Life After College: Plotting Your Course

Guess what, GUESS WHAT! I joined a Bible study called Life After College that my sweet Phi Lamb sister, Amanda, told me about a few weeks ago! As she was listing the topics that would be covered in the study, I knew immediately I wanted to become a member! I LOVE IT ALREADY! I'm so thankful for God's precious timing, as well as friends who aren't obligated to share opportunities with me but choose to do so anyway!

Blessings, blessings, blessings!

The study focuses on teaching us soon-to-be graduates how to continue "walking with God after graduation day" as we head off in different directions to begin "rebuilding" our lives in an unfamiliar location!

The Road Ahead: The study begins by comparing our current predicament to the predicament Chuck Noland is forced to accept if he wishes to survive in the movie Castaway. To make a long story short, Chuck finds himself stranded on an island after his plane crashed and is forced to make a living in order to stay alive, as he is "separated from everything and everybody familiar to him." Although he builds a life on the island, "he still longs to return to civilization and to the life he once knew." When he returns, he finds himself having to rebuild his life all over again, as he quickly discovered "the world [had] moved on without him." At one point in the movie, he finds himself standing at a fork in the road, unsure of which path he should take. In the same way, we've already had to rebuild our lives when we went off to college. We've "created a life for [ourselves]" in Aggieland as we've discovered who we are and who we want to become. With graduation only a few months away, we find ourselves standing at a fork in the road. The options are endless! Which path will we take?

Although there is a lot we don't know, there is a lot we do know because it's stated in Scripture:
1) God wants us to know Jesus.
"Is your relationship with Christ the center of your life? Does it inform all of your decisions and actions?" God calls us to follow Christ, and anything we were once worried about or consumed with in the past is garbage, for there is surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord (Philippians 3:7-11).
2) God wants us to fulfill the Great Commission.
We're called to go and make disciples of all nations, sharing the Good News with those we meet! This doesn't mean we have to verbally tell every person we see about Jesus. We're called to "Preach the Gospel at all times...if necessary, use words." Being a Christian means living a life of ACTION! The way you live shows who you live for. Our leaders encouraged us to be an effective witness and look for teachable moments.
3) God wants us to participate in a Christian community.
Our leaders reminded us of C.S. Lewis' quote, "You can’t get second things by putting them first. You get second things only by putting first things first." Putting first things first means keeping Christ at the center of our lives as we invest in the lives of those around us.

"If you pursue God's priorities, and avoid distractions, you can have a life of lasting value. At the end of your life you will be able to look back and know that you have lived well. And you will be able to look forward and anticipate hearing those wonderful words from Jesus: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'"

That's the gist of tonight's lesson. Be an effective witness. Live a life of ACTION. Stay involved. Remember, God needs Christians everywhere. Be willing to glorify Him right where He has you, whether you're cleaning dishes or sweeping floors, for "the most important job for a Christian carpenter is to make good furniture. Do your job well." No matter where you are or where you're going, do your job well. Be excellent. Be patient. Trust that God has a plan for your life!

I AM SO EXCITED TO DISCOVER GOD'S PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE!

Don't get me wrong, I'm still terrified, but there's a reason God created me and I'm eager to find out what that reason is! God created you with a purpose in mind, too, and I pray you're on the path to discovering it if you haven't already!