Life After College: Using Our Time and Talents Well

Today marks exactly one month until I graduate from Texas A&M University (May 16th, 2015 at 2:00PM in case I haven't mentioned it enough already or in case you forgot). Would you like to guess what our final lesson in our "Life After College" Bible study was about? 

USING [OUR] TIME AND TALENTS WELL

As noted in the study, "Our lives are made of time, so the way we spend our time matters immensely. To waste our time and our abilities is a tragedy, one that has consequences for now and for eternity." Although the study is focused on encouraging us soon-to-be graduates to use our time and abilities wisely as we enter into the real world, today's post will touch on the importance of both having used my time well the past 3yrs at Texas A&M, as well as using my time wisely these last 30 days! 

While writing this post, I decided to Google the significance of the number 30! Would you like to know what I discovered? In one particular article, I found that "the number 30 can symbolize dedication to a particular task or calling." After reading and re-reading this statement, I began brainstorming the tasks the Lord has entrusted me while at Texas A&M while looking to tie in tonight's lesson as I strive to finish the semester strong. Below are a few discussion questions we covered. I'm going to note both how I've used my time/talents the past 3yrs and how I can use my time/talents differently the next 30 days:

1)  If you had to give yourself a grade for how well you use your time, what grade would you give yourself? Why?

PART 1: I would give myself a 'B' because, although I feel as if I've made good use of my time the past 3yrs, I know I could (and should) have spent more time with the Lord! After all, you can never spend TOO much time with God! For example, I should have spent time with Him first thing EVERY morning rather than waiting until the afternoon or evening simply because I was too stubborn to wake up an hour earlier. 

PART 2: For the next 30 days, I'm going to try my absolute best to wake up early EVERY SINGLE DAY (whether I feel like it or not) so I can start my day off right! 

2) What talents and abilities do you have that you can use for God's purpose?

PART 1: It is safe to say God has blessed me with a spirit of encouragement! However, it wasn't until I met Mrs. Becky, my college minister, that I realized encouragement is at the core of who I am. I come alive when I'm urging those around me to "seek the sunshine" and look at their circumstances from a positive perspective! My soul bursts with joy and gladness when I'm motivating others to persevere through life's ups and downs, discover their purpose in life, follow their dreams, look on the bright side of every situation, find joy despite their circumstances, etc. 

PART 2: For the next 30 days, I will aim to take advantage of every opportunity to use the abilities God has blessed me with to encourage and motivate those around me. I hope to be a light in the darkness and make a difference at Texas A&M while I still have the chance.

As my college career nears an end, I can't help but reflect on my time at Texas A&M! I can't help but think about the opportunities the Lord has blessed me with (T-Camp Counselor, Howdy Camp Counselor, Small Group Leader, Prayer Committee Head, President, etc.), the friendships I've made and maintained (you know who you are), the lessons I've learned, the memories I've made. By the grace of God, I am able to look back with confidence, contentment, and comfort. 

When I realized it was April 16th, I counted how many days were left until graduation for the first time all year. However, as soon as I finished counting, I felt convicted as I was reminded of the quote, "Don't count the days, make the days count." As you can see, an entire blog post later, it's a little late to not count down the days until I graduate from Texas A&M University. However, it's not too late to ensure I make these last 30 days count! 

I want to read my Bible first thing in the morning.

I want to wake up early and stay up late. 

I want to encourage those around me.

I want to pray circles around my biggest dreams.

I want to make the most of every opportunity.

I want to spend as much time with my best friends as possible.

I want to leave a legacy. 

I want to serve. 

I want to finish the semester strong.

I want to make a difference.

Ultimately, I want to use the time I have left at Texas A&M to glorify God and make disciples of Jesus Christ!

CHALLENGE: I don't know where you are in life right now. I don't know if you're graduating college in a month or if you've been in the real world for 23yrs. Regardless, I would like to challenge you (myself included) to begin using your time wisely if you aren't doing so already. I encourage you to make the most of the opportunities the Lord has given you! Reach out to those around you. Wake up early and read God's word! Pray continuously. Spend time with your loved ones. Serve. Most importantly, recognize that time is the most precious gift we can give and we only have a limited amount of it. Like our talents, time is God's gift to us, and what we do with our time is our gift back to God! What needs to change?