Recognizing God, Even in the Bad

2019 was a very difficult year for me. Not only was I going through a lot of emotional challenges at the beginning of the year, but I was switching schools in the fall and was thrown into a completely different environment. I had many struggles and hiccups along the way. I often felt lost and confused and not knowing who I was. Not knowing what was ahead of me and not being able to anticipate the future was scary for me. I hadn’t always had the best relationships with people and I was hoping that things would change for me.

I came into sophomore year at Monte Vista hopeful for new beginnings and wishing for more light in my life. I met some amazing people, but I still felt like something was missing. I was not complete and I did not know why. I felt weak and scared. It wasn’t until the very end of December that I started to feel a change. Something very scary had happened in my life because I began to take the wrong path and I knew that God was the one who saved me. At the beginning of 2020, I joined our school’s worship team, hoping it would give me a chance to not only practice my passion of singing, but also bring me closer to God. The more I sang, worshipped and opened myself up to God, the more I could feel his presence in my life. This was it - the Lord was the part of me that was missing. I suddenly felt stronger and like I could overcome anything with God's help. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without God’s grace and the strength He has given me within a little over a year.

During this time, I think it is so important that we all recognize God in our life. As the school ends early and we are taken away from the opportunities we would normally have, we need to recognize that God is with us. When you start to feel lost or out of hope, God is right there with you, waiting for you to open yourself up and let Him guide you. Just like how He gave me strength, He will give all of us the strength we need to overcome this unexpected challenge.

- Sofia