idk about you, but when I was little I just sort of thought that when I was older, I'd know what I'd be doing with my life -- that i'd have everything all set and figured out (lol wowoww wasn't I so smart). but yeah, growing up, I think i've always been trying to figure out what I should be doing -- what my "gift" is, and how I could impact others for Jesus.
In first Corinthians is says ..."each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that." << basically, God doesn't make people with carbon copied gifts. they are all unique, and all for different purposes [some that will impact in ways that we may not know for a long time, or may even never know]
'Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.' << 1st timothy 4:12
don't assume that you are too young to make a difference, or that what you say or do doesn't really matter or change anything. because, more and more I've been realizing how the voice of one can effect another, and another, and another -- and multiply until it's not just a voice, but a mass of voices. and these voices are so much stronger than that voice that previously stood alone
but what if that voice hadn't spoken up
what if that one person hadn't been brave enough
what if that one person had neglected that gift God had given them
don't just assume that some other person can do that job of speaking up -- of being the first voice. or that you are too young, or not good at it -- what if that person assumes the same of someone else? and the next?
this doesn't mean we were all created to stand on the soapbox. what I mean is, being the first voice doesn't always mean speaking out. it can also be an act. to change something, or to stand your ground for Christ. and speaking out isn't the whole thing -- there are /so/ many other ways we can impact others for Jesus
In second Corinthians it says we are ambassadors for Christ. We can't let the fear of being the first to raise our voices for Jesus win. we all have gifts, in one thing or another -- are we using them?
wait, listen, and focus on what God has given you right now. don't worry if you aren't doing something "big" right now. God has given you something to master for this moment, and He'll bring you something else later. don't worry about the future, don't waste a moment.
'Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.' 1 corinthians 16:13
[just something I've been working on and some thoughts that have been happening so idek if it makes any sense, lol]
You just echoed some of the thoughts I've had since I was like 14 or something! ^_^ And now that I'm 22, I can confirm that no, you won't feel like you have it all together when you're older. I don't FEEL like I'm 22 for exactly that reason--I always thought I'd have life figured out by now. XD But you're so right about being a voice and doing the little things and not worrying about the future. Keep it up, girl. <3
ReplyDeleteI think everyone feels that way?? but honestly, how can you know if you don't feel your age, if you haven't even been that age before?? you can't. so maybe what you feel /is/ what it feels like for /you/ to be your age. (and i'm pretty sure no one is ever confident enough to actually feel like they have everything completely together and set -idk, maybe I'm wrong xP XD). thanks girl, for reading my rambles <33
DeleteGIRLLLL. WOW. i needed this!!! I always feel so young, and like my "life" will start once I'm older, have a job, can drive, ETC. I love all the verses and truth in this post <33 The 4th to last paragraph is sooo good. <3 Thanks so much for this!!!!
ReplyDeleteohh yeah, I totally remember feeling that. "can't wait until I can /actually/ do things that matter" uh huh. but I can do both of those things, and they are awesome, but they also have their scary responsibility parts. honestly, live life now, not for later. your life doesn't start later, it's now. make it full of Jesus and full of amazing memories <33
Deletethank you so muucchhhh. I'm so glad it helped <33
THIS IS SOOOO TRUE, Sarah. Thank you so much for this post!
ReplyDeleteI'm not doing NaNo, but I've still been working away on my book and my goal is to get to 10K by the end of November. I think my current word count is 1,500.
THOSE PICTURES ARE SO AESTHETIC!!!! Absolutely beautiful!! <3
- Maddy | littlebitofsunshineweb.blogspot.com
Wow yes so much yes to this ^^ Thank you for writing and encouraging me in this area! I think it's something we all struggle with, the idea that we have to have life figured out by a certain age. Thankfully I don't have it all figured out, and I'm not planning to have it figured out any time soon. :P Thanks girl <3
ReplyDeleteawawwee, totally girlie! it's true - just something that we have to face - that only God holds our tomorrows in His hands, and we shouldn't worry about them. and I feel like sometimes, it's always waiting for that tomorrow that will "hold better things" but today /was/ a tomorrow. trruutthh, and honestly, it's a good thing we don't know the whole plan ('cuz that'd totally be boring tho among other reasons xP XD) thanks for commenting, Ashley <33
Deletewhy are u always goals...*sigh* this is an amazing topic. i feel like kids now always feel like they will do "it" when they are older..
