It's almost that time of the year where you begin hearing back from schools you've applied to and interviewed for. While it's an exciting time, it's also very anxiety-inducing because of all of the questions that seem to plague your mind at this time. What do you do if you don't hear back from schools? What do you do if you hear back from schools, but not any of the schools you wanted to go to? What do you do if you hear back from all of the schools you applied to, but you're confused as to which option would be the best option? I want to remind you that just because you haven't been accepted to the school of your choice, does not mean that all hope is lost and it is not indicative of who you are as a person. While there are admissions requirements, it is impossible to anticipate what additional criteria some of the admissions officers are looking for. You could have everything they're looking for on paper, but they could have already accepted the max number of students before reaching your application. Feeling rejected from a school can feel like they're rejecting you as a person - especially when so many of you shared so much about yourself in your high school essays. As these acceptance and potential rejection letters roll in, I want to encourage you to remember that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are loved by God and you have been created for a purpose. Sometimes when things don't go as planned, we're left wondering why, but God knows and God is in control. Hang in there. We're almost to the finish line.
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Note: As many of you are preparing to begin your first year in high school, I thought I would provide you with some advice on how to deal with some of the things you may have to deal with in college without compromising who you are and your values in the process. These posts are based on some of the concerns you've already expressed, but if you have any questions or concerns you would like to see addressed, feel free to check-in with me!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acceptance is a tough one - right? We all want to be accepted and not feel like the odd-one out. If you’re concerned about that as you prepare to start high school at the end of the summer, I understand, because I’ve been there - especially as a freshman in high school where I did not know anything or anyone. The pressure to fit-in and do things to fit-in can seem more intense when you're the "new kid" or "fresh meat" as the seniors used to call freshman at my former high school. However, I remember in high school knowing a classmate of mine who so on fire for the Lord at such a young age. Whenever she had free-time, she was reading her bible. When I told my friends about a very scary encounter I had while sleeping (which I may share at a later date), she immediately interjected and told me to call her if it happened again because she would only pray for me. I respected her so much for not being afraid to stand out and stand up for her faith. In fact, many of my classmates respected her. I don’t think anyone ever messed with her because they respected her so much (and the Holy Spirit who was clearly shining through her). I tell this story not to imply that by following Jesus, you’ll never have to deal with the temptation of wanting to fit-in, but I will say that if you continue to fix your eyes and heart on Jesus as well as remain firm in who you are and what your standards are, people will respect you. Believe it not, people can see through inauthenticity because eventually it fades. Eventually, the facade cannot be kept up forever and your true colors start to show. So if you are being rude to your teacher for giggles, most people will see right through that and think you’re either being disrespectful and immature or inauthentic. This is why I say the solution to feeling the need to be accepted is to know that you’re already loved and accepted by Christ and to be yourself. You will attract the right people for being you without having to put on a show or be someone that you are not. A few days ago, I was asked a question wondering if I had any advice for the graduating class that I believe would help them be successful in high school. There's plenty of advice that I'd love to share and some of it I may have already shared with you. However, if there's one piece of advice I would give is to surround yourself with the right people.
I know it sounds cliche' and perhaps you were expecting something more to the tune of "believe in yourself" or something like that. However, I cannot tell you how many students I've witnessed failing out of high school because they wanted to hang around students that were all about creating drama. Those same students could've gone to some of the top colleges in the world, but decided that making friends with the wrong crowd was more appealing than pouring into their future. Who you associate with and the kind of people you hang around will eventually determine the kind of high school experience you have because their habits, interests, and behavior will eventually rub off on you. If you associate with people that are swearing all of the time and getting in trouble with the teachers, eventually you'll begin to exhibit similar behaviors because you're hanging around them so much. However, if you keep your circle small and associate with individuals that want to succeed and want to see you succeed, I guarantee you your high school experience will be an enjoyable one. How many of you can relate to this at the moment? Some of you have either heard back from schools, have not heard back from schools, and others are struggling trying to figure out which school you would ideally like to go to. I know it's difficult. As I've mentioned before, I too, am in a waiting period and longing period. It's actually quite funny in hindsight that the very thing I am struggling with myself, so many of you are as well. I know how discouraged it can be to get your hopes up about something only for it not to happen yet and to have to force smiles through the tears you're trying to hold back. Sounds melodramatic I'm sure, but I say that to say I know for some of you, this time is actually quite painful and you're experiencing some uncertainty of what's to come. You may be questioning whether you're going to end up in a good school or whether even after putting your form in will your dream school accept you still come June.
