No, I don’t have a list for you, just this one thing.
Please don’t freak yourself out.
I freaked out before my first year and I’ve freaked out plenty of days since then.
Here's what I wish I would have done: Every time you're worried, say to yourself, "Jesus, I trust you." Say it out loud for extra power! Seriously. I had two crazy years of college, and my body is on the edge of mutiny with stress headaches, sleeping issues, tight shoulders, maybe TMJ, and either IBS or SIBO or whatever other letters my body feels like throwing in there. Maybe now, I’m finally going to get the message through to my head. I wish I could stand in front of you in person and say absolutely whatever it took to get this in your heart and make it stick there because it will save you from a lot of miserable worry: Jesus has got you. He has this big crazy plan, and he’s going to make it happen. It will blow your mind. You can't grasp this right now, but you will someday.
Am I saying you can lean back and do nothing? No. Of course not. There is a huge difference between worry and concern. Concern moves you to take action. Worry, stress, and nerves either keep you from action or move you into too much action. Think of it this way. If you’re concerned about an Algebra test, concern will make you study. Stress will make it hard to focus because you keep stopping to think, “I can’t do this. This is too hard.” On the other hand, you might study too long, taking time away from other things you need to do and even exhausting your brain. If you’re giving a speech onstage, concern helps your practice. Nerves will make you stutter, overthink your words, and stumble all over yourself. This applies to issues with finances, family, friends, or whatever other issues you’ve got going on.
Here’s what I’m saying: Whether you struggle with anxiety or you’re a worrier/over-thinker/perfectionist or you don’t really have that big a problem with worrying but you still do it – because, well, it’s a pretty human thing to do – you can stop for a minute, take hold of your mind and say, “I’m not going to worry about this. Jesus, I trust You.”
No matter what mistakes you might make, Jesus will work everything out for your good. So, really...there is no pressure. You're free to make mistakes and learn from them. Because you belong to God, you have nothing to prove and nothing to lose. Don't forget that. Keep reminding yourself of that. Write yourself a note with your favorite verse about trusting God. (If you don't have one, find one. Here are some to try. Psalm 27:1, Hebrews 13:6, John 16:33, Isaiah 41:10, John 14:27, Psalm 23:4, and then there's good old Proverbs 3:5-6.) Include some encouraging song lyrics like these.
- I’m no longer a slave to fear. I am a child of God. (No Longer Slaves – Bethel)
- If he can hold the world, he can hold this moment. (Sparrows – Jason Gray)
- I believe that you’re still here with me ‘cuz you meant what you said when you said you’d never leave. (Carry Me – Josh Wilson)
- We are not forgotten. We are not alone. He is holding us, and he'll never let go. (Not Forgotten - Ryan Stevenson)
- I know that fear is a liar... If there's a way, you will make it. I won't be afraid. (Learning – Jason Gray)
- You say let it go. You say life is waiting for the one's who lose control. You say you will be everything I need. (Let It Go – Tenth Avenue North)
I’ll leave you with this: On the days that it gets really hard (because there will be a lot of those days), remember that you will make it. You. Will. Make. It. God will not give up on you so you shouldn't give up on you.
