A Letter for Seniors.

With senior year comes the fun question, “What are you going to do with your degree” or “What college are you going to and what are you going to study” the answer might change every week, and that is ok. If the answer hasn’t changed, it likely will. While having a game plan for college and post-college life is wise, it’s wiser to have an open heart and mind.

Your game plan may fail spectacularly. You may not get the dream job, struggle to find a job or hate the dream job once you’re in it. You may get deferred from the dream school, end up at the community college you swore you would never go to, or hate the school you thought would be perfect. It’s ok for the plan to change.

While you are in the midst of being swarmed with the “what is your plan” questions make sure you don’t let it consume you. Enjoy the journey and the freedom of where you are in life.

Go to that football game.

Go to the sorority date night.

Go to the party.

Go hang out with your friends!

Say yes to invitations. Make the time to go enjoy these opportunities.

These moments won’t last forever. You won’t be in a sorority forever, or a part of that club forever, or live in the same state as those friends forever. Make the time for it while you can and soak it in. Take the time to invest in the friends around you. Make sure to thank God for them too, some of them will likely be lifelong. Before you know it you will be out of college working a “big girl” job and playing phone tag to talk to each other. Take advantage of the events and moments in front of you right now. Wasting time worrying about your future won’t solve anything. It WILL work itself out.

Shift the way you are praying. Instead of praying a certain job falls into place after graduation or praying that you get accepted to your dream school, ask the Lord to open your heart and mind to His plan. Stop asking Him what His plan is for you and start asking Him to show you the next right step. Check your heart posture when you are chasing after Him and reading your Bible.

Are you only doing it because of what you might get out of it?

When it shifts to a true posture of “Lord I need you, I love you, I trust you, and I want your plan over my own” things will start to shift. Letting go of your expectations of the Lord and simply having a heart after Him will lead to your heart changing. The scary part about this is He likely has a different plan than you do and sometimes it is hard to let go of what you want. Maybe in these moments, God is laying the groundwork in your mind and heart for something bigger though. So, I encourage you to pray that scary prayer and let God do the work needed in your heart.

From one senior to another, you got this.

- mackenzie

Lord,

Thank you for where you have me,

even if it’s not where I want to be.

Thank you for the plan you already have for me.

I know that I can’t do this life on my own and I need you.

I ask that you would soften my heart,

mold it to accept your plan for my life,

and trust you as it comes to fruition.

Help me to let go of my plan and embrace yours.

Please show me the next right step in my life, give me the eyes to see and the ears to listen.

Amen.