Finding Your Subplot

My dad is in a Bible study called Storyline. I mentioned two blog post ago that we are created to enjoy God and for God to enjoy us. The problem in our world is that we were designed to be in a relationship with God but that has been severed and we are all looking for a place to belong and will never truly find it without knowing our creator; and being part of his-story.

In Christ, we are part of a subplot. As individuals, we are not the main character and this is not our storyline. Instead, you are a part of a larger story which will continue with or without you but you are invited to be a part of the story, to move the story along.

During this year, I've learned more about God and have grown closer to him. In the meantime, I've learned more about myself and asked: what is my subplot? 

A person can play a maximum of 5 roles without becoming overwhelmed or burnt out. It could be a role of a mom, a teacher, a leader, a pastor, etc. For me, there were five main roles I could see though out my life:

1.) Spiritual Being-Made to worship God, know God, and be a servant of God.

2.) Girlfriend/Fiance/Wife- To be support and encouragement to Josh physically, emotionally, and spiritually. As well as coming along side his ministry.

3.) Leader/Role model/Pioneer- "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example in faith, love and purity." Being all who I am and encouraging others to be all they can be.

4.) Friend/Mentor/Encourager- Supporting girls to know who they are and for them to follow the call God has placed on their life.

5.) Athlete- Using my gift of running, skiing, biking, etc. to bond with others and actively connect with people.

I encourage you readers to really think about what are the key roles you are playing in life. The more you discover who you are, what you are passionate about, and what themes you've seen throughout your life the more you can be all that God created you to be. 

I few weeks ago I made my mission statement. It could change but for now it's my filter for larger decision making because it's a common theme of my life.

As a servant of Christ, I am a light in the darkness with 2 missions in life: 
1.) To be a physical, emotional, and spiritual support to Josh and to come along his mission.
2.) To encourage women and girls to know their creator and to know they are fearfully and wonderfully made. 

I still sometimes lose direction or forget who I am. I don't know what this will look like exactly but I know the direction I'm heading. Where are you going? What subplot are you writing? Is it for yourself or for something greater? 

"For me, I'm not too interested in what I'm going to do but who I'm going to become- and that is a lover of God and people" -Shane Claiborne

Gap Year: November 7th. Day 64.

When I decided to take a gap year my junior year of high school. I never knew it would lead to this. Only, God could have orchestrate the past year an a half. 

Starting at North Central during my senior year of high school, I prayed for a best friend. In my psych class of 100+, we were placed into groups of 5. Little did I know that the guy who I thought was a yuppy white kid with a funny last name would a few weeks later become my best friend.

The next week, we made plans to bike and everyone canceled and we rescheduled for the next day. Next day, same thing happened and we both skeptically when for a ride together. I took you to the Electric Fetes and you showed me how to better work my camera on the Franklin bridge. We talked about our families, our futures, and God. 

With no intentions, you and I became best friends. Biking, cultures, art, and God brought us together. After lots of pray and decrement November 16th, 2012 you asked my dad for permission to date me. We both knew we wouldn't date unless we were marriage material for each other.  

Though the spring and summer, we learned more about ourselves and each other. We made 2 documentaries together and 1 unfinished filmed. We biked 100 miles in one day as well as running 13.1 another day. We've been to majority of the midwest together and have had several on/off months apart. We've had crappy jobs, hard experiences, and challenges to overcome. 

In August, we both realized that we could see marriage in the near future. You dad said that the two biggest decisions that one can make is 1.) Their decision to follow Christ and 2.) Who they chose to marry. My dad said that who you choose to marry isn't someone you think you can live with but who you can't live without. 

Josh Chitwood, I'm so thankful that God placed you in Minneapolis and into my life. I can't wait to spend my life with you and Jesus. I'm so thankful to finally have a friend who likes to run 13.1 miles or bike 100, whose budget for a shirt is $3.00, who watches people and does crafts for fun, and who eats and shops in places that others may say is sketchy. You are such a fantastic blessing in my life. You've helped me to become more of who God has created me to be. You've accepted me for who I am even though we both know we aren't perfect. Thank you for challenging me in my faith everyday and for telling me that I am blessed and beautiful to be me. Most importantly, thanks for loving Jesus more than you love me. I thank and praise God (again and again) for you.

P.S. I can't wait to take you're funny last name :) 

Day 59, Week ? : G.A.P. Y.E.A.R.

