A stirring before a whirlwind
The downpour under a yellow sky
These are the currents of change
Bringing forth a new season
It's been two years since post-grad and here are some things I've learned along the way:
→ When you are in a sweet season of life, soak 👏 it 👏 in👏. Live in it and know that you had to push through some valley lows to climb to this apex. And while it certainly won't last forever, you get to savor this sweetness for this time being. Similarly, when you find yourself in a tremendously hard season (and it will come), soak that in too and learn what it means to grieve well. Sometimes there is a lesson to be learned in it, but more often than not, hindsight is twenty twenty. Don't force yourself to learn from something you're still healing from. When you've walked out of it, you'll know. Keep going knowing that it too shall pass.
→ Silence goes a long way in sorrow. It's okay to not know what to say. What's more important is that you're there.
→ Community isn't optional, it's crucial. If you're asking yourself for whatever reason if it's worth it, it is. Stick with it. If it doesn't feel like home, then keep at it until it does. Invite people to do life with you and similarly, allow people to invite you into theirs. Don't give yourself a timeline on this. It has taken me almost two years to feel at home with my church community and work community and had you asked me any earlier if I found it to be home, I would've said no. It takes time and effort to build relationships.
→ Along the same lines of community, commit to a church. Do give yourself a timeline with this. Don't hop around for a year. No church is perfect; we all need Jesus. Serve where it is life-giving to you. So if that means being the best greeter there is, then be the best greeter. If it's making a mean cup of joe, then brew the coffee. If it's teaching the little humans about the Bible, then teach them well.
→ Grow where you are planted.🌱🌿🌻. In regard to what it means to follow "our calling", I'm going to say something that some people may disagree with. As a Jesus follower, I don't believe that we are all necessarily called to a particular sector or field in life. Our calling isn't to a single profession. Our calling as Jesus-following, disciple-making children of God is to God and God alone. So no matter where you go, you make it a point to glorify Him. Student, engineer, pharmacist, designer, event planner, intern, stay-at-home mom, barista....grow where you are planted.
→ Make time for people you care about and be present. It sounds intuitive but when you graduate and suddenly you find that everything demands your attention, you have to put in the time and effort with friends and family. Sometimes it means saying no to something else to make people your priority. Remember too, that when you are with people, stay present with them. Your actions, no matter how small, will speak louder than your words.
→ Be GENEROUS and WISE. ⏳ With your time, with your resources, with your finances. Specifically, be generous giving to the KINGDOM. I can't stress this enough, but giving to the Kingdom (whether through your energy, time, and/or finances) is a lifetime investment you are making--one you may not necessarily see the fruits of right away, but is priceless.
→ Take care of your physical body. 💪💪 Build those habits now. Run a mile a day or something. But if you're like me and you always think running is a good idea until you realize as you're doing it, you'd much rather collapse on the sidewalk and die than run, find something else that gets your heart pumping each week. Bodypump, yoga, pilates, tennis, hiking, the options are endless.
Bringing forth a new season
It's been two years since post-grad and here are some things I've learned along the way:
→ When you are in a sweet season of life, soak 👏 it 👏 in👏. Live in it and know that you had to push through some valley lows to climb to this apex. And while it certainly won't last forever, you get to savor this sweetness for this time being. Similarly, when you find yourself in a tremendously hard season (and it will come), soak that in too and learn what it means to grieve well. Sometimes there is a lesson to be learned in it, but more often than not, hindsight is twenty twenty. Don't force yourself to learn from something you're still healing from. When you've walked out of it, you'll know. Keep going knowing that it too shall pass.
→ Silence goes a long way in sorrow. It's okay to not know what to say. What's more important is that you're there.
→ Community isn't optional, it's crucial. If you're asking yourself for whatever reason if it's worth it, it is. Stick with it. If it doesn't feel like home, then keep at it until it does. Invite people to do life with you and similarly, allow people to invite you into theirs. Don't give yourself a timeline on this. It has taken me almost two years to feel at home with my church community and work community and had you asked me any earlier if I found it to be home, I would've said no. It takes time and effort to build relationships.
→ Along the same lines of community, commit to a church. Do give yourself a timeline with this. Don't hop around for a year. No church is perfect; we all need Jesus. Serve where it is life-giving to you. So if that means being the best greeter there is, then be the best greeter. If it's making a mean cup of joe, then brew the coffee. If it's teaching the little humans about the Bible, then teach them well.
→ Grow where you are planted.🌱🌿🌻. In regard to what it means to follow "our calling", I'm going to say something that some people may disagree with. As a Jesus follower, I don't believe that we are all necessarily called to a particular sector or field in life. Our calling isn't to a single profession. Our calling as Jesus-following, disciple-making children of God is to God and God alone. So no matter where you go, you make it a point to glorify Him. Student, engineer, pharmacist, designer, event planner, intern, stay-at-home mom, barista....grow where you are planted.
→ Make time for people you care about and be present. It sounds intuitive but when you graduate and suddenly you find that everything demands your attention, you have to put in the time and effort with friends and family. Sometimes it means saying no to something else to make people your priority. Remember too, that when you are with people, stay present with them. Your actions, no matter how small, will speak louder than your words.
→ Be GENEROUS and WISE. ⏳ With your time, with your resources, with your finances. Specifically, be generous giving to the KINGDOM. I can't stress this enough, but giving to the Kingdom (whether through your energy, time, and/or finances) is a lifetime investment you are making--one you may not necessarily see the fruits of right away, but is priceless.
→ Take care of your physical body. 💪💪 Build those habits now. Run a mile a day or something. But if you're like me and you always think running is a good idea until you realize as you're doing it, you'd much rather collapse on the sidewalk and die than run, find something else that gets your heart pumping each week. Bodypump, yoga, pilates, tennis, hiking, the options are endless.
No comments:
Post a Comment