What makes life worth living??

           Many of us ask the question, "What makes my life worth living?" Some say it's their boyfriends or girlfriends, or the fact that we haven't experienced everything on our "to-do" list. For me, it is knowing that God isn't done with me yet. God has a bigger plan for my life and the feeling of knowing that makes my heart grow with excitement.
           Jeremiah 29:11 has been my favorite verse since I was thirteen. It states, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." God's plans for our lives are meant only for the best. He does nothing to hurt us. But on occasion he gives us tests to see if we will succeed in trusting in Him for everything or trusting in ourselves. These tests don't determine where we end up but they test us in a way that we grow in them. All of these tests help direct our path. If we notice God's plan and his will for our life then we will succeed. Other times we see don't recognize or we ignore God and he has to pull us back in.
            Last June I found myself in a hole (figuratively speaking). I had lost my way and all of a sudden I couldn't recognize myself anymore. I lived as if I were in charge of my life and everyone's world revolved around me. My life had been flipped upside down. I felt different on the inside but I looked normal on the outside; I hid it well. I became depressed and blamed all of my problems on others around me. I took all of my struggles into my own hands and told God that I could deal with it by myself.
             One Sunday night I walked into my youth room and I found myself face down on the floor. I looked a round to see what I had tripped over but it was too dark. I tried to get up but it felt like a ton of bricks were weighing me down. I glanced up but there was nothing there. I tried different ways to bring myself up, but it was useless. I began to panick. Not knowing what to do I prayed. In an instant the words, "do not be afraid for I am with you," came to my head. In that moment I knew that God was trying to tell me something. I could feel God sitting next to me, holding me, telling me that everything was going to be okay.
              You see, sometimes God uses different instances in our lives to draw us closer to him. It may not be right away but once he brings you back it is hard to get away from his presence. He is always with you no matter what happens. If you lose your way he brings you back and if you've never experienced the power of God I encourage you to find out. God doesn't care about your past, he cares about your future. He wants to be your father. The one you can go to no matter what. My life is worth living because my God is not done with me yet. I feel as if he is going to take me to places I've never imagined. What makes life worth living for you? And if you don't know, I encourage you to try God.