G.A.P. Y.E.A.R. 

Growth 
And 
Pain

Year
Exploring the
Author of Life & His 
Route for me

Something like that. I'm open to suggestions, but as for now that basically would be the best acronym for "GAP YEAR". Other words I would use to describe it: difficult, challenging, stretching, humbling, tears, crying, lost, wondering, questioning purpose, loss of hope, wearisome, blessing, thanks, gratitude.

It's not done yet, but let me catch you up. Let me warn you- this is a long post. I would have written a couple weeks ago but I had no reflection or hope because I couldn't see past my circumstances.

I like sharing stories of my life along with the challenges I'm going through with people. Not because I think my life is so fantastic, it's not. Unless, you think that cleaning four toilets in 3 days is crazy. I share openly about my life because of the people who have shared their stories about their life to me. It's because of these people, I have been challenged to live more radically for Christ. Honestly, I'm so thankful for the loving people that have poured into my life and openly share their pains, joys, struggles, and opinions with me. If I've learned anything more profoundly about myself this year it's this: I'm a sinner. I am selfish, I mis-communicate (a lot), I've offended people, I've hurt people's feelings, sometimes I live as if God isn't right with me, I boast, I seek things for myself, I don't always trust...I could go on.

Truth is, I thought of myself as a pretty good girl in life up until this last September. I kept rules, people gave me affirmation, I never found myself in conflicts. I knew I had problems...I just wasn't so sure what they were. Then life got crazy. I learned I didn't belong in the suburbs, I discovered I was introverted while living in one of the busiest and most chaotic parts of the city, I've been trying to be an adult but discovered that cubical business woman is not the life for me.  I actually missed North MPLS.  My bike got stolen, I got a bad cold and had to take time off from volunteering and working, and my roommate was often gone.  I then got the flu and took more time off of volunteering and working, people questioned why I wasn't in school, I hated when people asked what I "do", I got in several teary eyed conversations with some of the people I care most about in this life.  I lost purpose, direction, and started loosing hope.

My grandma, is a powerful women. She makes bread and jam. She sews quilts and pillowcases. She is a loving and supportive wife to her husband, leads a Bible study at her church, and most importantly she is enamored with Jesus. She is a major role model in my life. When she found out that my bike was stolen, she wrote me a letter. She wrote that she was praying that I would forgive the people who stole my bike and that I would pray for them and asked that I'd even bless them. My grandma also encouraged me to trust in God's unfailing love.

A verse came to her mind when she thought of me, "wait on the Lord.." She wasn't really sure what it meant. Neither did I but as I continued though this year, I returned to this card to read the verse she wrote. Again and again I found comfort in these verses:

"I waited patiently for the Lord, he turned to me and heard my cry."- Psalms 40:1

"Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." - Psalms 27:14

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits and in his Word I put my hope." -Psalms 130:5

Trusting and waiting is hard. Especially when you don't know what you're trusting or waiting for. I asked for God to challenge me this year. I wish someone would have told me sooner that I would be crying almost daily as a result to that challenge. I felt as if everything I took pride in was gone. My team, school, small groups, health, running, family, cool job etc. Everything except for God.

Around the same time of receiving the letter,  the executive director of Venture Expeditions (the non profit I'm volunteering with) asked me how things were going for me. I told him about this year and what I wanted to get out of it. I also shared about some of the hard parts too. He said there were 4 words that came to mind when he thought about this year for me. They are: buffet, balance, obedience, and fun. 

Buffet: sample, try, and experience new things. To figure out what energizes me and what I'm really passionate about.

Balance: be mindful of what I could handle and not to get burnt out and become overwhelmed.

Obedience: obeying the call of justice and the gospel that God has given me a passion and purpose in.

Fun: this was extra but true. I need to stop being so serious and have fun.

So I pressed on and really focused on what God was calling me into and wanting me to learn. I listened to more podcasts than ever, while cleaning houses and babysitting. I would read books of the Bible in one sitting and journal my prayers. I still had a looming dark cloud following me, and I gutted out almost every night, hurts, lies, and apologizes. I l I ran, I prayed, I tried, failed, and cried some more. 
earned about what justice was and how as Christians, it's our call to live towards justice.

