Every girl has heard "it will pass", "when one door closes another will open" or the best one "it is not the end of the world". While all of these phrases can be encouraging and I am sure the people saying these things have the best interest for you in mind, sometimes it is still just not what you need to hear.

Let me give you a little insight on my journey so far:

Entering my freshman year of college I had to face the reality that I had an anxiety disorder and began to take medication for it. I hated it, having to be dependent on a pill to control my break downs and emotions. It honestly felt that I was at my lowest, but through accepting it for what it was I began to find some kind of peace within my mess. As time went by the medication really began to help and I felt more and more like myself. However, there was still a part of me that did not feel up to par. There was a void. And I began to fill it with everything imaginable. After about two years of just going through the motions of life I realized that the void in my life was my passion for Christ. It had died out and without Him I had no place to truly rest and find true peace.

After finding a true peace in Him through a mission trip I went on during Spring Break of 2018, I thought I would never experience another valley of anxiety.However, this is not how anxiety works. It is always there. It never goes away. You learn how to cope with it but there will always be bad days.

Falling into the trap of of worry and doubt is something that is so easy to do and there will be days you feel that there is nothing else you can do.

Recently I felt that I have had more than I can handle. After beginning at the University of Mississippi this fall, I have experienced my first failed college exam, struggled with my self confidence, been rejected, had things not go the way I planned and also gone through a broken relationship. Junior year is not going as I planned and so I have heard all of my friends and family give me cliche advice, that yes I am thankful for, but what I was yearning for was the Voice of my Heavenly Father speaking to me. And He did, so clearly.

So to my girls that are experiencing anything that feels like an overload, here is what I will tell you:

Psalm 119:105 reminds us that although we may not see the whole journey ahead, God is always faithful to illuminate the step before us.

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."

John 16:13 tells us that when we feel lost and unsure of where to turn, the spirit will be our guide.

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."

Matthew 6:24-26 is Jesus' reminder to stop worrying about the future, to be present now and focus on today, because God will take care of tomorrow and meet our every need.

24 "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

No matter what you are facing and no matter how big or small it may be, I encourage to stop seeking earthly advice and open the Bible on your night stand. Dig into his word and He will speak so clearly to you. Let Him guide you through the struggle.