A Message for High School Graduates

For some of you (at least those of you who go to CHS) tonight is the night that you have waited for. Tonight, you will walk across that field and get that special piece of paper that means “YOU MADE IT!” Right now, you’re probably feeling all kinds of emotions. You’re happy, deep down you’re sad, and deep deep down you’re probably scared. You probably won’t admit it to anyone, but there is probably something deep within you that really just wants things to stay the way they are. You might not even realize it right now.

Looking back on my graduation a year ago, I have some things I wish people had told me and my friends. So I figured, before it’s too late, I should share them with you.

 

1.     Hug ALL of your classmates tonight.

 

Why? You may ask. Because there is a good chance you may never see some of them again. And even if you do, it may be a long time. This is one I think my senior class took for granted. We didn’t believe we wouldn’t see each other frequently, or better yet, some of us didn’t care.  You’ll be surprised when even you and some of your closest friends don’t talk for a while. You’re at the point where you’re just ready to be done. You’re tired of school and you’re ready to be in college and have some “freedom.” But take the time to tell your classmates how much you love them. A lot can happen in a year, and there is no guarantee that they’ll still be around. Hug them, tell them you love them, and enjoy the last moments you have as high schoolers together.

 

2.     Hug your family.

 

A lot of you are moving off to go to college. Although you may tell yourself that you’ll make time to go home, that won’t always be the case. You’ll get to college and you’ll make new friends. You’ll have homework and projects. Soon, your weekends that you had planned to go home are filled. You’ll skip out on going home that weekend because ALL of your new friends are going to the movies. Or you have a HUGE presentation Monday, and you know you won’t get any of it done if you go home. Your family has loved you and cared for you for 18-19 years. Hug them tight and thank them for that. And make time to go home. You’re friends in college will poke fun at you, I promise. But don’t let that stop you from going home to visit your family.

 

3.     It’s okay to feel overwhelmed.

 

You are probably too hyped up right now to realize it, but beginning college is kind of overwhelming. Right now you’re probably excited about moving out and being away from your parent’s watchful eyes. But before long you’ll be moving into a dorm or an apartment. Your parents will load up your stuff, help you unload the cardboard boxes, and then they’re gone. Then you’re suddenly left in a sea of unpacked cardboard boxes wondering what’s for supper. You’re left alone to figure out life and what to do next. It’s okay to want to curl up in a ball and cry. Totally normal. But eventually you will become use to your new life, and it won’t be as overwhelming.

 

4.     Don’t be afraid to make new friends.

 

For some reason when I graduated, I think my senior class had the impression that we were all just going to stay together and be bff’s forever. Let me just tell you that that is not how it works. You can’t go into college with the mindset that you don’t want any new friends. Probably the thing I love most about college is that I get to pick who my friends are. Now don’t take that the wrong way! I LOVE my high school friends and I’m still best friends with some of them. BUT the truth is, in high school your friends are basically chosen for you. You have a small pool of kids your age that you get to choose from, so you just gravitate towards the people that are *most* like you (even if they’re really not like you at all.) College is a whole new world! You’re in a world of people of all sizes, shapes, colors, and ages. There are so many people to choose from. So don’t be afraid of hurting your high school best friend’s feelings. You still love him/her, but you’ve got to step out and meet some new people. It will be the best decision you ever make.

 

5.     Study and GO TO CLASS. Professors don’t care if you pass or fail.

 

Unlike in high school, professors don’t always have your best interest at heart. They get their paycheck whether you pass or fail. So make sure you study hard, and actually ATTEND class. Just because the notes are online doesn’t mean you can pass the test without going to class. With the exception of a few awesome professors, you’re basically on your own. So good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

 

6.     Put God first if He isn’t already there.

 

I know you’re probably going to tune me out on this one. But just take the time to think about it. Thankfully, this was not an issue for me, but I know for a lot of college students it is. You get to college, and you’re away from your parents. You think you run the world and that you can do anything. This is a dangerous way of thinking. Here’s something I want you all to know: You don’t have to go to the parties to enjoy college. I know most of you will, but I just want you to know that you don’t have to. It’s not a requirement. When I first got to JSU, my goal was to become heavily involved in some kind of ministry. I did. And it has been the best decision I have ever made. I have made some of my best friends through ministries and they are friends I know I can trust. Because here is the deal, college lasts for 4 to 6 years for most people. Then it’s over. And you’re kicked out into the REAL world (Because just fyi, college isn’t the real, REAL world.) What foundation do you want to have when you’re suddenly jolted into the real world? Because you can sit here and tell me “Well Hannah, I’ll start going to church again once I get out of college. I will get right with God after I’ve had my fun.” And I’m just here to tell you: No, you won’t. If you start off college WITHOUT God, chances are, you will go the rest of your life without Him. Make good friends. Don’t just make friends with people who will act stupid with you. Because when your 4+ years are up, chances are those kind of people won’t hang around in your life. So my advice to you is this: Don’t be stupid. People will give you plenty of opportunities to act stupid. Don’t take them. Decide today whether or not you’re going to make God and church a priority in your college life. Because before you know it, it might be too late.

 

 

Congratulations, Class of 2015. You guys are going to do great things! Enjoy tonight. Get excited about the new adventures ahead of you. And remember, DON’T BE STUPID. Your future self will thank you for it.

 

“You’re off to great places, today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so…get on your way!”  - Dr. Seuss

 

Good Luck, and God Bless!
 

 

Hannah ♥

You ARE Good Enough!

Attention: If you are a guy and you are reading this, please do not tune me out. Yes, this is mostly a girl post, but there are things you can take away from this post, also. Please give it a chance, and see if you can make it to the end.

