My name is Brandy Brooks, and I'm a college junior of sorts at Harvard Univeristy in Cambridge, MA. Actually, I've been off this whole year, hence the "of sorts"; and this year has just been one huge testimony to how God can transform the way your life works and take you in all sorts of awesome directions if you follow his lead.

I didn't decide to take the year off until late August of last year, for financial reasons and also an extreme case of burnout. Although I still felt that God intended for me to be at Harvard for college, I'd just finished a really tough year, and was having a hard time figuring out where my life was supposed to go. I'd been spending a lot of the year being busy and stressed, and not very much time getting to know God and His plan for my life.

The blessings started right away after I followed His lead to take time off, starting with the job, apartment, and garage space for my car (a very precious commodity in Cambridge!) which all fell into place within a week. I began reading and praying regularly again, something I had neglected during the previous year, and began really trying to seek His will in all the circumstances of my life. I had just ended a tough relationship, and was trying to come to terms with being in Cambridge with all of my friends and yet not being a part of their lives in the same way. God just gave me peace about a lot of things in those first few months as I was adjusting -- at least, during the times when I would allow Him to.

But I wasn't always focused, and kept getting distracted by some of the old habits that had kept me from Him in the past. So it wasn't until the beginning of this year that my life finally came into true focus, as I realized that I had to give all of the pieces and hidden corners of my life over to God's guidance and molding.

My life has been just incredible ever since. I found a prayer group, a Christian a cappella group (which just had the most blessed concert I have ever been a part of last Saturday), and most of all an incredible peace and joy which keep me going through all the days. Tested through times of worry or stress, I have found that God is always there as my comfort and strength, and He is giving me a renewed vision and excitement for the work that He has prepared for me.

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From one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 37:3-5 -- Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.