Stress: A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.

Life can be stressful and at times it seems as though there is no way to beat the stress. Any stage in life and any circumstances can cause stress. You find yourself wondering "What did I do to deserve this? Why is my life so stressful? Why is Chemistry so difficult for me?"

College can often be one of the most stressful times of your life. College is a huge change in lifestyle between deciding your major, learning how to live on your own, and juggling your extracurricular activities.

I love a good bubble bath, jog, and just about any other good "stress-free" method in the book and while those methods are great and do work, I believe they come second best to God's ways of de-stressing. I believe that stress is a state of one's mind and the number one best way to bid it farewell is to turn to God.

"Lord, I come, I confess. Bowing here I find my rest. Without You, I fall apart. You're the One that guides my

heart. Lord, I need You, oh, I need You. Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness. Oh God, how I need You." -Matt Maher

Here are three of my favorite ways to de-stress when my life gets a little too messy:

1. Find Scripture

worry. school. relationships. finances. friendships. jobs. family. fears.

Whatever it may be that is causing stress in your life, know that there is scripture to help you. God knew that no human could walk through life without needing His help. I have found that spending at least 5 minutes a day solely reading a passage eliminates loads of stress from my body. Why? Reading a passage is listening to God's words. They are kind, honest, helpful, and comforting. God's words WILL ease your mind no matter the circumstance.

2. Pray

"Our prayer and God’s mercy are like two buckets in a well; while one ascends, the other descends." -Arthur Hopkins

This is an obvious way to help your mind and body de-stress. Ever heard the saying "Let go and let God?" Let go of your stress and ask God to take it from you. Pray to the Lord and ask that he help you cope with your stress. Pray that He will help you understand the causes of your stress. Pray without ceasing and understand that the stress won't go away instantaneously. God's timing is the only timing in this world.

Your prayers go up and your blessings come down.

3. Worship

This is my favorite and often my '"go-to" method. If ever I have a bad day or a stressful week one of my favorite things to do is worship. No, you do not have to go to church to worship. You can worship in your room, in your kitchen, in your car, or wherever you please! (I have done all of the above.) I love to just turn on my favorite worship station and sing my stress away. Trust me, this is so fun & so rewarding. I have Pandora stations ranging from classic church hymns, Christian rock, Casting Crowns, and even to Christine D'Clario a Christian artist from the Dominican Republic.

So, if you aren't sure where to begin with scripture or praying, worship is definitely an easy way to start!!

Maybe if scripture, praying, and worship are all foreign to you, the best place to start is by taking Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Your life will be and can be changed. You are never too young or too old to feel the power of Christ.

He is the best way to cleanse yourself of your sins and of your stress!

"Where two or more are gathered in His name, He is there. For all who come, Who run to Him in faith , He is there. There is power in the name of Jesus. There is power, power in His name." Lincoln Brewster

Start today and resolve your stress God's way!

-words with Roz