We all have stressors. Whether you are a student-athlete, working teen, or just anyone in our community, you deserve the least stress as possible. I want to help you achieve your goal of peace and a feeling of unconditional love. In this article, you will find my testimony, multiple KJV bible verses, and a few prayers I use.
My Testimony:
I was baptized as an infant, started elementary school at Wauwatosa Catholic, and attended church at least once a week. At this time, I was very young and didn’t fully understand the concept of religion. My family claimed to be Catholic but we never went to masses or any other church function. I moved to a public school in second grade and gave up on the little religious information I had. By the time I started middle school, I had wanted to grow closer to God but I thought it was too late and I wasn’t sure how to start. While in Middle school, my mental health got bad. I was hospitalized and clinically diagnosed with depression and anxiety. The only time I would pray was when I begged for all the pain and struggles to end. Once I went back to school, I found non-religious ways to stay safe and hold a regulated mindset; but my mental health did not improve and instead I was masking my emotions. I struggled for years and when I finally started high school… everything changed. I prayed once every two weeks about what I was thankful for. While this may not seem like much, it was a big deal for me at the time.
After about a month of High school, I started to hear about a club called FCA. I looked into the group and found that it was a student-run Fellowship of Christian Athletes club. I went to my first meeting and instantly felt a change in my life. I have attended every meeting since my first and my relationship with the Lord has grown so much! I write at least three pages in my journal a week. Some of my favorite entries are “What can I pray for?”, and “Who are ten people I can pray for?”. I pray at least once daily, listen to worship music constantly, and even started doing Christ-centered art. In the past few weeks, I have felt my Heavenly Father’s love so heavy and I know he is always protecting me and will always provide me with unconditional love. I have found God-sent people who push me into my spiritual goals and love me for who I am.
Scriptures:
In addition, I have found scriptures and prayers to use whenever I feel a specific emotion and I need God’s support. You can find these verses in KJV Bibles. I have listed the scriptures in the structure of emotions with the provided verses (some including explanation):
Joyous- Psalm 37:4
“Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
The prosperity of the wicked lasts only for a moment, whereas the blessing of the Lord may last a lifetime. The Lord will place into our hearts those desires which are godly. Some ways to delight yourself within the Lord can be: Writing your psalm to him, dancing before him, encouraging someone, singing to him, and loving and praying for those unkind to you.
Forgiveness- Mark 11:25
“ And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Lonesome- Isaiah 41:10
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Love- John 15:12
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
Surprised- Isaiah 46:11b
“Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”
Our Heavenly Father has written your story and while it may surprise you, he is all-knowing. He has sent you down your path purposefully.
Lost- Luke 19:10
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Jealousy- Proverbs 14:30
“A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.”
Sorry- 1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Confusion- Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”
Fear- Psalm 27:1
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Without purpose- 1 Corinthians 10:31
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Believers should be motivated to bring glory to God in everything we do or choose not to do. This includes our choices to eat or drink, or to refuse. God is all about his glory, and as we are transformed by his spirit we too become more and more about God’s glory! Therefore, whatever we do, we should be striving to glorify him – striving to please God, praise God, thank God, and pursue God.
Angry- Ephesians 4:26-27
“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil.”
“Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,” does not mean race through your anger it means don’t let your anger go unnoticed or uncontemplated. It is a reminder that your anger can be destructive so you are not to bury it or just act it out. You are to process through it, hold onto what is good, and let go of what isn’t. Never go to sleep angry, for all you have to do is talk. God already knows your situation; he just needs you to be vulnerable and open your heart to him. Tell him what is worrying you, tell him what is upsetting you, tell him what you’re excited about because he already knows. He wants to hear you talk, he wants to hear your story: do it for you, and do it for him!
Feel free to note these verses in your bible and/or refer back to this page in times of need. I have written these verses on notecards to carry around with me during the day. It is always good to have these scriptures as tools in case of spiritual support.
Prayers:
I have sourced these prayers over time from brothers and sisters in Christ, a house of the lord, worship music, and personal experience. I would love to share them with you in the hope of you being able to add to them for yourself and others!
Prayer for trust-
“Thank you, heavenly father, for the assurance that as I trust in you, submit to your ways, and seek your guidance, you will lead me on a straight and purposeful path. With gratitude and love, I commit this day to you, trusting that you are always by my side. -amen”
Prayer for strength in resisting temptation-
“Lord, I know the trials and temptations of this world I face come from the devil. I pray that you give me your armor and protection against him and all the temptations I face now. I ask that I stand firm in your strength and not rely on myself. -amen”
Prayer for love-
“Bless us with love, O merciful God; that we may love as you love! That we may show patience, kindness, tolerance, caring, and love to all! -amen”
Prayer for healing-
“Heavenly Father, we come before you in faith, seeking your healing touch. We believe in your power to restore health and well-being. Please lay your hands upon [name] and remove any sickness or pain from their body. Grant them strength and vitality so that they may continue to serve you and others. -amen”
Prayer for Compassion-
“Dear God, may our compassion lead us to help and support those in need. Thank you for your compassion towards us. Help us to reflect that same compassion in our interactions with others. May we learn to listen deeply and to respond with kindness and care to those who are hurting. -amen”
Prayer for peace-
“Lord Jesus, we ask you to give us all-around peace in our mind, body, soul, and spirit. We want you to heal and remove everything that is causing stress, grief, and sorrow in our lives. Please guide our path through life and make our enemies at peace with us. -amen”
Prayer for change-
“Dear Father in heaven, my ways are not yours right now. Help me to align my ways with yours, help me to see the world through your eyes. Help me to give up the flesh and be changed through you, as I change for you help me to shine your light upon others. -amen”
Extras:
Every Friday morning, at 7:20, a previously mentioned group meets in the BCHS library. FCA is a student-led group of Christian athletes, all supporting each other and growing as brothers and sisters who follow our prioritized love of Christ. We would love to see you there!
If you ever need someone to talk to about starting or continuing your relationship with the Lord, you can always reach out to me. I can discuss this before/ after school and during lancer blocks. I would love to hear about everyone’s journey with Jesus!
I hope this article has helped lead you in your journey to Christ!
