One Last Time...Three Things College Students Should Know

Today was a little emotional for me.  My oldest son was visiting for the weekend, and I knew that it will be a while before he is able to visit again.  I also knew that there is a possibility that my daughter will be at college the next time he visits.  So in honor of all of us being together, I had my family perform a song for church- kind of a last hurrah before the kids scatter.  We performed My Jesus by Anne Wilson.  I held it together during the song, but it got me thinking about what I would like them to know as they face their future.  So here goes...

1) You may find happiness in stuff, but not joy.  Happiness is an emotional experience that can be affected by whatever is going on around you.  If I get a yummy, buttery cookie, I'm happy.  If my dog licks all the frosting off of my cookie, I may drop from elation to despair (seriously, watch your cookies around my dog).  Joy is a state of mind that says, "no matter what happens around me, I am thankful for what I've been given.  I choose to focus on the positive."  How else can you see people in horrible situations with such positive attitudes?  It's not because they have been handed everything on a silver spoon.  It's because they choose to find the positive in situations and hold onto a thankful attitude, looking with hope that things will get better.

2) Things will get better.  You will face difficult times.  This is not a reflection on what you deserve or on the goodness of God.  It is simply a fact.  We live in a fallen world where sin exists.  Evil exists.  This does not reflect on God.  If a toddler who is running falls, do you blame the parent for the child slipping.  If you buy a bag of apples, and you find one apple with a bad spot, do you blame the farmer for the bad apple?  No.  Why do we blame God for bad choices that others make?  The drunk driver made the choice to drive under the influence when God warned against getting drunk.  Keep in mind that we also have an enemy just waiting to destroy you and trick you into walking away from God.  Here's the great part.  Even as the enemy is setting up a plan to destroy you, God has already set His plan in motion to turn a bad situation into something good.  So you may face a hard situation, but you are never alone.  God will stick it out with you, get you through the situation, and make something good out of it.  It will be okay.

3) It is okay to not be perfect.  The world is full of imperfection, including you.  Just because you make a mistake doesn't mean that you are not worthy of love, smart, or valuable.  It means that you are human.  It is okay to not be perfect.  If we were perfect, we would not need a Savior.  What you do need is the desire to keep trying.  Keep in mind that failure is the practice round for getting it right.  If you mess up, you have now learned another way that doesn't work.  Go back to the drawing board and don't give up.  

With all the worries that our young adults face, I want them to know that they are never alone.  God will guide anyone who asks.  He will direct your path and be with you even when you don't feel Him.  When we keep a positive attitude filled with gratitude, it will just be a matter of time before we see God perform miracles in our lives.

Have a great week high-heeled warriors!

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