I've knew this and I know I will continue to be retaught this, but my identity is in Christ. I know I've written about this before but how quick we are to forget! This life we live is only a wisp. It's going to be over before you know it. It's like a the actually game of Life, you know the board game. When the game is over, all it's pieces just go back into the box and get put away. No one cares if you learned a trade, went to college, got married, had kids, made the most money, had the nicest house, or best career. It just get packed up and put away and everyone is on the same page again.

This is not our life but a life that God has given to us. I can make plans, promises, expectations, hopes and dreams but all those things are just going to be packed up. They won't last. The happiness, the money, the feelings. It won't last. God's plan will last, his kingdom is never ending, his word is eternal. Following the call he has upon your life specifically won't promise you an easy life but it will promise hope. Building for God's kingdom-nothing can prevail against you. Not because of you but because of Jesus Christ.

I did learn more about my passions and have more of a general route in the direction of what I plan to "do" but we will save that for another blog post. I just wanted to encourage others and remind myself again that if we are living for ourselves, it's not worth it. Don't do it. But if we are living for God's plan, which is far beyond all we could ever dream or expect, we will be a part of something bigger than ourselves and when the box get's put away we will continue to live on.

"Whoever finds his life will lose it. Whoever loses it for my sake will find it." -Jesus. 

Week 3 - Welcome to Adulthood

In the past 3 days I've been at a constant tipping point. Typically, it's at one of these points when I write because emotionally I've very expressive. What has happened lately is the realization of real life: Welcome to Adulthood Morgan is what has been the headline...or headache.

My bike got stolen along with my lock and helmet. I've been waiting to hear back with jobs. I have rent now, groceries now, and laundry. I have to buy new running shoes before I get injured. I buy my own contacts now but want to start only wearing glasses because they are so expensive! I still haven't registered for a race that I'm doing with people next month. I'm still adjusting to my position at my internship and my schedule has been so chalked full!

So if you have read my blog over the past couple years, you'll realize that reflecting is my way of moving on and sealing what I have learned. Adulthood has knocked me on my backside these first 3 weeks of my gap year. Fortunately, I'm really happy I'm learning these realities of life now and not when I'm out of college. So, here are some of my lessons from the school of Hard knocks:

1.) I will admit, I am an invert. An outgoing introvert that is. I love people. Love them. In fact I get lonely and even depressed not being around them enough but if I get too much of them all I want to do is crawl into a hole and be by myself for a while. Living in a house of 20-something people made me realize how important having time to myself to reflect, to be quiet, and be still is. My time with God is so important and when I don't get that I drain out and don't have anything to give...and I break down in tears.

2.) Communication can't be underestimated. Whether it's to a spouse, boyfriend, or roommates. Your day, week, or you yourself doesn't always have to be "good". Some days are just crappy. Communicating feelings of being overwhelmed is important to do. Watch your tone of voice, especially ladies because even if you mean no harm in what you say your tone can communicate otherwise. I've also learned that in finding space for yourself is important too. I can't say yes all the times but need to be honest with times, meeting, and availability. I'm still learning these things, so please give me grace. 

3.) There's a difference in living for each day v.s. being circumstantial. As a Christian and to other Christians reading this, we are called to be content in every situation (Philippians 4).Yep, life sucks sometimes but I will tell you how blessed and thankful I am to have known Christ at a young age. I am so thankful that whether in plenty or without anything- Christ is always with me. This world is depressing. People are constantly unsatisfied with coffee, traffic, busses, time, work, their bodies, situations, people, relationships, life stages ect. I do this too, we all have our struggles. 

In Ecclesiastes 12:1 it says to "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, 'I have no delight in them." In another translation it says not to let the excitement of your youth cause you forget your Creator. 

I have things good. I say this not to be boastful but because in the midst of both hard situations and times of joy we are called to remember our Creator and all he has done for us. I have a great family to go home too, a wonderful endearing boyfriend, I have a job, a community that supports me, a room, food, blankets, a laptop, toothpaste, glasses, clothing, even an extra bike. I am truly blessed. 

So my encouragement to you today is to remember your Creator. He hasn't forgotten you and if you seek him you will find him if you seek him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

"For this reason we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people."- 1 Timothy 4:10

Gap Year- Week 1

Dear Friends and family,

As some of you may have already heard, I am not doing YWAM. Typically, I'm the type of person who likes to have my ducks in a row, but everyday I'm learning that I cannot trust myself with my life details, but instead I am learning to trust God. 

