Good morning Sherman, Good morning Northwestern and Garret Students, and Good morning to my sweet sweet sorors.

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I am Cydney Brown, a junior at Northwestern, the 2023 Northeast Regional Youth Poet Laureate and a member of the Theta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority incorporated. 

 

Today I will be preaching from the sermon topic “Cast It All Because He Cares” Reflecting on 1 Peter chapter  5: verses 7-11 – but specifically verse 7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
 

I’d like to start with a poem

God, what am I supposed to do with rejection?
I keep getting these scores back
And they’re not a reflection
Of the late nights,
The stressors,
The study sessions,
And the lectures.

God, what am I supposed to do with rejection?
I keep getting emails back,
Saying “Thank you for your application.”
But I thought You said “prayer and supplication.”

God, I keep praying but I’m not getting what I’m asking.
I feel like I’m praying and being ignored.
God, are you listening?

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When God gives me rejections, I’ve started to see them as redirections.
And prayer? That’s our one-on-one session.
Where he can say
Keep praying.
Or, you’re going the wrong way.

He knows when I’m putting earthly titles above His throne.
Cause Greed should never exceed my need for Him.

Tears used to fill my eyes when met with rejection
But now I see the redirection.
If I hadn’t fallen,
And got hurt,
I wouldn’t have put in the work to protect myself
From future disasters.

I know that on my own,
It’s a struggle to get through the storm.
But with His love, there is comfort:
That no matter how hard the rain,
No matter how excruciating the pain
He will forever reign as King.
And to me, that’s everything.

 

COMPUTER SCIENCE STORY

My freshman year, I took a computer science class.
Raise your hand if you’ve taken one. Has anyone else ever left that class confused?

Church, I did not like this class at all. I was being tested in every way, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
I went to office hours with the professor and the TA.
I watched YouTube videos.
I stayed up late.
And still, nothing made sense.

But this trial brought me closer to God.
One of my friends and I started reading the Word seriously on the Bible app.
And we both started seeking therapy.

This was a turning point.

God used this stress to expose what I was neglecting: my mental health and my dependence on Him.

1 Peter chapter 5: verse 7 says,
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
I didn’t just read this verse, I lived it.
I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and started getting accommodations through AccessibleNU.
No, I didn’t suddenly become a coding genius.
But I did learn that my help doesn’t come from a grade.
It comes from the God who cares for me enough to carry what I can’t.

 

INTERNSHIP STORY

This year, I started applying for internships in August.
I saw one at General Mills with free housing and I thought
"This is it. Look at God!"

I spent days crafting my resume and cover letter, waiting on the confirmation email I was sure would come.
But instead, I got a rejection.

Philippians chapter 4: verses 6–7 says:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

I had presented my request, but the peace didn’t come from getting the internship; it came when I surrendered the outcome.

That rejection pushed me to apply for others early.
I eventually reached the final rounds for Pepsi and Kraft Heinz, both rejections.

Twenty more applications. Twenty more no’s.

And yet, I held onto one truth:
If it’s not God’s plan, I don’t want it.
That mindset changed everything.

One of the video interviews I rushed to the Main library after dinner one day to record led me to my current internship this summer at Wells Fargo in North Carolina.

Sometimes God isn’t just closing a door, He’s guiding your hand to the right one.

 

This reminds me of Joseph 

Joseph’s life didn’t go the way he imagined. He faced betrayal, false accusations, and was taken far from everything familiar.

 But instead of growing bitter, Joseph stayed faithful. He kept showing up. He kept using his gifts. He kept trusting God, even when he didn’t understand the path.

The Bible says:

“The Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2)

Even when his environment was uncertain, Joseph’s heart stayed anchored in God.

 He didn’t have all the answers. He didn’t get instant results. But Joseph’s consistency prepared him for the moment when everything changed.

When God opened the door for him to lead, he was ready.

 He didn’t just walk into his purpose, he had grown into it.

And later, Joseph said to his brothers: 

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” (Genesis 50:20)

Joseph’s story teaches us:

God can turn your setbacks into setups for something greater.

Maybe you're not where you want to be. Maybe you’re tired, or your prayers feel unanswered. But God is working on something greater.

Just like Joseph, you can cast your anxiety on Him, not because everything makes sense right now, but because He is with you. He sees your faithfulness. And He cares.

Later on  in 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 10 it says “And the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong”

So no matter what you are going through. Not matter tired you are. God will restore you and make you strong.

So what do we do with the weight?

We cast it.

Not carry it. Not ignore it. Not numb it.

Cast. All. Your. Anxiety. On. Him.
Because.
He.
Cares.
For.
You.

Rejection? Cast it.
Grades? Cast them.
Applications? Cast them.
That unanswered prayer? Cast it.

God isn’t ignoring you.
He’s inviting you to trust Him.
And when you do, when you really let go, you’ll discover the truth in Philippians chapter 4: verse 7:
"The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

That’s my prayer for you this week.
As you study for your finals.
As you anticipate job offers.
As you seek rest.
That you don’t carry what you were never meant to hold.
Cast it.

Because He still cares.