Radio/TV/Film.

Yes, it was settled. I declared my major. Decision made.

That all seemed fine and dandy, until the first day of class when the professor gave us a list of every type of camera ever made and told us we had to memorize them all. (Lots of numbers involved.) Not only that, but we also had to learn every part, what it was called, how to spell it, and its purpose.

Not exactly what I was expecting.

So, I changed my major again. It reminds me of a sitcom episode I saw recently, where the frustrated parents tried and tried to help their indecisive daughter declare a major in college. She went through dozens of unlikely choices before settling on something suited to her personality.

By the end of the episode she’d made a wise decision, but the process was exhausting.

It’s been quite a few years since those college days for me, but these tough decisions pop into our lives often. What is it that makes them so difficult?

Endless options.

Maybe it’s looking for a new career path.

Maybe it’s trying to decide on homeschooling, private school, or public school for your child.

Maybe you’re in the market for a new home, and you’re afraid if you hesitate, the right house will be taken by someone else.

Whatever decision you may be facing, can I offer some encouragement today from someone who understands?

Our world is filled with opportunities. We have more options than we can possibly consider.

Yet God calls us to keep things simple.

Rejoice. Pray. Give thanks. This is God's will for us. (Tweet this.)

I used to love making pro and con lists, until I realized when I listed out the pros and cons, the lines became more and more blurred. That’s when I discovered pro/con lists just didn’t work for me. The more I mull over my options, the more confusion I create in my mind. So when I see myself heading in that direction, I go to these 3 simple steps straight from God’s Word.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

God offers us these steps to help us refocus when the endless options of life overwhelm us.

When we pause to rejoice, pray, and give thanks, God draws near to us. He clears our minds of everything causing confusion and replaces them with His loving peace.

And from that place of peace we can hear Him more clearly and choose with confidence.

Blessings,

Kristine

Last week I shared a little about a woman in Scripture whose story impacted me in a spectacular way. I love how God's girls can teach us so much.

As promised, during the month of August we will be chatting about the struggle with making decisions and finding wisdom from God's Word to help us.

As I was creating this free resource for you, The 5-Day Challenge to Better Decision-Making, I sensed God directing me to share a personal story about a time when we decided to move to a new place. And let me just tell you, it wasn't one of my most glorious decision-making moments.

(If you sign up for the challenge, you'll read that story on Day 4.)

Imagine my comfort when I came across a devotion by my dear friend Abby McDonald. She had a similar choice to make.

I love what she has to say on this topic. I'd also love to share with you how Abby is trusting God through it all. I know you will be inspired by her words. In her post, she says this.

Click here to read the rest of Abby's devotion, Why Sometimes It Takes More Faith to Stay.

Kristine

A huge THANK YOU to my friend and fellow writer Abby McDonald for allowing me to share her thoughts as part of the #decisionschallenge series. You can connect with Abby on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by clicking these links.