Going Somewhere?

   Remember when you were about 5 and everyone would ask you, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" A doctor, a teacher, a nurse, a singer, a dancer: those are all things we've all said at some point in our lives. What was so special about that time is that many of us were determined to be successful. Now, if we were asked that same question, what would the answer be? Would it be a couple of shrugs? Or, would the answer would be a complex statement? Let's test it out, but in a better way: where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? What goals do you have for your future?

   We live in a time where relationships are overly promoted. Many 13 year old girls are more focused about having a "man" instead of their academics. Many 16 year old girls are having sex and becoming mothers before they can even graduate from high school with a diploma. Many high school graduates would rather work a part-time job than continue to college. What happened to the drive to actually become successful? What stopped us from our dreams? Tell me this, what is on your mind the majority of the time? Is it that cute boy that smiled at you in 4th period? Is it what that girl said something about you on Facebook? Or, is it how you're going to gain more followers on Twitter?

   We need to get back to that place where we aspire to be world changers. We live so much in the moment that we don't even bother to think about how our present actions can hurt our future. The Bible tells us that tomorrow isn't promised, but that doesn't mean that you just take life as it comes. No, make something out of yourself. I'm so tired of this society portraying women as nothing but sex symbols. I'm so tired of seeing young girls look up to the women that are on reality T.V. We admire everything about them from their attitudes to their loyalty to a man that isn't loyal to them. Wake up, young sisters! You can be so much better than those women. Don't waste your entire time on this earth trying to be the "baddest" & trying to find yourself a "real man". You are so much valuable than that! You are smart & God has a great plan for your life! (Check Jeremiah 29:11)

   With that being said, I want you to have a serious moment with yourself and God. I want you to find a quiet place and take a pen and paper along with you. I want you to think about the route you're on. Are you headed down the road of success or are you headed to destruction? One way that can tell you where you're going in life is the people that you surround yourself with. Are you friends determined to succeed in school, or are they constantly skipping and not doing their work? Do your friends encourage you to do what's right, or do they push you to do things you have no business doing? Most importantly, do your friends push you closer to Christ or do they push you away from Him?

   Next, I want you to seriously think about goals you want to accomplish in the next five and ten years from now. That might seem so far for some of you, but I promise it's really not. It seems like I was just 15, and now I'm 19. While you're writing what you want to accomplish, I want you to examine at your life now. Are your actions leading you towards this goal, or are they leading you nowhere. For example, your grades in high school matter if you want to become a doctor. How? First, you have to have a good GPA to get into a great university. Then, you have to continue to get good grades at the university in order for you to go to medical school. I'm saying this to scare you, but I'm telling you this so your focus can change. What you do now can highly affect what happens in your life later. Trust me, I know.

   Next, I want you to pray about everything that you've written down. Pray and ask God if it is His will for you to accomplish those things, and if it is, ask Him to guide your footsteps so that you can reach them. Once you have done all of that, I want you to put those goals in a place that is very visible so that you can see them daily. Back at home I have a vision board where I have placed things that I want to accomplish on. You can do the same or post them somewhere on your wall or your school notebooks. Place them somewhere where you can see them and be reminded of them! If you remind yourself of your goals, then it is more likely for you to actually have the determination to accomplish them.

   I want the absolute best for you, girl. There should be more high school and college graduation parties and less baby showers for teen mothers. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do something! If you put God first and if you stay determined, you can do ALL things! Trust and believe that there is plenty of time for you to have a boyfriend and all that other stuff. Focus your eyes on Christ and on your dreams. You have the ability to break family curses and to become very successful. So, what do you choose to do? Are you going to keep doing poorly in school? Are you going to keep chasing after boys? Or, are you going to do everything that you need to do to become that teacher, doctor, or lawyer that you want to be? With God you can do anything. The choice is yours.