Faith & Study Days: Staying Grounded in the Chaos

🧠 overwhelmed. 🫶 spiritually grounded. How I’m keeping God close this semester 🤍

Hey sweet friends! The chances you got brought here to the blog is because you're juggling textbooks, late-night study sessions, group projects, forgotten assignments, and just maybe a little (or a lot) of inner chaos. Same, girl. 🫶 Being a college student can feel like being stuck in a tornado— and staying grounded in your faith when your planner is full and your soul feels foggy? That’s not an easy task! But here is the AMAZING thing about God. There doesn't need to be perfect routines or super long devotionals to meet you. A verse of scripture, a prayer in the morning, or even one in your heart on the way to class on super busy days can change everything when we include Him in our daily lives. So here are the little habits that I lean on to keep my heart and spirit steady — even when life isn’t.

✨ 1. Morning Moments with God (even just 5 minutes)

My mornings are usually anything but cute and aesthetic. Working a 4:30 am job across campus definitely has its rough spots. However, I always, always, try and start the morning with the Lord. I'll turn on spiritual uplifting music while getting ready, or even one slow breath and a prayer. I have always found that every time I start my mornings with time towards my relationship with the Lord, my head seems clearer, and my anxiety of the day ahead tends to lessen.

💛 2. Sticky Note Scriptures

This little thing changes the entire course of my mood throughout the week. This is something that I have started just last week! I choose a verse from either The Book of Mormon or the Bible, and write the verse I chose on a sticky note! I tend to put it on my laptop because what better place to have it than on something that's with me 50% of the day! Other places you could choose to put this would be:

🪞on a mirror

🧃inside your planner

🗓 in a space on your calendar

God never feels far away when His word is in sight!

(Pssst! This week's verse: Joshua 1:7-9 KJV)

✍️ 3. Honest (Messy) Journaling

One fun thing about me is that I ADORE journaling! Rough day? Journal. New class? Journal. Went on a cute date? Journal. And collage journaling?! Don't get me started! 🌸 🎀 But it's not always cute, some days. Or super consistent. When it comes to journaling, social media (Instagram, Pinterest, etc.) loves to say that in order to journal, we have to have a cute diary, or these specific pens, or that it has to be done every single day. I can 100% say that is not true! To start journaling, you need three things.

1) A paper- it doesn't have to be a notebook! If you have a piece of paper, you are halfway there!

2) Something to write with- it could be a crayon, a Sharpie, a pencil, a pen, if it writes, it works! Definitely don't suggest using lipstick though 👀

3) Thoughts! Just jot down a few sentences! Or even words! And you're done!

Everyone has a different style and way of doing journaling. Some do digital journals like on a notes app on a phone. Some write three pages long for a diary entry! Other just two sentences. And both are great! I know some days I do both! Write daily for a week, then disappear till two months later. It's the general idea of journaling that's important. It clears your head and helps get out all those thoughts that tend to jumble up our brains throughout the week. For me, it does a lot of things. Most importantly, journaling clears space in my heart. It reminds me that God can handle all of me — even the stressed-out, scattered parts.

🎧 4. Worship While I Walk

Between classes on my super busy days, I pop in my earbuds and press play on my favorite worship playlists. Walking across campus becomes a little sanctuary when I'm running from one class to another on Tuesdays, especially. Music is a wonderful way to invite the Holy Ghost in and to me, when I sing and listen to songs that bring glory and praise to the Lord, it's like sending Him a little 'I love you' message. My music is a very personal space for me and doing something a small as things brings so much peace to me.

My go-to songs 🎶

-Into the Sea (It's Gonna be OK) by Tasha Layton

-Peace in Christ by McKenna Hixson

-Rise Up (Lazarus) by CAIN

-Nobody (Feat Matthew West) Casting Crowns

🕯 5. Romanticizing the little things.

Faith can live in little things

• Sipping cocoa during devotionals.

• Playing hymns while I study the scriptures

• Watching the sunset or the rainfall and saying a little prayer of thank you.

God isn’t only found in churches and devotionals — He’s in the cozy, the quiet, and the chaos, too. Being a follower of Jesus Christ isn't just for Sundays at church. Jesus Christ died for us, so we live for Him. Every day is a gift for us to act on His invitation to follow Him. This looks like many different things each day- when we are worthy of the presence of the Holy Ghost, and take time in our lives for Him as well as keep the commandments, we are on the right track. 💖

🤍 My Final Thoughts

If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now- I see you. You are allowed to be a mess and still be faithful. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to grow. Sometimes it happens painfully slow.

God isn’t asking for perfection. He’s just inviting you to be with Him, right where you are — textbooks, tears, and all.

Let’s take it one study day at a time, with faith. You’ve got this. And you’re never walking alone. 🤍

With love,

Emma ✨