Don't Worry

Our GBFC Youth and Young Adults take over our Devotionals for the month of June and we look forward to the exhortation they will share. Please make sure to leave a word of encouragement in the comment section-it only takes a minute.

When I was finishing my degree, I was overwhelmed with the anxiety of, “What’s next?” It was difficult for me to focus on the blessings I was already enjoying, the friendships I was nurturing, or the music I was writing. I’d already submitted all of my applications to grad schools, and I was starting to see more “No’s” than I was expecting. Two out of four said, "No," that I didn’t have enough experience, or that my current skill set could not contribute to the current culture at the other institutions. That left me waiting to hear back from my school in Boston and Peabody back in Baltimore while I still had 4 more months left in school. Anxious about the "what-ifs," I called my brother and laid out all of my concerns: How would I make money if I didn’t get in? What would happen with my career? Would I be a failure if I was rejected? Am I letting down everyone who has been praying for and investing in me? Where would I live? And even more questions, thinking that I was the only one who could control the outcome of my life. He told me to stop and read Matthew 6:25-26.

Then, he told me, “Write down the things you are worried about and the things you would like to happen, starting with the biggest thing. What do you want the most?”

I said, “To get into Peabody.”

He said, “Write that down and give it to God. Praying for Him to take away your anxiety isn’t a one-and-done thing. You are constantly seeking Him in supplication and growing your fellowship with Jesus. Lay it in His hands.”

I did just that and soon, an overwhelming, indescribable peace washed over me; the peace which surpasses all understanding. Two months later, after being busy with all of the other cares and obligations in my life while trusting God to do all of the work, I got the email:
“Dear Chloe, Congratulations on your admission to Peabody! We are very pleased to inform you that you have been awarded the Pathways to DMA Fellowship, which provides coverage for full tuition and miscellaneous fees, plus a stipend to assist with living and personal expenses. This award is renewable for one year in the MM. Upon successful matriculation to the DMA, you will receive comparable funding in the form of the Dean's DMA Fellowship.”

"Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7) Cast your cares upon Him, trust Him, trust IN Him. He will direct your path. Therefore, I am so blessed and grateful to announce that after finishing my Bachelors at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, I will be attending the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins, fully funded, for both my Masters and my Doctorate in Music Composition. Thank You Jesus and Amen.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am so blessed and grateful for the peace that You have given to me in my greatest times of anxiety. All I have to do is ask. Thank You for guiding my steps and opening the doors through which I should walk, for all of the opportunities that You have prepared for me, and the courage and strength to see everything through to the end. Please continue to keep me as I walk in Your will and lay all of my cares and anxieties in Your hands. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.
By Sis. Chloe Smith