What Happens In the End

Earlier this month, I was writing grad cards for those students who were graduating and even though I try to make each card I write unique and personal for that person, let's face it, the bulk of what I can say is the same..."praying for what God has ahead," "excited to see what God will do in your life," "I know there is so much you can accomplish..."

While writing a card I realized, as I stand in a place of ministry where I have seen the lives people grow into, that just because I see the potential, doesn't mean it will happen.

I can think of former students who I've seen blossom into a spiritual and professional leader.  I've seen people become some of the most amazing spouses and parents, but I've also seen the other side of the spectrum.

Some students in all appearances, threw their life away, not because they made a mistake or bad choice, but some have chosen to just quit on the life that is before them and allow their mistakes to be their life instead of learning from them.

Each of us have potential.  God created us to all be amazing in our own way, and a lot influences who we become, but at the end of the day, that final decision is up to us.  It may not feel like a choice and yet, it truly is that simple.  We can't control the circumstances we face, but we can control how we let it shape us.

The best example I have of this is my grandma and her sister.  They are both gone now, but in their life, they both experienced the same hardships for the most part, but their attitude toward life was in stark contrast.  My great aunt was the quintessential Pollyana.  Life was sunshine and rainbows no matter what day it was.  She wasn't overly optomistic, but sincere in her love of life and others.  She made the decision to filter life through a glass half full perspective.  She was fun to be around!  My grandma was an amazing women, but unfortunately she lived with a pessimistic, glass half empty filter that often resembled Eeyore.  She was my grandma so I loved being around her, but the contrast between her and her sister, was definitely notable.

I have to remind myself often that I get to tell my story and decide how to tell it.  I can look at the negatives or see the beauty in the midst of the hard times.  My family has been hit pretty hard lately, yet my son and I were just watching a video about the slums in India and I realized my worse day is better than many peoples' reality.

Its never too late to change.  Its never too late to turn the tide of your life.  Maybe today is the day for you, or maybe you have a friend you need to share this with so that she can make the critical changes she needs to make.

We are all in this life together.  Our narrative may be different but our humanity is the same.  Let's help each other step up to the life we were created to live.  You've got this!! Keeping this basic reality check in mind can fuel the exact change you were looking for! This week has been crazy for me at work so this is my first time in years that I didn't get a blog post out on a Wednesday, so Happy Friday!  God bless you all!!!