Rejection #2...and #3....and #4

So I got back my college news. I got rejected from both Swarthmore and Oberlin. Not waitlisted. No, flat out rejected. I mean, they make the letters sound all nice.... "we hope that you find the best educational options for you in your academic/musical pursuits" and blah blah blah. But it hurts. It really hurts. I think that yesterday was the first day since Monday that I wasn't bawling all day. I mean, it's not like I'm mad at God. I know that He has a perfect plan. But it's difficult to move on after 3 college rejections. And then I didn't place in a competition that I had two weeks ago. So, once again, rejection has hurdled itself on me. But I was talking to my piano teacher, and she was really encouraging. She said that as hard as it is to see, the rejection isn't a rejection of me. It's not even a rejection of my talent, or a way to estimate how good or bad I am. It simply didn't work out because it wasn't the right place for me; or, from a Christian's point of view, it didn't work out because it wasn't in the Lord's will. And like one of my friends told me, I was competing against 18-22 year olds from all around the world (up to 22 because transfer students also apply and are calculated into the percentage of people that get admitted). So I wasn't just competing against the best musicians in Minnesota. Or in a tri-state area. Or even in the US. I was competing against the very best musicians from all over the world. And thinking about it like that, I really understand why I didn't make it in. I mean, I can't even imagine myself three years ago competing against myself now. I'd have no chance. And I asked my mom the other day, "Do you think that becoming a concert pianist is totally thrown out of the window? Because I feel like my dreams are being totally demolished in one huge swoop." And she was like, "No, because you feel called to do this. It's not just a dream. It's a call that the Lord has placed in Your life." And how true that is. The Lord's will for my life will be accomplished, without regard to competitions that I win or lose, where I go to college, or who my future piano teachers will be. If it truly is the Lord's will for me to be a concert pianist, nothing can stand in the way of that. And again, I do have time to grow musically. And where I go to college Lord-willing this fall doesn't necessarily mean that will be the place that I get my degree from. I can always transfer if need be. So despite rejection, I can continue on with hope knowing that the Lord's will will be accomplished and nothing (and no one) can stand in the way of that. And His plan for my life will be way better than I could ever imagine. I know it. Later,
Rachel