Let’s backtrack to the beginning of July; I met with one of my professors from last year for some coffee. Paul Hurkman, who I dearly admire, told me that because of my love of biking and running and my heart for social justice, I should consider being a part of Venture Expeditions . After that conversation, something felt uneasy about YWAM, yet I couldn't identify why. 

That night I spent praying about Venture and YWAM. As much as I wanted to go to YWAM, there was something about Venture that just made sense. When reading my Bible that night I came across 1 Timothy 4:13-16, " Do not neglect the gift which was given to you. Practice these things, devote yourself to them to see progress." 

It was like it clicked, why wouldn't I be apart of Venture? I love to bike, love running, I love people, pursuing justice, and most of all I love Jesus and living for him.  

I realize that I was the one James was calling out in the Bible, "Come, now all you who say ' today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit' yet, you do not know what tomorrow will bring."

The following morning I emailed Paul. I told him Venture was the direction I felt I needed to take. No less than an hour later, YWAM emailed me to say that they were extending their outreach in Costa Rica to also go to help with the World Cup. No offense to all the soccer players but I hate soccer. In the end of the email that YWAM sent me, they told me that they were praying that I would know if this was something I should do, and if not, that God would provide something in place of it. I knew then that YWAM was not where I was going. 

I spent the next month in limbo. Paul was gone and so I wasn't able to nail down any details with Venture. I wanted to move out since I was staying in MPLS, but I didn't know where that would be. I quit my job because it was an unhealthy environment yet I didn't have any other places yet lined up to work. Thus, the entire month of August was spent not having any knowledge for the next year. In fact, James was right, I didn't know what tomorrow would bring. 

Daily I had to surrender that fact to God, knowing that He has my best interest in mind. Most days I felt confident, knowing that God had the details worked out even if I didn't.  But there were a lot of days where I became frustrated, impatient, and down.  

In the end of August, I went to a middle school camp with my church as a counselor. It was around this time when most of the kids my age were beginning to pack up their cars for college. The theme for camp was from 1 Peter 2:11, "I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world..." and ironically that was exactly how I felt, like an alien. 

Middle school, I realized, was a really awkward time and this verse really pertains to them. However, the theme for the week stuck with me just as much as it did with our kids. The speaker was awesome and took a lot of pride in who she was as a person- she was strong physically, bubbly, loud, cooky, and odd- because that was how God made her. She said, "We may not fit the mold, but we should be exactly who God created us to be." 

There are three main things we put our values in: Performance, Relationships, and Appearance. We get critiqued and graded our whole lives. We do our best to please others. We are busy and doing things and for some of us, we find that our titles, grades, time spent, achievements, and status defines us. For others, the friends and people we surround ourselves with is where we find our acceptance of ourselves. God created us to be in relationships with people but Christ should be our focus. And for many of us, our appearance can sometimes take over our identity. 

We will all come to a point were we discover that this life is meaningless. More and more everyday, I realize that with out Christ I have nothing to live for. This world has nothing for me. We will never be the best, people will always fail us, and our bodies will get old and in all reality, eventually our bodies will pass away and get buried in the ground. No one will care if you were an honor’s student or wore a size 4 after having twins...ect. 

It was in realizing this I became content in living each day that God gives me. That God created us to live a life of love for people, not of things or titles. There is freedom in knowing that when we fix our eyes on seeking God, he will lead us where he wants us. And for me, that meant going against what the normal 18 year old does. 

No less than a week or so after coming to this realization, it all fell into place. Paul was back and now I'm an intern (extern for legal reasons) and I'm loving it. I've never been so energized by something other than Bible Studies and cross country/running/skiing/biking related things. I think I may have found my nitch. That same week I moved into Bordertown/KPA with my friend Emily. So I am living in this house with responsibilities, chores, groceries, and rent... stepping into adulthood. And I still don't have a “job” but God has been so faithful and has provided countless babysitting, nannying, concession, painting, odd jobs; which pay my bills and keep me very content for now. 

So the moral of this story is this: 

 1.) If you plan to follow Christ with your life, don't plan out life long details. He will just go in and change it...yet it will be 10x more intended for you than what you could ever dream. 

2.) I think God is the original founder of Viva la Vida, Yolo, or carpe diem. (Psalms 90:12) (Ephesians 5:16)

3.) God is crazy awesome and He wants you to be you and to live your life in the position he has made for you.

With this gap year I would love feedback!