ReplyDeletevery good topic <3
gosh girl srsly thank you <33 yeah, but I'm pretty sure we've all felt it, and honestly, it's just a part of surrendering the controls to God. as kids, there isn't much to worry about, but as we grow up we feel like we need to know the plan, and we wanna rush rush rush and do things and go places, but that's not it. live in the moment that God has given us and live it like its your last. honestly a hard thing to do, but something I'm striving for <33
DeleteOh wow, this is great and you echo me. I'm over eighteen years old, so by now considered an adult, and I thought it'd feel different, you know? I thought I'd have everything figure out.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I don't. Sadly, life doesn't get easier. But awesome enough - God just keeps getting closer.
YAS like growing up you thought being a certain age would feel different (lol nope).
Deletebut I think that's okay?? however much I'd /like/ to have things figured out, I don't really think I'd like to have it all figured out. God gives us good things, and brings us through bad things. it would be so overwhelming to know it all before it happened. Truuutthh, and I think if life God easier, it probably isn't a good thing. God is always giving us new things to teach us, hard things, sometimes, but stuff He's using to preparing us for later.
thanks, Kara <33
I'm legit writing a song about something like this right now, are you reading my mind or something?!? ;-)
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Sarah! Very thought provoking :-)
~Skylar
NO WAY that's so cool [and I wish I could mind-read IT WOULD BE SO COOL THO]
Deletethank you, Skylar!!
Oh yes, this is true! :)
ReplyDelete<33
DeleteI think when I was little I just assumed that part of growing up included suddenly knowing what you were supposed to do with your life?? but that never happened and I got more and more stressed as I passed the point where I was supposed to know what I was doing? And sometimes I ache to make a difference, but I don't know what I'm doing with my own life. So. :| But this was a really motivating post! and I need to stop worrying about the future and just make sure I'm doing my best with the present. <3
ReplyDelete- Jem Jones
LOL YEP as if the knowledge would suddenly come to us as we turned a certain age (if we really thought about it we probably would have thought otherwise :P)
Deleteaw, yeah. stress is totally not fun. the problem is, we're stressing for our future /as we are living it/. every moment was the future - that tomorrow is now today. that's why we have to live every moment for the moment, not waiting for another. aw, yeah. I'll be praying for you, don't stress about it - God has plans for you. and right now, His plans are for you to do whatever you are doing right now with the best of your ability. just live in the moment (it's hard, I know, but I've been working on making it more of a habit WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER <33)
Since I wrote an actual outline this time, Nano is going surprisingly well! Life got in the way the past two days so I'm still only at 4,638 words so far so I need to catch up today, but I'm not as stressed out as I thought I'd be, so that's nice. :P
ReplyDeleteDUDE GO YOU outlines rock (they can be hard to do sometimes, but SO worth it) almost 5k is not bad at all, go you!! hopefully one of these years I'll go for the full nano, I've done 40k for a camp nano, but that was before life got crazy lol. and go you!! drop the stress and it makes everything loads easier <33
DeleteLove this. As always, a pleasure to read. Thank you for sharing and putting so eloquently these feelings-- sometimes it's so easy to slip into a "oh no what even is my life" coma -- loved these comforting verses of guidance.
ReplyDeletexx
steph
thanks, steph! hahaa yeah, I agree. thankfully, I'm often too busy to slip into those -- although, they do come. :P thanks so much, Steph! <33
DeleteYES YES YES. I realized the other day that I'm turning 18 in like, a few months? And I know less of that I'm going to do with my life than what I thought when I was 12. This is a great post, Sarah!
ReplyDeleteDUDE. NO WAY. 18?? CONGRATS YOU MADE IT ahahhaaa xD and ikr?? it's so true :P thanks, Hanne!
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