Skip to main content

Trusting the Lord

I've been thinking a lot today about what a crucial point in my life that I'm at right now. I am on my own for the first time in my life. As my former YW president, Sister Hatch, told me before I left for BYU, college is the one time in your life where you really get to discover who YOU are. You are independent, away from your family and are responsible for all of your own decisions. You get to choose what your major is, what classes to take, how to spend your time, and the list just keeps on going. I just completed the process of applying to a very difficult degree program, Music Education. It is probably one of the most competitive programs at BYU. I turned in my application on Wednesday, and have since then been worrying on and off about whether or not I will be accepted. Today as I was sitting in church, I was thinking about all of this. All of a sudden, and overwhelming feeling of peace came over me. I knew that it was my Heavenly Father assuring me that everything was going to be just fine. I am going to major in SOMETHING, even if I'm not accepted into this program.

I just find it truly amazing that there are billions of people on this planet and Heavenly Father knows and loves each one. College is amazing, don't get me wrong, but it's definitely not always easy. There have been and still are times when I feel overwhelmed, stressed, alone, and worried about the future. In my Book of Mormon class the other day, we talked about how time is a concept created by us on Earth. Time does not exist to the Lord. He has a plan for each and every one of us. He sees us not just as who we are right now, but who we have been and who we will become. It is just amazing to me to know that I have a Heavenly Father who has a specific plan just for me. He knows me better than I know myself. I know that if I don't get accepted into the program, I will be disappointed. It's natural. However, I know that my Heavenly Father has a plan for me. Everything really does happen for a reason. The reasons may not be evident to us immediately as much as we may want them to be, but they are completely evident to our Father in Heaven. It could be that he wants us to learn something from our setbacks. It may also be that the plan that he has for us is different from the plan that we have for ourselves. I am the kind of person who doesn't like surprises. I like to have everything planned out and know exactly what is coming. That is just not how life works, though. I am really learning to trust in the Lord and his plan that I know without a doubt that he has for me. Maybe I will be accepted into this major, maybe I won't, but the point is that my Heavenly Father is watching out for me. He is mindful of my struggles. He knows my strengths and he knows my weaknesses. I also know that he gave me the gift of music for a reason. He wouldn't have given me this gift without providing ways for me to use it to serve him and those around me. I am learning to put my full trust in the Lord and his plan for me. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and wants me to be happy. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the Gospel that I have and it blesses my life each and every day.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Life Changes and New Adventures

          I thought that I had the next couple of years of my life all figured out. I am a prime example of a chronic over-thinker, and the queen of the pro/con list. I had carefully thought out every recent decision I had made. I was settled at the school where I had been working, I had a good apartment and ward, and I had just been accepted to a 2 year long Master's of Education program, which would fulfill one of my long term goals. Yet something still felt off. Despite the fact that I thought I had a good direction in my life, I felt confused and unsettled. It felt like I was trapped inside a box. I would walk in one direction, hit the wall of the box only to turn in another direction and hit another wall.          The problem was, I just could not figure out what it was that wasn't right. I started taking the long way driving home from work each day and praying about my concerns. It took a couple of weeks of this before seemingly o...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shipps on a Ship Part 1

        It truly feels like just yesterday my grandparents gathered our family in the living room of our rented beach house and told us that they were taking us on a Disney Cruise. In reality, it was a year and a half ago and at the time it seemed like November 2014 would never come. It still almost felt like a dream even as we boarded our plane to Orlando last Saturday after MUCH airport turmoil, i.e. Michael forgetting his carry on at security, Jonathan getting a bloody nose, and me almost losing my debit card. Against all odds, the Shipp cousins made it to Orlando in one piece. I always get teary-eyed when I see my family after a few months away, and this time was no exception! Just as we were getting settled into our hotel room, we found out that our toilet was broken, so we had to move rooms! Once we were finally settled, Uncle Dave was kind enough to take as many cousins as could pile into his van for a McDonald's run. We spent Sunday in Downtown Disney, visiti...
Post a Comment
Read more

Until We Meet Again

           On Friday, my Grandma Freeman passed away. She was almost 90 years old and lived a long, full life. She was kind, loving, a hard worker, and fiercely loyal. She taught elementary school, and I've always loved the fact that both of my grandmas were teachers, and good ones at that. We joke in our family that teaching runs in our blood, and it's an honor to be able to carry on her legacy.            For most of the years I was growing up, she lived in New York, in the small, small town of Hornell. My dad would take us on weekend trips to visit during the summers. In fact my first time driving on the highway with my learner's permit was on the way up to visit them one summer, and I remember proudly announcing that when we walked into the house. We would always start off our visits with a trip to the ONLY restaurant in town (Pizza Hut) and then stop by the ONLY grocery store in town (Wegman's) for ice cream to take home,...
1 comment
Read more