And if you haven't - these are thoughts and ideas that have changed my thinking and habits since I've turned 20. Maybe you'll agree; maybe you won't. Either way, I hope they challenge your mind.
21. Sitting a across from my discipler at Starbuck's I remember her giving me some wisdom on a relational situation gone weird. Later my mom asked about the advice she relayed, and all I could boil it down to was: "be kind and keep loving Jesus." Still, to this day, I've held on to that. Although, maybe I'd rephrase it - keep loving that person and keep loving Jesus.
Biblically, that's what we're called to. Someone's hurt you. Talked behind you back. Stopped being your friend. Continue to persevere in love towards them and pursue Christ in the midst of it with your whole heart.
22. Don't kiss dating goodbye. The heart of Joshua Harris' words hold wisdom and value (as in, don't date for fun's sake but for seriousness), but for me I've thought, Oh no! I can't go on a date with that person. I'm not 105% they're "the one." Yikes, that's a lot of pressure. Be brave and go on dates even if that someone isn't picture perfect; you might be surprised.
23. Speaking of dating and marriage, this Google talk by Tim Keller and his book The Meaning of Marriage, single-handedly, along with some godly counsel, completely changed the way I think about the qualities a spouse should hold. And frankly, it's more about the ability to love sacrificially for the other's eternal good by abiding in Christ's love more than anything else, as opposed to determining that it be the one area of life where you can selfishly control whether or not that person will fulfill all your needs and what you've determined "good" for you.
24. Wrestle with doubt till you're blue in the face. The last couple years Asaph's Psalms have taught me it's OK to question - it grows your faith - but always come back to the truth of God's Word.
25. Exercising is good. Over exercising is bad. Weigh the eternal (and temporal) costs of running marathons.
26. Love the Church and the (local) church. It's God's institution. And slightly related, I'm learning worship music is less about singing to God, than using the words of the song to speak truth to yourself to move your heart to a place of love and awe for God and what He's done for you. Not to mention, pushing you toward care and compassion for the people corporately worshiping around you.
27. Continue your education. And by that, I don't mean go get a master's degree. I mean, maybe that's for you, but continue to explore the way God's gifted you. Take classes and read books. We are life long learners. Be a good student.
28. Keep short accounts with God and people. It's easier to ask for forgiveness the next day; it's harder to go back five years later.
29. Jesus is better and more beautiful than any sin, any weight you or I carry around. As I survey the 28 things I've picked up through my twenties - this is by far the best. And I desire for this idea to pierce my soul everyday in order that it would propel me to pursue Him in an even deeper way so at the end of the next decade I can say with certainty, "my thirties were not wasted."
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