Be
Present Where You Are Planted
I am in this
season where everything is going by so fast. I am surrounded by seniors in
college who are just focused on the next step whether that means marriage or a
starting their career or both. They focus so much on the future that they miss
out on the present and neglect the part of the God’s story that He has for them today. I realize it is so easy to get caught up in
this mind set of the future that I miss out on what is passing by right in
front of me…
This is a precious
time that I have in this season that I will never have again. I live in a
community of women who challenge me every day to be the best that I can be. I
know that I can go to any one of them whenever I need prayer or just need to rant
about a bad day. I know that after college when I get married and go out into
the “real world”
that my priorities will shift and I will have less time to spend with
all the people that I want to spend time with. I will always have my core group
of friends but I know that life gets busy and that time flies by. I have
realized that these moments right now is when God is shaping me the most. This
past year I have had a lot of spiritual growth and great accountability with my
housemates. It isn’t always easy having those people who are
willing to give you tough love but we all need that in our lives and I am
thankful for that. They have affirmed my gifts of wisdom and discernment in my
life and allowed me opportunities to use them. We have had late night worship
nights in our living room and family dinners around the table and I wouldn’t wish away this time for anything. I don’t want to look back at my college time and realized that I
wished it all away and regret any time that I didn’t spend investing myself into this community, into my
education and into my relationships.
This past year at
IWU has been amazing, and I don’t remember a season where I have grown so
much. I have learned to be present in EVERY
situation.
BE
PRESENT when your housemate is going through a hard spot and just need an ear to
listen
BE
PRESENT when your boyfriend just wants to tell you about his day
BE
PRESENT in chapel even on Mondays when you don’t feel like listening
BE
PRESENT when your home and you get precious time with your family
BE PRESENT IN EVERY SITUATION
BECAUSE TOMORROW IS NOT PROMISED!
I wouldn’t change this season for anything, even though there are moments
where it is hard. It is hard doing a long distance relationship when you have
been together for three years and it’s hard when some days you feel like you
still don’t belong but the good and the growth out
way the hard times. I have grown so much in my knowledge of the Lord and in
walking daily with him. I have been digging deep into my theological beliefs
and what God wants my ministry to look like. I have built some amazing
friendships that I know will last forever. I have gotten to invest in kids and
underclassmen in a way that they have touched my life way more than they could
ever say that I did. I have grown in my knowledge of the world and in my
passion for God’s people. I have learned to never take for
granted the time that I get when my whole family is together because these days
it is pretty rare. I am closer to my boyfriend today on an emotional and
communicational level more than when we lived close to each other. I have
learned to value the time that we have together and cherish every moment. We
have learned how to grow independently but also how to grow together. I know
what commitment is when both our schedules are crazy and you have to stay up
later doing homework just to have a conversation about how our days went. I
have seen couples in this culture operate as if they married and it makes my
heart hurt to know that they are missing out on this special community that
they have in this time here. I am not perfect and I fall into thinking way too
much on the future and not being present where I am. After three years of being
together and graduation so close, you just want to think about the next steps
and figure out how you are going to make it work to be together but I don’t want to get in that mindset so much that I miss what God has
for me today!
But I write this
as a personal reminder to me to BE
PRESENT in every situation and to not let the culture and the world around
me distract me from what God has for me right now. As I approach these last few
weeks of school before this year comes to an end I have had multiple
conversations with friends about the pressure to be getting married and having
it all figured out. But I want you all to know that if you are feeling that
way, to take a deep breath and know that everyone is different. God has a
specific plan for everyone and it is okay to not have it all figured out and if
you walk in His way He will show you the next step to take.
JUST TRUST HIM && BE PRESENT
WHEREVER YOU ARE PLANTED
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