What I Wish I Knew at 19
“Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” Ps 86:11
The other day I met with a good friend of mine for some lunch and some good old’ fashioned girl talk. As we were catching up over some Chick-Fil-A--sharing all the exciting things God was doing in our lives she informed me that she would be heading to Iran in April for 5 months to teach English. I knew it had taken her a long time to be okay with leaving everything here in the States to go where God was leading her...so I was more excited than sad. As blessed as we both were to have grown up in the same student ministry, and even had the same mentor when we were in our late teens/early twenties, no one ever told us what to you do between 16 and the wedding day. We felt we were groomed to live for "that day" and that life only began when you met “the one.” No one every told us that marriage was a gift not a goal. For so many years we both struggled with this whole being single thing. It took us both a long time to learn the beauty of this season and gift of time that God has given us.
I wish someone would have told me before I set my foot into high school and especially college to not chase a relationship but to instead to chase Jesus. Learn to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind. Instead of wishing away this season embrace it as the gift it is.We just started the "Boy Meets Girl" series by Louie Gigio on Sunday night with the Pillars Girls and I am praying that God does the same thing in them that he did to me my freshman year of college and open their eyes to see that until they have a good grasp on their identity in Christ, fall head over heels in love with Him, and are satisfied in Christ alone...a relationship is the last thing they need to be worried about.
It wasn't until I was about 22 or 23 that my heart caught up with my head that there really was a reason for this season. I began to desire to be a lady of dilegence and maximize all this spare time I had. I have time now that I will not have one day to serve,invest, teach, travel, and most importantly to spend with Jesus. By all means; Dream. Desire but don’t wish this season away. There is a reason for it.
The other day I met with a good friend of mine for some lunch and some good old’ fashioned girl talk. As we were catching up over some Chick-Fil-A--sharing all the exciting things God was doing in our lives she informed me that she would be heading to Iran in April for 5 months to teach English. I knew it had taken her a long time to be okay with leaving everything here in the States to go where God was leading her...so I was more excited than sad. As blessed as we both were to have grown up in the same student ministry, and even had the same mentor when we were in our late teens/early twenties, no one ever told us what to you do between 16 and the wedding day. We felt we were groomed to live for "that day" and that life only began when you met “the one.” No one every told us that marriage was a gift not a goal. For so many years we both struggled with this whole being single thing. It took us both a long time to learn the beauty of this season and gift of time that God has given us.
I wish someone would have told me before I set my foot into high school and especially college to not chase a relationship but to instead to chase Jesus. Learn to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind. Instead of wishing away this season embrace it as the gift it is.We just started the "Boy Meets Girl" series by Louie Gigio on Sunday night with the Pillars Girls and I am praying that God does the same thing in them that he did to me my freshman year of college and open their eyes to see that until they have a good grasp on their identity in Christ, fall head over heels in love with Him, and are satisfied in Christ alone...a relationship is the last thing they need to be worried about.
It wasn't until I was about 22 or 23 that my heart caught up with my head that there really was a reason for this season. I began to desire to be a lady of dilegence and maximize all this spare time I had. I have time now that I will not have one day to serve,invest, teach, travel, and most importantly to spend with Jesus. By all means; Dream. Desire but don’t wish this season away. There is a reason for it.
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