I grew up in church because my grandfather was one of those loud stereotypical Baptist preachers and my parents wanted me to grow up in a good environment. I've always been told that God will always take care of me. No matter the situation, He is omnipresent and powerful. I knew these things to be true because I was told they were true. But throughout my life, I have found this to be true.

I'm not going to bore you with my tragic childhood story and how the event shaped who I am for forever. But I will tell you that I have met very few people who have been through the same thing that I have. Because of this and many other things, I've felt sort of alone all my life. I felt locked in a dark room with no way to escape. I'm sure that everyone has gone through or will go through the same thing I did, or at least the feeling I got from it. Although I knew in my mind that I wasn't alone, my heart still didn't seem to get it. That was until I heard it from someone much more important.

I used to go throughout my day thinking that I was the only person going through what I was going through and that I was the only one who felt left out or even attacked. Thousands of people go throughout their day feeling alone but they all have one thing in common. No matter how alone you feel, all you need to do is quiet your mind and realize that God is with you. Nothing beats having God beside you. Just imagine a big strong solider standing with you, ready to guide and fight for you; all you have to do is say the word. Although He is always here, we don't always acknowledge Him. Once I started going to Him, I had so much lifted off my shoulders.

I tried for a long time to stumble through life all by myself. Honestly, I still try to sometimes. When I realized God was right there next to me, it was overwhelming. Recently I went through some financial troubles with my family. It felt like I was in a pit with no ladder to escape. It's been going on for years now and it seemed to become hopeless. I look at my little brothers and sister and they have no idea why we don't have cool cereal or why we had to cancel our trip. People always say, "Be strong!" But I ask myself, "Why?" Deuteronomy 31:6 says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." That honestly gives me chills. God, the creator of the soil you live on, is always with you. Not only is He next to you, but He won't leave you like many others will. You don't have to worry about Him walking away when you make a mistake or chose the wrong path. God will always be there to help you. Although I will always have those negative feelings of being alone, knowing that God is on my side lifts me up every day, as long as I allow it to. God's presence is a gift, you just have to accept it. Allow Him to work in your life.

God stands next to us, even when we break His heart. All of the tragedies that have been occurring across the world don't make God the bad guy. The bad guy is the man who found it easy to walk into a crowd and end lives. People say that there is no proof that God is real. I don't need science to prove to me that He is there. My life changing drastically isn't my doing or any living person's. It was all Him.

The question of "Why do bad things happen to good people?" is always confusing. I finally found the answer and it might not be the answer you want, but I don't care. It wasn't the answer I wanted at first either. John 9 tells the story of the blind man who is healed by Jesus. The verse John 9:3 says, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, said Jesus, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in Him." Still the question stands: Why do bad things happen to good people? The answer is to show God's glory through them. When I came up with this answer, I became angry. I thought it was selfish of God to make good people suffer just to spread His name. But when I revisited it, I remembered how loving God is and how my life changed because of His goodness. I went through hell and because of that, I am more understanding and compassionate. I want that for everybody, and I realized that's what He wants, too. God wants to be close to everybody and He uses others in order to do that. God puts us through trials because they help us grow into better people. Even when it doesn't seem like it, God takes care of us. Look around. You are blessed, and that isn't by accident.