As we pull in the new year, I'd like to share some life advice with all of you. These are some things I'm sure all of you know, but we often forget them in our most important life moments.
Don't forget that your plan may not be His plan.
As we're trucking along life we usually forget that we're not entirely in control of our life. The Lord our God has prepared our future far before we were even conceived. He guides us on the path that He believes is best for us. Sometimes that involves the low points in life, the times when we just wanna scream and cry, "Why God is this happening?"
Over a span of twelve months this thing will happen a lot, it's inevitable. It does not define your character though. It is what you do in your weakest moments that truly showcase the best of yourself. I learned early on that surrendering and trusting makes the days worthwhile.
It's okay when life doesn't go as intended, but it's not the end until everything is okay. He's got your back.
Some people are just hateful.
You will NOT be able to please everyone in the world, so don't try. People will complain and hate on you for the littlest of things, but that doesn't mean that should stop you from living your best life. Other people are your best critics, but He is the only judge. Don't live your life for others, live your life for you and only you.
At the end of the day they don't live your life, they live their own. Don't let their hatefulness ruin YOUR happiness. Dance when everyone is watching, laugh obnoxiously, go against social constructs. Be you because as Dr. Seuss says, "You are you that is truer than true. No one alive is youer than you!"
Read your books, drink your water, praise the Lord, and sing every worship song you can out of key. As long as you're happy that's all that matters.
Appreciate the small things.
I've learned that the best moments in life aren't always the biggest ones. I've experienced some of my favorite memories and moments in the span of five minutes. Nothing compares to that feeling you get when you help someone for nothing in return, or the moment you see pure innocence.
Have you ever felt those? What about little of gestures of love shown to you by family and friends? What about that small moment when all your hard work has paid off for something? Or when you felt God's presence during praise and worship?
The best things in life don't have to cost money or be planned. Please, please remember that spontaneous adventures are often better than planned purposeful ideas. It's when you least expect it that you're truly appreciative.
Lastly, you are more than your biology.
Meredith Grey has this really great monologue that I'd like to share with you.
“Biology says that we are who we are from birth. That our DNA is set in stone, unchangeable. Our DNA doesn’t account for all of us though; we’re human, life changes us. We develop new traits, become less territorial. We stop competing. We learn from our mistakes. We face our greatest fears. For better or worse, we find ways to become more than our biology. The risk, of course, is that we can change too much, to the point that we don’t recognize ourselves. Finding our way back can be difficult; there’s no compass, no map. We just have to close our eyes, take a step and hope to God we’ll get there.”
You are going to change. You will go through things this year that will make you unidentifiable at the end of the year. You will not be the same person you are at the beginning of the year. You will have seen new things, learned new life lessons, and met new people.
Some people will see this change as a bad thing, and others will see this change as a good thing. Many will argue that you are just like your mother or father, and that these things are in your nature...plot twist, they aren't. Biology does not control your decisions. Your free will does.
Embrace your biology, but run with free will. Don't be afraid of change because change will lead you to a whole new world. Doors will be opened that may have never opened before.
Happy New Year's guys. May God be with you all, and may you remember this advice in even the hardest moments.