This time is a very joyful time for many, but also a very confusing and uncertain time all the same. Sometimes it's easier to have faith when you are sure that the thing in front of you is coming. It's way easier to have faith that you'll pass a test, for example, when you know you've studied and you're fully confident about your ability to understand the material. However, what do you do when you're not as confident about what's to come and when you really have no idea what's to come around the corner? Don't be discouraged. Even if you're feeling doubtful, go to God with your doubt. Admit to Him that you are feeling uncertain and afraid about your future and trust that things will work out according to His will. God hears your prayers and although it may seem like He's not answering them because it's not in our time frame or exactly as we would've imagined, that does not mean the prayer is not being answered or that He's left you. If it's not in God's will for you to enter into your dream school, know that wherever He has you, it's purposeful. I am learning more and more in this season that God cares way more about your heart and than He does about ensuring we're comfortable all of the time. This waiting period is proof of it. No, we're not comfortable in it, but He never promised that this walk would be a comfortable one without any challenges, periods of longing, or uncertainty. With lots of love, Ms. Woodbury "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing." - Psalm 145:15-16 This has been a tearful season for me. It's been a season of ups and downs, highs and lows, smiles and tears. Yet, no one would ever know because I've become so good at hiding what I'm feeling to the public eye or at least not being as open about what I'm feeling. I'm waiting for something and I've been waiting for something. Sometimes, it's a breeze and the Lord fills me with patience, but others it's painful. Some days it's truly a battle and a struggle. None of this feels good. The waiting doesn't feel good. The uncertainty certainly doesn't feel good. However, I was just reminded that just as I am waiting, you all are too. You are waiting to hear back from schools you applied to have expressed interest in. You're waiting on hearing back about interviews and auditions as I am waiting to hear four words I've been waiting to hear for over a year. We're all waiting for something and even when we aren't aware of it, we're all awaiting the return of Jesus.
This verse is encouraging me to continue to wait because it's serving as a reminder that everything will happen according to God's will and in His timing. One day, you will hear back from schools you've applied to, wondering why you were so doubtful. One day, we'll hear about you getting accepted into high school and the period of waiting won't seem as long as it does now. As painful as this is and as uncertain as all of this is, we have to trust that He knows what's best. We have to believe and know what if it's in His will it will happen in His timing and His timing is perfect. Our feelings may make this period of waiting a more difficult one, but our feelings don't change who God is. Our feelings cannot change the fact that God knows and will always know what's best for us. Our feelings cannot lead us and determine our steps -- Christ does. We're not in control of this and sometimes, that's scary. But I know in this season of advent and of great longing, I am learning more and more to trust in my Savior. I know that as painful as this is, He is in control. With lots of love, Ms. Woodbury I'm listening to one of my favorite artists, Kari Jobe while working on things and I felt really encouraged while listening to this song. It reminds me that because of the sacrifice of Jesus and because He willing died on the cross and rose again, we can now come to Him, confidently. We can now accept the gift of eternal life that He has given us, freely.
I am in complete awe of God and thankful that I can share in this gift with you all. Happy Monday! Faith. “Just have faith.” How many times have you heard this said to you or have spoken this yourself while trying to encourage a friend? They’re filled with so much sadness that it seems the only thing you can manage to muster up without sounding cliche’ or making an assumption about God’s plan for their life by saying “you will find this” or “this will come” is to remind them to have faith. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, but I am saying that I hear and say this phrase quite a lot. I hear it and say it so much, I’m surprised it’s not etched on my forehead somewhere or scratched on along the interior of my apartment. However, regardless of how many times I say it, I still struggle with it myself. Yes, even I struggle with having faith sometimes. This is never intentional, but it’s still a struggle. There are some days where I wake up ready to take on the world and others where I am fearful, still moving and persisting, but fearful of the outcome. In other words, some days I am not on fire when it comes to my faith. Some days, I get scared, too. Sometimes, the uncertainty of the future scares me , too. While talking to someone about a recent decision they made, I was reminded that feeling sad or troubled is okay, but it’s how we respond that matters. When we’re faced with a problem and we’re upset or initially sad, do we cower in fear or do we continue, despite our feelings? Do we persevere, despite our uncertainties? Think about it: even Jesus was troubled. In the bible when he was about to get crucified, it states that Jesus -- the most perfect individual there is and our Savior -- felt troubled, too. He’s wept, too, and therefore He knows how we feel. This is not foreign to Him because He’s been through it. So why then, do we think that because we shed tears or we are uncertain of what’s to come so we’re anxious that are suddenly not as Christian as the next person? Why are we so hard on ourselves for feeling human emotions? It is alright to feel sad, troubled, or even anxious initially, but we should not stay in that place and allow those feelings to consume us. We should keep going, even if we're feeling anxious and uncertain. We should keep going, even if we feel like there is no relief in sight, because believe me, there is. The important thing to remember about this is that Jesus never let that stop Him. When He felt troubled, broken and anxious, He didn’t stop there. He didn’t say, “welp, I’m out. You’re on your own, sinners.” Nah. Jesus stayed and He endured a painful, brutal death because He loved God and He loved us. He could have turned away at any point, but He persisted and continued on, despite His feelings. He continued pursuing what it was that God told Him to do. Similarly, when we’re feeling anxious or uncertain, we have to keep going. We cannot let our emotions dictate what we do. We have to keep going, keep fighting, and keep believing. Verses to keep in mind:
