Life Options

I've known for quite some time that I'm an internal processor, but for some reason I've forgotten that lately. My journaling--whether by blog or the old fashioned way--has gotten stale. After the conference this past weekend, though, I remembered just how much I need journaling to stay sane.

This past weekend was the Life Options conference in Minnetonka, MN. It was sponsored by Cru, so they provided a Biblical perspective for choosing our futures. I didn't go expecting to learn exactly what to do or to come away with my future all neat and orderly, but I was interested to see what they would say.

Because only juniors and seniors went, it was one of the more mature and serious conferences I've been to. Sure, we had fun--the emcee joked around, speakers showed us movie clips from October Sky and The Lord of the Rings--but they got down to business right away.

The focus speaker for the weekend was Roger Hershey, who I've heard before at Big Break. He's amazing and just a really wise guy who really emphasized keeping an eternal perspective. Other speakers and breakout sessions I went to discussed ways to not go crazy during this transition time and what the workplace can be like.

After one of our campus times where we each discussed things on our minds, I decided it was time to get all my thoughts out on paper. I had a hard time relating to the group what I was thinking, but in a jarbled fashion I pretty much told them about my contentment with where I'm at. During the quiet time I then had, I found this verse: "And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you" (Psalm 39:7). It really summed up my feelings.

I don't know where I'll be in a year, or nine months, or barely six months. I do know what I need to do tomorrow though, and the next day. So I'll start there. It's like walking through the woods with only a lighter to see where I'm going. I don't need a giant search light, the small flame will do. I'll get out of the woods eventually.