A little over a week ago I turned 20. Big news, headlines, fireworks, the whole shebang. Not really though, as I genuinely didn’t even want to celebrate my birthday this year, at least not at first. All I wanted to do was see Incredibles 2 with my family and my best friend, and maybe eat some cake and ice cream. When I was younger all I wanted to do was plan parties, have all my friends together, and throw a huge bash. In fact, for my 10th birthday I was convinced that I just had to have an actual Ferris Wheel for my carnival themed party. But that’s besides the fact. The fact is that as my birthday this year approached I didn’t think much of it until a good friend reminded me of the wonderful celebration dinner we had all had the year before. After that he made it clear that we would be celebrating my birthday, as him and his wife (2 of the most wonderful people in my life) planned my birthday BBQ. Once the plan was set I obliged and let them throw me a party, and really, I would have been stupid not to.
However, that is not what I set out to write about this morning. That is only the back story to the three provoking questions a good friend asked me that night that have still got me thinking today as I sit in my favorite coffee shop, in my favorite town, visiting one of my favorite people.
First question: What are the three highest points of your past year? Just off the top of your head.
1. Going to Bowling Green and getting to be a part of the Cru Community and meeting so many incredible people.
2. Going to Indiana with the aforementioned fantastic group of people in December for a conference, growing closer to many of them and learning more than I ever thought I could in five days.
3. Getting to lead a worship night with a good friend and trusting God to move in ways we couldn’t have even planned (which He did).
Second question: What were the three lowest points of your year?
1. Someone I thought was a good friend was using me for my car.
2. Serious anxiety at multiple points about money and tuition.
3. Leaving Bowling Green for the summer.
Rabbit trail – I think there’s something to say about the fact that all three lows are significantly shorter than the three highs, pointing to one of my life goals to always look to the positive and always let it outweigh the negative -
Third question: What are three goals you have for this next year?
1. Welcoming first years and making them feel as comfortable and loved as I did, as that’s the only reason I had such an unimaginably perfect year.
2. Starting a bible study that includes running and breakfast, in order to welcome people into my home and serve them the best I can.
3. Meet new people, as many as possible, and love on so many people it seems impossible.
These three questions have been encouraging me and pushing me to think about how these experiences have changed me in just a short year, and these are just a few of the things I’ve learned.
1. Choose your friends wisely.
2. Trust God with everything, because it’s all His anyways.
3. Allow yourself to lean on your friends.
4. Put yourself out there, and don’t let yourself fear rejection, because those people aren’t the ones you want to have in your life anyways.
5. Love like Jesus did, and love life. It won’t always be easy, but you have to recognize the difference between being happy and having joy in the Lord, and this is one of the most important things I learned this year.
Comments