Reflections (Following the blog)

Packing up my life and moving to Austria brought me every emotion you could imagine. Mostly excitement—but also a lot of worry. In the back of my mind, the “what ifs” played on repeat: What if this doesn’t work out? What if I have to go home? What if my big idea fails? Safe to say, it was the craziest leap I’ve ever taken in my life.

Even though worry hung around, it ended up bringing me closer to God. A few months after the move, I hit some rough days—the kind where you’re not sure what to do next. I worried about not having a job, about whether the opportunities I did have were right, about relying on my family, about how long I could keep going.

Looking back over the past two years, I can honestly say that worry was one of the best things I could have felt—because it pushed me straight toward God. That feeling of nothing is going to work out slowly turned into God’s got this.

I realized the only true hope I could lean on was Him. Deep down, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. I loved Austria—it felt like the place where I could truly be myself. Once I started getting into God’s Word almost every day, I felt a peace that’s hard to explain. It was like a switch flipped—my fears started to fade, and I began to feel content. I knew it was because my faith had deepened.

One verse that kept coming to mind was Matthew 6:27: “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” It reminded me that worry is more harmful than helpful. I can think of so many times in my life when overthinking stole hours from my day and left me feeling empty.

Worry comes in all shapes—finances, jobs, relationships, even little things like what to wear or if your car will break down. For me, the turning point was learning to hand it all over to God. Sure, there are temporary fixes that can distract you for a day or two, but the only way to fully release worry is to give it to Him in prayer.

That doesn’t mean I never take back the wheel. I still have seasons where I try to handle things my own way. But over time, I’ve learned that when I humble myself and truly let God take control, life gets easier.

Throughout the past two years, I’ve noticed myself slipping back into old patterns—overthinking, worrying, trying to figure it all out myself. While my life has been full and beautiful these last couple of years—falling in love, having a beautiful baby girl,—it’s also been fast-paced and filled with many hard lessons learned. And when I’m not as close to God, the worry creeps back in.

Writing this week has been a good reminder of what’s most important: the Lord Himself. My life feels lighter when I’m close to Him. My relationships—with my family, and my friends—are stronger, too. My counselor, Pastor Dave once told me that feeding your spirit is just as important as feeding your body. God’s Word is food for the soul—it strengthens, grounds, and sustains us.

Here are some of the passages from Matthew 6 that have shaped my perspective on worry, along with my reflections and an extra verse from the book of Peter.

Matthew 6:25–26

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

God gives us exactly what we need. The same God who created life can be trusted with the details of our lives. Worrying about the future can keep us so focused on our own plans that we lose sight of what’s truly important—our health, how we treat others, and how we serve God.

When I worry, I tend to lose perspective and let fear rob my joy. This verse brings me back to the truth: God already knows what tomorrow will bring, and He will equip me for it. My job is to believe and trust Him.

Matthew 6:27

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

Worrying is more harmful than helpful—it never actually solves the problem. It only drains us.

Matthew 6:28–30

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”

God doesn’t ignore those who depend on Him. If He cares for the flowers and the grass, He will certainly care for us. Our part is to trust Him and let go of the constant striving for things we think we need.

Matthew 6:31–32

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”

At its core, worry reveals a lack of faith. God already knows our needs—before we even speak about them.

Matthew 6:33

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

When we chase after God first, everything else finds its right place. Worry distracts us from the very One who can give us peace.

Matthew 6:34

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

This is one of my favorites because it’s so freeing. It reminds me to hand tomorrow’s concerns to God and focus on today. Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with what-ifs.

1 Peter 5:7

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

Short and simple—but so powerful. Carrying our burdens alone says to God, “I don’t trust You.” But when we humble ourselves and hand them over, He lifts the weight and shows us the way forward. As my study Bible puts it: “Don’t submit to circumstances; submit to the Lord, who controls circumstances.”

Worry will always try to creep in—but the more I choose to place my trust in God, the lighter my steps become. And if He cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, I know He cares for me