Memory Verse: "With God, all things are possible." -- Matthew 19:26 How many times have we gone through something and felt pretty hopeless about an outcome? You feel like you've tried and tried and tried, but nothing has happened? We've all been there. Even though, I may not be able to relate to all of your struggles, I know what it's like to feel discouraged because nothing has happened. It's tough and it can be so discouraging that sometimes you're tempted to give up and throw in the towel. Well, I believe God is calling you and all of us to have faith. He's calling us to look beyond what we can see and fix our eyes on Him, who loved you before the earth's creation. I know it's hard because there have been many times where I find myself getting overwhelmed with the thought of things failing, surrounded by "what if" scenarios that keep replaying in my head. "What if I did this?" "What if I worked on this a little longer?" Well, what if I simply trusted God when I was faced with these challenges instead of over-analyzing all of the time? What if instead of trying to calculate everything on my own, I realized that yes, this is impossible for me, but nothing is impossible for our living God? What if instead of feeling the need to fix things so much, I simply let God be God? All things are possible through Him. He didn't say some things or not this small thing that seems insignificant over there, but He says ALL things are possible through Him. Even the things we think are so small or so insignificant that there's no way God would be concerned with wanting to help us out in those areas. Even the large challenges we face, where the mountains seem so large that we're unable to see past it the mountain peaks for the glorious landscapes of joy behind it. God cares and more importantly, God makes ALL things possible through Him. There is no mountain too large or too small for our Mighty God. The invitation I am giving you all is to stand and trust Jesus. Even when the valleys are dark and the mountains are tall, God is there and with the utterance of one word He can stop storms, calm seas, and destroy those mountains that seem to be towering over you like skyscrapers. Remember, that Jesus loves you and He knows the things that troubles you. He hears the worries of your heart and the desires that fill them, but He's also calling you to trust Him. He's calling you to lay down those struggles and challenges at His feet and to trust that He will handle them. It might not be today, tomorrow, or even next week, but He will in His time. Life can throw quite a bit at us sometimes. I know, personally, there have been several times where it seems like just as I was getting a handle on dealing with one thing, something else was being thrown in my direction. Right now things may feel overwhelming, because you all have quite a bit that you're thinking about. You're in the process of choosing high schools, writing essays, and trying to maintain acceptable grades. It's easy to feel like nothing good is going to come of this and that we'll never accomplish everything that needs to be accomplished in the limited time we have. But I am here to remind you that you are never alone. Just when you feel like you're drowning, remember that there's a Savior out there by the name of Jesus, extending His hand for you to grab. There's someone out there waiting for you to give all your troubles to Him. In Matthew 14:22-23, when Peter and the rest of the disciples were traveling through rough waters on a boat, Peter saw someone coming towards them on the waves. Assuming that it was a ghost, Peter and the disciples were concerned until Jesus told them that it was Him. Still slightly hesitant to believe this, Peter tested Jesus and said that if it was truly Jesus, He would invite Him to walk on water with Him. When Jesus did so and Peter began to sink because of his lack of faith, He said, “Lord, save me!” Jesus then replied, extending His hand to Peter to save Him and saying the words that even I've heard a few times in my life:“why did you doubt?” Why did you doubt? Why do we doubt? There's another example of this in the bible when they are traveling through stormy waters and Jesus essentially tells them the same thing: not to doubt. When we face troubled waters or difficult times, it's very easy for us to feel trapped and to feel doubtful. We tend to think that there's no way out and that despite the many times God has saved us from our trouble that there's no way He can free us this time. There's no way that God can help me through this mess and therefore, I have to handle it myself or I am in big trouble. But according to the word of God, our God walks on water. Since our God is the same God that walks on surfaces we certainly cannot and tells the storm to calm it's waters, God can certainly ease the concerns of our lives. He can quiet those raging storms in our lives and bring us back to a place where we can rest in Him. God is bigger than those stormy seas and therefore He's bigger than our troubles. He's bigger and stronger than the challenges in front of us. He is ALWAYS able and willing to help. Yes, He even cares about those issues that you think are tiny or too mundane for Him to handle just as much as He can handle those things that are big. God is bigger and greater than all of those things. He's greater than all of of the mountains that we may face in life. Remember, when you feel like you're sinking in the stress of assignments, high school applications, and just life in general that you have a Savior that will keep you afloat. |
What's This Section About?So, after wrestling with this for a while, I decided that I would start a section for weekly inspirational messages, as inspired by and led by the Lord. I know quite a few of you are feeling overwhelmed by the application process, so I thought this section would serve as a medium for you to be inspired by the Word of God as He leads. Archives
January 2017
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