What do PreLaw, Paramedics, Physical Therapy, Undeclared, Hospitality Management and Organizational Leadership have in common?
The answer is: Each of these were my declared field of study at one point in my college path. That's a path that took almost 12 years to navigate BTW.
Why is this important? Well, as this school year has rocketed by I've had several conversations with students who are feeling the pressure of some choices they have to make (or already have made) about their future. Many of them are asking for help knowing what they are supposed to do (they must think I have a special app on my phone that God uses to communicate His specific will for people).
Before I say anything else, let me say this...I do not believe it is my place to tell your student what to do with their life. As parents, you have the joy of walking through these stages with your student and exploring their personality and gifting to discover the path God has for them.
But I also remember being in their shoes. I remember having a teacher tell me that my 12th grade Poli-Sci Paper was really well written and that maybe I had a future as a Lawyer...only to realize that I just like arguing. Not lawyering. I remember wanting to have an answer for people who asked, "So what are you going to study?" I remember feeling so happy that I finally had an answer, NO ONE was going to convince me to rethink that choice! Especially my parents (sorry Mom, again).
So, for the next two Wednesday nights, I am going to meet with current Juniors and Seniors to talk about the process of choosing what to do with their lives. My heart in these discussions is to help our students to understand themselves better and understand the unique gifting God has given them. I will not tell any student what they SHOULD do.
I honestly used to think that I just needed to pick something and stick with it...that if I could just get a real job and have a family that everything would be great. It took me a long time to realize that God's plan was very different than my plan. It took me even longer to get my plan to line up with His!
Friends, in my years of retail management I saw countless students come out of high school with high hopes and big dreams. And I saw many of them flounder to find direction and purpose. It was easy to spot them, because I saw the same desperation in myself. My prayer is that God would use these discussions to help your family in this process. That students might walk away knowing themselves better and having grown in their understanding of how God has gifted them. Maybe it will just reinforce what they already know. Maybe it will open their eyes to a truth they were afraid to admit. Maybe unlock a passion that will change this world!
My senior year I had one goal...Survive! I wish I had taken the time to ask what God had designed me to do. The good news is, He doesn't give up. I know I am who I am today, because of the path I walked...but I also know I could have taken a different road to get here.
For His Glory,
Justin
As always, if you have questions or concerns or would like to talk through anything please let me know.
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