TWEENY TIMES vol. 4

Who will I be?

You’ve heard it many times from family and friends, ‘you can grow up to be anything you want to be’. But part of this statement is false. The word ‘anything’ implies that you could be an astronaut, a fireman, president, or Bill Gate’s fiercest competitor.
I can’t say for certain you won’t be any of the above, but when choosing what to aspire to there are things you need to consider.

When I was growing up I loved animals, so I thought since I loved animals so much I should be a Veterinarian. Now, five years after college, I am not a Vet nor will I ever be because that is not what God intended for my life. Not to say that I would have been a bad Vet, but God had given me other gifts that I had ignored.

I have a vivid imagination, that can get me into trouble sometimes, but ever since I was able to talk or write, I have been creating stories, and drawing. It makes me laugh sometimes to look back at my class notes, because there are more doodles than medical terms.

So when you make a decision to pursue a career of any kind you need to look at three things.
What are your talents?
What is your personality?
Is this God’s plan or mine?

I encourage you to make a list of your talents. What are you good at? Are you good at Math, Science, English, Soccer, Baseball, Art? What do you excel in and where do you see yourself falling behind? I was never good at math, and surprisingly there is a lot of math involved in being a vet or a doctor, but English, History, and Art were my favorite classes. So surprise, surprise, I find myself writing historical fiction. Sometimes it’s the things you do in your free time that can be the window to your future. So don’t forget to consider that, too.

So now with a list of your talents look up the jobs that involve those things you enjoy. Cause if you don’t enjoy your job that can be a long road of unhappy and depressing emotions and events. Now that you’ve found the jobs that involve the things you enjoy, you need to evaluate your personality. Trust me you have one.

Are you a people person, or prefer to be alone. Are you and extrovert, or a wall flower? Would you feel comfortable having to talk to a lot of people, or like the confines of a cubicle? Each aspect of your personality can help you choose a career that fits you best. Don’t forget that whatever path you take will lead to what you study in College, and the job that will define your future, so take your time.

For the last question you need to find a quiet place, or a mentor with bible in hand. God knows you best of all. He has thought about your life and who you are from before you entered this world, so who better to talk to. He molded and shaped your heart, so his advice and guidance will be the best.

So pray. For some people God does use lighting bolts and neon lights to say this is your purpose, but don’t enter into prayer expecting that kind of answer. God has a way of knowing how to communicate with us and many times it takes a few crossed wires before we are ready to listen.
I know that for me, my crossed wires lead me to meet my husband, and God knew the best way for that to come about. And in my misdirection I learned a lot and struggled through many things that allow my writing to be real and relatable. Now that’s God’s wisdom. He knows what we need to go though to set out on the path of our purpose in order to give him the most glory.

But if you are trying to decide what you will be when you grow up, know that many times it is the journey not the destination that will reveal your purpose. So seek God’s wisdom in all things, and know its ok to change your mind along the way. Because you are still growing and changing into an awesome child of God, and if you keep to that, God will show you great things.