed to move back to Virginia. My rational brain wanted to fight it, and fight it hard at first. I asked a lot of questions. What about my well thought out decisions? What about my job here that I love? What about all of the amazing people I would be leaving behind? The more questions I asked, the stronger I felt that I needed to really consider this prompting. So, I pushed my questions aside and started a new pro/con list to try and figure out why the Lord would want me to move back to Virginia. I felt overwhelming peace as I read the items on that list over and over again, and I knew this was what I needed to do.
         Two days later, through tears of course, I told my principal that I was leaving. Now if I were her, I probably would have been a little annoyed with me for telling her that  I was moving just four weeks before the end of school. But that just isn't the type of person that she is. She just looked at me across the desk and said, "Sarah, I can see the peace in your eyes. This is just so right for you, and I could not be happier for you." I was blessed by so many similar reactions from family, friends, and co-workers. Though I am so beyond excited for this new adventure, to live closer to family, and to see what is in store for me in Virginia, I will miss the many amazing, beautiful people I have come to know and love here in Utah. They have touched my life in countless ways, believed in me, taught me, and made me the person I am today.
        So if you are reading this and doubting the fact that Heavenly Father loves and knows you, I am here to tell you that He does. He cares about you, and your life and your choices matter greatly to Him. I promise that if you are willing to align your will with His, He will bless you with peace and opportunities greater than you ever could have imagined!