Soar.

Let's just be brutally honest for a moment and establish the fact that life seriously sucks sometimes. Pain, stress and anxiety seem to be constants in my life in the midst of everything else I'm battling through as an almost-20-year-old. Sometimes it feels like I'm riding a roller coaster - for awhile, things seem to be going uphill and anticipation is building for things to come. Then all of the sudden, you reach the peak and it's like your entire world literally dropped out from underneath you. The trust you put in the rickety metal cart you're sitting in seems to waver as you begin to wonder how the wheels are still attached to the track. Then before you know it, you've reached the bottom; heart pounding, adrenaline pumping, head spinning. And the cycle continues, up and down, up and down, and all sense of control seems lost. However, I'm constantly being reassured of the fact that I am not responsible for having a hold on the control panel of my life, I've got God for that. I've recently taken a great liking to a song by Bethel called "Be Still." The lyrics echo the cry of my heart and have become my prayer - "Be still my heart and know, that You are God alone. Stop thinking so much and just let go. Be still my soul and rest, humbly I confess that in my weakness, Your strength is perfect." Holy Moses, those are some powerful words. That in turn goes right along with the verse that God has been continually reiterating to me, "But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will run and not faint." [Isaiah 40:21] And that is the perfect beauty of it all. I'm not expected to have it all together. God never once looked at me and said, "Listen Bre, I need you to get a straight 4.0, work 30 hours a week, lead and volunteer at church, work out 6 days a week and be the best daughter, sister and friend that anyone could dream of." Nah, that'd be crazy. Instead, my sweet King is speaking to me from Heaven in a gentle voice, "My Princess, I know you are broken and life is challenging. But I am here for you, give me your burdens and your weaknesses, I WANT to carry them for you. Draw near to me, my daughter. Tell me your thoughts and prayers, I have wisdom for you if only you'll ask for it. When you lay everything you are down at the foot of the cross, I will become your strength. Stand on me to be your foundation and you will soar on wings like eagles." God has called me to Him and I vow to spend the rest of my life responding to His call. He is my purpose, direction and strength, and through Him, I am a conqueror.