 

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

-         1 Peter 3:3-4

 Okay, so let me be honest here. I have never been one to have a low self-esteem. I have always been very comfortable with my body, looks, and personality. I’m fully aware that I am not perfect, and I have always had an easy time accepting that. I know that God created me just like He intended to. He didn’t make any mistakes. I am fully aware of this.

It wasn’t until recently that I began to struggle with this.

All throughout high school I was, for the most part, single. I was okay with that. When you grow up in a small town the pickings are slim. I was okay with being single, because there was NO ONE I was interested in. Not knocking my high school or home town, but that was just the way it was.

Then college happened, and I began to realize something.

There are really good guys out there, like REALLY good guys. Guys that love Jesus…A LOT.

How awesome is that?! It was such a relief to see that there are guys out there that are serious about their relationship with Christ. Guys that are serious about dating, marriage, and doing things the right way, can I get a HALLELUJAH?!

Here’s where I began to struggle, though. I look around, and I don’t just see guys that love Jesus, but I see girls that love Jesus. Pretty, smart, funny girls….that love Jesus. Then I continue to look around, and I see all of these pretty, smart, funny girls that love Jesus getting attention from all the cute, sweet, funny guys that love Jesus.

Where is my cute, sweet, funny guy that loves Jesus?

This is where Satan begins to attack me.

I’m not as tan as her, I’m not as athletic as her, my teeth aren’t as white as hers, I’m not as funny as her. 

That must be the problem, right? What can I do to be as pretty as her, as funny as her? Should I try to play basketball to impress that cute athletic guy? Should I crack a corny joke to try to make him laugh?

What can I do to be good enough?

 

That’s when I hear a whisper in my ear:

 

“You ARE good enough!”

 

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

-Ephesians 2:10

 

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

-Genesis 1:27

 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

-Psalm 139:13-14

 

I am God’s handiwork, I am created in God’s own image, He knit me together.

I AM GOOD ENOUGH.

Just a side note here: I heard a great take on Psalm 139:13 the other day, and I just have to share. If you’ve ever tried to knit something (which, truthfully, I haven’t) but everyone knows it takes a while to knit something. When you knit something you have a plan in mind, you take your time and put effort into knitting your handiwork. There isn’t some assembly line in heaven spitting out humans. God knits us together. He has a plan before He even creates us, and He spends time on us.

 

Thankfully, I have dear and precious family and friends that will remind me of this when I am feeling down.

But it’s not easy.

Our society puts so much pressure on ladies to look and act a certain way.

You have to be tan enough. Tall enough, but not too tall! Your teeth need to be straight and white, and your hair has to be silky smooth. You have to be funny, but not annoying. Athletic, but not overly athletic. You should play an instrument. You should have a flat stomach, but good boobs and a firm butt. Your thighs shouldn’t touch. You need to be skinny, but not too skinny.

As ladies, this is what society is SCREAMING at us.

And this way of thinking is so prevalent that you can see it beginning to seep its way into the minds of Christian women AND men.

As daughters of the king, we are TREASURED. We are SPECIAL. But we find ourselves feeling anything BUT treasured and special. We look at the covers of magazines and sometimes even at the girl sitting right next to us and we think “I need to look like her, I need to act like her.” Ladies, we are sisters in Christ! We all have our own unique gifts, talents, and abilities. We are ALL special in our own unique way.

Christian men are starting to listen to it, too. They are becoming blinded by the world. They are no longer looking for a girl with a good heart, a quiet and gentle spirit, a girl of noble character. They’re looking for girls who have the clearest skin, the funniest jokes, and the best jump shot.

WE NEED TO STOP LISTENING TO SOCIETY.

Because our identity is not in our weight or our tan skin (or lack thereof lol)

Our identity is in CHRIST.

So ladies, embrace how God has made you. Because He spent time on you. He makes NO mistakes. One day, God willing, we will all find that special guy that sees past our pale skin, our frizzy hair, and our acne breakouts.

Guys, don’t let Satan blind you. The world offers you tan skin, perfect hair, flat stomachs, and thigh gaps. But that isn’t always an indication of a perfect woman. Think about who you want to love and care for your future children, who you want to be by your side to celebrate when you get good news and comfort you when you get bad news, who you want to spend the rest of your life serving the Lord with.

My challenge to you (girls and guys) is to go read Proverbs 31. I know, so cliché, right? It’s in like every girl’s Instagram bio. But seriously, go read it. Guys, ask yourself, “Is this what I am looking for in a girl?” Ladies, ask yourself, “Am I displaying these characteristics?”

DISCLAIMER: I mentioned a lot of characteristics in this post. If you happen to have any of the mentioned characteristics (e.g. tan skin, straight and white teeth, thigh gap, good athletic abilities) PLEASE do not think I am belittling you! It is very possible to have ALL of these characteristics, and still be an amazing woman of God. I just mentioned some I have struggled with, and that I know other girls struggle with. If it helps, go back and replace some of the characteristics with things YOU struggle with.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me till the end. This is the first blog I have posted in a while, but I am hoping I am over my bloggers-block. If anyone has any suggestions for new posts, feel free to let me know! I am always open to new topics, and I like knowing that I am writing something that someone wants to read!

I hope this blog has touched you in some way. Maybe you are a girl struggling with this, or you have a friend, daughter, or sister struggling with it. I also hope that if you are a guy, that you made it to the end. I know this post was mostly for girls, but it’s something guys need to be aware of.  A girl with a good heart is worth so much more than a girl with just a pretty face.

Until next time!

                                            

Jesus loves YOU!

Hannah ♥