Did you regret going straight to college? Do you wish you had taken a gap year? How is your major influencing what you are doing now? Did you follow God down a path that you never expected could happen? What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self? Feel free to give me your feedback. I’d love it.

Miss Representation

Something needs to happen about the way the media portrays women. With summer here, I highly recommend you watch this film during your free time. It can be very exploiting at times but the statistics and facts will shock you and will change the way you filter the culture around you: Miss Representation.

"Women saying,  'I'm not a feminist' is my greatest pet peeve. Do you believe that women should be paid the same for doing the same jobs? Do you believe that women should be allowed to leave the house? Do you think that women and men both deserve equal rights? Great, then you're a feminist. People think there is something taboo about speaking up for feminism. I know for a long time that I was embarrassed to call out misogyny because I was then going to be that complaining girl who can't let it go. But the fact is, we can't let it go - not until we feel like we have been heard." 

-Lena Dunham  

To my father.

 Marque M Jensen, my father, thank you for being all that you have been in my life.

Thank you for your hard work and many jobs. Thank you for not being stagnent in life. Thank you for standing up for what is right, even if you get crap for it. Thank you for being a speaker, mentor, teacher, pastor, and friend to many. Thank you for your commitment to get jobs done. Thank you for the long hours you spend to support our family. Thank you for the positive outlook you have on life, knowing that God can bring light out of any situation.

Thank you for your appreciate of cultures. Thank you for not letting your skin color define who you are. Thank you for being too hard to label. Thank you for your respect of all people, your love, and kindness shown. Thank you for your many friends of many background and the many times they have come to share their stories to our family  Thank you for not letting history define us. Thank you for helping liberate people.

 Thank you for being a godly role model in our families life. Thank you for loving mom as Christ loves the Church. Thank you for the 30 plus years of commitment you have with her. Thank you for raising my two crazy brothers, Jared and Tyler, and for showing them what a true man is. Thank you for being the greatest grandpa to Vivvi and for caring and playing with her even after a long day of work.

 Thank you for teaching me that I can chase after my dreams and go against the current of life. Thanks for letting me join football, fly alone to Poland, and go to college young. Thanks for supporting me in all my activities and encouraging me to do my best. I also thank you for the times when I quit things or when I can't quite measure up because I know you love me just the same. I thank God for the fights that we have had because I know that in the end in has made our relationship and communication better. Thank you for letting Josh into the family and being a role model to him. Thank you for modeling to us what a God-centered relationship is.

Thank, and thanks again. I'm sorry for times when I am short with you or am stand offish. I love you so much even if I can't or don't always display it I know that I wouldn't be the girl I am today if it wasn't for having you as a father.

Thank you for writing and encouraging me to write. Thank you for running and biking and encouraging me to do the same. Thank you for speaking, encouraging me to do it as well  Thanks for going out of your comfort zone and going on adventures and which has encouraging. Thank you for being genuine, real, and intentional and giving me and many others the encouragement to be so as well.

You're the greatest, dad

&

 I thank God for you.

And They Will Move Mountains

Give me faith to move mountains

Give me the courage to speak

I desire joy and love, a flowing fountain

Humble me to reach your peek

Day after day

Help me not to fade away.

Peace, is what I’d rather pray for

So that it’s not me but it’s you that they can see more

Give me faith to move mountains

Give me the courage to speak

Why oh why Lord have I become so meek?

New friends, old friends, routines becomes the same

Why is it then that they see my face, they know me now

But they don’t call upon your name

If my identity has been lost and I was crucified with you…

Give me the faith to say that what you are doing then is true

Give me faith to move mountains

Give me the courage to speak

You’ve given me your identity

You’ve have called me daughter, one and only, unique.

You’ve given me a purpose and a reason to survive

It’s the fine print I can’t read right now

But it’s only by my faith in you that I’m still here and alive

So once again I pray

Give me faith to move mountains

And give me the courage to speak

That by being your vessel

Others can find the love that they seek

That they may know they are one and only, unique

I pray they will realize the purpose you’ve given them

And that they themselves can have faith to move mountains

And the courage to speak

The Option of a Gap Year

The push for being college ready started my freshman year. Everything at my high school seemed to promote college as the only choice us students had. The stakes were high and so was the stress. SATs, ACTs, scholarships, good grades, volunteer hours, and extra curricular actives were all motived by the push for college. During my sophomore year, my duty was to choose between taking International Baccalaureate (IB) classes or taking post secondary education classes (PSEO) for our junior and senior years.  They described IB classes as rigorous college preparatory classes, which you could receive some college credit for if taking the final test and passing.  On the other hand, PSEO classes were actual college classes where students would take the classes on a college campus. To receive college credit, you just had to pass the class with a B or A. Credit for credit. I went with option two, PSEO. I thought, why bother taking college prep classes when I can take actually college classes, receive college credits, and gain college experience all for free.

