i am [not] alone.

I struggle with loneliness. Some days I sit in my bed and begin to cry because I have convinced myself that I am completely alone.

You have no friends. 
No one understands what you are feeling right now.
You've just got to suck it up and deal with it. 
You're too much.
You're not enough.

These are just a few of the thoughts that I play on repeat during those bad days. I'm not telling you this for sympathy, but rather because I am confident that I am not the only one who has this struggle.

It's been 2.5 years since I graduated from college, and the transition into the "real world" is still really hard for me. When I moved back to Fort Wayne I had this unrealistic expectation that things would just pick up where I left them. I was so wrong.

My friends have changed, moved away to different cities and states, gotten married. I am in a familiar place, surrounded by familiar people, but I still feel alone.

Tonight at youth group, I forced myself to be vulnerable. I shared with the girls in my small group that I have been struggling with feeling isolated and alone. And that I've been waiting for what seems like an eternity for God to show up and help me.

The response I got from my girls brings tears to my eyes as I write this.
They encouraged me.
Shared their appreciation for me.

Tonight I was reminded that I am not alone.

If you struggle with feeling isolated, please know that you are not alone either. Reach out to someone you trust. (And if you need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to contact me!) Be vulnerable; share your struggles. It's okay to ask for help.

We are not alone.