This Wild Season

“Let’s be courageous in these days. Let’s choose love and rest and grace. Let’s use our minutes and hours to create memories with the people we love…I pray that we’ll live with intention, hope, and love in this wild season and in every season, and that the God who loves us will bring new life to our worn-out hearts this year and every year, that we’ll live, truly and deeply, in the present, instead of waiting, waiting, waiting for perfect.” - Shauna Niequist, Bread & Wine

I read Shauna's words on this sweet blog today and could not imagine a more perfect thought for right now. Recently finding myself waiting, waiting, waiting for perfect - for this and that, for this conversation to go like this and that friendship to go like that, for the perfect job to drop into my lap, I've found myself a little lost.

As the countdown to graduation marches on, the thoughts about what happens after creep closer and closer. The worries and stress distract from the adventure I'm walking now. My heart feels worn out after last semester and even this one too - too much regretting and wishing and hoping and wondering in this and that. Not enough trust.

What does it look like to accept grace, and what does it feel like to give yourself grace? What does it change?

To use Shauna's words, it's a wild season - a season where yes, I realize won't necessarily dictate the rest of my life - but a season that has a significant impact on setting the trajectory and tone of the next few years. Where are my priorities? Am I holding myself back before I even have reason to? What does a life well-lived look like?

The questions are endless: fun to consider to a point, but overwhelming as well. This has been my prayer - one of my favorite hymns, reminding me of truths, provoking thought, and encouraging the discipline to rest, allowing God to satisfy as only He can.

Hill of Crosses in Lithuania - spring break Russia adventures to be posted soon(ish).