Reflections about Growing Up!!

Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?  After much reflection this week... I realized that I can!  You see, when I was younger I was fearless and courageous.  I was someone who didn't worry about perfection; I was only concerned with helping others and enjoying life to the fullest.  I didn't second guess myself and I was not the anxious worry-wart that I so often am today.  A huge part of me wishes that I could tell the much younger version of myself to never change!  If I could catch her gaze and get her attention, I would say "don't worry about pleasing everyone and fitting a certain mold of who society thinks you should be- instead just be the wonderful and unique creation that you are."  Let's face it, growing up can be painful and sometimes it feels that you are tugged and pulled into a million directions, but we have the potential to remember and draw inspiration from our past.  This type of reflection is often a way for us to tap into the person that we remember which can be very useful because knowing our past helps us to better understand our potential, future and purpose in life.

You see, the beauty of life is that we can make the choice everyday to rise above the expectations of society and grow one step closer, with each waking moment, into the individual that we dream of becoming.  By breaking free from the need to conform to society, we can live as the unique and special creations that we were birthed to be.  Yes, this choice is in many ways counterculture to the one size fits all personalities and dreams that this world tries to force us to accept.  Yes, this choice can be very difficult to make but it is not impossible.  Often this choice comes with maturity and other times this choice is about desiring to live as more than just a puppet orchestrated by the world and its standards.  For me, this choice has been inspired by the countless children who I have worked with over the years who have taught me the importance of living in the moment and not letting others dictate your beliefs and happiness.  In many ways my campers, my students and my clients have been some of the greatest teachers of my life!  They have challenged me to become more than just a 'grown-up' but an individual who embraces my past, creates purpose for my present and is excited about my future.

I believe that we were created to be more than just passengers in the great journey of life.  In fact, it is is my belief that we were created to be courageous, movers and shakers, dreamers and world changers.  We were each made with an unique and individual purpose and it is our duty to seek and work toward fulfillment of that purpose.  The fact is, we don't find complete fulfillment in this world, in fact, often this world leaves us empty, heartbroken and unhappy, but we don't have to live with these qualities of life.  We can find fulfillment in God and in his amazing presence.  Here on Earth, we are all children of the all mighty God.  Because of our heavenly father who loves and accepts us, we can become courageous and fearless and we can dwell in his all-embracing presence of glory, love and goodness.  I find comfort every second  in the fact that I am a child of God and that I don't have to be perfect.  Because of my relationship with God, the mighty creator of everything, I can rise above the challenges, struggles and pain of this world.  I don't have to conform and bow down to society and its empty standards; I can believe in and accept the goodness and grace of God and become an over-comer.  My hope and fulfillment is in God alone, not the world!  I don't have to allow the society to tell me who I should be, I can discover who I was birthed to be by leaning on my creator and fulfilling the purposes, plans and dreams that he alone has for me.

My challenge to you today is to realize that when the world breaks us down, God's love sets us free!! God is freedom and he is powerful and mighty enough to pen beautiful stories through our lives if we allow him to be the author of our souls.  Strive today to surrender to God and to dare to become the story that God desires for you to become.  It is never to late to claim your soul from the world and accept the beautiful and purposeful life that only God can provide to you.  Now, which person will you choose to be? The courageous one, the mover and shaker, the dreamer or the world changer? Or, maybe you will choose to be all four and more? It's your choice, so go out and fulfill the unique and special purpose that God has for you.  Until next time friends!