This month, the Lord has been teaching me so much about what it means to truly praise and worship Him in every season of life. Through every joyful moment, as well as every stressful, uncertain, and difficult one, there is always a reason to give Him thanks. I’ve realized how easy it can be to praise God when life feels exciting, peaceful, and full of blessings. But when challenges come, stress builds up, or things don’t go according to plan, it can become harder to keep our focus on Him. Yet through this season, God has been reminding me that He is worthy of praise in both the highs and the lows because His character never changes. He is still faithful in the storms, still good in times of doubt, and still present in every challenge we face.

As I continue preparing for the World Race, I know this is a lesson I will carry with me into the mission field. Life overseas will not always be easy or predictable. There will be uncomfortable moments, difficult days, spiritual battles, and unexpected changes. But even now, before I leave, God is teaching me how important it is to trust Him completely and praise Him no matter what circumstances I’m walking through. One verse that has really stood out to me this month is from James 1:2–3, which says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

This verse is spiritually challenging and even difficult for me to completely understand. How am I supposed to consider trials “pure joy”? Usually, when I face stress, uncertainty, disappointment, or exhaustion, joy is the last thing I feel. But God has been showing me that this joy does not come from our circumstances. Instead, it comes from knowing who He is and trusting what He is doing through those situations. Trials are not meaningless, and God uses them to strengthen faith, deepen our dependence on Him, and grow perseverance within us.

Over the past month, finals and graduation preparations have really overwhelmed me. There were assignments to finish, plans to make, events to attend, and so many responsibilities piling up all at once. My mind constantly feels busy and overworked because I am trying to prepare for everything perfectly. I found myself becoming anxious about getting everything done and worried about what could go wrong. Instead of resting in God’s peace, I was trying to carry everything in my own strength. But in the middle of all of that stress, God gently reminded me that I was never meant to carry those burdens alone.

Through this season, I feel like God taught me two major lessons. The first lesson was learning to trust and praise Him during the storm, not just after it. It’s easy to thank God once everything works out. It’s easy to worship when prayers are answered the way we hoped. But God has been teaching me that true faith means praising Him before the breakthrough comes and trusting that He is still working even when life feels overwhelming or uncertain.

I realized that so often I wait to celebrate God’s faithfulness until after He brings me through something difficult, but He deserves praise in the middle of the process too. Even during stressful days filled with deadlines, exhaustion, and uncertainty, He remains faithful. He continues providing strength when I feel drained, peace when I feel anxious, and encouragement when I feel overwhelmed. No matter how stressful life becomes, God never changes. His promises remain true, and He is always with us. He is worthy of praise every single step of the way.

The second lesson God taught me was the importance of being still in His presence. During this season, one verse that is on my heart is Psalms 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

This verse is such an anchor for me during busy and overwhelming days. I realized that I was spending so much time trying to prepare, plan, and figure everything out on my own that I was forgetting to simply sit with God. I was constantly thinking ahead, worrying about the next task, or trying to stay productive instead of slowing down and resting in His presence. But every time I intentionally stopped, opened His Word, prayed, and sat quietly with Him, I felt His peace calm my anxious and over-preparing mind. God reminded me that I do not have to have everything figured out because He already does. He reminded me that His Spirit would guide me step by step and that His presence is where true peace is found.

I’ve learned that being still with God is not wasting time, even though society tells us so. It is necessary in a world that constantly tells us to stay busy, productive, and always moving. God calls us to slow down and simply be with Him. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is stop and remember that He is God and we are not. This is something I know I will need to remember when I’m overseas. The World Race will be full of serving, traveling, building relationships, and constantly moving from place to place. While all of those things are exciting, I know it will still be so important for me to intentionally spend quiet time with the Lord. I never want ministry, busyness, or distractions to replace intimacy with Him.

I want to continue learning how to sit in God’s presence daily, without distractions, rushing, or allowing worry to take over my thoughts. I know that if I stay connected to Him, He will continue giving me strength, wisdom, peace, and guidance for whatever lies ahead.

As I continue preparing for this next season of life and missions, my prayer is that I would always remain joyful in Him, no matter what circumstances I face. I want my life to reflect a faith that praises God not only when life is easy, but also when life is difficult. I want to remember that every good thing comes from Him and that He alone deserves the glory!