Three
weeks ago, I graduated from college. It still hasn’t totally sunk in that I’m
no longer a student, and it doesn’t help that I’m still living in the same
city, in the same apartment, just a few blocks from campus. However, this stage
of my life is filled with the most change I’ve experienced since I came to
college.
In
about three and a half months, I will be starting my time with Mission Year, an
incredible one-year ministry program for young adults [learn more about it here]. I committed to the
program almost 6 months ago, and that time has flown by. It’s so hard to
believe that in such a short time I will be moving about 1400 miles away from
my current home in Pittsburgh, PA to Houston, Texas. During my time in Houston,
I will be learning about what it means to love God and love people through
living in community with other MY team members, getting to know my neighbors,
and serving in the neighborhood. I am beyond excited for this adventure and new
chapter in my life!
However,
I’ve never been very good at change. I tend to resist it, pretty much at all
costs. Several months ago, my best friend and I had a conversation that served
as a major catalyst for many things in my life to begin changing, including my
ability to define myself by my status as God’s beloved. That night, we picked
up some Chinese takeout for dinner, and as I was wrestling with all of the
exciting and painful things we were discussing, I unwrapped the fortune cookie
I got with my food. Normally, I only read them so that I can make fun of the
silly (and often pointless) little messages. However, this one was about to
speak some serious truth into my life. It read:
“Welcome
change.”
It
might seem a little far-fetched, but I truly believe that that little fortune
cookie’s message was God splashing water in my face, telling me that even
though it can be painful, with change comes incredible growth and opportunity
to love. That the changes that were staring me in the face needed to be
embraced and welcomed into my life, not pushed away.
Once
again, I am facing changes that seem incredibly scary. I feel a little like I’m
jumping off a cliff with no idea how far down I’ll fall or what’s at the
bottom. But, God has shown me that when I welcome change (or, at the very
least, don’t fight it tooth and nail), amazing things happen and He remains
faithful. So, during this season of intense change, and throughout the next
year as I encounter countless new and scary experiences, I want to try my best
to welcome the changes that God brings into my life, and consider them
blessings.
