Everyone pesters me about what I want to do with my life. "Where are you going to high school?" "What college do you want to attend?" "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

I really wish people would quit bugging me. Who cares about the future; I am worried about today! I have so many things to worry about now, I don't even want to think about the future! With school, sports, friends, and my family, I have no time to consider what I will do when I grow up.

We all get frustrated at times by the demands placed on us. Adults expect so much from us, like good grades. We want to get good grades, too, and be the star basketball player, have a lot of friends-not to mention a special boyfriend or girlfriend. And parents want us to be good Christian children on top of all of this. After a while, it seems like you get pulled under by all of the demands.

In the Bible, God says that He will be our strength and our shield. I think that this means, when we feel down about all of the demands and we cannot see a way out of them, all we need to do is to pray, asking God for help. His help may not come in an immediate miracle, but He does answer prayer, and things will get better.

I will not say that your life will be easy, or that everything you try will turn out perfectly, but if you are watching, you will see a difference if you ask God for help. You may notice that schoolwork will be less of a hassle, you may come out of a slump in sports, or you may settle a disagreement with a friend. Maybe you will just get better at getting along with the pressures.

The Bible also says that God will be a shield for you. Whenever you are tempted to do something that you know is wrong, God will lead you. He will help you to resist temptation and make a better decision. The temptation may always be there, but it will not be as strong or as difficult to resist if you have God's help.

As for the future, it is good to think about it, pray about it, and talk to parents and counselors about it, so you can do some preparing for what is ahead. It is not good to worry about it. God will be with you in your future too. Remember, our lives belong to Him, and He will guide us and protect us forever. He might lead you to become a pastor or teacher, or maybe into a profession that is not church-related, where you can still serve Him. God will lead you to witness in any job you do. There are so many possibilities, but in everything, let God be your strength and shield. He will help you handle your demands today and in the future.