Even though I'm still only 19 years of age, I have many invaluable lessons that life has taught me in these past 19 years. Lessons I've learned from God, Family, Friends, Pastors, Music, and even my own self. I thought I would take this time to share with you all what I have learned thus far and hope that you take this time to consider some of your own life lessons you may have learned and/or are still learning. Here below is the list of lessons that life has taught me:
1. Love others the way Christ would love them.
-Many would say Treat others the way you would want to be treated, but this statement can be flawed. What if you were in a bad mood or didn't care about how others treated you, then this saying would hold much truth to it. And you should not only treat them well, but Love them, because everyone wants to be loved whether by friend or family or the one they're in love with. And Love them the way Christ would love them: unconditionally.
2. Let Go of the Past.
- My whole life I've looked back on my mistakes, past regrets, heartbreaks. I've let them consume my thoughts and tell me what a disaster I have become, but those thoughts are wrong. That's just the devil trying to rot my mind with filth and lies. Sure I messed up, I got hurt, but that's all in the past. I found forgiveness in Christ, repented, and am able to move on with my life. Hebrews 12:1-3 says that I can let go of the sin that so easily entangles and move forward with my life because Christ Jesus was crucified on the cross and died for all sinners to be set free from their sin. So I've learned to let it go and move forward with my life.
3. Don't take each moment for granted.
- I know you've probably heard this before a dozen times, but it is something that we all need to be reminded of every now and again. Each and every second that we have here on earth is precious, a gift from God. But every second that is spent unappreciated is a wasted second of our time. We could have used it towards something greater, for the betterment of our selves or others. Each and every moment we are given comes and goes as fast as a snap of the finger. Remember to be thankful for every moment, every second of this life.
4. Have your own Opinion.
- Don't be afraid to have your own opinion. If we all agreed upon everything, did the same things, wanted the same things, this would be a dull dull world. If someone says that they are not a fan of Taylor Swift and you are, don't be afraid to say, "I'm a T-swift fan and I'm not ashamed of it." Or if you think that Church had a great sermon today and some of your friends didn't really think much of it, share your thoughts on why you thought it enjoyable. Speak your mind! Don't let fear of being an outcast stop you from being you. God made you that way and be proud of who you are!
5. Don't let the world set standards for you.
- If you've always dreamed of running a fashion line, starting your own record label, become the next NBA all-star (yes, I'm using One Tree Hill as an example because it is an amazing show) then what's stopping you?! Who says you can't dream? If you have a dream, set goals, work hard, and maybe someday it will come true. It won't come easy, it may be a tough road ahead, but in the end I'm sure it will all be worth the while. I wrote on my bucket list a while back that I wanted to become a guitar teacher, and although I'm not an official licensed teacher, I have started to teach many of my friends the guitar just in the past year! So technically, I can cross that off my list but I would still love to teach one day. And even though our plans may change, and our goals may not have turned out the way we wanted them to, the beauty is in the attempt. I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't give up on your dreams, make them your reality.
6. Don't let others label you.
- If someone says you're note pretty enough, not smart enough, too tall, too short, nerdy, can't do anything fun, ignore them! In high school, all I remember was stereotypes, and where you stood was important, or was it? Does it really matter what group we're in? If we're popular or not? It's just unnecessary drama and nothing more. We are all equals, beautiful, and enough in the eyes of God and so we should be in the eyes of others. But life doesn't tend to work that way, so we must constantly remind ourselves and one another that our identity is found in Christ. To those who believe in him, the only label we should wear is "Child of God". John 1:12
7. Take life one day at a time.
- I try to live by the verse Matthew 6:33: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." God will be there to give us what we need as long as we remain faithful in Him. The next verse is my second favorite, Matthew 6:34: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." If you learn to only keep your mind focused on today and not the future, it makes it easier for you to be less anxious and to take the time to enjoy today. Going back to #3, don't take each moment for granted. Live in the now, not the future, or you'll be anxious all the time. Trust me, it took me a long time to finally realize this and I still struggle with it every now and again, but once you let go of your worries, you'll feel like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders. In the words of Bob Marley,"Don't worry about a thing, cause every little thing is gonna be alright."
8. When in doubt, pray it out!
- When you start to lose sight in hope, are struggling day to day, pray! I cannot begin to tell you how effective prayer is! God will listen to whoever calls upon his name and He will answer. It may not be the answer you were looking for, but it will be one that will help guide you towards him. Take a moment to read and reflect on 1 John 5:14-15. It took me a while to learn how to bring requests before the Lord, how to pray. Now I can come before him and know that He hears every word that I pray in His name. And that to me is such a beautiful thing! Rely on Him, be patient, and be strong because He will always be there for you.
9. It's never too late.
- It's never too late to do anything, whether it be learning the guitar, starting your own business, going back to school, accepting Christ. Life is full of great opportunities, you just have to decide whether or not to take them on. During my first year of High School, I thought I was learning the guitar at a really late age, but boy was I wrong! It has now been almost 5 years that I've been practicing the guitar and I have friends who are now just beginning to learn, and what I found is that learning is ageless. You're never too old to do the things you want to do in life.
And for those out there who think they cannot find hope because they've fallen so deep in their sin, that's not true. God will accept anyone who calls out to him, whether the young or the old, if you call upon His name, He will hear you. So don't ever feel like God will never love you because He already does loves you, He's just waiting for your call. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13.
10. Be Patient.
-Wait, waiting, still waiting..... It can always be a struggle to wait for something especially patiently waiting. A lot of times for me, it's prayer that I struggle with. I used to think that if I prayed, God would answer by the next day at the latest, but that isn't how it works. Patience and Prayer go hand in hand. You must learn to be patient while waiting on an answer to your prayer. You may not know it, but while you are praying, God is already at work in answering your prayer even though it may take you a while to notice. If you learn to wait, God will surely bless you. Don't let your anger take a foothold, and learn to appreciate the wait, for what you're waiting for will surely follow. Check out James 5:7-11 & Psalm 37:7-9!
11. Music makes you feel better.
This may not be a fact, but in my personal opinion, it should be written as truth. Music has always been a passion of mine, specifically the kind that is uplifting, heartfelt, and knows how to put your feelings into a song. Whatever you may be going through, whether it be good or bad, listening to music can sooth the soul. It can release whatever anger you may be holding, tears you need to cry, it can motivate you to do greater things, to be a better person, live, laugh, love. I believe that music makes up for what words cannot find and speaks the language of the heart.
These are the lessons I've learned over the course of these past 19 years. Whether or not these apply to you or whether or not you agree with them is up to you, but for me personally, these are my beliefs and life lessons. I hope you have a great day, and may God Bless!
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