My mind was churning as I contemplated and planned. What could I do next summer? It was only the fall of my sophomore year at Williams College, but I was already forecasting months ahead of time. I felt that if I was on the ball, I could do anything.

I've been told more than once that I over-think. Whether I'm behind the starting block at a swim meet or planning my major field of study, my mind is usually running like a faucet—and it can be hard to shut it off.

I have many academic interests, so when the college career counselor I was working with asked me what kind of internship I was looking for, I stumbled to give him an answer. "Well . . . I like film, and political science, and literature, and I like working with people . . . . I can't narrow it down!" All I really knew was that I needed to secure a summer internship by a certain date in order to apply for a competitive internship grant.

As the career counselor and I searched online, I was overwhelmed by all the possibilities. It was hard to know where to begin. I arbitrarily narrowed down the choices until I settled on an internship that seemed attractive, at least on the surface. Leaving the office, I rested on the assumption that I'd found the right fit, if for no other reason than to avoid the daunting task of wading through another sea of endless possibility.

But a couple of months later, it occurred to me to call the company I was going to intern with and double-check something. It was a good thing I did because in my initial haste, I had misunderstood one of the details. It was no longer the right fit. A few weeks before the deadline, I was back to square one.

Or was I? As a Christian Scientist, I'd been raised to turn to God daily in prayer. So when it dawned on me that I had turned to a career counselor first, I knew it was time to slow down and prioritize.

As I prayed, I thought about God as Principle, as law. I knew that as God's child, my activity could only reflect the order, clarity, and perfection of divine law. My perpetual planning was putting God outside the picture. I could only see the next tree, but God, who is omniscient, could see the whole forest. Or in my case, the whole plan.

It became evident that whether I faced a road block or felt lost along the way, I didn't need to worry. My path would be adjusted to follow the right course as I listened to God and let Him do the directing. In Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy wrote, "Spirit, God, gathers unformed thoughts into their proper channels, and unfolds these thoughts, even as He opens the petals of a holy purpose in order that the purpose may appear" (p. 506). I didn't have to carry the responsibility of orchestrating my life's purpose—I only had to have the humility to turn to God.

As these spiritual ideas poured into my consciousness, the sense of urgency and anxiety over finalizing the internship vanished. I knew that instead of worrying, I needed to relax and trust God. I had no idea what was in store for me, but I left for Christmas break with the confidence that God would let me know in a way that I would understand.

Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday, and as on so many Sundays before, I joined my family at the Christian Science church we attend. The church was packed with familiar faces, gathered together in celebration of God. As I listened to the weekly Bible Lesson-Sermon being read from the desk, I traveled back two millennia to imagine the remarkable story of Jesus' birth.

Mary, a humble child of God, was so obedient and receptive to God's angel messages that she was not afraid. I realized that we all have the ability to reach that level of peace and certainty in our thought because God's laws are universal. They're in operation here and now, transcending time and space.

When the church service ended, a close family friend introduced me to her father. He happened to be the United States Ambassador to Portugal. I'd never met an ambassador before and was fascinated to hear about his position. He asked me about myself and my experience at college. During the course of our conversation, the topic of summer internships came up.

When I briefly explained that I was letting God lead me in the right direction, he said, "Well, you should come to the embassy in Portugal." At first, I didn't quite understand the depth of his proposal, but as we continued to talk, I asked more questions. Listening to my heart, I realized that my life was about to change.

An internship with the State Department had never crossed my mind. But this opportunity was a clear example to me that the good God has in store is better than what I could plan for myself. God is the supreme source of wisdom. All we have to do is receive it.

I took the steps the Ambassador had advised, and obtained my security clearance in time to arrive in Lisbon by the end of May. I even met the deadline for the internship grant, and was one of the recipients of the award.

Although the grant didn't completely cover the high cost of living in Lisbon, this wasn't an obstacle either. It merely provided another opportunity for God's plan to be revealed. And it was. It turned out that one of the government apartments for American diplomats was empty for the summer, and I was invited to stay there—free of charge.

A few months prior to my internship, I lost my "nana," who was one of my best friends. Before she passed away, she reminded me of God's love. She said she knew I would do great things if I stayed close to Him. It didn't surprise me then that when the plane landed in Portugal, I had no fear. I was embarking on a completely new adventure for two months, yet I felt God holding my hand.

During the internship, I learned more than I ever could have dreamed. It educated me not only on the function of embassies, but also on universal Love. I discovered that wherever we are, God is with us. He is talking to us, loving us, and guiding us to new people, new experiences, and new challenges that make us grow. It's only when I let go and trusted that I found out God's plan was greater than my own.css

This article first appeared on www.spirituality.com.