My good friend Emily writes: I love routine. I thrive off of it. Once COVID hit, all routine went out the window. My classes I did from bed. My work was moved online so I could do it whenever I wanted as long as I got all my projects completed on time. With not having a schedule for really anything, I stoped having a spiritual schedule as well. I didn’t create the time for God in my schedule. Things were happening in my life that sort of made me bitter towards God at times. I could recognize a difference from when I first got home from the mission and studied the scriptures every day to then (and honestly sometimes now) when I spent no time for or with God. When I was praying and studying the scriptures each day, I had such a positive outlook and attitude. When I wasn’t, I became increasingly bitter towards God for the littlest things. I recognized that, but that bitterness made me not really care that I was more bitter. A new semester rolled around and things in the world didn’t. Work got more busy and obviously school got more busy and I needed to thrive in both aspects… so I needed to create a new routine. After certain things happened in my life, I hesitantly added prayer and scripture study into my morning routine. At first, I didn’t recognize a huge difference, but after a couple weeks, I noticed that my days were better and I was more accountable to myself and to God. I stopped being really bitter towards God and gratitude flooded into my heart. Now, am I the best at keeping this routine? No. But I have recognized that my quiet time spent with God has a huge impact on my life. I realized that God wants to help me in my life, but I have to put forth that time to allow him to.
Jeston is a former student of Texas A&M, the author of Jesse Granger: Bushranger in Hit the Ground Running, and a volunteer at the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, TX.
