Making the tough decisions in life

High school is definitely a time of change for all of us. As freshmen, we transition into a larger schools, make new friends, and start to become young adults. As Sophomores and Juniors, we start to look at the classes we want to take more seriously, and which ones will benefit us for what we may want to do. Also, we start to look towards our futures, and develop ideas and plans for what we want to do. Finally, as seniors, we start applying for colleges and scholarships, get serious about the plans we have or the ideas floating around in our heads, and start putting them into action. It's the life of a high school student
We face crossroads all the time, some simple, others life changing. However, we will have to eventually make a decision once we get there. They won't always be easy though. Making the decision to study for your test instead of going to hang out with friends, cleaning your room when you are suppose to, or getting out of a relationship that is hurting yours with God. Many of times, we don't know what to do, or the decision to make. Will we regret the decision we made, or be thankful we made the tough decision?
In the end, all of the decisions we face now and in the future should honor God. I can tell you that these aren't always easy. Sometimes it will be simple like saying no to a drug. It's not easy to go against the flow seeing we want to fit in and have friends, but when we say no, we have honored God, fill relieved to have done the right thing. Quick and simple. Sometimes they can be painful like ending a relationship because it's getting in the way of you and God. It's tough, I know, and it will take time to move past it, but in the end, it will strengthen your relationship with God and being more able to work for His glory. Whatever the decision may be, remember to go with where God is leading you, or telling you to do. For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11. Though the decision may be unclear at first, God will always lead you in the right direction about it. So when you face those tough decisions, follow God's leading and honor Him with it.
What about the wrong decisions we've already made? I've asked the same thing in life at many points in our life. As teenagers, we aren't always gonna make the right decisions every time. We are only human. What I want to encourage you with, is don't dwell on them. It's ok to remember them, I actually recommend it. Why? So we can learn from them. God allows us to make mistakes, because we learn from them pretty darn well. We have to be willing to forgive ourselves. Jesus died on the cross, paying the price for our sins and forgiving us from them. If the God of the universe is willing to forgive us, then we certainly should be willing to forgive ourselves. We are only human. When we mess up, or what we messed up with in the past, just move on, learn from your mistakes and seek God even more.

When the tough decisions in life come, seek God, and make the decision that will lead you to a stronger relationship with God

Let's tackle some questions

I want to open the floor for questions, just feel free to ask them. It doesn't matter if it's a trial, or confuse, it could be anything. Just ask away in the comments.

Reaching out

We hear quite often in youth group and in church that we need to reach out to people, the guy sitting all alone at the lunch table, or the girl that doesn't seem to have any friends in your drama class. We hear about it a lot, yet...we don't really do anything about it. Why is that? Fear. We're scared that we're gonna lose friends, or our reputations for hanging out with "that kid". We worried that we won't have the words to say. But, what does God have to say about it.
In the end, we don't have to worry about what others think of us. God is what matters in the end, and how He thinks of us. 20 years from now, we won't remember most of the people in high school, nor care about what they thought of us way back then. So if it's your reputation holding you back, just remember that you're glorifying God and in the end that is what matters.
Also, the bible tells us that the Holy Spirit will give us the words to speak. So don't focus on the fact that you think you will stumble of your words, just take that leap of faith and seek Him. For all you know, this person may become your best friend, or you may change their lives forever.
So, let's all take that first step in faith and start reaching out to others

God has a purpose for us all

So, more often than not we ask ourselves, what are we gonna do? Where are we going to college? What am I majoring in? My career? etc. Especially in this high school age, when we have to start making those decisions, and for all you seniors, it's definitely something on your mind a lot. We'll all get anxious about the classes we need to take next year and how it affects the following years and colleges. Wonder if we'll go to our first choice college. Worry about how we are gonna pay for college. It's certainly not something that's easy to do and remain at peace about, and gets tougher as graduation grows closer, for everyone from freshmen to seniors. However, one of the things that God has revealed to me a lot lately is that need to trust Him, no matter what the future holds.
   Over the course of the past year, I struggled a lot in trusting God with what I was gonna do in life. I desire to serve Him in the US Navy, and started my application for a Navy ROTC scholarship in the spring. However, since November of last year, I was anxious about if I was gonna get it. I had decent grades, however they certainly were not the top of the line and while I played sports, I never did varsity, only JV. It was hard to trust Him that He was gonna take care of me. I knew it would be extremely difficult to go to college without taking out loans or having my parents pay for it, something I really didn't want to do. Over time, it was easier to come to the realization that there was nothing to do other than trust in Him. I had done all that I could and now everything rested in Him. It still didn't make things easy, but it made it easier knowing that God was gonna look out for me, whether He blesses me with a scholarship or not. God eventually answered my prayers and blessed me with the full ride Navy ROTC scholarship.
  What I learned from that whole experience, was that God is gonna take care of you. He has a purpose for all of us, whether it be something simple, or something big. We have to learn to rely on Him to provide the means to achieve whatever He has placed in our hearts. It certainly won't be easy at first, we'll doubt, think we aren't worthy or capable. However, God has that purpose for each and everyone of us. When we let go and trust Him, He will certainly make sure that it happens. Just remember, even though things may not make complete sense now, God has a purpose for us all, just trust Him about it