I've been getting a lot better at managing my anxiety and not having to deal with it as much. A huge thing for me has been being able to read God's word and put on the armor of God, because He provides me with so much security. Putting my identity in Christ has allowed me to see past my own flaws and do things that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise; because I simply do not have the power or the will to do it on my own.

Though, often, I still fail.

I still fail to put my total faith in Christ and my anxieties can get the best of me.

Sometimes I fail to take note even the smallest of victories. It is important when struggling with something long-term to look at even the tiny victories and celebrate in them. Each victory is worth something, and builds to growth.

I was in a social situation that I wanted to leave this past weekend. Suddenly, for no discernible reason whatsoever, everything became overwhelming. I sat at a table and a voice in my head told me, "I'm not good enough, no one wants me here, I am not worthy of their friendship..." My gut reaction told me I needed to leave. I had no other option.

I had gotten little sleep the two nights prior, which plays a factor for sure, but it was still anxiety to a tee. I left the social outing early and instantly regretted it. Then, anxiety set in about leaving -- "What are people going to think of me? I'm going to miss out on so much fun. I am a failure."

Turning to a friend in these situations is crucial. Realizing that you're not in your right mind, you sometimes need to be talked down. It's important for me to break it down and see the minuscule nature of the situation because it's always the smallest of things that will get me acting up. In this case, it was whether or not I go home from a social situation when I started to get anxious. Even if you don't have someone to turn to in those moments, being able to look at the situation and break it down is important.

What was overall super helpful to me was the scripture I have posted on a sticky note on my dashboard -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. It's a constant reminder for me. I turn to it in these moments, pray over it, and feel God's healing and presence.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

This reminder to rejoice snaps me out of the anxiety. Having this word remind us that we have things to be thankful for... in all circumstances. Yes, anxieties set in and yes, life is not always going to be easy; but there are things to be thankful for. Whether those things include the special people who enter your life and touch you, or the job you have that keeps you afloat, the clothes on your back, the food that you eat, the family that has helped mold and shaped you... or even if (more like when) all else fails, the God who loves you will always prevail and His work is always something to be thankful for.

It also reminds me to be prayerful. The go-to reaction to these moments of anxiety or depression is to process everything in my own power. I'm seeing everything from my own perspective and not seeing the bigger picture. It prevents me from seeking God in the moment and it's a distraction. The cycle for me has been to retreat when the anxiety sets in, isolate myself, and feel the depression set in afterward. Pray for wisdom, pray for strength, pray for guidance... There is no reason to flee.

A message I heard that same day was that God uses our stories to shape us and our futures. They act as the rope that anchors us to Christ. Christians all have a story that anchors us to Christ. Our failures used to define our lives before we turned to Christ, but we all have a "Yet God..." moment that turns our stories around. There are more than one "Yet God..." moments in our lives that we can help see define our stories and the turns we've taken.

There is also no reason to downplay your victories. I turned around. I got a coffee, and went back and jumped right back into it and had a ton of fun. I had a distraction thrown at me and I didn't fall for it. I had that reminder, and allowed myself to see my "Yet God..." moment. I applied my life to scripture. The answer is so simple and the armor of God is so accessible, yet we still fail to see it sometimes.

This was a little victory. I used to have this mentality that the little victories were cool and all, but they didn't really mean anything. That perception has changed. It's okay to celebrate, in fact, it's encouraged...because sharing leads to more victories. Celebrating and sharing our victories lets people see the "Yet God..." moments in our lives. Look at the small victories as steps. Sometimes, God works in a sweeping moment of healing. Sometimes, we're taken on a journey. I'm happy to have a journey and a story to tell, so I want to continue sharing those little victories and continuing telling the story of my journey with Christ.