When I was 19 years old, I moved from Nebraska to Edmond, Oklahoma to go to college at the University of Central Oklahoma. I left my entire family in Nebraska and was six hours away from the support system I had always had right at my fingertips. As the fifth child of six, I remember feeling excited for this new chapter and ready for a fresh canvas of my own where I wouldn’t constantly be known as “so and so’s younger sister” everywhere I went.
As the time drew near for me to pack all my things, I remember my excitement fading and the feeling of fear and desperation growing heavier within me. Fear that I would somehow mess everything up once I moved away or get into a bad situation and have no one I could call to help. I felt desperate for someone or something that could ease my fear and make me feel secure in what I was doing and safe from all the bad things I could stumble into as a naive 19-year-old.
The week before I left, I went out and bought a cross necklace from a small Christian bookstore in my hometown. I remember thinking, if I wear this cross, he is always with me and will help me through anything I encounter. Now, of course you don’t have to have a cross necklace around your neck for God to be near, he is always with you, but it made me feel better and was a physical reminder for me to cling to during this time. That first year that I lived on my own, my prayer life grew exponentially as I remember numerous occasions where I felt unsure, afraid, and insecure and I would have nothing else to turn to but prayer – turns out that’s all I really needed. It was through those moments that God taught me the power of prayer and the importance of time spent with him. I would always feel a sense of immediate peace after I stopped those racing thoughts, sought him out in prayer and trusted that he was working within my current situation.
Looking back, I can see that God used that time in my life of stepping in to the unknown to bring me closer to Him and strengthen my faith. Do you feel that God is calling you to a new chapter in life? Have you felt fear or anxiety about the unknown or what could come from taking that big step? Whenever you feel overwhelmed by those racing thoughts – stop them immediately and replace them with prayer. God is right there with you and he’s ready to take on those burdens for you.
-Jessie Parker, Director of Childcare Administration
