Good morning Friars! My name is G Wiberg of the class of 2027 and I’m so excited to be up here this morning!

The reading today talks about a couple things: a lot about finding peace through prayer, putting our trust in God, and remembering to be thankful. Paul says “Have no anxiety at all," which might seem like he’s saying we should never worry, but then he says “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” So, remember to be grateful, that's what everyone says, but we all know this isn’t easy. It's so hard to realize in the actual moment that that moment is a good one and that moment is one you're gonna miss.

For me, I feel like my whole life, all I could think about was the future. When I was younger I always told myself that when I was in middle school or when I turned 13 everything would be better and I would be happier. But when 13 actually came around, was I thinking about how great it is that I’m finally older? No, not at all. I was thinking about my current problems I was facing and saying when I’m in high school or when I’m 16 or when I can drive, or when I’m a senior and the list goes on. Well, now I’m 17, I can drive, I’m a senior, and now all I can think about is college.

My point is, while I spent this whole time thinking about the future, I wasn’t thankful for how far I actually came. I didn’t think about each step I took to get there and even though things got better, sometimes it did not feel like it. Sometimes we’re so busy worrying about the life we’re trying to build that we forget to appreciate the life we’re already living. But I know if my 11-year-old self saw me now, she would be so excited.

We constantly pray for things to happen, whatever it may be, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but sometimes we forget to simply say thank you. We don't even realize that the really small things in life, the ones we forget to be grateful for, those things could disappear too.

Like hearing your mom call you down for dinner, or your dog sitting with you while you do homework, or the sunrise on your way to school. We shouldn’t wait until something becomes a memory to recognize how meaningful it was.

So back to the quote from Philippians, “By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” God wants us to bring our hopes to Him, our plans, our worries, but Paul specifically includes gratitude.

We need to recognize what God has already placed in our lives. So maybe whenever you find yourself laughing or having a good time, take note, and thank God for that moment. Or before you pray and start to ask for something, begin with what you’re grateful for instead. Finding peace isn’t about knowing exactly what our future holds, but trusting God enough to appreciate where we are today.

And as Paul says, “Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus.” 

Thank you, and have a great day Friars!