So what's next for you?

That's a good question!
If you didn't know or happen to be wondering, this last semester, the Spring semester of this year, was my final semester in high school... ever! That's right, I was a senior. And as you know, if you've ever been a senior, the question that you hear NON-STOP from January until August is, "So what are you doing next?" And really, I started hearing this question when I started my Junior year in fall 2010 (that sounds SO long ago!)
What am I doing next?
As of Spring or Fall 2011, I would have responded with whatever I had most recently been dreaming about or excited about. I would have told you that I wanted to be an actress in musical theater and then go on to be a high school theater director. Or I would have told you that I wanted to go over seas on missions.
When my senior year started, the pressure really started to weigh down. People keep asking. What am I REALLY going to do? What am I supposed to do? I need to act quick. I have to start applications and interviews and I need to save money. I need a car. On and on and on.
But around January... possible February, I realized something. Maybe college, or immediately leaving my family and my home is not what God has in store for me this year. I don't have to jump out of high school and run into college head on just because everyone else is doing it.

So here's the point, I know a couple of things that I would love to do, things I am open to and ready to be called to, but maybe it's just "not yet".
So what's next for me is this:
Diligent prayer asking God to show me what His plan is for me. To ask Him to lead me and open doors and to give me an open heart, to give me boldness and courage and faith to trust Him in whatever His plan is for me.
Also, I will be staying home to help my mother teach my youngest siblings. Jordan is turning 12 and going into 6th grade, and Sophia is turning 8 and going into 3rd grade. I am really excited for this opportunity as God has recently been revealing to my that my first "mission field" is my home. He has been showing me that I need to give my family more attention, to show them His grace and His love everyday!

He has also been teaching me recently, through my own situations and through my family and friends, that His timing is absolutely perfect. Any plan that I have for myself, that I think will bring me happiness or joy, that I will be content with - How much MORE fulfilling will His perfect plan be in His perfect timing. Though we don't always understand when we are in a moment of trial or in something that we don't like or are uncomfortable with - He has a plan and we need to rest in that plan and trust Him because He. is. perfect.

So I am trusting and waiting and praying and in that time, through all of that, I hope to be able to be more involved with my family, with ministry at church. I want to serve and love and live in such a way that I am displaying a Christ-like lifestyle to all that I come in contact with. But the only way that that is possible - is through the love of Christ Himself. Without His love we could not love. Without His grace, we would not extend grace to others.

So that, is what's next.

Grace and Peace to you, my brothers and sisters in Christ!