Junior year; exploring the world of PSEO.   I turned myself into my own guinea pig, by stepping foot onto the University of Minnesota’s campus as a 16 year old. I took my morning classes at the University and my afternoon classes at Washburn. In the evenings, I had sports. I learned a lot in that first semester. I learned I hated Poli Sci and I never want to memorize another Supreme Court decision ever again. I learned that I did not want to attend a college with a population more than 5,000, where I feel like just a number.  I discovered my love of sociology. But the most importantly I learned that college itself is freeing. There is more time, independence and a lot of maturing that goes on during those years. I noticed a mix of kids though,  some knew exactly what they were there for while others were only attending because their parents made them. The kids who were there by their own choosing were wise with their time and highly self motivated because it’s what they wanted for themselves. The kids there because they felt obligated, slacked in their classes, were all over the board with their majors, and spent their free time out at parties. When one of my friends, Emily, came back from partipating with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) during the end of my junior year, I started to sense that going directly to college wasn’t what I wanted.  

Senior year, I transitioned to full time PSEO, meaning no classes at Washburn. I also made the switch from the U of MN to North Central University. I decided that if I was to do full time PSEO, I wanted a place with a smaller student body. My senior year was the best I could ask for. Entering my senior year, I prayed for a best friend. Two of my closest girlfriends graduated before me the previous year. I wanted a girlfriend who would challenge me spiritually, physically, and would be a friend to confide in. I was confused and slightly upset when I started planning events and the only people who were free to hang out from North Central where a group of guys. One persistently would always come to everything even when plans fell through. He was looking for a tour guide of the cities and like I said, I was looking for a best friend. Three months later the tour guide and the best friend became boyfriend and girlfriend but that is a whole different story. (Josh)  My circle of close friends has grown intentionally deeper and I am closer with my family as a result of this year. I still have felt connected to my high school by being captain of cross country and cross country skiing and being the first person in the past 6 years making it to state in skiing.

Choosing a gap year was harder than I planned it to be. However, whenever I looked into a college it just made me feel uneasy.  At times, during my senior year I began to question if YWAM was really the direction God wanted for me. The choice not to go directly to college would be to go against what our culture has set as the norm.  I was really torn. Yet, the more I prayed about it the more God gave me peace. Although it would be deviant to my culture's behavior to take a gap year, and I knew I would have to leave my family and friends as well as delay a year of college. I knew it was what I should do.

As my gap year began to unfold, it would have three main purposes; to work, serve, and mature. God provided me with the job that was on the top of my list for places to work - French MeadowBakery. I made the decision to work there until December to earn money for YWAM and for college. He also has surrounded me with a community of people to possibly live with in the fall to serve under YWAM Minnesota in uptown. YWAM starts in January where I will be living in San Juan, Costa Rica for the next 5 months. Part of the time is spent growing in my faith and understanding of the gospel and the other part is spent serving in the community. My biggest prayer for this year is that God will break my heart for what breaks his heart.  In doing this I pray that my security in him will strengthen and that I will learn to trust him in each step in my life. A verse I have found key for this year is James 4:13-15-“Come now you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’

Last Friday, I officially graduated from high school, along with completing a little over a year in college.

When talking to some friends about their college plans I wonder why some don’t choose gap years. Why is so looked down upon? So many of my friends are going to college with no idea how to pay for college along with no idea of a major or what they want to do yet they go because they feel like they should and it’s the next thing in life. I write this to encourage those who don’t feel like they want to go to college to take an intentional gap year to learn more about themselves, to save money for college or the future, to pick up a trade, or to travel. College is a good thing but I believe everything has a proper time. High schools and families I believe should be more open to a gap year and the growth of maturity it gives.

Tell me what you think. This is open for discussion. 

Articles for Gap Years: 

• 7 Questions to Ask When Considering a Gap Year 
• If Employment Game Has Changed, Who's Teaching the Rules? 
• Students Take Intentional Gap Year