New Season Plans

My college graduation is officially less than three weeks away and that is so crazy but also incredibly exciting. I've been looking forward to it a lot this semester, especially because this year in particular has been hectic and busy and I long for this new season of rest. Of course rest doesn't mean I won't be busy doing things. I'll still be working and focusing on my crazy goal of raising $15,000 for the World Race (at least that's the plan for now). But I won't have all the impending deadlines that school has always created. No more having to study and turn in assignments. And the thought of that sounds so freeing.

But to be honest, it's also a little scary. I know myself, and I know that even though I don't like it, I need structure and deadlines in my life. If I'm not careful I can waste away a day not doing what I intended to because the urgency of a deadline is not looming over my shoulders. And I know this is one of the things I'm really going to have to work on in this next season.

So in an effort to keep myself accountable, I sat down to some delicious hot chocolate while writing out some of the things I've been dreaming of doing after I graduated from college. I'll probably go more into detail about them in later posts, but for now I think I need to at least start with writing them down.

1. Fundraise for the World Race

Let's be honest, $15,000 is not an easy amount of money to come by. But it's what I need if I'm going to take this crazy trip around the world that both excites and scares me like nothing else. I'm still cautious about saying it out loud because well, it just sounds so crazy. And I'm also open to my plans changing, if that's not yet God's plan for me. But I've learned that the best thing I can do right now is run toward the crazy dreams that move my heart. So that's what I'm going to do this year. It'll mean selling things online, hosting bake sales, cleaning out closets, and who knows what else I'll come up with. But I know that at the end of the day, if this is what God has for me, He's going to provide. I just have to do my part and be faithful.

2. Finish a novel

I know this is no small feat, but I want to at least self-publish one as an e-book as soon as possible. The beauty of the internet is that practically anyone can become a self-published author, and I want to take advantage of that. Sometimes writing seems so idealistic and impractical because it's comparable to making it big in the acting industry- as in, many dream about it, but few actually get there. But nothing feels as natural and fulfilling to me as sitting down in front of a computer and creating a new world full of new characters and situations and emotions. I don't want to neglect the gifts I've been given because "they just seemed impossible."

3. Work on my blog

The real reason i ever started a blog was because I can't help but write about my life. That used to happen in journals stashed beneath my bed, then tumblr, but eventually I decided I wanted a space where I could write out long posts like this one and be part of a community that's also sharing their life and journey with God. One of the best things about creating a website for me has been how creative it is and since I'm the kind of person that has about twenty different ideas run though my mind throughout the day (though my follow-through is another subject...), I've loved that this is an easy place to make some of those ideas come to life.

4. Take up art again

I say again, because some of my fondest memories in high school were sitting in my art class, sketching our school courtyard with graphite and charcoal, or replicating a Degas with pastels. I loved art because it was something I was naturally good at in a way I can't really explain. But I've never been the type to consider it as anything more than a passing hobby- something way down on my list of things I'd do if I had a whole bunch of free time. But I did really used to love creating those pieces despite how much time they took. I'm not sure if there'd be any "use" in drawing and painting again, but I've learned that sometimes we need to do things simply because they make our heart happy and our souls rest without weighing their value in terms of money or time.

5. Grow in character

This is really the most important goal, though it's not as easy to plan and structure as the others. Ever since my internship at church, I've become much more aware of some of the personal issues in my life- things I have to work out and fears I have to face. Yet I've been so busy finishing up school and working, that dealing with these things has gone down in the list of priorities in my life. This is something that God will do in me, but that I also have to choose to prioritize. That'll mean more honest conversations with Him and others, more time reading, and a whole lot of surrender and trust. But I don't want to make a list of things to do and always focus on moving and planning without addressing the state of my heart. At the end of the day, I know that's what God most cares about.

#2015 #life