My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness.   2 Corinthians 12:9

Growing up is hard. It’s difficult to find yourself, to fit in with the rest of the world, and still strive for the top. The pressures of the adult world seem to constrict all around you, each one with a higher expectation of what you should be.

As I transitioned to ninth grade this past fall, all these pressures seemed to grow. Add an overbooked schedule and striving for straight A’s, my mind was exhausted. I felt stressed and anxious over every small decision and interaction. I always aim for perfection, but the problem with perfection is that it doesn’t exist. I worried that if I made a mistake, it would have echoes that would stay with me, weighing me down.

Throughout this time in my life, I knew I needed to look to God. I have always had a strong faith, but I felt like I was in a valley of my faith journey. I never stopped searching for God’s helping hand to pull me up from my troubles, but I also had never stopped to notice how many times He had already offered it to me. I realized that throughout this He had always been there. I had turned away from all the blessings He displayed in front of me and asked for the things that I thought should be on the top of the list.

After this realization, I began climbing out of the valley. I discovered how important it is to thank God for all the small things in life and to see His miracles in every situation. Like everyone, I often find myself caught up in the stress and anxiety of life. However, whenever I feel overwhelmed that something won’t turn out just right or that one traumatizing moment will define me, I always force myself to remember that no matter what mistakes I make, His saving grace will always be there for me to lean on. For He tells us that it is our weaknesses that bring us closer to Him.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for all the wonderful blessings you bestow on me each day. Please continue to shower me with your fulfilling grace and remind me to embrace the                       imperfections of life and myself, for they will shine the way to your glory. It is in your name I pray. Amen.