The end of the semester is very challenging because you can see the finish line among the drowning of papers, exams and projects. At least for me it is, and I'm only a freshman. There are times where I feel like God is nowhere and I am distant from Him. Other times, I feel like He is with me all the time. College is that weird time in your life where you have complete freedom and you choose what is important to you and your morals in life. Sometimes I overlook scripture because I do not feel like reading it, but lately, as crunch time nears and the stress level rises, I flipped back through my Bible and came across verses that inspire and motivate me to finish the semester strong. Strength, comfort, courage, healing, perseverance. These five themes are present in the Bible verses.

1. "I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13

2. “'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

3. "She is clothed with Strength and Dignity and laughs without fear of the future." - Proverbs 31:25

4. "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7

5. "As long as you know that God is for you, it doesn’t matter who is against you." - Romans 8:31

Read through these when you are feeling overwhelmed by school work or your upcoming exams, and remember you can do anything you set your mind to. Having God at the center of your day brings much joy and love into your heart. You can get through these next weeks!

I know there are days when we feel like staying in bed all day and not going to class, and how easy that would be since no one is telling you you have to go. These verses motivate me to put my feet on the floor and get my day started before my 9 a.m. class, and I hope they inspire you as well.

God is always present in our lives, and he wants us to do this beautiful thing called life with him. So next time you feel like not getting out of bed or you are procrastinating studying for finals or writing a paper, remember that He is always with you, and with Him you can achieve so much.

As the semester draws to a close and summer is on the horizon, most of us can only think about getting out of class, but we need to persevere until we cross the finish line and finish the semester strong. If you put Him at the center of your life, and every day wake up and choose to say yes to Him, He will get you through any struggle you may face in your day. If He brought you to it, He can bring you through it.