This
is a shout-out to the seniors who are -like me- super excited to move on to another stage of
life but who are also terrified of growing up. I think most seniors go back and
forth on this topic every day – or at least I do: “I’m so excited to get out of
here! But I’m gonna miss my family so much…But I’m SO ready to meet new people!
But I’m gonna miss my old friends back home…But I’m so pumped to explore my
options about what I want to do with my life! Oh my gosh…I have to decide what
I’m going to do with the REST OF MY LIFE!!!” It’s a battle for sure. I’m
personally preparing myself for what has the potential to be a very emotional
week, considering that my last musical is this weekend – another “last”. Today
I had a two-minute meltdown –for a variety of reasons, the last musical being
one of them – but the overarching theme of the meltdown was growing up. This
post won’t have any hardcore theology in it or anything, but it’s just a note
from my heart to a group of people I care deeply about. Fellow seniors, I hope
you are encouraged by this.
Some
of my most precious times with the Lord have been in the car. It may sound
silly, but if you like to drive as much as I do, I highly recommend that you
have a convo with God in the car…it’s the best. I had one today during my
mini-meltdown, and really just poured out my heart. As I was venting to God about
how afraid I am of growing up, I heard a still, small voice in my spirit say, “But the reason you must grow up is because
I don’t let you settle.” Boom.
When
I heard Him say that, something my youth pastor said came to mind, “God loves
us as we are, but He loves us too much to just leave us there.” It’s the same
principle. Growing up isn’t just part of the Circle of Life; God making us grow up is an act of His love
for us. As terrifying as becoming an adult sounds, it’s another step to us
becoming more dependent on God and less on ourselves and those around us. Growing
up is the process of God gradually removing our security blankets of the world and
tightening our grip with Him.
Even
though that probably wasn’t earth-shattering for you, I hope that realizing this
gives you peace. Keep praying seniors; keep giving your plans and your future
over to God’s control. He’s got your back, and helping you grow up is His way
of doing that. We weren’t called to be Peter Pan’s, folks. We were called to be
so much more than that.
Growing
up: “All it takes is faith and trust, and just a little bit of pixie dust.”
*Motivation
for last 3 months of high school: “I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). I hope we are all
able to say that when we walk across that stage in May!*
