Ponderings on turning twenty-five.

 

If you had asked me what I thought my life would be like at 25...

...at 3, I probably wouldn't have been able to give you an answer. Being that old was beyond my comprehension, I would have just thought one of those 'grown-ups.'

...at 5 I might have told you an owner of a dream house (probably pink) complete with jeep, a mommy and married to ken.

...at 7 I might have answered ballerina, I was on a ballet kick without ever having taken a class in my life.

...at 13 I might have been more serious and told you a kindergarten teacher. Perhaps I should have listened to 13 yr-old me.

...at 16 I might have told you married and a mommy. Oh and perhaps a doctor on the side. That one stuck a little longer than the others.

...at 18 I might have said probably still in med school.

Well here I am days away from being twenty-five and I can honestly say almost all of those predictions of where I thought I would be at aren't true.

I'm ok with that.

The truth of it is, I honestly don't know what life will look like in the future.

I am married now - one of the Lord's biggest gifts of grace in my life. I did think that I would have children by now, or perhaps be expecting anyway. I also thought we would be set financially a little more by now.

But God's ways are so much bigger than my own.

He has nothing but good things in store for me.

Just like He does for you.

'For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.'

{Jeremiah 29:11-12} 

The beauty of it is, He has my best interests in mind, not just my comforts. 

He knows what will bring me eternal happiness and what will only satisfy temporarily. 

He desires to grow me and shape me, not just make life easy for me.

The even better part is He so loves that sometimes He does give me those dreams out of His love for me. Sometimes my heart's desires line up with His best for me.

But His focus is eternal, on things above.

'Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  

Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.'

{Psalm 37:3-4}

As much as I sometimes want those dreams to be here already, I only have to read His letters to me,

'For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. 

The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.'

{Psalm 84:11}

and I am reminded that He knows what He is doing.

Life may not always look like I want it to.

And I'm learning more & more.

This is a good thing.

'There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens...'

{Ecclesiastes 3:1}

With Love,

An almost-25-yr-old Daughter of the King