Have you been going through things in your life where you are worried about what will happen? Are you fearful that something will not turn out the way you want it to? I'm sure that everyone has had this feeling, its a part of life! When I run into obstacles and things don't go the way I planned I tend to become very anxious, worrisome, and stressed. Lately, though, I have realized that God has already made a plan for me and what is supposed to happen in my life. Trusting God is something that I have been working on lately and something I wanted to share with others because I know that we all go through situations like this. 

Praying 

Taking time out of your day to talk to God about your problems and pray about them can go a long way. God hears you when you come to him. He is our Father and he wants the best for us. He hears you when you cry out to him. Whenever I am struggling with something in my life, I always pray for myself, the situation, and other people. If you are worried about troubles you are having with work, school, with a friend, or parent, etc. It is good to just pray to God and tell him what your worries are and ask him to help not only you but the situation and the other people involved. 

Trusting God

In life, we want things to go our way all the time but that is impossible. This is where trusting God comes into play. Once you pray to God and tell him your worries and fears, he will hear you and he will guide you in the direction that you are supposed to go. When I get anxious and worried about something I pray to God and tell him my worries and I leave everything in His hands. Everything will work out the way it is supposed to work out. Don't try and take everything under your own wings in every situation. 

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

This verse stood out to me because recently I had a situation that I was worried about with school and I had to just sit down, talk to God about it and leave my worries with him. After I did that I felt so relieved and I trusted in him that everything would work out the way it was supposed to. Sure enough, it did. 

Being Patient 

Being patient is so important. God will show you signs or will give you what you want if it's in his plan for you. Don't get discouraged when you aren't seeing any change or getting what you asked God for. Your prayer will be answered when the time is right. 

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:14)

This is another verse that stood out to me in my time of worry. I knew that I had to trust in God, be patient, and wait for my prayer to be answered. 

Trusting God is something that I have gotten better at. Before I always tried to take things into my own hands and that isn't always best. Take the time to pray to Him, trust in Him, and be patient. He will answer your prayers when the time is right. 

Just remember that everything that happens in your life is for a reason. God won't always give you what you WANT if it's not in his plan for you. 

last updated: May 29, 2018

Since middle school, I have always used a planner. My middle school and high school even provided students with one. In middle school, I used the planners that were provided but when I got to high school I got one that was suitable for my liking. There are some really good planners out there but you just have to find what works best for YOU! Whether you are a student or not, planners are a great thing to have. 

For me, a planner is essential for as a college student. I love to plan my months, weeks, and days, so I thought I would share how I organize my planner.

Choosing your planner

It is very important that you keep in mind what kind of schedule you have when picking out a planner. There are different styles of planners for those who are more laid back with their time and for those who need to be on a strict/planned schedule. For me, I like to have a more laid back planner that doesn't have time slots. I feel like this allows me to go at my own pace throughout the day and not beating myself up when I have not completed a certain task within a certain time frame. The planner that I am currently using for 2017-2018 is from HomeGoods, but there are some similar ones on their website.

What I love about this planner are the colors, the material, and binding. I don't like planners that do not have a ring binding. I feel like I have more flexibility with having planners with a spiral because I can bend it and not worry about creasing my planner. Pink and gold are my two favorite colors so... you can already see why I like the colors. The pink is very bright but the simple "2017" keeps it looking classic. This planner is also very big compared to normal everyday planners. This is good for me because I am taking 6 classes this semester so I need all the room that I can get. 

Yearly View

Having a yearly view in your planner is a great thing to have because you can quickly look over the months to see what days any important dates are on. 

How I Organize My Planner

Monthly

 Ok so this is where my OCD comes in! In the beginning of the semester when I start my classes, I print off all my syllabi and I write down important due dates for the whole month(s). I color code each class using my favorite pens so I can easily know what it is that I have due for the month. I am currently taking 6 classes like I mentioned before and as you can see there are a number of colors on this monthly view. April is such a hectic month because it is the last month of the semester before exam week (cringes while typing the word "exam"). As other assignments or events come up I will jot them down. If I have any extra credit or appointments on campus I will write those down with a black pen.

Weekly/Daily

These are some overview pictures of my weekly/daily view of my planner. When I go through at the beginning of the semester and fill out my monthly part, I also go in and add the due dates through the weekly view. This way I already have everything written out beforehand and I can just add the things I need to as I go. For each day, I write assignments that are due or quizzes/tests on the top portion of the day. For homework or tasks, I need to do for the day, I put those at the bottom. Having my whole week filled out at the beginning with important assignments helps me prepare for each week.




I can't stress enough how helpful it is to have a planner. It helps a bunch!!
What is your favorite planner, pens, etc?