Only last week did it suddenly hit me that I am turning 20.
My friends and I were discussing our amazement of this fact earlier in the year. "Guys, we can say we are two decades old." "Can you believe we'll be able to say that we are in our 20s? That phrase now applies to us!" We just couldn't get over the fact that we were fast approaching this turning point in our lives; however, given the busy nature of this summer, I had forgotten about this initial shock.
Learning from women.
I realized my birthday was coming up during this week's women's time of my summer mission trip. Women's time is simply a moment in the week for all the girls on the team to gather with one another and learn about growing in our relationship with God. This week our leaders created a panel where each took turns sharing with us the blessings and challenges that they have and are now currently experiencing.
The women on the panel were all on different wavelengths of life. Two were in their early 20s and starting the financial independence stage of their lives. Another two women were single, in their 30s and just adjusting back to life in the United States. There was a young mom of two boys figuring out motherhood, and also a woman in her 50s with adolescent children.
The women shared in ascending age order, and I noticed several things as they spoke. As we went from woman to woman, their stories got longer and longer. The women who were older had a greater number of experiences to share. At first you'd think, "Of course, it's only logical," but when you stop and put yourself in a learning attitude, it's pretty cool to realize that one day you'll also accumulate a number of meaningful stories as you grow older.
Yet despite the varying lengths of their stories, I noticed that all the women resonated with different components of each others lives. Even as somebody younger than all of them, I could still understand on a personal level the big picture of the lessons they had learned. A common theme among all the women was confusion. Whether it was uncertainty in financial independence or learning how to be a stay-at-home mom, each panelist was still learning how to handle different components of adulthood. God's sense of humor was another commonality. Two women agreed with one another in saying, "I love to travel, and I can't imagine living in one place for too long. I think I have a pioneering spirit. So when God sent me to serve in Orlando, Florida of all places, I thought it was the funniest and most ironic thing ever." All the women agreed that God had directed their lives to places they never thought they'd go and that he must have a funny sense of humor to orchestrate it all.
A humbling experience.
It was after all the women had shared their stories, and while I was contemplating their different ages and comparing theirs to mine, that I realized I was turning 20 within the next week.
As a student about to enter junior year in college, I can often fall into the trap of thinking that I know a lot already. However, as I heard from these women about all the struggles and uncertainties that they've gone through, I realize that I have a lot left to learn.
As I looked at these women after hearing their stories, I also realized the true beauty that I saw in each of them - the beauty of 1 Peter 3:4 which says, "But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious." This isn't to say that these women are quiet in personality. A lot of them were actually extroverts; but they were quiet and at peace within their soul because they knew God was actively working in their lives, and they trusted him. Their true beauty lies in the fact that they are not certain about everything, but they are confident in where God is leading them.
I am still excited about being 20, but I also know that I have a lot ahead of me to look forward to. I am expecting to be greatly confused and also pretty humored at God's plans, but I hope that I'll have a gentle and quiet spirit through it all.
