When I was little, I dreamed of being sixteen. In my five year old mind, sixteen was the ideal age - I was going to be a modern Liesel von Trapp. I’ve had my sixteenth birthday/year planned out for as long as I can remember. Here’s the sixteenth year I imagined growing up:
When I turned sixteen, I would have a multitude of girlfriends with whom I would shop at the Galleria every Saturday.
When I turned sixteen, I would have a boyfriend..
When I turned sixteen, I would have all of the “cute clothes” and look like a model.
When I turned sixteen, I would be at parties every Friday night.
When I turned sixteen, I would be on a sports team.
When I turned sixteen, I would spend every afternoon with my best friend.
When I turned sixteen, I would “fit in” completely.
Yesterday was my sixteenth birthday. And not one of the things I imagined growing up came true. Here’s where I am at sixteen:
I’m sixteen. Two of my best friends are boys, and I’d rather go to Top Golf (even though they’re much better than me) than go to a mall.
I’m sixteen. I’m chasing after God’s heart in order that He might renew my own before He gives it to one of His sons.
I’m sixteen. I would much rather have a shelf full of books than a closet full of clothes, and I’d rather have a mind full of stories than a perfect body.
I’m sixteen. On Friday nights you can usually find me watching Disney movies at home with my family. (Which is one of my absolute favorite things to do.)
I’m sixteen. I’m a huge theatre geek, and would much rather step into someone else’s shoes for a day than run so much I can’t breathe. (But to everyone who does play sports - I admire you. I couldn’t even imagine doing that.)
I’m sixteen. I spend most afternoons at rehearsal, and if I’m not at rehearsal, I’m studying.
I’m sixteen. I don’t fit the world’s standard of perfection, but I’m made perfect through grace because of the faith I have in Christ Jesus.
I think the reason that so many teenagers are so unhappy is because life at sixteen isn’t all we imagined. High school is nothing like High School Musical. Most of the friends we had in middle school aren’t the same friends we have halfway through high school. We can’t all make it on the varsity sports team. Only a few of us manage to find ourselves in the “popular crowd.” The pressure placed on GPA’s in high school is a mountain none of us saw coming. The struggle to fit in is more prevalent than ever before. And yet, I can’t help but think that we have to take a step back and compare the lives we thought we’d have to the lives we have. The thing is, the life I imagined growing up is one I planned for myself. The truth is, the life God planned for me fits me so much better than the one I had dreamed up in my mind. Never before have I so clearly seen that God’s plans are better than mine. Because I firmly believe that if we would just get out of our own heads and look at the bigger picture, we can see that God knows what we need, what we needed, what we will need so much better than we do, than we did, than we ever will. What He has given us is enough, and we have to know that it’s enough if we want to be happy. That’s the bottom line. So no, I don’t have the life I imagined at sixteen. But I couldn’t be happier with the life I do have. The life God’s given me.
When I turned sixteen, I would have a multitude of girlfriends with whom I would shop at the Galleria every Saturday.
When I turned sixteen, I would have a boyfriend..
When I turned sixteen, I would have all of the “cute clothes” and look like a model.
When I turned sixteen, I would be at parties every Friday night.
When I turned sixteen, I would be on a sports team.
When I turned sixteen, I would spend every afternoon with my best friend.
When I turned sixteen, I would “fit in” completely.
Yesterday was my sixteenth birthday. And not one of the things I imagined growing up came true. Here’s where I am at sixteen:
I’m sixteen. Two of my best friends are boys, and I’d rather go to Top Golf (even though they’re much better than me) than go to a mall.
I’m sixteen. I’m chasing after God’s heart in order that He might renew my own before He gives it to one of His sons.
I’m sixteen. I would much rather have a shelf full of books than a closet full of clothes, and I’d rather have a mind full of stories than a perfect body.
I’m sixteen. On Friday nights you can usually find me watching Disney movies at home with my family. (Which is one of my absolute favorite things to do.)
I’m sixteen. I’m a huge theatre geek, and would much rather step into someone else’s shoes for a day than run so much I can’t breathe. (But to everyone who does play sports - I admire you. I couldn’t even imagine doing that.)
I’m sixteen. I spend most afternoons at rehearsal, and if I’m not at rehearsal, I’m studying.
I’m sixteen. I don’t fit the world’s standard of perfection, but I’m made perfect through grace because of the faith I have in Christ Jesus.
I think the reason that so many teenagers are so unhappy is because life at sixteen isn’t all we imagined. High school is nothing like High School Musical. Most of the friends we had in middle school aren’t the same friends we have halfway through high school. We can’t all make it on the varsity sports team. Only a few of us manage to find ourselves in the “popular crowd.” The pressure placed on GPA’s in high school is a mountain none of us saw coming. The struggle to fit in is more prevalent than ever before. And yet, I can’t help but think that we have to take a step back and compare the lives we thought we’d have to the lives we have. The thing is, the life I imagined growing up is one I planned for myself. The truth is, the life God planned for me fits me so much better than the one I had dreamed up in my mind. Never before have I so clearly seen that God’s plans are better than mine. Because I firmly believe that if we would just get out of our own heads and look at the bigger picture, we can see that God knows what we need, what we needed, what we will need so much better than we do, than we did, than we ever will. What He has given us is enough, and we have to know that it’s enough if we want to be happy. That’s the bottom line. So no, I don’t have the life I imagined at sixteen. But I couldn’t be happier with the life I do have. The life God’s given me.